TED Talks Daily
Episodes
An ode to living on Earth | Oliver Jeffers
22 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you had to explain to a newborn -- or an alien -- what it means to be a human being living on Earth in the 21st century, what would you say? Visual...
What's missing from the American immigrant narrative | Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez
21 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Recounting her story of finding opportunity and stability in the US, Elizabeth Camarillo Gutierrez examines the flaws in narratives that simplify and ...
An evolutionary perspective on human health and disease | Lara Durgavich
20 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How does your genetic inheritance, culture and history influence your health? Biological anthropologist Lara Durgavich discusses the field of evolutio...
How to co parent as allies, not adversaries | Shaka Senghor and Ebony Roberts
17 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When Shaka Senghor and Ebony Roberts ended their relationship, they made a pact to protect their son from its fallout. What resulted was a poetic medi...
Racism has a cost for everyone | Heather C. McGhee
16 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Racism makes our economy worse -- and not just in ways that harm people of color, says public policy expert Heather C. McGhee. From her research and t...
Regain control in an unpredictable world | Checking In with Susan David
15 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many of us are feeling stuck right now, forced to adapt to a world that we have little control over. But if we focus too much on these uncontrollable ...
A history of Indigenous languages — and how to revitalize them | Lindsay Morcom
14 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Indigenous languages across North America are under threat of extinction due to the colonial legacy of cultural erasure, says linguist Lindsay Morcom....
Why sleep matters now more than ever | Matt Walker
13 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
A good night’s sleep has perhaps never been more important. Sharing wisdom and debunking myths, sleep scientist Matt Walker discusses the impact of ...
A monkey economy as irrational as ours | Laurie Santos
10 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Laurie Santos looks for the roots of human irrationality by watching the way our primate relatives make decisions. A clever series of experiments in "...
The tech we need to end the pandemic and restart the economy | Danielle Allen
09 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
As COVID-19 continues to spread, the world is facing two existential threats at once: a public health emergency and an economic crisis. Political theo...
How understanding divorce can help your marriage | Jeannie Suk Gersen
08 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To understand what makes marriages work, we need to talk about why they sometimes end, says family law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen. Follow along as s...
It's OK to feel overwhelmed. Here's what to do next | Elizabeth Gilbert
07 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
If you're feeling anxious or fearful during the coronavirus pandemic, you're not alone. Offering hope and understanding, author Elizabeth Gilbert refl...
In uncertain times, think like a mother | Yifat Susskind
06 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's a simple and powerful way to confront the world's most pressing crises, says women's rights activist Yifat Susskind: think like a mother. As s...
The intangible effects of walls | Alexandra Auer
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More barriers exist now than at the end of World War II, says designer Alexandra Auer. And when you erect one wall, you unwittingly create a second --...
What it's really like to have autism | Ethan Lisi
03 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Autism is not a disease; it's just another way of thinking," says Ethan Lisi. Offering a glimpse into the way he experiences the world, Lisi breaks d...
Indigenous wisdom should be at the heart of climate activism | Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim
02 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To tackle a problem as large as climate change, we need both science and Indigenous wisdom, says environmental activist Hindou Oumarou Ibrahim. In thi...
How you can help save the monarch butterfly -- and the planet | Mary Ellen Hannibal
01 Apr 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Monarch butterflies are dying at an alarming rate around the world -- a looming extinction that could also put human life at risk. But we have just th...
Simple, effective tech to connect communities in crisis | Johanna Figueira
31 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The world is more connected than ever, but some communities are still cut off from vital resources like electricity and health care. In this solution-...
How forgiveness can create a more just legal system | Martha Minow
30 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pardons, commutations and bankruptcy laws are all tools of forgiveness within the US legal system. Are we using them frequently enough, and with fairn...
What the world can learn from China’s response to the coronavirus | Gary Liu
27 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
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 t...
2 questions to uncover your passion -- and turn it into a career | Noeline Kirabo
26 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What's your passion? Social entrepreneur Noeline Kirabo reflects on her work helping out-of-school young people in Uganda turn their passions into pro...
How we must respond to the COVID-19 pandemic | Bill Gates
25 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Philanthropist and Microsoft cofounder Bill Gates offers insights into the COVID-19 pandemic, discussing why testing and self-isolation are essential,...
How to be your best self in times of crisis | Susan David
24 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
“Life’s beauty is inseparable from its fragility,” says psychologist Susan David. In a special virtual conversation with head of TED Chris Ander...
The weird history of the "sex chromosomes" | Molly Webster
23 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The common thinking on biological sex goes like this: females have two X chromosomes in their cells, while males have one X and one Y. In this myth-bu...
Go ahead, dream about the future | Charlie Jane Anders
20 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"You don't predict the future -- you imagine the future," says sci-fi writer Charlie Jane Anders. In a talk that's part dream, part research-based ext...
How repaying loans with social service transforms communities | Angie Murimirwa
19 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could repay loans through volunteering and mentorship instead of money? Activist Angie Murimirwa shares how a game-changing economic tool ...
How you can support farmers in the US | Eric Sannerud
18 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Farmers keep us fed and our economies stable, but in the US they're retiring faster than they're being replaced. Take a crash course in agricultural p...
A fascinating time capsule of human feelings toward AI | Lucy Farey-Jones
17 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How comfortable are you with robots taking over your life? Covering a wide range of potential applications -- from the mundane (robot house cleaner) t...
A campaign for period positivity | Ananya Grover
16 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Having your period is exhausting -- and for many people across the world, menstruation is even more challenging because of stigmas and difficulty gett...
How we could change the planet's climate future | David Wallace-Wells
13 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The climate crisis is too vast and complicated to solve with a silver bullet, says author David Wallace-Wells. What we need is a shift in how we live....
Why it's so hard to talk about the N-word | Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor
12 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Professor Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor leads a thoughtful and history-backed examination of one of the most divisive words in the English language: the N-...
The dangers of a noisy ocean -- and how we can quiet it down | Nicola Jones
11 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The ocean is a naturally noisy place full of singing whales, grunting fish, snapping shrimp, cracking ice, wind and rain. But human-made sounds -- fro...
How menopause affects the brain | Lisa Mosconi
10 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Many of the symptoms of menopause -- hot flashes, night sweats, insomnia, memory lapses, depression and anxiety -- start in the brain. How exactly doe...
What happens when a Silicon Valley technologist works for the government | Matt Cutts
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if the government ran more like Silicon Valley? Engineer Matt Cutts shares why he decided to leave Google (where he worked for nearly 17 years) f...
France Villarta: The legacy of gender equality and fluidity in the Philippines
09 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In much of the world, gender is viewed as binary: man or woman, each assigned characteristics and traits designated by biological sex. But that's not ...
How women are revolutionizing Rwanda | Agnes Binagwaho
06 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In 1996, Agnes Binagwaho returned home to Rwanda in the aftermath of its genocide. She considered leaving amid the overwhelming devastation, but women...
What investigating neural pathways can reveal about mental health | Kay M. Tye
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Neuroscientist Kay M. Tye investigates how your brain gives rise to complex emotional states like depression, anxiety or loneliness. From the cutting ...
How a miniaturized atomic clock could revolutionize space exploration | Jill Seubert
05 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Ask any deep space navigator like Jill Seubert what makes steering a spacecraft so difficult, and they'll tell you it's all about the timing; a split-...
What we do (and don't) know about the coronavirus | David Heymann
04 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What happens if you get infected with the coronavirus? Who's most at risk? How can you protect yourself? Public health expert David Heymann, who led t...
How to turn climate anxiety into action | Renée Lertzman
02 Mar 2020
Contributed by Lukas
It's normal to feel anxious or overwhelmed by climate change, says psychologist Renée Lertzman. Can we turn those feelings into something productive?...
How bumble bees inspired a network of tiny museums | Amanda Schochet
27 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, small things make a huge impact. After studying how bees in urban environments can survive by navigating small land patches, ecologist Aman...
3 ways to uproot a culture of corruption | Wanjira Mathai
26 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Corruption is a constant threat in Kenya, says social entrepreneur Wanjira Mathai -- and to stop it there (or anywhere else), we need to intervene ear...
How to design gender bias out of your workplace | Sara Sanford
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Equity expert Sara Sanford offers a certified playbook that helps companies go beyond good intentions, using a data-driven standard to actively counte...
Management lessons from Chinese business and philosophy | Fang Ruan
25 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Business management in China is changing, says consultant Fang Ruan. Learn how Chinese entrepreneurs -- long guided by Confucianism's emphasis on auth...
Why having a birth certificate is a human right | Kristen Wenz
24 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
More than a billion people worldwide, mostly children, have no birth certificates. In many countries, this means they can’t get access to vital serv...
A love story about the power of art as organizing | Aja Monet and Phillip Agnew
21 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a lyrical talk full of radical imagination, poet Aja Monet and community organizer phillip agnew share the story of how they fell in love and what ...
The beautiful, hard work of co-parenting | Joel Leon
19 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Co-parenting" isn't a buzzword -- it's a way of showing up for your family openly, consistently and lovingly, says storyteller and father Joel Leon. ...
A brief tour of the last 4 billion years (dinosaurs not included) | Lauren Sallan
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this hilarious, whirlwind tour of the last four billion years of evolution, paleontologist and TED Fellow Lauren Sallan introduces us to some of th...
For the love of fangirls | Yve Blake
18 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When you think of fangirls, what comes to mind: large swaths of fandom (usually for a boyband) whose feelings culminate in tears and joyful screams? P...
How to disagree productively and find common ground | Julia Dhar
17 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some days, it feels like the only thing we can agree on is that we can't agree -- on anything. Drawing on her background as a world debate champion, J...
How symbols and brands shape our humanity | Debbie Millman
14 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"Branding is the profound manifestation of the human spirit," says designer and podcaster Debbie Millman. In a historical odyssey that she illustrated...
How teachers can help students navigate trauma | Lisa Godwin
13 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"To make a difference in the life of a child ... I made the commitment to tell my personal story," says educator Lisa Godwin. In this moving talk, she...
What a nun can teach a scientist about ecology | Victoria Gill
12 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
To save the achoque -- an exotic (and adorable) salamander found in a lake in northern Mexico -- scientists teamed up with an unexpected research part...
How online marketplaces can help local economies, not hurt them | Amane Dannouni
11 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The growth of online marketplaces like Uber, Airbnb and Amazon can sometimes threaten local businesses such as taxis, hotels and retail shops by takin...
How to find the person who can help you get ahead at work | Carla Harris
10 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The workplace is often presented as a meritocracy, where you can succeed by putting your head down and working hard. Wall Street veteran Carla Harris ...
How bees can keep the peace between elephants and humans | Lucy King
07 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Imagine waking in the middle of the night to an elephant ripping the roof from your house in search of food. This is a reality in some communities in ...
Why fascism is so tempting -- and how your data could power it | Yuval Noah Harari
06 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a profound talk about technology and power, author and historian Yuval Noah Harari explains the important difference between fascism and nationalis...
The science of friction -- and its surprising impact on our lives | Jennifer Vail
05 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tribology: it's a funny-sounding word you might not have heard before, but it could change how you see and interact with the physical world, says mech...
Museums should honor the everyday, not just the extraordinary | Ariana Curtis
04 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Who deserves to be in a museum? For too long, the answer has been "the extraordinary" -- those aspirational historymakers who inspire us with their su...
The real story of Rosa Parks — and why we need to confront myths about black history | David Ikard
03 Feb 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Black history taught in US schools is often watered-down, riddled with inaccuracies and stripped of its context and rich, full-bodied historical figur...
A powerful way to unleash your natural creativity | Tim Harford
31 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What can we learn from the world's most enduringly creative people? They "slow-motion multitask," actively juggling multiple projects and moving betwe...
The most important thing you can do to fight climate change: talk about it | Katharine Hayhoe
30 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How do you talk to someone who doesn't believe in climate change? Not by rehashing the same data and facts we've been discussing for years, says clima...
How humans and AI can work together to create better businesses | Sylvain Duranton
29 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Here’s a paradox: as companies try to streamline their businesses by using artificial intelligence to make critical decisions, they may inadvertentl...
A new type of medicine, custom-made with tiny proteins | Christopher Bahl
28 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Some common life-saving medicines, such as insulin, are made of proteins so large and fragile they must be injected instead of ingested as pills. But ...
My story of magic, kindness and survival during the Holocaust
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Holocaust survivor Werner Reich recounts his harrowing adolescence as a prisoner transported between concentration camps — and shares how a small, k...
3 psychological tricks to help you save money | Wendy De La Rosa
27 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
We all want to save more money -- but overall, people today are doing less and less of it. Behavioral scientist Wendy De La Rosa studies how everyday ...
What ocean microbes reveal about the changing climate | Angelicque White
24 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When the ocean changes, the planet changes -- and it all starts with microbes, says biological oceanographer Angelicque White. Backed by decades of da...
Does photographing a moment steal the experience from you? | Erin Sullivan
23 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
When we witness something amazing, many of us instinctively pull out our phones and snap pictures. Is this obsession with photographing everything imp...
A personal health coach for those living with chronic diseases | Priscilla Pemu
22 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
There's no shortage of resources to help people change their health behaviors -- but far too often, these resources aren't accessible in underserved c...
Are indoor vertical farms the future of agriculture? | Stuart Oda
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
By 2050, the global population is projected to reach 9.8 billion. How are we going to feed everyone? Investment-banker-turned-farmer Stuart Oda points...
A path to security for the world’s deadliest countries | Rachel Kleinfeld
21 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
You are more likely to die violently if you live in a middle-income democracy with high levels of inequality and political polarization than if you li...
8 lessons on building a company people enjoy working for | Patty McCord
20 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Most companies operate on a set of policies: mandated vacation days, travel guidelines, standard work hours, annual goals. But what happens when a com...
Why can't we talk about periods? | Jen Gunter
17 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
"It shouldn't be an act of feminism to know how your body works," says gynecologist and author Jen Gunter. In this revelatory talk, she explains how m...
Why are drug prices so high? Investigating the outdated US patent system | Priti Krishtel
16 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Between 2006 and 2016, the number of drug patents granted in the United States doubled -- but not because there was an explosion in invention or innov...
How supply chain transparency can help the planet | Markus Mutz
15 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Given the option, few would choose to buy products that harm the earth -- yet it’s nearly impossible to know how most consumer goods are made or whe...
How guest worker visas could transform the US immigration system | David J. Bier
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The United States can create a more humane immigration system; in fact, it’s been done before, says policy analyst David J. Bier. Pointing to the hi...
The perks of being a pirate | Tom Nash
14 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this deeply charming and humorous talk, DJ and self-professed pirate Tom Nash meditates on how facing adversity due to disability invited patience,...
Why "biofabrication" is the next industrial revolution | Suzanne Lee
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if we could "grow" clothes from microbes, furniture from living organisms and buildings with exteriors like tree bark? TED Fellow Suzanne Lee sha...
Why you should bring your whole self to work | Dan Clay
13 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Dan Clay was worried about being dismissed as "too gay" at work, so he dialed down his personality. But then his alter ego, Carrie Dragshaw, went vira...
What a digital government looks like | Anna Piperal
09 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
What if you never had to fill out paperwork again? In Estonia, this is a reality: citizens conduct nearly all public services online, from starting a ...
This is the side hustle revolution | Nicaila Matthews Okome
08 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Past generations found a company to work for and then stayed there for decades. But today, we rarely stay in the same job (let alone on the same caree...
The urgent case for antibiotic-free animals | Leon Marchal
07 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
The UN predicts that antimicrobial resistance will be our biggest killer by 2050. "That should really scare the hell out of all of us," says bioproces...
The past, present and future of nicotine addiction | Mitch Zeller
06 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Tobacco use remains the leading cause of preventable disease and death in the United States, killing more people each year than alcohol, AIDS, car acc...
The "opportunity gap" in US public education -- and how to close it | Anindya Kundu
03 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
How can we tap into the potential of all students, especially those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds? Sociologist Anindya Kundu invites us to t...
To challenge the status quo, find a “co-conspirator” | Ipsita Dasgupta
02 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In a complex and changing world, how can we make sure unconventional people and their ideas thrive? Business executive Ipsita Dasgupta introduces the ...
Dangerous times call for dangerous women | Pat Mitchell
02 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Pat Mitchell has nothing left to prove and much less to lose -- she's become a "dangerous woman." Not dangerous as in feared, she says, but fearless: ...
Sleep is your superpower | Matt Walker
01 Jan 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Sleep is your life-support system and Mother Nature's best effort yet at immortality, says sleep scientist Matt Walker. In this deep dive into the sci...
Helping others makes us happier — but it matters how we do it
31 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Research shows that helping others makes us happier. But in her groundbreaking work on generosity and joy, social psychologist Elizabeth Dunn found th...
Why working from home is good for business | Matt Mullenweg
30 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
As the popularity of remote working continues to spread, workers today can collaborate across cities, countries and even multiple time zones. How does...
How civilization could destroy itself -- and 4 ways we could prevent it | Nick Bostrom
27 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Humanity is on its way to creating a "black ball": a technological breakthrough that could destroy us all, says philosopher Nick Bostrom. In this inci...
How we can protect truth in the age of misinformation | Sinan Aral
26 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Fake news can sway elections, tank economies and sow discord in everyday life. Data scientist Sinan Aral demystifies how and why it spreads so quickly...
We don't "move on" from grief. We move forward with it | Nora McInerny
25 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In a talk that's by turns heartbreaking and hilarious, writer and podcaster Nora McInerny shares her hard-earned wisdom about life and death. Her cand...
7 common questions about workplace romance | Amy Nicole Baker
24 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Should you date your coworker? Should workplace couples keep their relationships secret? And why are coworkers so often attracted to each other? Organ...
The beautiful balance between courage and fear | Cara E. Yar Khan
23 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
After being diagnosed with a rare genetic condition that deteriorates muscle, Cara E. Yar Khan was told she'd have to limit her career ambitions and d...
How we can turn the tide on climate | Christiana Figueres and Chris Anderson
21 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Witness the unveiling of Countdown, a major global campaign to cut greenhouse gas emissions. TED has partnered with scientists, policy makers, organiz...
How to turn off work thoughts during your free time | Guy Winch
19 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Feeling burned out? You may be spending too much time ruminating about your job, says psychologist Guy Winch. Learn how to stop worrying about tomorro...
To help solve global problems, look to developing countries | Bright Simons
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
To address the problem of counterfeit goods, African entrepreneurs like Bright Simons have come up with innovative and effective ways to confirm produ...
Jasmine Crowe: What we’re getting wrong in the fight to end hunger
18 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
In a world that's wasting more food than ever before, why do one in nine people still go to bed hungry each night? Social entrepreneur Jasmine Crowe c...
Your body was forged in the spectacular death of stars | Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz
17 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
We are all connected by the spectacular birth, death and rebirth of stars, says astrophysicist Enrico Ramirez-Ruiz. Journey through the cosmic history...
How the gut microbes you're born with affect your lifelong health | Henna-Maria Uusitupa
16 Dec 2019
Contributed by Lukas
Your lifelong health may have been decided the day you were born, says microbiome researcher Henna-Maria Uusitupa. In this fascinating talk, she shows...