Eco-Tech: Sound Farming and Extinction-Predicting Bots

As the world's population continues to grow, we need to find ways to grow fresh, nutritious food more efficiently whilst significantly reducing food miles. We also need to do it in a way that preserves our freshwater supply, our soil quality and our natural environment that we rely on so heavily.

One way to do this is through growing food using aeroponics. This talk will be an introduction to aeroponics. Looking at the pros and cons - and difficulties - of using this technology. We’ll look at what crops people are currently growing and what crops could be grown in the future.

Humans are fundamentally reshaping the world. Our actions are leading to rapidly changing environmental conditions, putting stress on wildlife globally and leading to the extinction of species and collapse of ecosystems. However, we are generally poor at predicting what systems are at risk of collapse. Dr Chris Clements will talk about how we can use robotics, machine learning, 3D printing and laboratory ecosystems to develop tools to better predict at risk populations, and how technology might help us better observe the world around us, and ultimately save biodiversity and humanity.