In 1969, Buzz Aldrin’s historical step onto the moon leapt mankind into an era of technological possibility. The awesome power of technology was to be used to solve all of our big problems. Fast forward to present day, and what's happened? Are mobile apps all we have to show for ourselves? Journalist Jason Pontin looks closely at the challenges we face to using technology effectively ... for problems that really matter.

Can technology solve our big problems?

The Apollo moon landing united 400,000 people and consumed 4 percent of the federal budget, proving what collective effort can achieve. Today, ambitions like Mars colonization or curing cancer seem endlessly out of reach, as faith in technology’s power has faded. Political will, institutional support, true understanding of the problem, and public engagement are all essential for meaningful progress. Without these, even the most advanced tools cannot solve humanity’s hardest challenges.