The TED Interview

This week on The TED Interview we’re excited to introduce TED’s newest podcast, Good Sport, hosted by veteran sports producer Jody Avirgan. What can sports teach us about life – and each other? Good Sport brings you …

Curious about 2023? Youngme, Mihir and Felix from the podcast After Hours are back with their celebrated predictions episode. Who will acquire Spotify? Will Twitter implode? What’s the trend in inflation and energy …

David Byrne views life through many lenses. He’s a musician, author, filmmaker, curator, conservationist, digital music theorist, bicycle advocate, visual artist... the list goes on. But through his many trajectories – …

When she was just 18, scientist, industrial designer, animal behaviorist, and autism activist Temple Grandin created one of her most well-known inventions: the hug machine. Inspired by the squeeze chute–a device that …

Nearly every day for a year, American poet Ross Gay sat down and wrote about something that delighted him–from carrying a small tomato plant through …

How many soulmates do you think people have? What if you tried to funnel all the water from Niagara falls through a straw? Do you think it’s …

In 2011, when medical doctor and epidemiologist Mark Smolinski was working as a science advisor for the blockbuster film “Contagion,” the film ran a …

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, life expectancy in the United States was 79. Today it’s 76. When compared to other countries like the UK and Japan, where life expectancy is above 80, it’s clear that the U.S. has a lot of …

When Linda Villarosa was the health editor of Essence Magazine, she says she had a one-track mind. A former college athlete, Linda grew up, like many …

Eric Topol is a leading health expert whose writing and explainers about Covid-19 have helped people better understand the complexities of the global …

Like any animal, humans understand the world through our senses. But unlike other creatures, we can't detect magnetic fields with our bodies, or the flow of water from a fish swimming hundreds of feet in the distance. …

Mark Cuban has gone from selling garbage bags door-to-door to selling internet companies for billions, acquiring an NBA team, and becoming a beloved “Shark” on Shark Tank. Mark reveals to Adam how he turns problems into …

Pete Souza has taken some iconic photographs. A former Chief Official White House Photographer for both U.S. Presidents Ronald Reagan AND Barack Obama, Pete’s career has taken him from teaching basic photography in …

"What if you could control digital devices using just the power of thought? That's the incredible promise behind the Stentrode -- an implantable …

How often do you go back and forth over how much to tip at the end of a meal? Depending on the state, in the U.S. that choice could be the difference …

Michael Scott, Leslie Knope, Detective Jake Peralta–television producer and writer Michael Schur has created some of TV’s most beloved sitcom characters on shows like The Office, Parks and Recreation, and The Good …

With such rampant inequality across the globe, it’s difficult to imagine that in the near future, society could be a place of abundance where …

Before labor unions fought for them, society didn’t have weekends as we know them. In the 13th century, the average male peasants in the UK only worked 135 days a year. In a post-pandemic and increasingly virtual world, …

Demis Hassabis is one of tech's most brilliant minds. A chess-playing child prodigy turned researcher and founder of headline-making AI company …

Jennifer Egan is a journalist and writer whose novel “A Visit from the Goon Squad” won both the 2011 Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics …

Garry Kasparov is one of the greatest chess players of all time. He was one of the youngest world champions ever, and had a 20-year streak as the world’s top-rated player. But even though he is known as a champion, he …

The way Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, a theoretical physicist, sees it, Harriet Tubman is the Great American Astronomer. Using the North Star, with no formal training, Harriet Tubman led hundreds of enslaved people to …

Future forecaster and game designer Jane McGonigal ran a social simulation game in 2008 that had players dealing with the effects of a respiratory …

It’s official, the TED Interview has a new host! In Chris’s last episode as head of the show, he interviews his successor, bestselling science and …

The way that our brain perceives the world is profoundly informed by our senses–so what would happen if we could heighten them—or even create a whole …

What will it take to build a future worth being excited about? Elon Musk believes we already have the tools that will help us create one, but we must …

In an ever expanding world, it can be easy to think of our lives as insignificant. But according to David Deutsch, we all possess one skill that gives each of us infinite reach: our ability to attain knowledge. In the …

Biochemist Jennifer Doudna won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for pioneering CRISPR, a revolutionary biotech tool that can edit DNA with …

From governments to airlines to your favorite eco-friendly clothing brand, tree-planting campaigns are everywhere. Reforesting the planet has become one of the quickest, easiest and most ubiquitous ways to reduce our …

We all have to give a presentation at some point in our lives—on a stage, in a conference room, and, these days, on Zoom. So what makes a good speech? In this episode from How To! science writer David Epstein turns the …

Some believe our world has changed at a rapid pace in recent decades. From the rise of the internet to the proliferation of startups spinning out …

What does it take to persevere and succeed, not just in our careers but in all aspects of our lives? For psychologist Angela Duckworth, the answer …

From the strikes that transformed the world's view on climate change to the marches that demanded equity and justice for Black lives, there has been a new awakening of people passionate about creating change. As founder …

Before the pandemic struck, young people everywhere abandoned their classrooms and took to the streets. Xiye Bastida was a driving force among these youth climate activists in the U.S. Xiye grew up in Mexico, moved to …

Work as we knew it is undergoing seismic shifts as the pandemic in the U.S. wanes. As some businesses reopen, even people lucky enough to work from home face big questions. What lessons do we take from this past year? …

This past year, scientists racing to stop the novel coronavirus delivered vaccines at a pace and scale the world has never seen before. Adrian Hill, director of Oxford University's vaccine research institute, recounts …

In this new season of the TED Interview, conversations with people who make a case for...optimism. Not some blind, hopeful feeling but the conviction …

Today, we're re-sharing a conversation with Christiana Figueres, because we've got a special update for you from TED. On Saturday, October 10, we'll launch Countdown: an exciting new global initiative to champion and …

The youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, Malala Yousafzai has been an international advocate for girls' education since she was 15 years old and …

Born in a charity hospital and now president of the Ford Foundation, Darren Walker has been on both sides of the “inequality equation." He explains the need for the wealthy to acknowledge their complicity in a system …

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore has been a leader in climate advocacy for over 40 years. He argues that amid the global pandemic and worldwide calls for racial justice, climate action can help create a “clean, …

The war in Afghanistan has wrought turmoil and loss of life for nearly two decades. But that is just one side of the story. President of Afghanistan Ashraf Ghani digs into what's needed to bring peace and positive …

How can businesses recover from the pandemic's unprecedented economic destruction? PayPal CEO Dan Schulman argues that it's by improving the …

Taiwan has succeeded in avoiding a pandemic lockdown, in part through an innovative digital strategy. Audrey Tang, Taiwan's Digital Minister, shares …

Featuring Dr. Bernice King, CEO of the King Center and daughter of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.; Rashad Robinson, President of Color of Change; …

What will it take to put the pieces of the global economy back together? Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund Kristalina Georgieva …

Global economist Dambisa Moyo was raised in Zambia and educated in England and the United States. Tune into her unique worldview and how it’s shaped her thinking on issues like overseas aid, climate, democracy and the …

Psychologist Elizabeth Dunn argues that happiness is made not found and explains how our everyday choices—in matters from time to money to …

The coronavirus pandemic is more global, dramatic and unusual than any crisis we've seen in a long time, says journalist Fareed Zakaria. Listen as he shares his perspective on how we can recover from the economic …

"I'm a capitalist. I believe in the system. I believe you can increase the size of the pie and you could divide it well," says Ray Dalio, founder of …

As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political …

Author Priya Parker shares tools for creating meaningful connections with friends, family and coworkers during the coronavirus pandemic -- and shows …

"Life's beauty is inseparable from its fragility," says psychologist Susan David. In a special virtual conversation, she shares wisdom on how to …

If you're feeling anxious or fearful during the coronavirus pandemic, you're not alone. Offering hope and understanding, author Elizabeth Gilbert …

A good night's sleep has perhaps never been more important. Sharing wisdom and debunking myths, sleep scientist Matt Walker discusses the impact of sleep on mind and body -- from unleashing your creative powers to …

What can past pandemics teach us how to tackle the current one? Tracing the history of contagions from cholera to Ebola and beyond, science …

From Hong Kong, South China Morning Post CEO Gary Liu tracks China's response to the coronavirus pandemic -- from the initial outbreak in Wuhan to the shutdown of Hubei province and the containment measures taken across …

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks offers thoughts on how we can navigate the coronavirus pandemic with courage, hope and empathy. With wisdom and clarity, he …

When will the coronavirus vaccine be ready? Epidemiologist Seth Berkley (head of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance) takes us inside the effort to create a …

Philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates offers insights into the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing why testing and self-isolation are …

Infectious disease expert Adam Kucharski uses mathematical models to help the world understand how diseases like Ebola and Zika spread, and how they …

In this bonus episode, Chris talks with climate policy expert Tom Rivett-Carnac, who worked with Christiana Figueres—guest from our last episode!—to …

In 2015, Christiana Figueres brokered the historic Paris Agreement to combat climate change. She gives an inside look at the negotiations that led to a commitment from 195 countries to work toward a low carbon future …

A professor at Harvard Business School and expert in work culture, Frei goes into companies like WeWork and Uber with the goal of turning toxic …

According to cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman, our brains are showing us a "hacked" version of reality. His revolutionary new way of thinking about …

Endless growth may actually be hurting our economy—and our planet. Economist Kate Raworth makes a case for “doughnut economics”: an alternative way …

At 26, Michael Tubbs ran for Mayor of Stockton, California, hoping to transform a city in crisis into a community of opportunity. He won. Mayor Tubbs breaks down how initiatives like universal basic income can free …

Best-selling author Elif Shafak proves that storytelling can be profoundly political—and makes the case for embracing uncertainty in turbulent times.

Is the dress blue or gold? Do you hear "laurel" or "yanny"? Neuroscientist Anil Seth digs into why we all perceive the world so differently, and …

Psychologist Daniel Gilbert delves deep into the weird, counterintuitive science of happiness and explains why our minds worry about things we …

Best-selling author Parag Khanna unpacks global connectivity—the threats, the benefits, and how it is destined to redefine our identities.

We're doing a TED Interview survey! If you have a few minutes, we'd love to …

Author Johann Hari offers a deeply personal and surprisingly uplifting perspective on how to tackle depression.

Historian and futurist Yuval Harari has a story about the future that’s profound, exciting, and unsettling.

Life-hack master Tim Ferriss gives an intimate look into the darker moments in his life, his Stoic philosophy and his new passion for psychedelics.

Monica Lewinsky reveals the very personal price to public humiliation and explores how we can all do better.

Dive deep into the fascinating, horrifying, hopeful story of the ocean with world-renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle.

Is the future of our economy scary? Exciting? MIT research scientist Andrew McAfee argues that it's both.

Self-confessed introvert Susan Cain delves deep into this complex personality trait, offering ideas for better offices, better schools and better …

Technologist Kai-Fu Lee describes the high-stakes battle between the West and China in artificial intelligence and what it means for the future of …

NYT pundit David Brooks describes a plan to rebuild broken communities and offers actionable steps to live a more meaningful life.

An intimate conversation with one of the most unique voices in music today. Amanda Palmer shows us how the future of creative work means asking for what you want.

Microsoft founder Bill Gates takes us deep into his remarkable history and propels us into the future of technology and philanthropy.

Recorded live at TED! Roger McNamee—early investor in Facebook turned outspoken critic—sits down for an extended examination of big tech's missteps and where we go from here.

Today, something a little different. Ezra Klein, the founder of Vox, recently spoke with Chris on his podcast, The Ezra Klein Show. Editor to editor, aspirational human to aspirational human. We’re sharing it with you …

Do schools kill creativity? Back in 2006, Sir Ken Robinson posed this question to the TED audience – and boy, did it touch a nerve. More than fifty …

What shapes happiness – the experiences we have, or the stories we tell ourselves about them afterwards? When and how does our intuition reliably …

Join Chris for a very special conversation with legendary inventor and computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, recorded live onstage at TED2018. Listen in to hear what the man who makes a living from predicting the future arc …

Talking about race can be difficult. But Mellody Hobson argues that we need to do it anyway – boldly and often. Mellody is the president of Ariel …

On any given night, 450,000 people in the United States stay in jail without having been convicted of any crime. Most of them are there because they don't have enough money to pay bail. Exasperated at what she saw as a …

Was 2017 really the "the worst ever," as some would have us believe? Cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker shares data that shows: …

Just after 9/11, Dalia Mogahed asked: what do 1.8 billion Muslims really think? In a grand research project with Gallup, she interviewed more than 50,000 Muslims about their lives, their dreams, and the state of their …

Many philosophers draw a hard line between the worlds of facts and values, but not Sam Harris. In this thought-provoking conversation with Chris, he makes the case that reason can indeed answer moral questions, and then …

It can be easy to believe that humans are insignificant. We’re specks of dust on a random planet in a vast universe. Less powerful than elephants. …

As a writer, Elizabeth Gilbert is notorious for placing her heart squarely on her sleeve. Her best-selling memoir, “Eat, Pray, Love,” was a sensation precisely because of her eloquent, open-hearted descriptions of fear, …

Deep dives into great minds. Season one of this interview series hosted by TED's Chris Anderson launches October 16th, featuring conversations with beloved TED speakers such as author Liz Gilbert, philosopher Sam …