What if we could see through the crust of the earth to locate and measure precious groundwater? It’s no longer necessary to do “exploratory surgery” on the earth, says Knight, whose team uses satellites to track fresh water. Relying on the most sophisticated new measurement tools, Knight predicts and explains our fresh water future.

Knight's passion is Earth imaging – how to use advanced technologies to see below the ground, to depths of hundreds of meters. The founding director of the Center for Groundwater Evaluation and Management, she works with her research group and other collaborators to find new ways of mapping and monitoring our groundwater resources. After obtaining her doctorate in geophysics at Stanford, she joined the faculty at the University of British Columbia, returning to Stanford in 2000.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at http://ted.com/tedx