TED Talks Daily

Can AI help solve the climate crisis? | Sims Witherspoon

20 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"AI can be a transformational tool in our fight against climate change," says Sims Witherspoon, a leader at the AI research lab Google DeepMind. Using...

How to supercharge renewables and energize the world | Rebecca Collyer

19 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The power sector generates the electricity that sustains modern life -- but it's also the number one contributor to climate change. We need a swift an...

Can the US and China take on climate change together? | Changhua Wu

18 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate change doesn't care about ideological divides, says policy analyst and China expert Changhua Wu. Here's what she says the US can learn from th...

An extreme weather report from America's weatherman | Al Roker

15 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's not just you: the weather is getting worse. And if there's one person who would know, it's "America's weatherman," Al Roker, who's spent decades ...

How to solve the world's biggest problems | Natalie Cargill

14 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sometimes the world's biggest issues can seem so intractable that meaningful change feels impossible. But what if the answer has been right in front o...

The single most important parenting strategy | Becky Kennedy

13 Sep 2023

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. Clinical psycholog...

Birds aren't real? How a conspiracy takes flight | Peter McIndoe

12 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Peter McIndoe isn't a fan of birds. In fact, he has a theory about them that might shock you. Listen along to this eye-opening talk as it takes a turn...

Does more freedom at work mean more fulfillment? | Sarah Aviram

11 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The flexibility to work from anywhere won't necessarily make you love your job, says HR leader Sarah Aviram. Sharing practical wisdom from research co...

Our creative relationship with AI is just beginning | K Allado-McDowell

08 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

K Allado-McDowell has co-written three books with AI, so they speak from experience when they say that nurturing a creative relationship with these sy...

How to take the BS out of business speak | Bob Wiltfong

07 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At its worst, "business speak" -- or the particular language we use at work -- can be jargony, confusing and even exclusionary. But it doesn't have to...

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

06 Sep 2023

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 to hack your brain when you're in pain | Amy Baxter

05 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Have we misunderstood pain? Researcher and physician Amy Baxter unravels the symphony of connections that send pain from your body to your brain, expl...

How to Be a Better Human: How labor unions create worker power

04 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We don't know about you, but we are fans of weekends. And social security. And health insurance. And the end of child labor! And all of these workplac...

How "digital twins" could help us predict the future | Karen Willcox

01 Sep 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From health-tracking wearables to smartphones and beyond, data collection and computer modeling have become a ubiquitous part of everyday life. Advanc...

The AI-powered tools supercharging your imagination | Bilawal Sidhu

31 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How is AI changing the nature of human imagination and creativity? Through a mind-bending tour of new techniques he's been tinkering with, creative te...

Why rivals are working together to transform shipping | Bo Cerup-Simonsen

30 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What would it take to make global supply chains cleaner and greener? Bo Cerup-Simonsen -- who's helping decarbonize the maritime industry as CEO of th...

The first-ever cargo ship powered by green fuel | Morten Bo Christiansen

29 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The shipping industry is vital to the global economy, but it's also a huge contributor to the climate crisis. Morten Bo Christiansen, a leader of the ...

The dream of digital ownership, powered by the metaverse | Yat Siu

28 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Technologist Yat Siu believes the "open metaverse" -- a decentralized version of the internet also known as web3 -- is laying the foundation for a fre...

The "adjacent possible" -- and how it explains human innovation | Stuart Kauffman

25 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

From the evolutionary advances in the Cambrian period to today's computing revolution, theoretical biologist Stuart Kauffman believes he can explain t...

How AI art could enhance humanity's collective memory | Refik Anadol

24 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

With data as his paintbrush, media artist Refik Anadol trains AI algorithms to visualize the disappearing wonders of nature. He gives a beautiful tour...

What's it like to be a giant sequoia tree? | Ersin Han Ersin

23 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Artist Ersin Han Ersin invites us to step inside a giant sequoia tree, peering through the bark into the tapestry of life within. Discover how his mul...

The molecular love story that could help power the world | Olivia Breese

22 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The key to revolutionizing the world's energy landscape may lie in an unlikely love story, says energy innovator Olivia Breese. She details the fatefu...

How to meet your child's difficult behavior with compassion | Yvonne Newbold

21 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Yvonne Newbold's son, Toby, is one of the millions of young people living with a disability. Parenting Toby has offered her some lessons on how to hel...

A 3-part plan to take on extreme heat waves | Eleni Myrivili

18 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The deadliest severe weather phenomenon is something you might not realize: extreme heat. Eleni Myrivili, chief heat officer of the city of Athens, Gr...

The climate crisis is expensive -- here's who should pay for it | Avinash Persaud

17 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The world's smallest countries, often tropical places, are the first to feel the effects of global climate change, but they lack the funds to fight it...

A flavorful field guide to foraging | Alexis Nikole Nelson

16 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Whether it's dandelions blooming in your backyard or purslane sprouting from the sidewalk, vegan forager Alexis Nikole Nelson is on a mission to show ...

A mysterious design that appears across millennia | Terry Moore

15 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What can we make of a design that shows up over and over in disparate cultures throughout history? Theorist Terry Moore explores "Penrose tiling" -- t...

Is the US headed towards another civil war? | Barbara F. Walter

14 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Based on her work for a CIA task force aimed at predicting civil wars, political scientist Barbara F. Walter examines the rise in extremism and threat...

How to discover your authentic self -- at any age | Bevy Smith

11 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a talk packed with wry wisdom, pop culture queen Bevy Smith shares hard-earned lessons about authenticity, confidence, mature success and why, if y...

The case for a 4-day work week | Juliet Schor

10 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The traditional approach to work needs a redesign, says economist Juliet Schor. She's leading four-day work week trials in countries like the US and I...

How targeted ads might just save your life | Sandersan Onie

09 Aug 2023

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...

In the age of AI art, what can originality look like? | Eileen Isagon Skyers

08 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What happens when human and machine creativity meet? From an AI model trained on classic works to generate a seemingly infinite stream of portraits to...

What the fossil fuel industry doesn't want you to know | Al Gore

07 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a blistering talk, Nobel Laureate Al Gore looks at the two main obstacles to climate solutions and gives his view of how we might actually solve th...

The magic of a creative career | Michael Sheen

04 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

The city of Port Talbot in South Wales is known for a few things: a steel mill, a proudly working class population and a passionate commitment to the ...

Climate action is on the cusp of exponential growth | Simon Stiell

03 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate action is speeding up -- and we each have the power to push that transformation forward. As the head of the UNFCCC, the UN's entity supporting...

Why I built my own time machine | Lucas Rizzotto

02 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Experiential artist Lucas Rizzotto was going through a tough breakup, so he did what anyone would do: he built a personal time machine. In a playful t...

The power of an image -- and the mind behind it | Misan Harriman

01 Aug 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a neurodivergent child going to school far from home, Misan Harriman found solace in the internet -- "an endless library of the extraordinary," as ...

The beauty of building with mud and trash | Vinu Daniel

31 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could use waste to create resilient and sustainable buildings? Bringing out the beauty of the dirt beneath our feet, climate-responsive arc...

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

28 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical...

Can global food companies make the shift to regenerative agriculture? | Steve Presley

27 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Sharing the inside scoop on how the world's largest food company aims to reach net zero by 2050, Nestlé North America CEO Steve Presley joins TED's L...

How to make sure materials get reused — again and again | Garry Cooper

26 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could harness the power and value of all that we discard? Circular economy builder Garry Cooper presents a compelling vision for transformi...

Why change is so scary -- and how to unlock its potential | Maya Shankar

25 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Unexpected change like an accident, an illness, or a relationship that suddenly ends is inevitable -- and disorienting. With a heartfelt and optimisti...

Episode 1: The Internet's First Main Character? | The Redemption of Jar Jar Binks

24 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

It's 1999, and sixteen years after its original release, a new Star Wars is finally coming. Fans have been camping out in front of theaters across the...

The tree-growing movement restoring Africa's vital landscapes | Wanjira Mathai

21 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

2023 Audacious Project grantee Wanjira Mathai is at the forefront of re-greening the planet. Through the forest restoration initiative Restore Local, ...

How to be a leader for climate justice | David Lammy and Justin J. Pearson

20 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Climate justice is taking center stage -- geopolitically, socially and morally. In a contagiously courageous conversation, Member of Parliament in the...

The growing megafire crisis -- and how to contain it | George T. Whitesides

19 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Megafires, or fires that burn more than 100,000 acres, are becoming more frequent worldwide, wreaking havoc on landscapes and communities -- and fire ...

Is remote work better than being in the office? It's complicated | Mark Mortensen

18 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Opinions about remote work are plentiful and conflicting -- but what does the research say? Organizational design expert Mark Mortensen identifies the...

Why are we making pizza boxes out of endangered trees? | Nicole Rycroft

14 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we're going to solve the climate crisis, we need to talk about supply chains, says biodiversity champion and 2023 Audacious grantee Nicole Rycroft....

Detroit's climate crisis -- and how to build a resilient future everywhere | Anika Goss

13 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can cities become resilient to the shocks of climate change? As a leading force behind Detroit's ongoing revitalization, Anika Goss spends a lot o...

The renewable energy revolution happening in Ukraine | Maxim Timchenko

12 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What's it like keeping the lights on during war? Ukrainian energy executive Maxim Timchenko shares how his company has diversified Ukraine's power str...

Will superintelligent AI end the world? | Eliezer Yudkowsky

11 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Decision theorist Eliezer Yudkowsky has a simple message: superintelligent AI could probably kill us all. So the question becomes: Is it possible to b...

War, AI and the new global arms race | Alexandr Wang

10 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Lethal drones with facial recognition, armed robots, autonomous fighter jets: we're at the dawn of a new age of AI-powered warfare, says technologist ...

School is just the start. Here's how to help girls succeed for life | Angeline Murimirwa

07 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Education activist and 2023 Audacious Project grantee Angeline Murimirwa knows the power of educating girls, especially in places where they may not h...

Why thinking about death helps you live a better life | Alua Arthur

06 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

As a death doula, or someone who supports dying people and their loved ones, Alua Arthur spends a lot of time thinking about the end of life. In a pro...

How life on Earth adapts to you and me | Shane Campbell-Staton

05 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

We tend to think of evolution as a slow, gradual process playing out over millions of years. But evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton says nat...

How to Be a Better Human: How to embrace – and challenge – the idea of "beauty" (w / Elise Hu)

04 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Humans have always been captivated by beauty, and for almost as long, we've been marketed products and new technologies to help us achieve certain bea...

How your company can gain a global talent advantage | Johann Daniel Harnoss

03 Jul 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If a diverse workforce makes a better company, why don’t more businesses hire internationally? Innovation and migration strategist Johann Daniel Har...

How to unleash your inner maximalism through costume | Machine Dazzle

30 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Tapping into the transformational power of costume, concept artist Machine Dazzle takes us on a maximalist journey through art, history and fashion. F...

A liberating vision of identity that transcends labels | Jioji Ravulo

29 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

How can we move past society's inclination to box people in with binary thinking and labels? Social work professor Jioji Ravulo believes we need to em...

How to fund real change in your community | Rebecca Darwent

28 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Is there a way to give back that benefits everyone? Citing the success of collective giving practices from around the world, philanthropic advisor Reb...

A powerful new neurotech tool for augmenting your mind | Conor Russomanno

27 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In an astonishing talk and tech demo, neurotechnologist Conor Russomanno shares his work building brain-computer interfaces that could enable us to co...

A modern argument for the rights of animals | Peter Singer

26 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why do we prioritize human rights over those of other species? Philosopher Peter Singer dives into what he calls "speciesism," the root of the widely ...

Kung Fu, Star Trek and the many paths to spirituality | Rainn Wilson

24 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Do you feel overwhelmed by the complex issues facing our world, not to mention your own personal problems? Spirituality is the key to staying grounded...

Why Iranians are cutting their hair for "Woman, Life, Freedom" | Sahar Zand

23 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Filmmaker Sahar Zand vividly explores the ongoing struggle women face at the hands of Iranian morality police -- like living as second-class citizens ...

Why are we so bad at reporting good news? | Angus Hervey

22 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why is good news so rare? In a special broadcast from the TED stage, journalist Angus Hervey sheds light on some of the incredible progress humanity h...

How to solve the education crisis for boys and men | Richard Reeves

20 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

While studying inequality and social mobility, Richard Reeves made a surprising discovery: in some countries, like the US and UK, boys are drastically...

What is Juneteenth, and why is it important? | Karlos Hill and Soraya Field Fiorio

19 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

At the end of the Civil War, though slavery was technically illegal in all states, it still persisted in the last bastions of the Confederacy. This wa...

No. You cannot touch my hair! | Mena Fombo

16 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Uninvited hair touching, an issue that primarily affects Black women and girls, is an invasion of personal space. To raise awareness of "hair attacks,...

How to weave a cultural legacy through storytelling | Cohen Bradley

15 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

"I think of legacy as the weaving together of our stories passed on as a whole," says Haida storyteller Cohen Bradley. Highlighting the significance o...

The next global superpower isn't who you think | Ian Bremmer

14 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Who runs the world? Political scientist Ian Bremmer argues it's not as simple as it used to be. With some eye-opening questions about the nature of le...

"STILL C U" / "Figures" | Jessie Reyez

13 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In between two songs that showcase her raw vocal powers, singer-songwriter Jessie Reyez delivers an inspiring talk about how she's turned wins into lo...

Why is it so hard to get effective birth control in the US? | Mark Edwards

12 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Nearly half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, the result of millions of people being unable to get the birth control method that ...

The natural building blocks of sustainable architecture | Michael Green

09 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

If we're going to solve the climate crisis, we need to talk about construction. The four main building materials that humans currently use -- concrete...

The outlaws of the ocean -- and how we're reeling them in | Tony Long

08 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Pirate fishing, oil spills and other undetected crimes are destroying ocean ecosystems -- but we can't stop what we can't see. Harnessing the power of...

Nature, art and magical blocks of flying concrete | Lonneke Gordijn

07 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Our bodies instinctually respond to the movements and rhythms of nature, like the uplifting feeling you get when walking in a forest. Can art evoke th...

How wireless energy from space could power everything | Ali Hajimiri

06 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Modern life runs on wireless technology. What if the energy powering our devices could also be transmitted without wires? Electrical engineer Ali Haji...

Can we recreate the voice of a 3,000-year-old mummy? | David M. Howard

05 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Drawing on his work reconstructing the vocal tract of an ancient Egyptian priest, speech scientist David M. Howard shares three evolutionary wonders o...

How to design a school for the future | Punya Mishra

02 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In all the conversations about improving education for children, the voices of students, teachers and community members are often left out. Educationa...

The poetry of everyday language | Julián Delgado Lopera

01 Jun 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a captivating, poetic ode to the beauty and strength of mixed languages, writer Julián Delgado Lopera paints a picture of immigrant and queer comm...

5 steps to fix any problem at work | Anne Morriss

31 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In a practical, playful talk, leadership visionary Anne Morriss reinvents the playbook for how to lead through change -- with a radical, one-week plan...

Your right to mental privacy in the age of brain-sensing tech | Nita Farahany

30 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Neurotechnology, or devices that let you track your own brain activity, could help you deeply understand your health. But without privacy protections,...

Could we treat Alzheimer's with light and sound? | Li-Huei Tsai

29 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could use brain waves to treat Alzheimer's? Professor and neuroscientist Li-Huei Tsai details a promising new approach to artificially stim...

The dinosaur detectives of real-life Jurassic parks | Martin Lockley

26 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Dinosaur tracks can teach us more about the day-to-day behavior of creatures like T. rex or the Stegosaurus than their skeletons ever could, says pale...

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

25 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Could the next wonder drug be somewhere in Canada's snowy north? Take a trip to this beautiful, frigid landscape as chemist Normand Voyer explores the...

A foster care system where every child has a loving home | Sixto Cancel

24 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In the US, youth in foster care are nearly twice as likely as war veterans to suffer from PTSD. Placed in foster care at just 11 months old, 2023 Auda...

The timeless, ancient language of art | Wangechi Mutu

22 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Using found materials and mesmerizing structures that unearth deep-rooted emotions, Wangechi Mutu's visual creations explore and celebrate women's rol...

The incredible creativity of deepfakes -- and the worrying future of AI | Tom Graham

19 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

AI-generated media that looks and sounds exactly like the real world will soon permeate our lives. How should we prepare for it? AI developer Tom Grah...

What makes a "good college" -- and why it matters | Cecilia M. Orphan

18 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Why are "good colleges" often the ones that accept the fewest students? Exposing the harmful consequences of society's obsession with highly rejective...

Lessons from losing my mind | Andy Dunn

17 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Neurodiversity and innovation often go hand in hand, but does that mean visionary entrepreneurs get a free pass to say and do anything they want? Bono...

3 ways your money can fight climate change | Veronica Chau

16 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

What if we could solve the climate and housing crises at the same time? Financial institutions have pledged trillions to transform the economy and acc...

What the world can learn from China's innovation playbook | Keyu Jin

15 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keyu Jin is a fierce advocate for the coexistence of divergent worldviews, urging leaders to look beyond their own borders at different systems that m...

The urgent risks of runaway AI -- and what to do about them | Gary Marcus

12 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Will truth and reason survive the evolution of artificial intelligence? AI researcher Gary Marcus says no, not if untrustworthy technology continues t...

Does working hard really make you a good person? | Azim Shariff

11 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good -- even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff a...

How "second chance" laws could transform the US justice system | Sheena Meade

10 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

More than 30 million people in the US are eligible to have their arrest and conviction records cleared -- but most people who qualify either can't aff...

The disappearing computer -- and a world where you can take AI everywhere | Imran Chaudhri

09 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Imran Chaudhri spent more than 20 years at Apple creating some of the world's most beloved consumer products. Now he's using AI to rethink and reshape...

4 ways to have healthy conversations about race | Afrika Afeni Mills

08 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Learning how to have productive conversations about race is a necessary part of the human experience. Educator Afrika Afeni Mills says the best place ...

"Woman, Life, Freedom" in Iran -- and what it means for the rest of the world | Golshifteh Farahani

05 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

In this poetic and moving reflection, actor, musician and activist Golshifteh Farahani honors those who have fought for "Woman, Life, Freedom" followi...

How poetry unlocked my superpowers | Keenan Scott II

04 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Keenan Scott Il's passion for words, stories and superheroes fueled his journey to becoming a celebrated playwright, producer, director and actor. Sho...

3 money lessons from infamous scam artists | J Mase III

03 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Scam artists know something about money that you don't -- and artist J Mase III is here to shed some light. From Elizabeth Holmes's false medical tech...

The science behind how parents affect child development | Yuko Munakata

02 May 2023

Contributed by Lukas

Parents, take a deep breath: how your kids turn out isn't fully on you. Of course, parenting plays an important role in shaping who children become, b...