Ariel Waldman
Ariel Waldman is a National Geographic Explorer and filmmaker. Her expeditions take her from tallgrass prairies and deep-sea canyons to the icy realms of Antarctica. In these remarkable places, she films otherworldly life beneath the surface, including the extraordinary lives of microscopic animals. Waldman is the creator and host of "UNEARTHED," an ongoing series on PBS that breaks open the boundaries of nature documentaries, exploring everything from microscopic creatures to the planet's most iconic animals—and even the possibilities of life beyond Earth.
Waldman is also a TED speaker and author. For over a decade, she has served as an advisor to NASA on astrobiology, human spaceflight and advanced technologies. In 2013, she was honored by the Obama White House as a "Champion of Change" for her work in citizen science. She lives in San Francisco, California, and enjoys collaborating with researchers to illuminate the unseen corners of our world.
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Contact UsThe invisible life hidden beneath Antarctica's ice | Ariel Waldman
Video by TED
"Ariel Waldman always delivers. There are very few people who can successfully translate their sincere surprising enthusiasm to an audience. Even fewer can do it in a way that immediately peaks interest and connects the room. Ariel has that magic."
Dave Schroeder, Executive Producer, Eyeo Festival
"We were so honored to have Ms. Waldman as a speaker at our global event this year. She was scheduled as a lead-in for our closing because so many people were excited to attend and hear from her, and quite honestly she gave our moderators a challenge - simply because the audience was so engaged. People from over 100 countries joined a lively discussion with Ariel and left inspired, entertained, and more educated. We highly recommend her as a speaker."
Charlie Capen, Vice President, GISH