TED Talks Daily
Episodes
A meditation on Rumi and the power of poetry | Leili Anvar
29 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In an ode to the Persian language, author Leili Anvar unfurls the work of 13th-century mystic poet Rumi and reflects on how poetry gives meaning to ou...
What's the point of digital fashion? | Karinna Grant
28 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if you could own more clothes without crowding your closet or growing your carbon footprint? Introducing the dematerialized future of your wardro...
How poop turns into forests | Ludmila Rattis
27 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Did you know the world's largest tropical forest is partly formed by seeds emerging from poop? Ecologist Ludmila Rattis reveals the surprisingly fruit...
How clicking a single link can cost millions | Ryan Pullen
26 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Is cybercrime getting easier? Cybersecurity expert Ryan Pullen dives into his work investigating massive digital breaches and testing security blindsp...
The artists re-framing Chicago | Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala
25 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The Bean needs to move over — there's a new art movement in Chicago, and it's led by artists who are completely reimagining how residents think abou...
The 5 tenets of turning pain into power | Christine Schuler Deschryver
24 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A supportive community is the key to cultivating resilience and unlocking healing. Sharing the story of a transformative recovery program for survivor...
TED is 40 — here's how it all started | Chris Anderson and Richard Saul Wurman
23 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
To celebrate TED's 40th anniversary, Head of TED Chris Anderson and TED's founder Richard Saul Wurman reflect on the conference's transformative journ...
Can nanoparticles help fight hunger? | Christy L. Haynes
22 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A game-changing solution to the global food crisis could come from something so tiny you can't see it with the naked eye. Nanomaterials chemist Christ...
Is climate change slowing down the ocean? | Susan Lozier
21 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Ocean waters are constantly on the move, traveling far distances in complex currents that regulate Earth's climate and weather patterns. How might cli...
How to design for dignity during times of war | Slava Balbek
20 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What happens when architecture meets empathy? Through the challenges of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, architect and humanitarian Slava Balbek, who ...
The Herds, a vast act of theater to spark climate action | Amir Nizar Zuabi
19 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Theater has the power to transform the most pressing issues of our time from news stories into human stories, says director and playwright Amir Nizar ...
Hidden Figures author Margot Lee Shetterly on reframing the stories we tell | ReThinking with Adam Grant
18 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Margot Lee Shetterly used to be an investment banker, a business owner and a content marketing and editorial consultant. Now she's the author of the n...
An Israeli and a Palestinian talk peace, dignity and safety | Ali Abu Awwad and Ami Dar
17 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Israel and Palestine have grappled with enduring territorial disputes and complex geopolitical tensions across generations. In this profound TED Membe...
What the world can learn from Ukraine's fight for democracy | Olesya Khromeychuk
16 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
“A flourishing democracy next door is a scary thing for an autocrat,” says Ukrainian historian Olesya Khromeychuk. Detailing the history of Ukrain...
When you inform women, you transform lives | Paige Alexander
15 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Access to information is the key to unlocking human rights for all, says equality champion Paige Alexander. From educating female entrepreneurs on how...
True love — and the myth of "happily ever after" | Francesca Hogi
14 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The fairytale industrial complex has been lying to you," says love coach and podcast host Francesca Hogi. Having spent years talking to thousands of ...
How sci-fi informs our climate future — and what to do next | Zainab Usman
13 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Science fiction authors have warned us for decades: division among global leaders can quickly create dystopia. Political economist Zainab Usman thinks...
Life's an obstacle course — here's how to navigate it | Maryam Banikarim
12 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Instead of seeing life's challenges as obstacles, I see them as an obstacle course — a fascinating array of tests that I'm curious to see if I can ...
The hidden world of stadium deals | Good Sport
11 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Stadiums are not just a place for sports fans to cheer on the home team -- they're also concert venues, convention centers and even serve as makeshift...
An NFL quarterback on overcoming setbacks and self-doubt | Alex Smith
10 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Former NFL quarterback Alex Smith almost died after a particularly rough tackle snapped his leg in 2018 -- yet he was back on the field just two years...
The next grand challenge for AI | Jim Fan
09 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Researcher Jim Fan presents the next grand challenge in the quest for AI: the "foundation agent," which would seamlessly operate across both the virtu...
The climate solutions worth funding — now | Jonathan Foley
08 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to climate solutions, "now is better than new, and time is more important than tech," says scientist Jonathan Foley. He presents a six-p...
6 tips on being a successful entrepreneur | John Mullins
07 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Sometimes, you need to break the rules to innovate — but which ones? Entrepreneurship professor John Mullins shares six counter-conventional mindset...
What makes someone vote against their political party? | Sarah Longwell
06 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Our brains are hardwired to crave community and belonging — a tribal instinct that drives politics in the United States, says political strategist S...
Wild, intricate sculptures — made out of my hair | Laetitia Ky
05 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Artist Laetitia Ky has a unique medium: using the hair on her head (and some wire), she creates incredible sculptures of objects, animals, people and ...
How to think critically about history — and why it matters | How to Be a Better Human
04 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever recalled a story only to have someone point out "that's not how it went"? Well, what happens when what we misrepresent are our historica...
You don't actually know what your future self wants | Shankar Vedantam
03 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"You are constantly becoming a new person," says journalist Shankar Vedantam. In a talk full of beautiful storytelling, he explains the profound impac...
How babies think about danger | Shari Liu
02 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Are babies oblivious to danger? It's not that simple, says cognitive scientist Shari Liu. Sharing surprising insights (and plenty of baby videos) from...
Lessons from the past on adapting to climate change | Laprisha Berry Daniels
01 Feb 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Laprisha Berry Daniels' grandparents left the Southern United States and migrated north to Detroit in the 1950s — a move that could be considered a ...
Leadership in the age of AI | Paul Hudson and Lindsay Levin
31 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Leaders can't be afraid to disrupt the status quo, says pharmaceutical CEO Paul Hudson. In conversation with TED's Lindsay Levin, he shares how AI eli...
A reframing of masculinity, rooted in empathy | Gary Barker
30 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Urging us to turn away from voices perpetuating harmful stereotypes, gender equality advocate Gary Barker shares three insights on fostering a culture...
What if a simple blood test could detect cancer? | Hani Goodarzi
29 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Catching cancer at its earliest stages saves lives. But in a body made up of trillions of cells, how do you spot a small group of rogue cancer cells? ...
Could AI give you X-ray vision? | Tara Boroushaki
26 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What if a robot could find and deliver your lost phone? AI researcher Tara Boroushaki presents how she's using wireless signals and sensors to create ...
Can a simple brick be the next great battery? | John O'Donnell
25 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The world relies on manufacturing, and manufacturing relies on heat — a massive contributor to global carbon emissions, responsible for a quarter of...
Advice for leaders on creating a culture of belonging | Melonie D. Parker
24 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Google's chief diversity officer Melonie D. Parker joins journalist and host of the "TED Tech" podcast Sherrell Dorsey for a conversation on fostering...
Your creative superpowers can help protect democracy | Sofia Ongele
23 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Democracy is more fun and inviting when you take it into your own hands," says creator and activist Sofia Ongele. Sharing how she's using coding and ...
Do gut microbes control your personality? | Kathleen McAuliffe
22 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Biologist Kathleen McAuliffe dives into new research that suggests certain bacteria in your gut can influence major parts of who you are, from your pe...
The beauty of wildlife — and an artistic call to protect it | Isabella Kirkland
20 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"I think of my paintings as alarm clocks," says artist Isabella Kirkland. "They're reminders of what's at stake; the only problem is we keep pushing t...
How film changes the way we see the world | Ava DuVernay
19 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"People told me this was an unadaptable book, so the only logical thing to do was to try to adapt it," says writer, producer and filmmaker Ava DuVerna...
Fight for justice — even if you don't live to see it | Golriz Lucina
18 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Storyteller Golriz Lucina recounts how the historic sacrifice of Iranian 19th-century poet and mystic Táhirih planted the seeds for the "Woman, Life,...
What if advertising was honest? | Sylvester Chauke
17 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
After years of brand building, marketing veteran Sylvester Chauke realized that his industry had sold the world on overconsumption, with devastating c...
Let curiosity lead | Yara Shahidi
16 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Don't second-guess what "distracts" you, says actor-producer Yara Shahidi; that's your curiosity coming through. The star of hit shows like "black-ish...
AI's single point of failure | Rob Toews
15 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"The world's most important advanced technology is nearly all produced in a single facility," says AI expert Rob Toews. He describes how one company i...
TED Explores: A New Climate Vision
13 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
The impacts of climate change are growing, but so are the world's attempts to stop them. Hosted by Manoush Zomorodi of the TED Radio Hour, this specia...
How to build democracy — in an authoritarian country | Tessza Udvarhelyi
12 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Today, Hungary is in the gray zone between a dictatorship and a democracy," says activist Tessza Udvarhelyi. "This did not happen overnight." In a ro...
What happens when we deny people abortions? | Diana Greene Foster
11 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
How does getting an abortion — or not — influence a woman's life? Demographer Diana Greene Foster puts forward the results of The Turnaway Study, ...
The US vs. itself — and other top global risks in 2024 | Ian Bremmer
10 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
2024 will be a dangerous year for the world, says Ian Bremmer, president and founder of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media. Forecasting the top geopolitica...
It's time for infectious generosity. Here's how | Chris Anderson
09 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
What would happen to humanity if generosity went viral? Sharing transformative stories from around the world, head of TED Chris Anderson outlines why ...
Is alternative meat the recipe for a healthier planet? | Tao Zhang
08 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
A Chinese saying goes, "There's no pleasure in eating without meat." And the data backs that up: every year, China consumes 26 percent of the world's ...
Enough red tape — we need to say yes to clean energy | Rich Powell
06 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Climate innovation leader Rich Powell dives into the bureaucracy, bottlenecks and not-in-my-backyard attitude preventing the US from achieving its gre...
Don't be a jerk to your barista — and other thoughts on frontline work | Adriann Negreros
05 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
All jobs, especially those held by frontline workers, should have dignity and the ability to turn into great careers, says change management expert Ad...
The vital data you flush down the toilet | Newsha Ghaeli
04 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
"Everybody pees and poops — and we know that urine and stool contain a rich source of information on our health," says data detective Newsha Ghaeli....
What's your leadership language? | Rosita Najmi
03 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
In a globe-trotting career that has spanned corporations, governments, nonprofits and philanthropy, Rosita Najmi has often found herself translating a...
Life is hard. Art helps
02 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
Cartoonist Liana Finck's drawings hold our hands through life's predicaments, big and small: dating, breakups, what to make for dinner, how to leave a...
Why you should embrace mediocrity | Crispin Thurlow
01 Jan 2024
Contributed by Lukas
From "elite" pickles to "premium" baby diapers, marketers are constantly telling us to seek superiority — but "by the simple law of averages, most o...
The science of happiness with Laurie Santos | How to Be a Better Human
29 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The phrase "comparison is the thief of joy" might be the kind of cliché that makes you roll your eyes — and yet, it's an idea that is, scientifical...
Mind, body, spirit (part 1) | TED Radio Hour
28 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For millennia, we have debated the mind, body, spirit connection. But today, it sounds trite, #selfcare. In this special series on the TED Radio Hour,...
Rick Rubin | Design Matters with Debbie Millman
27 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Exploring Rick Rubin's production discography is like taking a tour through the commanding heights of American music over the past few decades. The re...
ChatGPT did not title this podcast | ReThinking with Adam Grant
26 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot capable of generating human-like text, seems to be everywhere. But how trustworthy are these tools — an...
What it's like to find your birth parent | Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi
25 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In Britain, one-fourth of people who were adopted make contact with their birth parents before they turn 18. In this episode of Am I Normal? with Mona...
How to keep AI under control | Max Tegmark
22 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The current explosion of exciting commercial and open-source AI is likely to be followed, within a few years, by creepily superintelligent AI – whic...
Why businesses need a dreamer's magic and a doer's realism | Beth Viner
21 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
At work, the dreamers often get credit for the big ideas, but they can also sometimes seem untethered to reality to the doers, who are trying to ... g...
When AI can fake reality, who can you trust? | Sam Gregory
20 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We're fast approaching a world where widespread, hyper-realistic deepfakes lead us to dismiss reality, says technologist and human rights advocate Sam...
My mission to change the narrative of mental health | Glenn Close
19 Dec 2023
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...
Why AI will spark exponential economic growth | Cathie Wood
18 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Investor Cathie Wood explores this unique moment in technology, which she sees as being marked by the simultaneous evolution of five pivotal innovatio...
What happens as we die? | Kathryn Mannix
16 Dec 2023
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...
How to build a global pro-democracy movement | Yordanos Eyoel
15 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Democracy is the most compelling vision we have for self-governance," says freedom advocate Yordanos Eyoel. Taking a stand against predatory and oppo...
Why helping people makes you happy | Asha Curran
14 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"We underestimate the power of our own generous actions," says Asha Curran, CEO of the global generosity movement GivingTuesday. Sharing stories of pe...
Time is running out on climate change. The metaverse could help | Cedrik Neike
13 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The metaverse could be our key to making real progress in the fight against climate change, says engineer Cedrik Neike. Examining how AI-powered model...
The transformative potential of AGI — and when it might arrive | Shane Legg and Chris Anderson
12 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As the cofounder of Google DeepMind, Shane Legg is driving one of the greatest transformations in history: the development of artificial general intel...
Life lessons from Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 | Benjamin Zander
11 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Legendary conductor Benjamin Zander explains his view on the difference between "positive thinking" and "possibility" (one's a fraud; the other's the ...
How stress drains your brain — and what to do about it | Nicole Byers
09 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Do you ever feel extra forgetful? Stress could be the culprit. In a fascinating talk about how your memory works, neuropsychologist Nicole Byers share...
The dark side of competition in AI | Liv Boeree
08 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Competition is a core part of human nature, and it can drive us to extraordinary feats. But when it goes wrong, the results can be devastating. Poker ...
What will happen to marketing in the age of AI? | Jessica Apotheker
07 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Generative AI is poised to transform the workplace, but we still need human brains for new ideas, says marketing expert Jessica Apotheker. She explore...
How to find humor in life's absurdity | Maira Kalman
06 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With levity and profound insight, artist Maira Kalman reflects on life, death, dinner parties, not knowing the right answers, the joys of eating a hot...
How to stop the next pandemic? Stop deforestation | Neil Vora
05 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Clearing tropical forests isn't just dangerous to the natural world — it's also a threat to human health and wellbeing, says physician Neil Vora. Tr...
Democracy works — we just need better leaders | Lindiwe Mazibuko
04 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
South Africa transitioned to democracy in the 1990s with a visionary constitution, but the promises of that constitution are largely unfulfilled to th...
A playbook on financing climate solutions | Nili Gilbert and David Blood
02 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Tackling climate change costs a lot of money — and the financial sector is key to getting that money flowing. In a wide-ranging conversation, sustai...
The science behind how sickness shapes your mood | Keely Muscatell
01 Dec 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Your immune system is more socially aware than you think, says social neuroscientist and psychology professor Keely Muscatell. Investigating the inter...
How to harness abundant, clean energy for 10 billion people | Julio Friedmann
30 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
We can produce abundant, sustainable and cheap energy — for everyone, says physicist Julio Friedmann. He explores the infrastructure, innovation and...
Can we hack photosynthesis to feed the world? | Steve Long
29 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Photosynthesis is one of the most important processes on the planet, helping produce the food we eat and the air we breathe. Crop scientist Steve Long...
Life on the frontlines of war reporting | Jane Ferguson
28 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Covering global war stories can be hard and thankless — but it's critical work if the rest of us are to understand what's really going on in the wor...
How gratitude rewires your brain | Christina Costa
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When a psychologist who studies well-being ends up with a brain tumor, what happens when she puts her own research into practice? Christina Costa goes...
The case for a new Great Migration in the US | Charles M. Blow
27 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Social progress in the United States often seems to take two steps forward and one step back, with hard-fought civil rights wins countered by a seemin...
Are you really as good at something as you think? | Robin Kramer
25 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Does confidence equal competence? Not quite. In a talk that will make you better aware of yourself, experimental psychologist Robin Kramer delves into...
Why you shouldn't trust boredom | Kevin H. Gary
24 Nov 2023
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...
The exciting, perilous journey toward AGI | Ilya Sutskever
23 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Just weeks before the management shakeup at OpenAI rocked Silicon Valley and made international news, the company's cofounder and chief scientist Ilya...
When Biden met Xi (and what's going on with the US and China) | Ian Bremmer
22 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
US President Joe Biden and President of the People's Republic of China Xi Jinping recently met in San Francisco. It was the first time Xi had visited ...
A crash course in making political change | Katie Fahey
21 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You don't need political power to make real change, says activist Katie Fahey. She tells the story of how she led a successful movement in Michigan to...
Meet methane, the invisible climate villain | Marcelo Mena
20 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A landfill on fire doesn't only emit a horrid stench — it has devastating consequences for the environment, too. The culprit is methane, an often un...
How to think computationally about AI, the universe and everything | Stephen Wolfram
18 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Drawing on his decades-long mission to formulate the world in computational terms, Stephen Wolfram delivers a profound vision of computation and its r...
The secret perks of driving electric | Cynthia Williams
17 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Electric vehicles need to be more than just eco-friendly — they have to be more chic, convenient and affordable than their gas-powered alternatives,...
A case for color blindness | Coleman Hughes
16 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Racial inequality provokes passionate opinions and varied ideas of how to build a fair, equitable society. One topic that's been contentiously debated...
The real gold of our economy is in our hands | Salvatore Cali
15 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The vast majority of our time at work is spent trudging through redundant and outdated workflows, says operations visionary Salvatore Cali. Laying out...
Why you should ditch deadly fossil-fuel appliances | Donnel Baird
14 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
In the US, people spend the overwhelming majority of their time inside buildings that burn fossil fuels, which are bad for both the environment and hu...
An economy powered by sun and wind — it's almost here | Kala Constantino
13 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With some of the highest energy bills in Southeast Asia and extreme weather to match, the Philippines experiences the climate crisis -- and climate ac...
Returning to school mid-career? Here's what you need to know | Candice Neveu
11 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you thinking of returning to school? Educator Candice Neveu shares three challenges you might face continuing your education mid-career — and th...
The unexpected way spirituality connects to climate change | Gopal D. Patel
10 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Environmental activist Gopal D. Patel thinks the climate movement could learn a lot from one of the longest-standing social initiatives in human histo...
It's time to rethink the role of First Lady | Irina Karamanos Adrian
09 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Irina Karamanos Adrian didn't plan on becoming Chile's First Lady — but she set out to transform the role all the same. She shares how she's fightin...
Artificial skin? We made it — here's why | Anna Maria Coclite
08 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Material scientist Anna Maria Coclite unveils "smart skin" — artificial skin technology that responds to touch, temperature and humidity like your v...