TED | The National Academies’ “Grand Challenges for Engineering” list, released yesterday, runs down the 14 most pressing issues we must face in the 21st century.

Creating access to clean water, restoring our cities, engineering new medicines and new ways of providing care — the list is vast and inspiring. Look on the Next Steps area to find out where we can go from here.

The committee that selected these 14 Grand Challenges includes TED Talks speakers Jaime Lerner, Dean Kamen, Craig Venter, Larry Page and Ray Kurzweil.

Listen to Ray Kurzweil at the press conference, discussing the future of solar power.

related reading:
National Academy of Engineering | The Grand Challenges for Engineering
National Academy of Engineering | “The unveiling of the Grand Challenges for Engineering on February 15, 2008”

related reading:
TED | Ray Kurzweil 

(credit: TED)