Karsten Temme

What if the solution to feeding humanity has been hiding in the soil for millions of years? Bioengineer Karsten Temme discovered a remarkable answer to this question: for eons, crops relied on soil microbes to convert atmospheric nitrogen into food — until modern farming severed that ancient partnership. He shows how we can reawaken those dormant microbes using gene editing, creating “living fertilizer” that delivers nutrients to crops in real time and transforms farms around the world.Learn more about our flagship conference happening this April at attend.ted.com/podcast Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Karsten Temme, co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer at Pivot Bio, explores how the microbiome could transform agriculture. He discusses the environmental challenges of synthetic fertilizers and the promise of gene editing to enhance soil microbes for better nitrogen fixation. Karsten highlights innovations that improve crop yields and resilience, emphasizing sustainability and the critical role of beneficial microbes in farming. His insights showcase a future where agricultural biotechnology leads to more efficient and eco-friendly practices.