Want TED Talks on the go? Everyday, this feed brings you our latest talks in audio format. Hear thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable – from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between – given by the world's leading thinkers and doers. This collection of talks, given at TED and TEDx conferences around the globe, is also available in video format.
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Your skin heals after a scratch. What if our roads, bridges and cities could self-repair after getting damaged, too? Scientist and engineer Mark Miodownik describes a new class of materials — animate matter — with the potential to sense damage, self-heal and even biodegrade when the job is done. Humanity's next great leap isn't making more stuff, he says — it's making stuff that doesn't fall apart. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Host Jody Avirgan investigates the mythical "zone" in sports, featuring NBA All-Star Steph Curry's insights on its fleeting nature. Sports psychologist Dr. Nicole Detling then introduces mental resilience as a trainable skill, illustrated by Olympic biathlete Clare Egan's routine for shifting focus during high-pressure competition. The discussion covers practical strategies like process-oriented thinking, training through discomfort, and the power of neutral self-talk to optimize performance and translate sports lessons into everyday life challenges.
As AI tools get better at making music, will there be a time when machines move people more than musicians? Putting that question to the test, legendary hitmaker Jason "Poo Bear" Boyd joins journalist Elise Hu to discuss how new tech is changing the music industry — followed by a live performance where he battles his digital twin to see who can write a catchier song. (Poo Bear is joined onstage by musician Sasha Sirota.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
After building a smartphone app to bring eye care to millions of people in remote areas, eye surgeon and TED Fellow Andrew Bastawrous confronted a new question: What do we lose when health care chases speed and efficiency? He offers a quiet provocation for how to get better outcomes for patients and health care workers alike. (Following the talk, Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, interviews Bastawrous on how his company, Peek Vision, is rethinking access to eye care. The surp...
As AI agents take over more tasks at work, the question isn’t whether or not humans matter — it’s how we make our impact count. Leadership expert Vinciane Beauchene challenges some commonly held assumptions about how AI will transform the workplace, sharing a blueprint for leaders to design organizations where people can focus on what truly makes a difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nanjira Sambuli introduces Ubuntu, an African philosophy emphasizing interconnectedness and collective well-being, as a new ethical framework for AI development. She critiques the current tech landscape where 'elephants fight' for dominance, often at the expense of the 'grass' (people and resources). The talk highlights how African innovators are charting a different path, leveraging ancestral intelligence to build equitable and inclusive AI solutions.
Happiness scientist Sonja Lyubomirsky explains that decades of research show the key to happiness lies in feeling connected and loved by others. She offers practical advice for fostering deeper connections through authentic sharing and empathetic listening, addressing modern challenges like social media's impact and the need to balance solitude. The episode explores the scientific definition of happiness, the negative effects of disconnection, and how to navigate an increasingly chaotic world by prioritizing real human interaction.
Hip-hop often gets blamed for its controversial lyrics. What if there was a way to actually measure its impact on people's lives? Analyzing 40 years' worth of radio station data and lyrics from rappers like Tupac, Dr. Dre, Jay-Z and Kendrick Lamar, economist Roland Fryer puts one of culture's most notorious debates on trial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
This episode features Professor David Ikard, who highlights the societal and personal dangers of inaccurate historical knowledge. He debunks the widely accepted, yet fictionalized, story of Rosa Parks, revealing her true motivations and context. Ikard stresses that history is a constructed reality, not a fixed empirical fact, and advocates for critical examination, listening to marginalized voices, and the continuous revision of historical understanding through primary sources to foster intellectual humility and societal progress.
What if the calm you feel when you hear birdsong isn't a coincidence, but ancient evolutionary wiring ... a signal that once meant safety? Musical ecologist and rapper Louis VI says humans are hardwired to nature's sonic language, but modern life has drowned it out. He explores how we can tap back into the "overwhelming chorus of aliveness" we’ve stopped hearing — and performs an original song incorporating rainforest recordings from the Amazon and the Caribbean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/p...
Thanks to advanced technology, we can now see droughts and crop failures months before they hit. So why are millions of people still going hungry? TED Fellow Catherine Nakalembe, director of the NASA Harvest program in Africa, exposes the blind spots that keep life-saving climate intelligence from reaching the communities it's designed to protect — and shares how to turn early warning into early action. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Want to become a K-pop superstar? Comedian and musician Charlene Kaye lays out the formula for breaking through in just a few easy steps, from rapping like a sexy baby to dancing like you’re making pizza in the Matrix. Part musical, part dance performance, part comedy show — this is your how-to guide for creating the next K-pop hit. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Can you measure a "good life?" Management consultant Chris Musser set out to answer this question for himself, developing a daily tracker to monitor progress across nine dimensions, from faith and relationships to work and wellbeing. Learn how it helped him focus on what really matters — and how you can adopt this 90-second habit, too. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Why is it taking so long to finance the climate transition? After years working with the world's largest wealth funds and banks, finance innovator Riddhima Yadav has seen the same pattern: the climate movement is seeking perfection over progress, and starving the very industries that need to transition most. Discover why working with emerging markets and heavy polluters might be the uncomfortable solution to powering a clean future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Drawing on his experience negotiating million-dollar deals for global brands, procurement expert Wolfgang Schnellbaecher distills the tricks of the world's best buyers into three simple rules to help you make the most of your money. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Are you feeling overwhelmed, uninspired, or burned out at work? In this special Unsolicited Advice episode, Anne and Frances are getting ready for summer by tackling the importance of rest and the power of intention. They offer unexpected tips and tricks for recovering from constant stress, owning what you need to feel alive and engaged, and creating an experience of work that unleashes your ambition. Follow Hosts: Anne Morriss ( @annemorriss | LinkedIn: @anne-morriss ), Frances Frei ( @francesx...
Deep beneath the Earth sits 50,000 times more energy than all the world's fossil fuel reserves, but accessing it requires using the same controversial technology that oil companies spent trillions to develop: fracking. Cindy Taff left Shell to prove that drilling for geothermal heat instead of hydrocarbons can deliver what solar, wind and fossil fuels can't — clean, renewable power at all times, regardless of weather. Could this be the breakthrough that finally solves our energy challenges? Host...
Chef and TED Fellow Dieuveil Malonga traveled to nearly every country in Africa, tasting flavors straight from farms and local kitchens, to learn about the traditions that transform a dish. Today, he runs a center to train the next generation of top chefs from across the continent, collaboratively crafting food that shares each country’s culinary secrets with the world. Following the talk, Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, interviews Malonga on Chefs Exchange, a program welco...
Entrepreneur and TED Fellow Jane Marie Chen started a company that created a low-cost portable incubator for premature babies in underserved communities, with the goal of saving more than one million babies around the world. But when a major setback at the company led to burnout, she had to make a choice. In this powerful talk, she shares what happened next — and how it taught her the secret to resilience. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Could exposing kids to their fears help them thrive later on in life? Exploring the science of exposure therapy, pediatric psychologist Kathryn Hecht shows how encouraging children to handle discomfort builds confidence and resilience. Through personal stories and practical strategies, she shares the secret for raising kids ready to meet life’s challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
After decades working in technology across both the US and China, Alvin W. Graylin sees three possible paths for the future of AI: one where tech giants create a class of trillionaires, one where competition escalates into war or one where humanity builds and shares this technology for the common good. In conversation with TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi, Graylin cuts through the hype to clarify how we choose the right path. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Entrepreneur Yi Li discusses her experience co-founding Farmworks to build climate-smart farms in Kenya. She explains how their initial focus on scientific solutions proved insufficient, leading to the discovery that financial sustainability for farmers is the true key to lasting climate action. By prioritizing economic viability, Farmworks empowered farmers to invest in better practices and built a scalable business, challenging traditional environmental movement assumptions.
In this episode, TED Health host Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider invites Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States, to discuss the ongoing loneliness epidemic. After the interview, Shoshana shares a TED-Ed talk from Terry Kupers, "What happens to your brain without social contact?" Everyone needs time to themselves, and peaceful solitude has stress-relieving benefits. But when being alone is forced upon you, the effects can be surprisingly extensive. And though different ...
You’re invited into the world of stop-motion animation, where design and engineering collide to create fan-favorite films. Visual effects artist Brian McLean (from the Oscar-winning studio behind “Coraline” and “ParaNorman”) explores how 3D printing is revolutionizing this century-old craft, showing how creative obsession paired with cutting-edge technology can reinvent the way we make things. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Patricia Aymà Maldonado discusses how her company, VEnvirotech, "trains" bacteria to convert agri-food waste into a fully biodegradable bioplastic that performs like conventional plastic but breaks down harmlessly without creating microplastics. She critiques the current plastic system's "illusion of sustainability," where recycling often increases virgin plastic production, advocating for systemic change and shifting responsibility from consumers to manufacturers. The interview explores scaling challenges, the influence of the oil industry, and her vision for a future where sustainable materials are the norm.
What if the secret to a good life isn't just what you achieve but how deeply you love? Drawing on wisdom from Aristotle, Jesus and modern social psychology, philosopher Meghan Sullivan offers tips on how to expand your capacity for love, even in the face of our modern challenges. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
AI is setting up residence in the final frontier, says technologist Philip Johnston. He shares the incredible work being undertaken to build data centers in outer space — and how they might harness both solar power and frigid temperatures in order to address the AI energy challenge. Learn more about the affordability of this wild idea and how it could address concerns about the resources needed to keep up with the AI boom. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information....
Puzzle wizard Alex Rosenthal reveals his experience with aphantasia, the inability to form mental images, challenging the common assumption that everyone visualizes. He explores how this condition impacts daily life, from memory to reading, and broadens the discussion to embrace the full spectrum of neurological diversity. Rosenthal argues that instead of pathologizing differences, we should seek out diverse minds to unlock incredible creativity and problem-solving potential, sharing examples from his own collaborative work.
The most powerful stories are the ones told simply to connect with each other, says author Khaya Dlanga. Through humorous anecdotes and moving memories, he explores why it's the conversations we have without strategy or agenda that actually allow us to see one another. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Impostor syndrome is one of many therapy-speak words that have gone mainstream in the past few years — but what is it, really? Aparna Nancherla knows all about it. Aparna is a comedian and the author of Unreliable Narrator: Me, Myself, and Impostor Syndrome. Despite her success as a performer, she isn’t immune to self-doubt. In this episode, she talks about the ways she’s learned to deal with impostor syndrome: like creating a resume listing all her failures, or making up words at parties to gau...
