What Anne Madden has said about Plastic-degrading microbes

1 quote · 1 episode · Oct 9, 2026

Anne Madden, Microbiologist and founder and chief scientist of the Microbe Institute, has been quoted on Plastic-degrading microbes once in 1 episode of TED Radio Hour, most recently on October 9, 2026. Each quote below is verbatim and links to the moment it was said.

In their words

  • Madden says scientists have already found microbes adept at breaking down even long-lasting plastics, and AI is being used to enhance their enzymes.

    “scientists have already found microbes that are incredibly adept at breaking down plastics, even the plastics that seem to last forever”

    TED Radio Hour: The shocking power of tiny things (Oct 9, 2026) · Listen from 12:08

Episodes

  • The shocking power of tiny things

    TED Radio Hour · Oct 9, 2026 · 50 min

    Manoush Zomorodi and TED speakers Anne Madden, Lera Boroditsky, YeYoon Kim and Bart Weetjens explore how tiny things—microbes, words, moments, rats—wield outsized power.

Anne Madden on other topics