This TED Talk features molecular biologist Elizabeth Blackburn, recorded live at TED 2017.

Where does the end begin? Well, for me, it all began with this little fellow.

This adorable organism, well, I think it's adorable, is called tetrahymena,

and it's a single-celled creature,

and it's also been known as Pond Scum.

So, that's right, my career started with Pond Scum.

Now, it was no surprise I became a scientist.

Growing up far away from here,

as a little girl, I was deadly curious about everything alive.

I used to pick up lethal poisonous, stinging jellyfish

and sing to them.

And so, starting my career,

I was deadly curious about fundamental mysteries

of the most basic building blocks of life.

And I was fortunate to live in a society where that curiosity was valued.

Now, for me, this little Ponskum critter tetra hymina was a great way to study the fundamental mystery.

I was most curious about those bundles of DNA in our cells called chromosomes.

And it was because I was curious about the very ends of chromosomes,

known as telomeres.

Now, when I started my quest,

all we knew was that they helped protect the ends of chromosomes. It was important when cells divide.

It was really important.

...