Bina Venkataraman says that humans have a superpower that we ignore. She is a science policy expert, journalist, and author working at the crossroads of social progress, environmental change, and science policy. In her 2019 book The Optimist’s Telescope: Thinking Ahead in a Reckless Age, she explores how individuals and societies can overcome shortsightedness to confront long-term challenges like climate change and public health.

In this TED Talk, she distills key ideas about how blending future imagination with historical understanding can help us make wiser choices today—and build resilience for tomorrow.

SUMMARY, TED TALK: The power to think ahead in a reckless age | Bina Venkataraman