Sameer Dhurde, a science and astronomy communicator at IUCAA and creator of the SciPOP program, brings the cosmos closer to us through storytelling. In this engaging talk, he begins with a dinosaur figurine and a real meteorite fragment, unraveling how a giant asteroid impact wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago—just one of 190 known impact sites on Earth. He takes us through India’s own Lonar Crater and Russia’s 2013 Chelyabinsk event, revealing the lurking threat asteroids pose. But beyond danger, Sameer emphasizes how asteroids are also treasures—remnants of the early solar system that offer insight into our cosmic origins. With humor and clarity, he explains how astronomers around the world are using cutting-edge telescopes and data tracking to monitor and study these space rocks, turning curiosity into planetary defense. His core message is clear: science isn’t just about facts—it’s about wonder, vigilance, and the thrill of discovery. Sameer Dhurde is an award-winning science and astronomy communicator and the driving force behind SciPOP, the popular outreach program at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune. Trained as a radio astronomer with a Master’s in Physics, Sameer has dedicated his career to making science education engaging and accessible. Over the past decade, he has contributed to several national and international advisory groups including ASI, TMT, LIGO-India, ISRO, and the IAU—designing impactful science outreach programs and educational resources. Recipient of the prestigious Zubin Kembhavi Award by the ASI, Sameer travels across India to ignite curiosity among children, support amateur astronomers, and share the wonders of the cosmos with diverse communities. 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

NOTE FROM TED: This talk only represents the speaker’s personal views and understanding of consciousness, divinity, and artificial intelligence, which some viewers may find objectionable. TEDx events are independently organized by volunteers. The guidelines we give TEDx organizers are described in more detail here: http://storage.ted.com/tedx/manuals/tedx_content_guidelines.pdfSrinija Srinivasan explores how we can meet superhuman intelligence not with fear or rivalry, but with presence, values, and deep self-awareness. With clarity and curiosity, she invites us to reflect on the human qualities that no machine can replicate, and why nurturing them may be our greatest responsibility in the age of AI. Born in India and raised in Lawrence, Kansas, Srinija Srinivasan has followed a lifelong curiosity about consciousness, wondering from a young age what possibilities can arise from believing divinity is in ourselves and all around us. She studied artificial intelligence at Stanford and then worked at the Cyc Project, a large-scale AI effort to build an immense database of commonsense knowledge.In 1995, she joined Yahoo! as their fifth employee and self-titled Ontological Yahoo, where she continued over 15 years as Vice President, Editor-in-Chief. She simultaneously chaired the board of non-profit SFJAZZ, leading her to co-found Loove, a Brooklyn-based music venture exploring how commerce and technology can be guided by artistic values rather than letting our culture be led by market values.She has recently cofounded Jubilee College, a two-year school in Dunsmuir, CA where students will be equally rooted in physical work, rigorous liberal arts study, and contemplative practice.Srinija is a board member of the On Being Project and a former vice chair of Stanford University's Board of Trustees. She lives in Palo Alto, CA and Brooklyn, NY. 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