Can we use geological examples to understand the climate crisis? | Charlotte Spruzen | TEDxMcGill
Can the Earth’s past help us make sense of today’s climate crisis? This talk examines how geological records such as ancient ripples and mass extinctions can inform our understanding of modern climate change. While natural laws remain constant, the current rate and scale of human-driven warming are unprecedented. By contrasting scientific insights with climate denial narratives, the talk highlights the importance of context, evidence, and urgency in using the past to shape a livable and sustainable future. Charlotte is a PhD candidate at McGill University. She completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Cambridge, and stayed for a master’s degree specializing in the oceanic sulfur cycle. Now, she researches sedimentary rock predating the dawn of animal life, aiming to improve our understanding of how microbially-constructed reefs altered ancient climate. She is passionate about teaching others about geology, because an understanding of Earth history and deep time directly lends itself to an appreciation for the natural world. As a result, she does science outreach on social media under the username @charbonate, through which she creates informative videos about the Earth's past, and advocates for the importance of geoscience education. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
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- 18:40Black is A Spectrum | Osei Kweku | TEDxCollierHeightsWhat does it mean to be Black? In this powerful TED Talk, the speaker unpacks the richness, complexity, and expansiveness of Black identity. Black is a Spectrum challenges monolithic narratives and embraces the diverse experiences, cultures, histories, and expressions that exist within the global Black community. Through personal stories, cultural insights, and social critique, the talk explores how Blackness is shaped by geography, language, class, gender, and legacy—offering a vision of identity that is fluid, multidimensional, and deeply human. This is an invitation to reimagine Blackness not as a box, but as a boundless spectrum. Osei Kweku, a first-generation immigrant in North America. As a multi-faceted international businessman that grew up in Kitchener, Ontario and Middle America. As a graduate of Hampton University, Osei began to make his mark in the Broadcast Media industry in Washington, DC. As an on-air personality with a distinctive voice, his talents were sought after in markets on the eastern corridor of the United States including such cities as Philadelphia, Baltimore, Hampton/Norfolk, Virginia, and Atlanta. While promoting brands on the air, this forged the symbiotic relationship between marketing, branding, and international business. Now a public figure in media with over twenty years in covering and analyzing politics and entertainment news, to include years of working in public radio. His greatest strength is his knowledge of marketing international creative culture. Proceeds of DSI goes towards the redevelopment and redesign of Osei’s family hospital in Kumasi, Ghana. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
