What do toilet paper, sugar beets, and mobile phones have in common? They're all clues in a global puzzle about how the world really works. This thought-provoking talk reveals the fragile beauty—and hidden costs—of the manufactured world we depend on, and offers three powerful reasons to be hopeful about what comes next. Tim Minshall works at the University of Cambridge as the inaugural Dr. John C. Taylor Professor of Innovation, the head of the Engineering Department’s Institute for Manufacturing, and a fellow of Churchill College. His research, teaching, and outreach are focused on the links between manufacturing and innovation. He lives in Cambridge, UK, with his scientist wife, Nicola, and they have two children, Alastair and Elizabeth. Tim is also Chair of Trustees of the Foundation for Young People’s Mental Health (YPMH) 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