Stephen Petranek

Change Agent, Environmentalist, Global soul, Idea generator, Writer/Editor

Currently: Operating director of Ocean Zero, a fund created to decarbonize the worlds oceans, rivers and lakes from shipping and boating emissions. Director, Nexoptic Technology Corp., director, Candela foiling electric boats in Sweden. Director, SGH2 , a waste to H2 energy company. Director, Oceanwings, a French wind propulsion company for large ships. Director, Batene, a German high-tech battery company. Director, Flux Marine, producing the world’s most innovative high power electric outboard motors. Director, Zero Emission Nautical, builders of the world’s only catamaran yacht that can navigate on the high seas 24/7/365 on solar power alone. Director, Pascal Technologies, creators of revolutionary air lubrication friction reduction system for ships: Director, Hyke Smart City electric ferries. Previously: Executive producer National Geographic "Mars" mini series. Author, "How We'll Live on Mars," Editorial Director, Weider History Group of Magazines; editor-in-chief Discover Magazine, world's largest science magazine; First editor-in-chief of This Old House Magazine. Senior editor for science and medicine at Life Magazine. Editor, The Washington Post magazine.

Mars, sailing, flying, cycling, kayaking, restoring old cars

We need a defense against a cataclysmic and certain event--a collision between Earth and a large asteroid which would wipe out humankind. Building dedicated observatories in space that can detect an incoming asteroid and building a dual-rocket system that can move an asteroid from its collision course with Earth costs about as much as one B-2 bomber. The future of our species is at risk.

Mars, ocean decarbonization

I first came to TED as a speaker in 2002 at Monterey, Ca. My talk was "10 Ways the Earth Could End Suddenly." I was a speaker again in Monterey in 2003, when I spoke on "10 reasons to be optimistic about the future." I produced and hosted a salon for TED in New York in 2007 on how we can fix global warming with technology. I was a speaker at the 2013 TEDxMidwest. I gave a TED talk on the main stage in Vancouver in 2015 on "How We'll Live on Mars." I gave a TED talk in Shanghai for the TED partners program in 2019. I have been to every main TED since 2002, and numerous other TEDs, including Global Teds such as Edinburgh (2x).

fixing stuff, aerobatics, ocean navigation, astronomy, off-road motorcycling