Microbial life is often a problem in oil fields, producing toxic chemicals and corroding steel pipes and tanks. Microbe detective Geert van der Kraan shares how we can transform this challenge into a solution by studying the clues these microbes leave behind. "There are things we can learn from the microorganisms that call oil fields their homes, making oil field operations just a little cleaner. Who knows what other secrets they may hold for us?" van der Kraan asks.

As the world and our interactions grow more complex, so do our challenges. To solve for modern problems, we need a new framework for innovation itself, one that considers all perspectives and outcomes in the calculus. In September 2019 TED@DuPont speakers shared their ideas that can serve to truly transform society at The Fillmore in Philadelphia.

About the TED Institute: We know that innovative ideas and fresh approaches to challenging problems can be discovered inside visionary companies around the world. The TED Institute helps surface and share these insights. Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas.

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