# A new weapon in the fight against superbugs

- Institution: TED
- Department: TED2017
- Speaker: David Brenner
- Year: 2017
- Level: For everyone
- Language: English
- Subjects: Medicine and health
- Source: [TED](https://www.ted.com/talks/david_brenner_a_new_weapon_in_the_fight_against_superbugs)
- Licence: [CC BY-NC-ND 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/) (Non-commercial use only, and no changed versions.)
- Who can watch: Teens profiles and older (sources give no ratings; placed by Invisible Network from the source's own words)

Since the widespread use of antibiotics began in the 1940s, we've tried to develop new drugs faster than bacteria can evolve -- but this strategy isn't working. Drug-resistant bacteria known as superbugs killed nearly 700,000 people last year, and by 2050 that number could be 10 million -- more than cancer kills each year. Can physics help? In a talk from the frontiers of science, radiation scientist David Brenner shares his work studying a potentially life-saving weapon: a wavelength of ultraviolet light known as far-UVC, which can kill superbugs safely, without penetrating our skin. Followed by a Q&A with TED Curator Chris Anderson.

## Lectures

1. [A new weapon in the fight against superbugs](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/learn/ted/david_brenner_a_new_weapon_in_the_fight_against_superbugs/e80af19131a5), 10 min (TED's player)