TED Radio Hour

In this hour, TED speakers explore our origins as a species — who we are, where we come from, where we're headed — and how we're connected to everything that came before us. In an updated interview, futurist Juan …

Original broadcast date: May 18, 2018. What motivates us to take up a cause, follow a leader, or create change? This hour, TED speakers explore …

We think of love as a mysterious, unknowable force. Something that happens to us. But what if we could control it? This hour, TED speakers on whether …

Original broadcast date: October 23, 2015. The era of open source has led to countless innovations. When does it work and when is it chaos? In this episode, TED speakers explore how open source is changing how we build, …

Why do we revere risk-takers, even when their actions terrify us? Why are some better at taking risks than others? This hour, TED speakers explore …

Original broadcast date: January 3, 2014. We all have our struggles, whether they be mental, physical, or social. But what is it that makes some of us keep trying and striving to overcome despite the odds? In this hour, …

Original broadcast date: June 27, 2014. When is copying flattery, when is it thievery, and when is it sheer genius? In this hour, TED speakers explore how sampling, borrowing, and riffing make all of us innovators. …

Anger is universal and complex: it can be quiet, festering, justified, vengeful, and destructive. This hour, TED speakers explore the many sides of …

Many of us either cope with mental illness or know someone who does. But we still have a hard time talking about it. This hour, TED speakers explore ways to push past — and even erase — the stigma. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: April 17, 2015. Humans need food, sleep, safety, love, purpose. Psychologist Abraham Maslow ordered our needs into a …

Original broadcast date: December 1, 2017. Sometimes, being truthful can be uncomfortable--even risky. But can radical honesty and openness change …

More than test scores or good grades — what do kids need to prepare them for the future? This hour, guest host Manoush Zomorodi and TED speakers explore how to help children grow into better humans, in and out of the …

Original broadcast date: November 10, 2017. Art can evoke powerful feelings. But can it do more? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on the …

The past few years have ushered in an explosion of new discoveries about our universe. This hour, TED speakers explore the implications of these advances — and the lingering mysteries of the cosmos. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: February 20, 2015. The brain can seem as mysterious as a distant galaxy, but scientists are starting to map and manipulate …

Why do some of us believe, and some of us don't? And can doubt bring our beliefs into sharper focus? In this hour, TED speakers, from ardent aetheists to the devout, explore all ends of the spectrum. In a brand new …

Do animals grieve? Do they have language or consciousness? For a long time, scientists resisted the urge to look for human qualities in animals. This hour, TED speakers explore how that is changing. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: March 27, 2015. In this episode, TED speakers describe how all forms of amusement — from tossing a ball to video games — can …

Self-help advice is filled with quick fixes on "living your best life." But there are no shortcuts. This hour, TED speakers search for meaningful …

Original broadcast date: October 27, 2017. We're living in a time of intense ideological division, and it often feels impossible to bridge the gap. …

Original broadcast date: November 17, 2017. Sometimes, the best solutions to complex problems are simple. But simple doesn't always mean easy. This …

Technology has reshaped our lives in amazing ways. But at what cost? This hour, TED speakers reveal how what we see, read, believe — even how we vote …

Original broadcast date: February 6, 2016. Sinful behavior is human, and nearly impossible to avoid. In this hour, TED speakers talk about the guilty …

Original broadcast date: April 25, 2014. Love is instinctive and essential, but what is it that brings certain people together? In this hour, TED speakers examine the mystery of connection and relationships. Guests …

When the life you've built slips out of your grasp, you're often told it's best to move on. But is that true? Instead of forgetting the past, TED …

Original broadcast date: September 15, 2017. From data collection to gene editing to AI, what we once considered science fiction is now becoming …

There's no greater threat to humanity than climate change. What can we do to stop the worst consequences? This hour, TED speakers explore how we can save our planet and whether we can do it in time. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: July 21, 2017. We often know how to plan for the future, but find it hard to take the necessary steps. This hour, TED …

Failure can feel lonely and final. But can we learn from failure, even reframe it, to feel more like a temporary setback? This hour, TED speakers on changing a crushing defeat into a stepping stone. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: December 15, 2017. Are deception and secrecy categorically wrong? Or can they be a necessary means to an end? This hour, TED speakers share stories of going undercover to explore unknown …

Our greatest breakthroughs and triumphs have one thing in common: creativity. But how do you ignite it? And how do you rekindle it? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas on jumpstarting creativity. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: June 10, 2016. We usually get wiser with age, but that doesn't mean we have to grow up to wise up. This hour, TED speakers explore what it means to find wisdom at every stage of life. Guests …

Who should get to keep secrets, and who should demand to know them? In this hour, TED speakers talk about the damage secrets can do, and the shifting …

Original broadcast date: July 29, 2016. Failure can be devastating, but it can also make us stronger and smarter. This week, TED speakers explore how …

What does it take to change the world for the better? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas on activism—what motivates it, why it matters, and how each of us can make a difference. Guests include civil rights activist …

Original broadcast date: March 4, 2016. What makes an idea, a brand, or a behavior catch fire? This hour, TED speakers explore the mysteries behind the many things we spread: laughter and sadness, imagination, viruses …

Racism isn't always obvious, but it can be found almost everywhere. This hour, TED speakers explore the effects of everyday and systemic racism in America—and how we can work to defeat it. Guests include authors …

Original broadcast date: June 19, 2015. We live our lives by the calendar and the clock, but time is also an abstraction, even an illusion. In this hour, TED speakers explore how our sense of time changes depending on …

Why do many of us hate, even fear math? Why are we convinced we're bad at it? This hour, TED speakers explore the myths we tell ourselves and how changing our approach can unlock the beauty of math. Guests include …

Original broadcast date: August 25, 2017. How much of who we are is biology? How much is learned? And how much can we change? This hour, TED speakers …

What makes someone lucky? Can luck be controlled, is it random, or is it based on something else entirely? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas …

(Original broadcast date: June 16, 2017.) Many of us are lured by the promise of self-improvement, but find it hard to follow through. In our 100th …

How does bias distort our thinking, our listening, our beliefs... and even our search results? How can we fight it? This hour, TED speakers explore …

Original broadcast date: July 17, 2015. In a world with limited resources, can we find ways to salvage what's disappearing? Can we innovate our way …

The Me Too movement has changed the way we think and talk about gender discrimination. This hour, TED speakers explore how the conversation has moved beyond a hashtag, and where we go from here. Guests include Me Too …

(Original broadcast date: May 26, 2017). Helping others feels good, but why do some go farther than others? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about altruism — what motivates us to be altruistic, what limits us and …

We often forget to say the words "thank you." But can those two words change how you — and those around you — look at the world? This hour, TED speakers on the power of gratitude and appreciation. Guests include author …

Original broadcast date: May 12, 2017. When loss, violence, or betrayal test our willingness to forgive — how do we do it anyway? This hour, TED …

Original broadcast date: March 7, 2014. In this hour, TED speakers question whether we can experience the world more deeply by not only extending our senses — but going beyond them. Guests include artist Neil Harbisson, …

Are we simply the sum of our experiences? Or can we choose our own path? In this hour, TED speakers share stories of undergoing remarkable transformations despite extraordinary challenges. In a special updated …

Colonizing Mars or more distant planets seems like science fiction. But becoming a spacefaring species may be in our near future. This hour, TED …

(Original broadcast date: December 12, 2014) What does it mean to be courageous? Is it an automatic response or a conscious choice? This hour, TED speakers examine the nature of courage and what it takes to risk …

We're told if the economy is growing, and if we keep producing, that's a good thing. But at what cost? This hour, TED speakers explore circular …

Original broadcast date: November 15, 2013. What if truths we believe in are completely wrong? In this hour, TED speakers move beyond conventional wisdom to reveal complex realities about what we think we know to be …

Original broadcast date: April 7, 2017. Whether it's asking for a raise or asking for equality, speaking up can be risky — even dangerous. This hour, TED speakers share ideas and stories about taking the crucial step to …

When we focus so much on achievement and success, it's easy to lose sight of joy. This hour, TED speakers search for joy in unexpected places, and …

Original broadcast date: November 21, 2014. In this episode, we explore ways to find quiet in our busy lives. How can we step back and make time to reflect in an increasingly distracted and hurried world? Guests include …

Human innovation has transformed the way we live, often for the better. But as our technologies grow more powerful, so do their consequences. This …

Original broadcast date: March 24, 2017. Humans have a capacity to laugh even in the hardest of times. This hour, TED speakers describe how they use humor as a weapon and a shield, to ward off doubt, discrimination, and …

Original broadcast date: November 17, 2016. Food is more than nourishment. It's a source of pleasure — and guilt — and an agent of change. This episode, TED speakers explore our deep connection to food, and where it's …

We have a vision of justice as blind, impartial, and fair — but in reality, the law often fails those who need it most. This hour, TED speakers explore radical ways to change the legal system. Guests include lawyer and …

For thousands of years, we've searched to answer the question: Who are we? Today, science has brought us closer than ever to the answer. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on what makes us ... us. In a brand new …

Cities are symbols of hope and opportunity. But today, overcrowding and gentrification are hurting their most vulnerable residents. This hour, TED …

Original broadcast date: February 10, 2017. We expect a lot of our doctors, but they don't always have the best tools to treat us. This episode, TED …

Original broadcast date: March 10, 2017. Whether you're choosing spaghetti sauce or a life partner, making decisions can be paralyzing. This hour, TED speakers explore how we make the choices we make, and how we learn …

Is there a way to talk about death candidly, without fear ... and even with humor? How can we best prepare for it with those we love? This hour, TED speakers explore the beauty of life ... and death. Guests include …

What lies beyond the reach of the naked eye, and how do these hidden forces shape our lives? This hour, TED speakers reveal forgotten cities, underwater canyons, tiny parasites, and a boiling river. In a special updated …

Design is all around us, but much of it could be better, bolder, more elegant. This episode, TED speakers on the essence of good design in buildings, …

Is life today better than ever before? Does the data bear that out? This hour, TED speakers explore the stories we tell with numbers — and whether …

The force behind scientific progress is the simple act of asking questions. This episode, TED speakers explore how a deeper and more humble style of inquiry may help achieve the next big breakthrough. Guests include …

Moments of crisis can upend our lives, but can also help define them. This episode, TED speakers explore how a quick, compassionate or unexpected response can turn crisis into opportunity. (Original broadcast date: …

Should all speech, even the most offensive, be allowed on college campuses? And is hearing from those we deeply disagree with ... worth it? This …

The five senses shape all our experience, but we still don't fully understand them. This episode, TED speakers explore how our brains make sense of …

From bullying to hate crimes, cruelty is all around us. So what makes us hate? And is it learned or innate? This hour, TED speakers explore the …

Networks surround and sustain us, in nature, in our bodies, in relationships, in the digital world. This hour, TED speakers explore how we rely on networks and how we have the power to shape them. Guests include …

Are grit and perseverance enough to succeed? Or does someone need to give you a chance? This hour, TED speakers explore why some are overlooked despite their talents, and how that can begin to change. Guests include …

Some scientists say we're in a new geological age where humans are having an unprecedented impact on Earth. This hour, TED speakers ask what this …

Over the course of our lives, we shed parts of our old selves, embrace new ones, and redefine who we are. This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about …

Our relationship with animals is complicated: we love and fear them; hunt, consume and protect them. In this hour, TED speakers explore what happens when humans and animals interact. Guests include writer Jon Mooallem, …

We usually get wiser with age, but that doesn't mean we have to grow up to wise up. This hour, TED speakers explore what it means to find wisdom at every stage of life. Guests include journalist Joshua Prager, student …

In an age of constant information and infinite distractions, how can we pay more attention to our ... attention? This hour, TED speakers explore the battle for our awareness during the digital age. Guests include …

What motivates us to take up a cause, follow a leader, or create change? This hour, TED speakers explore stories of inspirational leadership, and …

Aging is inevitable. We can slow it down a little, but could we ever bring it to a grinding halt? In this episode, TED speakers explore how we all …

Listening — to loved ones, strangers, faraway places — is an act of generosity and a source of discovery. In this episode, TED speakers describe how we change when we listen deeply. In a special updated interview, …

We're all guilty of getting too comfortable - with our routines, social circles, the status quo. But is it stopping us from growing? This hour, TED speakers explore ways to push out of comfort zones. Guests include …

Love it or hate it, most of us have to work for a living. So, how can we make work more meaningful? This hour, TED speakers explore our values and …

In this hour, TED speakers explain how everything in nature is connected, and how we can restore its delicate balance. Guests include journalist George Monbiot, author Jane Poynter, bioacoustician Bernie Krause, and …

Parenting is fraught with uncertainty, changing with each generation. This hour, TED speakers share ideas about raising kids and how — despite our best efforts — we're probably still doing it wrong. Guests include …

Our lives are fueled by trust: in our loved ones, our colleagues, our leaders. But how do we cultivate it, and restore if it's lost? In this episode, …

How far would you go to find something that's just out of reach, or maybe not even real? In this hour, TED speakers tell stories about searching for …

What does it mean to be judged before you walk through the door? What are the consequences? This week, TED speakers delve into the ways racism impacts our lives, from education, to health, to safety. Guests include poet …

We experience powerful emotions all of the time, but what are they exactly? Where do they come from? This hour, TED speakers invoke history, …

It's hard to change habits, but a gentle push can move us in the right direction. This episode, TED speakers offer deceptively simple "nudges" for managing our kids, our health, and our aspirations. Guests include …

Why do we harshly judge certain behaviors or conditions, making it harder to talk honestly about them? This hour, TED speakers confront stigmas around addiction, depression, HIV and sex work. Guests include journalist …

Humans adapt to physical and creative challenges in remarkable ways. How do we do it, and what happens when we can't? In this episode, TED speakers share inspiring stories about our capacity to adapt. Guests include …

The past few years have ushered in an explosion of new discoveries about our universe. This hour, TED speakers explore the implications of these advances — and the lingering mysteries of the cosmos. Guests include …

We're always asked to be faster and more precise. But what can we learn from slowing down — even procrastinating? This hour, TED speakers explore why taking it slow is crucial...for all of us. Guests include TV producer …

Data, statistics and algorithms dominate every aspect of our lives. But how accurate are they, and how fair? This hour, TED speakers explore the ups and downs of relying too much on the numbers. Guests include …

What does money tell us about human nature? How does it motivate, trick, satisfy and disappoint us? In this hour, TED speakers share insights into …

What are the five biggest global challenges we face right now — and what can we do about them? This hour, TED speakers explore some radical solutions …

Math intimidates a lot of us, but it can deliver surprising answers to life's pressing questions. In this episode, TED speakers discuss the elegant …

Beauty surrounds us, draws us in, gives joy and creates conflict. In this hour, TED speakers conjure up beauty both ancient and modern, and suggest reasons why humans are hardwired to crave and respond to beauty. Guests …

Our approach to treating disease is, in many ways, narrow and rooted in the past. Is it time for a new paradigm? This hour, TED speakers share their visions for new ways to understand medicine. Guests include cancer …

Are deception and secrecy categorically wrong? Or can they be a necessary means to an end? This hour, TED speakers share stories of going undercover to explore unknown territory, and find the truth. Guests include poet …

The brain can seem as mysterious as a distant galaxy, but scientists are starting to map and manipulate its many regions. In this hour, TED speakers …

Sometimes, being truthful can be uncomfortable — even risky. But can radical honesty and openness change things for the better? This hour, TED …

Once invisible details of our lives can now be tracked and turned into data. Will this make life easier or more complicated? This hour, TED speakers imagine how Big Data will reshape our world. Guests include tech …

Sometimes, the best solutions to complex problems are simple. But simple doesn't always mean easy. This hour, TED speakers describe the innovation …

Art can evoke powerful feelings. But can it do more? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on the transformative nature of art and its ability to shape …

Humans need food, sleep, safety, love, purpose. Psychologist Abraham Maslow ordered our needs into a hierarchy. This week, TED speakers explore that …

We're living in a time of intense ideological division, and it often feels impossible to bridge the gap. But can we afford not to? This hour, TED …

Does something serious happen when we play? In this episode, TED speakers describe how all forms of amusement — tossing a ball to video games — can …

We think we're the ones who control what we see, read, think — and remember. But is that true? Who decides? And who should decide? This hour, TED …

Even the most seemingly chaotic systems have some order to them. This episode, TED speakers explore the inner architecture of living systems, from …

We often think that scientific research is reserved for PhDs and other experts. But now that's changing. This hour, TED speakers on how ordinary citizens are helping make groundbreaking discoveries. Guests include tech …

Failure can be devastating, but it can also make us stronger and smarter. This week, TED speakers explore how failure clears the way for success, in our everyday work, and our innermost lives. Guests include …

From data collection to gene editing to AI, what we once considered science fiction is now becoming reality. This hour, TED speakers explore the …

Design is all around us, but much of it could be better, bolder, more elegant. This episode, TED speakers on the essence of good design in buildings, …

In this episode, we explore ways to find quiet in our busy lives. How can we step back and make time to reflect in an increasingly distracted and hurried world? (Original broadcast date: November 21, 2014)

How much of who we are is biology? How much is learned? And how much can we change? This hour, TED speakers on how genes and experience collaborate — …

Cancer is merciless. It can strike any time, spread without warning, and return unannounced. In this hour, TED speakers reframe not only how we treat cancer, but how we live with it and survive it. Guests include cancer …

For most of modern history, humans have placed smaller humans in institutions called schools. But what parts of this model still work? And what must …

We live our lives by the calendar and the clock, but time is also an abstraction, even an illusion. In this hour, TED speakers explore how our sense of time changes depending on who and where we are. Guests include …

Most of us were raised to believe that tolerance is a good thing, but is it enough or just the bare minimum? This hour, TED speakers on how to move …

We often know how to plan for the future, but find it hard to take the necessary steps. This hour, TED speakers challenge the inevitable and explore what to do today to prepare ourselves for tomorrow.TED speakers …

Moments of crisis can upend our lives, but can also help define them. This episode, TED speakers explore how a quick, compassionate or unexpected response can turn crisis into opportunity. Guests include physician Ken …

What lies beyond the reach of the naked eye, and how do these hidden forces shape our lives? This hour, TED speakers reveal forgotten cities, underwater canyons, tiny parasites, and a boiling river. TED speakers include …

This hour, we'll hear from TED speakers who share an infectious sense of wonder and curiosity about our place in the universe and what lies beyond our skies. TED speakers include physicist Brian Greene, astronomer Phil …

We live in a time where the line between fact and fiction is increasingly blurry — where each us can live in a constructed reality. This hour, TED speakers share insights on navigating a world where even the facts are …

Many of us are lured by the promise of self-improvement, but find it hard to follow through. In our 100th episode, TED speakers reveal ways to …

Success has become synonymous with financial wealth, influence and status. But can we define success in another way — one that welcomes a broader range of accomplishment? It may not be as obvious as you think. In this …

In this hour, TED speakers talk about what it takes to become a leader and shake up the status quo. TED speakers include Facebook's Sheryl Sandberg, General Stanley McChrystal, educator Bunker Roy, entrepreneur and …

Helping others feels good, but why do some go farther than others? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about altruism — what motivates us to be altruistic, what limits us and do we ever go too far. TED speakers …

Sinful behavior is human, and nearly impossible to avoid. In this hour, TED speakers talk about the guilty pleasure of behaving badly and the …

When loss, violence or betrayal test our willingness to forgive — how do we do it anyway? This hour, TED speakers explore the challenges and benefits …

What makes an idea, a brand, or a behavior catch fire? This hour, TED speakers explore the mysteries behind the many things we spread: laughter and sadness, imagination, viruses and viral ideas. TED speakers include …

What allows us to endure our darkest moments? What does it take to show resilience in the face of adversity? In this hour, TED speakers explore the outer limits of inner strength. (Original Broadcast Date: February 11, …

As machine learning surpasses human intelligence, where does that leave us? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about the exciting and terrifying …

In this hour, TED speakers explore our origins as a species — who we are, where we come from, where we're headed — and how we're connected to everything that came before us. (Original Broadcast Date: October 24, 2014).

Whether it's asking for a raise or asking for equality, speaking up can be risky — even dangerous. This hour, TED speakers share ideas and stories about taking the crucial step to say something.

Cities are among our greatest experiments in human co-habitation. Do they also hold the answers to some of our biggest problems? This hour, TED …

Humans have a capacity to laugh even in the hardest of times. This hour, TED speakers describe how they use humor as a weapon and a shield, to ward off doubt, discrimination, and even depression.

The era of open source has led to countless innovations. When does it work and when is it chaos? In this episode, TED speakers explore how open …

Whether you're choosing spaghetti sauce or a life partner, making decisions can be paralyzing. This hour, TED speakers explore how we make the choices we make, and how we learn to live with them.

We communicate with each other in all sorts of ways. In this hour, TED speakers reflect on how words and methods of communication affect us, more than you might expect. (Original Broadcast Date: December 13, 2013).

The force behind scientific progress is the simple act of asking questions. This episode, TED speakers explore how a deeper and more humble style of inquiry may help achieve the next big breakthrough.

Where do stereotypes come from? Why do some perceptions persist, and is there any truth or value to the assumptions we make? In this hour, TED speakers examine the consequences of stereotypes. (Original broadcast date: …

We expect a lot of our doctors, but they don't always have the best tools to treat us. This episode, TED speakers explore new ways to think about …

When we go online, we present a digital version of ourselves. How do we transform when we interact inside our screens? In this episode, TED speakers …

It's normal for us to always be glued to our screens. So how are they changing us, and how will they shape our future? This hour, TED speakers explore our ambivalent relationships with our screens. (Original broadcast …