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Why you should love gross science

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Anna Rothschild |

TEDxMidAtlantic

• October 2016

What can we learn from the slimy, smelly side of life? In this playful talk, science journalist Anna Rothschild shows us the hidden wisdom of "gross stuff" and explains why avoiding the creepy underbelly of nature, medicine and technology closes us off to important sources of knowledge about our health and the world. "When we explore the gross side of life, we find insights that we never would have thought we'd find, and we even often reveal beauty that we didn't think was there," Rothschild says.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

What can we learn from the slimy, smelly side of life? In this playful talk, science journalist Anna Rothschild shows us the hidden wisdom of "gross stuff" and explains why avoiding the creepy underbelly of nature, medicine and technology closes us off to important sources of knowledge about our health and the world. "When we explore the gross side of life, we find insights that we never would have thought we'd find, and we even often reveal beauty that we didn't think was there," Rothschild says.

Want to use TED Talks in your organization?

This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

About the speaker

Anna Rothschild

Science journalist

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Anna Rothschild makes videos about science for the young and the young at heart.

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"Anna's Science Magic Show Hooray!"

"Anna’s Science Magic Show Hooray!" is a show for The Washington Post, where Anna answers questions from kids. Not surprisingly, many of the questions are gross. The show explores topics like, "Why do we have butts?" and "Can bad smells hurt me?"

"Gross Science"

"Gross Science" addresses the slimy, smelly world of nature, medicine and technology.

About TEDx

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This talk was presented to a local audience at TEDxMidAtlantic, an independent event. TED's editors chose to feature it for you.

Read more about TEDx.

Anna Rothschild: Why you should love gross science | TED Talk