"The greatest and most endangered species in the Amazon rainforest is not the jaguar or the harpy eagle," says Mark Plotkin, "It's the isolated and uncontacted tribes." In an energetic and sobering talk, the ethnobotanist brings us into the world of the forest's indigenous tribes and the incredible medicinal plants that their shamans use to heal. He outlines the challenges and perils that are endangering them — and their wisdom — and urges us to protect this irreplaceable repository of knowledge. TEDTalks is a daily video podcast of the best talks and performances from the TED Conference, where the world's leading thinkers and doers give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes (or less). Look for talks on Technology, Entertainment and Design -- plus science, business, global issues, the arts and much more. Find closed captions and translated subtitles in many languages at http://www.ted.com/translate Follow TED news on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/tednews Like TED on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TED Subscribe to our channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/TEDtalksDirector

Comments

1. really enjoyed the talk
2. god bless mark plotkin
3. "They want to turn them into Christians...We all know how that turns out..."
   
   Ummmm, it turns out good? I haven't heard any negative stories of Christians spreading the gospel to isolated tribes. Unless you mean the stories of Christians that have died for this cause, which they are more than often happy to die for.
4. Thanks for sharo\ing.
5. Saving our planet...
6. thx for sharing this
7. one of the best
8. Well spoken Mark Plotkin
9. Was that depictions of Birkeland currents on those walls?
10. AMA does not cure anything. They treat symptoms. Cure makes no money!!! Get it?!?!?!?
11. Imfrom Brasil, i liked the frog myself its a wonderfull experience, its called SAPO  i advise, everyone to come down and have a taste . . . ..
12. Cancer is caused by our levels of trypsinogen dropping and hypoxia not to mention a vitamin D3 deficiency. Too many foods are trypsinogen inhibitors.
13. Doctors use allopathic chemical non carbon drugs to treat a carbon 12 based life form that's compromised of 6 protons 6 electrons and 6 neutrons. Big pharma kills over 300% more than all illegal drugs and activity combined. They use their profits to buy airtime and donate to colleges then compromise there curriculums to teach drugs to our modern doctors or legal providers of drugs synthesized from nature. Then these doctors Join the AMA that restricts them from using nutrition. The AMA enrollment is down to 28% so now they are trying to be a part of the healthcare program. On average 47 people a day die because of medical malpractice. I think you need to think about the doctor comment. Dr Kotsanis is the only one I will trust but not a cure since 1957. Vitamin deficiency and side effects if the drugs are causing our problems not to mention GMOs and aspartame. One drug alone killed more than the Vietnam war before it was pulled vioxx. Germany cures people with stuff invented here that's safe but the FDA won't pass it. They just allowed the Burzynski drug. When the truth is known I will still be here so keep trusting your mainstream dr and see how healthy you stay. Im healthy as a rock so good luck I'll pray for you and thank God for people like Mark Plotkin
14. White man baaaad! Indian goood!
15. I think medicine in the west could cure but the giant pharmaceuticals will not earn enough from healthy people. Neuter the pharma greed and it'll all work fine! 
16. I'm colombian!!! :')
17. i would do just about anything to live like these people .all life in this "civilized" world has been reduced to an economic unit.people in suits with high incomes given automatic respect when sociopathy is their trade .dress in reused cotton clothing,dont own a pretty car ,get treated like a criminal  .those who consume the most have automatic "rights"  ('cause they "earned" them) while the lowest income ,consuming the least,are shunned ,exploited,and criminalized  just like all other life forms here that arent of massive economic benefit to the consumers and profiteers.any life form  that cannot be enslaved to "produce" for profit are eliminated as "pests" and "invasive species"."civilization" was a disgusting idea ,and it all came with patriarchy .add the "L" back into the "word of god" and it becomes what they really worship : the world of gold
18. 9:52, THE TRUE, GENIUNE Native Americans, called Indians....How sick is that.....
19. Has anyone heard of any cures for stroke ? My mom just suffered a big stroke, we need help ...thanks.
20. Watermelon (green on the outside, red in the inside) communist bullshit detected