TED Health

What medical dramas get right about dying with Katherine LaNasa, Tembi Locke, and Nikki Boyer

07 Apr 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From Grey’s Anatomy to The Pitt, medical tv shows depict TV deaths and illnesses all the time, but they’re rarely explored in depth. In this episo...

The doctor on a mission to build a healthier South Sudan with Yohanis Riek | from TED Talks Daily

31 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Yohanis Riek went from herding cattle and fighting as a child soldier to becoming the first doctor in his community in South Sudan. He shares his jour...

A future without food poisoning? with Emma Bryce and Nicola Twilley

24 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Food is supposed to nourish us, but what happens when it sends us to the hospital instead? In this episode, Emma Bryce asks whether it is safe to eat ...

How our changing DNA keeps us alive | Linda Chelico

17 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

DNA carries the code for carrying out biological life, yet DNA is an unstable molecule. The reality is that DNA in all organisms is in a dynamic state...

Interview: The future of gene sequencing with Dr. Eric Green

10 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Eric Green is a genomic researcher whose work with the Human Genome Project on mapping and sequencing DNA has revolutionized the medical field. From s...

How AI can bridge the Deaf and hearing worlds | Adam Munder | from TED Tech

03 Mar 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Software engineer Adam Munder is on a mission to break down communication barriers between the Deaf and hearing worlds. In a live demo, he introduces ...

The science of raising kids (Part 3): Why adolescent brains are wired differently | Jennifer Pfeifer

24 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeifer digs into the fascinating brain changes driving young people’s behavior during the critical years of adolescence. Sh...

The science of raising kids (Part 2): How to raise healthy kids with Dr. Shari Barkin

17 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

From negotiating food choices to limiting screen time, raising healthy kids is complicated—but it doesn’t have to be, says pediatrician Dr. Shari ...

The science of raising kids (Part 1): Are you raising anxious kids? with Lenore Skenazy and Mathilde H. Ross

10 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it’s micromanaging playtime, constantly hovering or incessantly texting, the adult takeover of childhood has created a crisis of anxiety in ...

Interview: Matthew Facciani on fighting healthcare misinformation

03 Feb 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Bombarded with health headlines? Unsure how to discern fact from fiction? Social scientist Matthew Facciani breaks down identity politics and the psyc...

Why building new proteins from scratch is our new superpower | David Baker

27 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

The rapidly evolving field of protein design is revealing solutions to some of the world’s greatest problems, whether it's blocking a virus, breakin...

How AI is saving billions of years of human research time | Max Jaderberg

20 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Can AI compress the years long research time of a PhD into seconds? Research scientist Max Jaderberg explores how “AI analogs” simulate real-world...

Interview: What happens to your brain without any social contact? with Dr. Vivek Murthy

13 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone needs time to themselves, and peaceful solitude has stress-relieving benefits. But when being alone is forced upon you, the effects can be su...

Why venting doesn’t help you deal with anger | Jennifer Parlamis

06 Jan 2026

Contributed by Lukas

Does venting actually help you cool off, or does it just add fuel to the fire? Social psychologist Jennifer Parlamis busts common myths about anger, s...

How to use your muscles — or risk losing them w/ Bonnie Tsui | from How to Be a Better Human

30 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Did you know that you start losing bone AND muscle mass as soon as the age of thirty? Or that your fingers and toes don’t have muscles? Or how women...

The surprising science of adolescent brains | from TED Talks Daily

23 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Neuroscientist Jennifer Pfeifer digs into the fascinating brain changes driving young people’s behavior during the critical years of adolescence. Sh...

Interview: 4 ways to design a disability-friendly future with BJ Miller

16 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly fifteen percent of the world's population lives with a disability, yet this massive chunk of humanity is still routinely excluded from opportun...

Feeling stuck on climate change? Here’s what to do | Kris De Meyer

09 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

To spark action on climate change, the conventional wisdom says that awareness must precede action — but neuroscientist Kris De Meyer suggests the o...

Interview: Grief is complicated — but drawing cartoons can help with Dr. Nathan Gray

02 Dec 2025

Contributed by Lukas

With just a few lines, cartoons can say so much with so little. In a moving talk, cartoonist Navied Mahdavian shares his process for distilling huge c...

Could Mental Workouts Keep Your Brain Young? | NPR’s Short Wave

25 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today, we’re featuring an episode from NPR’s science podcast Short Wave. In it, host Regina G. Barber talks to NPR brain correspondent Jon Hamilto...

Interview: What happens in your brain when you pay attention? with Dr. Sasha Hamdani

18 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Attention isn't just about what we focus on -- it's also about what our brains filter out. By investigating patterns in the brain as people try to foc...

Mark Cuban and Dr. Fumiko Chino Try to F-Up Healthcare | from Before We Go

11 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Today’s episode features two people who are shaking up the U.S. healthcare system in very different but deeply humane ways. Dr. Fumiko Chino kn...

Your zip code shouldn’t determine your lifespan with Dion Dawson

04 Nov 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if ending food insecurity meant ditching charity models that haven’t been updated since the 1960s? Dion Dawson, TED Fellow and founder of Dion’...

The surprising cause of stomach ulcers with Rusha Modi

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It’s a common misconception that stomach ulcers are caused by emotional upset, psychological distress, or spicy food. Yet no convincing study has ev...

Introducing So Your Parents Are Old

28 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Journalist Vanessa Grigoriadis talks to friends, experts, and celebrities about the chaos of dealing with aging parents. From Medicaid nightmares to e...

Interview: Could we detect breast cancer with a fingerprint? with Dr. Dhivya Srinivasa

21 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women globally. And yet, many people pass up opportunities to get screened for the disease, often becaus...

Can cannabis help you sleep? Here's the science | Jen Walsh

14 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Can cannabis actually treat insomnia? It's complicated, says sleep physiologist Jen Walsh. While the plant has been used across time and cultures, the...

How Texas became America’s biggest producer of wind energy | Speed & Scale

10 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is the surprising story of how Texas – rich in oil and gas – became America's biggest producer of wind energy. For our first episode, Ryan an...

Interview: The life-saving secrets in your baby's DNA | Robert C. Green

07 Oct 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could get a heads-up about serious health issues before they begin, from the moment a baby is born? In this groundbreaking talk, medical ge...

Collagen's dirty secret — and its clean future | Fei Luo

30 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

From cosmetics to nutrition, collagen is seemingly everywhere — but we don't often discuss its ethically questionable sources, says chemical enginee...

Interview: What actually causes high cholesterol? | Hei Man Chan

23 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1968, the American Heart Association made an announcement that would influence people’s diets for decades: they recommended that people avoid eat...

Do you really need to take 10,000 steps a day? | Shannon Odell

16 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

For years, Jean Béliveau walked from country to country, with the goal of circumnavigating the globe on foot. While few people have the time or desir...

Interview: A parent's guide to raising kids after loss | Andy Laats

09 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Andy Laats had the textbook fairytale family setup ... a great job, a happy marriage, three wonderful kids and everything going for them. Until one da...

I'm an adult! Why do I have acne? | CBC's The Dose

02 Sep 2025

Contributed by Lukas

While most people think of acne as a skin condition for adolescents, it can also develop in adults. In this bonus episode from CBC’s The Dose, host ...

Interview: Why daylight is the secret to great sleep | Christine Blume

26 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Does the type and amount of light you’re exposed to during the day change how well you sleep at night? Diving into the effects of daylight on your i...

Why your body fights weight loss | Katherine Saunders

19 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why does losing weight often feel like an uphill battle? Physician Katherine Saunders unpacks how our bodies are wired to store fat, revealing that ob...

The science of taste and smell with Rachel Herz | from ReThinking with Adam Grant

12 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you hate the taste of cilantro and chocolate? You might be a super taster! Rachel Herz is a neuroscientist at Brown University who specializes in t...

Why social health is key to happiness and longevity | Kasley Killam

05 Aug 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You know it's important to take care of your physical and mental health. But what about your social health? Social scientist Kasley Killam shows how f...

How I make vegan food sexy | from TED Talks Daily

29 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

At the plant-based burger chain Slutty Vegan, Pinky Cole is flipping the script on vegan food with bold style. In conversation with host of "TED Radio...

Interview: The razor-thin line between contagion and connection | Dan Taberski

22 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

After a mysterious wave of tics and twitches swept through a small-town high school in New York, documentary podcaster Dan Taberski set out to investi...

How to make anxiety your friend | David H. Rosmarin

15 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

When anxiety rears its head, we often just want it to go away. Clinical psychologist David H. Rosmarin asks us to consider instead the positive role a...

How to talk about your body without shame (w/ Anita Rao) | from How to Be a Better Human

08 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Why is having the sex talk, admitting you passed gas, or being open about your body hair so seemingly uncomfortable for all of us? Journalist and host...

Interview: 1 simple question that could improve women's health | Meryam Sugulle

01 Jul 2025

Contributed by Lukas

There's a reliable indicator of a woman's future likelihood of cardiovascular disease — but it rarely gets asked about, says obstetrician and resear...

Why do some bodies respond differently to disease? | Erika Moore

24 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

TED Fellow and equity bioengineer Erika Moore investigates how cells controlling inflammation behave differently depending on a patient's background. ...

Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: The real reason polio is so dangerous | Dan Kwartler

17 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1952, polio was everywhere: killing or paralyzing roughly half a million people annually. Yet just 10 years later, paralytic polio cases in the US ...

Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why do you need to get a flu shot every year? | Melvin Sanicas

10 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

All year long, researchers at hospitals around the world collect samples from flu patients and send them to top virology experts with one goal: to des...

Information Inoculation: Defending Against Medical Myths: Why we need to fight misinformation about vaccines | Ethan Lindenberger

03 Jun 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Ethan Lindenberger never got vaccinated as a kid. So one day, he went on Reddit and asked a simple question: "Where do I go to get vaccinated?" The po...

What happens as we die? | Kathryn Mannix (re-release)

27 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Have we lost the practical wisdom of what happens as people die? With lessons from a career witnessing thousands of people's final breaths, palliative...

Why smell matters more than you think | Paule Joseph

20 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

TED Fellow and chemosensory researcher Paule Joseph unveils the hidden power of a sense that's too often overlooked: smell. She delves into the scienc...

Interview: Aging, menopause, and rethinking fashion for comfort in midlife | Stacy London

13 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

“My lens around style doesn’t have anything to do with style anymore — it’s about physicality,” says stylist and fashion consultant Sta...

Interview: Why you shouldn't trust boredom | Kevin H. Gary (re-release)

06 May 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Are you actually bored, or is something else going on? Educator Kevin H. Gary shares three practical takeaways to deal with the doldrums, so you can t...

Interview: 3 reasons why medications are so expensive in the US | Kiah Williams

29 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

A century after its discovery, insulin remain essential in treating diabetes, and has a relatively low production cost, with a vial generally costing ...

A hospital in the cloud bringing health care anywhere in the world | Mohamed Aburawi

22 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if AI could help connect you with the right medical care, exactly when you need it? Health systems entrepreneur, surgeon and TED Fellow Mohamed A...

What are those colors you see when you rub your eyes? | Paul CJ Taylor

15 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the 1600s, Isaac Newton conducted a series of experiments to better understand the lights and colors that sometimes appear when your eyes are close...

Does your heartbeat shape your sense of time? | Irena Arslanova

08 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Do you ever feel like time slows down when you’re bored but flies when you’re having fun? Cognitive neuroscientist Irena Arslanova explores the wa...

Interview: How do kidney transplants work? | Alexander H. Toledo

01 Apr 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In 1954, Joseph Murray attempted a type of kidney swap that no doctor had tried before. The surgery was a success, and the patient would go on to live...

Your relationship expectations could be holding you back | Stephanie R. Yates-Anyabwile

25 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if the secret to a happy relationship isn’t following the rules, but rewriting them? In this refreshing talk, couples therapist Stephanie R. Ya...

What staying up all night does to your brain | Anna Rothschild

18 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

You’re just one history final away from a relaxing spring break. But you still have so much to study! You decide to follow in the footsteps of many ...

A menu of foods we might lose forever | Sam Kass

11 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What does a warming planet mean for the foods you love? Hosting a dinner party that features a menu of foods that could disappear within our lifetimes...

Why don’t vampires cast reflections? | Eric Nuzum

04 Mar 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Exploring the history and evolution of vampire lore, author Eric Nuzum traces the origins of these spooky stories, from misunderstandings of death to ...

The science (and art) of creating lasting sexual connections | Emily Nagoski on TED Talks Daily Summer Book Club

25 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

This is an episode of TED Talks Daily, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective. It's a special episode of the TED Talks Daily Summer Book Club s...

A medical mythbuster's mission to improve health care | Joel Bervell

18 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Joel Bervell was one of the only Black students in his medical school program. After noticing how misconceptions about race were embedded in health ca...

What long COVID taught me about life (and data) | Giorgia Lupi

11 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

Data isn’t just about numbers or trends — it’s about capturing the stories that shape our lives, says information designer Giorgia Lupi. Followi...

The hidden forces behind your food choices | Sarah Lake

04 Feb 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What we eat is less about what we choose and more about what’s offered to us, says food and climate expert Sarah Lake. Unpacking how governments and...

Could psychedelics help patients in therapy? | Benjamin Lewis

28 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

It's time to make psychiatry more psychedelic, says psychiatrist Benjamin Lewis. Sharing results from his clinical trial on psychedelic-assisted thera...

Do you really need 8 hours of sleep? | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

21 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

We all know a good night’s sleep is essential, but for many people, sleeping well (or falling asleep at all) can be difficult and even stressful –...

Why is it so dangerous to step on a rusty nail? | Louise Thwaites

14 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

In the 5th century, a shipmaster was suffering from a nasty infection that caused his jaws to press together, his teeth to lock up, and the muscles in...

Can dogs detect the next pandemic before it begins? | Glen J. Golden

07 Jan 2025

Contributed by Lukas

What if animals like dogs, ferrets, mice and raccoons could help sniff out the next pandemic? Exploring the science of smell, neurobiologist Glen J. G...

My mission to change the narrative of mental health | Glenn Close

31 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Legendary actor and mental health advocate Glenn Close is on a quest to change how we think about mental health, starting with her decision to speak o...

The TED AI Show: AI therapy is here. What does it mean for you?

24 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We may think the complexities of the human mind can only be understood by other humans. Yet research on chatbots and psychology suggests non-human bot...

Are life-saving medicines hiding in the world's coldest places? | Normand Voyer

17 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? This week, we’re revisiting a talk that takes us to a breathtakingly frigid landsca...

A special episode from Before We Go

10 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

TED Health's very own Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider has a new podcast Before We Go. You heard the first episode earlier this year so we wanted to share the...

A Healthier You: How to achieve fulfillment -- not just success

05 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Join Shoshana in this live taping at TEDNext 2024 for a perspective-shifting conversation on achievement with ethicist, author, and rabbi Ira Bedzow. ...

Do gut microbes control your personality? | Kathleen McAuliffe

03 Dec 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Biologist Kathleen McAuliffe dives into emerging research that explores how certain gut bacteria can influence major parts of who you are, from your p...

A Healthier You: Your guide to finding a workout that works

28 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to our "A Healthier You" series, where TED Health host Shoshana Ungerleider guides you on a journey to your healthiest self. Join her and...

How targeted ads might just save your life | Sandersan Onie

26 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Could the tech industry's complex algorithms support people during their darkest times, rather than just deliver targeted ads? Drawing from his own ex...

A Healthier You: Your gut’s guide to a happier microbiome

21 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to our "A Healthier You" series, where TED Health host Shoshana Ungerleider guides you on a journey to your healthiest self. Join her and...

How does alcohol cause hangovers? | Judy Grisel

19 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The molecule responsible for hangovers is ethanol, which we colloquially refer to as alcohol. Ethanol is present in all alcoholic beverages, and gener...

A Healthier You: A cardiologist's guide to protecting your heart

14 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Welcome back to our “A Healthier You” series, where TED Health host Shoshana Ungerleider guides you on a special journey to embrace your healthies...

Is there a link between cancer and heart disease? | Nicholas Leeper

12 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Does the key to stopping cancer lie in the heart? This week, we're revisiting a talk from cardiologist Nicholas Leeper, where he digs into scientific ...

A Healthier You: A 5-step guide to better doctor visits

07 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Over the next five weeks, Dr. Shoshana is taking you on a special journey to embrace your healthiest self. Join her and experts from across the health...

Why the price of insulin is a danger to diabetics | Brooke Bennett

05 Nov 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The price of insulin in the US is both outrageous and deadly to those who can't live without it. This week, we're revisiting an episode where diabetes...

How to Be a Better Human: The meaning of embodiment

29 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We can often forget that our bodies and minds are fundamentally connected, despite the fact that so much of our day-to-day lives are influenced by the...

How to turn the tables on food waste | Dana Gunders

22 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

We waste a staggering one trillion dollars worth of food each year, significantly contributing to greenhouse gas emissions and the climate crisis. Foo...

A special new podcast from Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider

15 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

TED Health's very own Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider has a new podcast, Before We Go. This is the first episode -- if you'd like more from Before We Go, che...

Blindness isn't a tragic binary — it's a rich spectrum | Andrew Leland

08 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

When does vision loss become blindness? This week we're revisiting a talk by writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland as he explains how his gr...

How to live a meaningful life | Brian S. Lowery

01 Oct 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What makes for a meaningful life? Social psychologist Brian S. Lowery explores three ideas tied to the experience of meaning and shows why simply purs...

Why you should stop setting goals (yes, really) | Emmanuel Acho

24 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

In athletics, in business, in life, everyone sets goals. But that's not the way to excel, according to former NFL player Emmanuel Acho, now an author ...

How do we determine the value of a life? | Rebecca L. Walker

17 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

To protect against a possible resurgence of smallpox, the US government is funding research to improve treatments and vaccines. And since it's unethic...

How testosterone and culture shape behavior | Carole K. Hooven

10 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Drawing on her research into the science of play, evolutionary biologist Carole K. Hooven delves into how testosterone impacts the body and brain, int...

The single most important parenting strategy | Becky Kennedy

03 Sep 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Everyone loses their temper from time to time — but the stakes are dizzyingly high when the focus of your fury is your own child. This week we're re...

Lessons from my father’s final days | Laurel Braitman

27 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

"Life is an endless sushi conveyor belt of things that are going to test you and teach you at the same time," says writer Laurel Braitman. Exploring t...

Is cultivated meat the future of food? | Uma Valeti

20 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

The way we raise animals is destructive to humans, animals and the environment, says cardiologist and entrepreneur Uma Valeti. He presents a solution ...

How babies think about danger | Shari Liu

13 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Are babies oblivious to danger? It's not that simple, says cognitive scientist Shari Liu. Sharing surprising insights from studies of early human deve...

Even healthy couples fight — the difference is how | Julie and John Gottman

06 Aug 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Can conflict actually bring you and your partner closer? It depends on how you fight, say Julie and John Gottman, the world's leading relationship sci...

The world's rarest diseases — and how they impact everyone | Anna Greka

30 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Physician-scientist Anna Greka investigates the world's rarest genetic diseases, decoding the secrets of our cells through "molecular detective work."...

Why broken hearts hurt — and what heals them | Yoram Yovell

23 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What's the relationship between physical and mental pain, and how can you ease both? Revealing how your experiences of love, loss and pain are deeply ...

My quest to cure prion disease — before it's too late | Sonia Vallabh

16 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

Biomedical researcher Sonia Vallabh's life was turned upside down when she learned she had the genetic mutation for a rare and fatal illness, prion di...

How to calm your anxiety, from a neuroscientist | Wendy Suzuki

09 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What if you could transform your anxiety into something you can actually use during your work day? This week, we're revisiting a talk by neuroscientis...

The science of lifespan — and the impact of your five senses | Christi Gendron

02 Jul 2024

Contributed by Lukas

What you experience through your senses — sight, smell, hearing, taste and touch — can impact how healthy you are and how long you live, says neur...