TED Talks Daily
Episodes
Photographing nature beyond the limits of human perception | Doris Mitsch
07 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Artist Doris Mitsch invites us to revel in the wonders of nature through her dazzling photography: stacked images of starlings in flight, hawks surfin...
Is technology our savior — or our slayer? | Ruha Benjamin
06 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When it comes to technology, we're often presented with two contrasting visions of the future: one where technology fulfills all our desires, and anot...
Regeneration can restore a broken world | Paul Hawken
03 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
A frog and a mockingbird changed Paul Hawken's life, kindling a devotion to protect and restore nature. Now, as one of the world's preeminent environm...
The powerful possibilities of recycling the world's batteries | Emma Nehrenheim
02 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The world has plenty of clean energy. The problem is storing that energy and getting it where we need it, when we need it, says battery recycling pion...
The power of unconventional thinking | David McWilliams
01 Nov 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From World War II to the 2008 economic collapse and beyond, history shows that economists don’t always see the future as clearly as they think they ...
AI is dangerous, but not for the reasons you think | Sasha Luccioni
31 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
AI won't kill us all — but that doesn't make it trustworthy. Instead of getting distracted by future existential risks, AI ethics researcher Sasha L...
How comedy helps us deal with hard truths | Roy Wood Jr.
30 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
There's a saying that comedy is tragedy plus time. Perhaps that's why some of our biggest problems feel easiest to manage with a dose of humor. Comedi...
My quest to end the horror of gun violence in the US | Lucy McBath
28 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
US Congresswoman Lucy McBath has made it her mission to seek bipartisan solutions for gun safety, leading the way in sponsoring so-called “red flag”...
A simple way to inspire your team | David Burkus
27 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Using paychecks, perks and carefully worded mission statements plastered on posters, companies are on a never-ending quest to find what drives morale ...
How to make learning as addictive as social media | Luis von Ahn
26 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
When technologist Luis von Ahn was building the popular language-learning platform Duolingo, he faced a big problem: Could an app designed to teach yo...
How to Be a Better Human: How to stop finding your self-worth through your job (w/ Gloria Chan Packer)
25 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For some of us, it's easy to lose ourselves in our work. But a lack of boundaries between your personal and work life is something mental wellness edu...
A cleaner world could start in a rice field | Jim Whitaker and Jessica Whitaker Allen
24 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Rice is the world's largest food source — and it's also a massive emitter of methane gas, a key contributor to climate change. Fifth-generation rice...
The ordinary people doing extraordinary things in Ukraine | Oleksandra Matviichuk
23 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How do we defend people's freedom and dignity against authoritarianism, when the "law of war" doesn't seem to apply anymore? In the face of the Russia...
The joy of learning random things on Wikipedia | Annie Rauwerda
21 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Writer Annie Rauwerda makes a habit of getting lost among the seemingly endless digital archives of Wikipedia, discovering fake towns, promiscuous tor...
Let's reframe cancel culture | Sarah Jones
20 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Cancel culture launched a reckoning that was long overdue — but that doesn't mean it's getting everything right. Filmmaker and actor Sarah Jones sli...
To support people at work, focus on needs — not identity | Gabrielle Novacek
19 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
What do people really need to feel supported at work? Organizational strategist Gabrielle Novacek offers an answer that could transform the traditiona...
Fixable: How to self-promote without shame (w/ Chris Duffy)
18 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
As a standup comedian and the host of the TED podcast How to Be a Better Human, Chris Duffy knows how to be engaging in front of a microphone. However...
What does "wealth" mean to you? | Aisha Nyandoro
16 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
For people living in poverty, a guaranteed income can mean finally having the space to dream of a comfortable life. Sharing the stories of single moms...
The tech we need to fight workplace ageism | Piyachart Phiromswad
14 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From exoskeletons and robotic arms to the mass adoption of remote work, economist Piyachart Phiromswad explores what seniors need to overcome the phys...
Lessons from my father, Alexey Navalny | Dasha Navalnaya
13 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Dasha Navalnaya is the daughter of Alexey Navalny, the politician and leader of the Russian opposition to Vladimir Putin. Sharing the story of her fat...
We actually have a shot at stopping the climate crisis | Asmeret Asefaw Berhe
12 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
How is the US going to reach net zero by 2050? That's the question Asmeret Asefaw Berhe, director of the Office of Science for the US Department of En...
Why Meetings Suck and How to Fix Them | WorkLife with Adam Grant
11 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Meetings often drain our joy and sap our focus-–and meeting overload kills productivity. So why do we have so many of them– and is a better world ...
The Israel-Hamas war — and what it means for the world | Ian Bremmer
10 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The Hamas attacks on Israel in October 2023 stunned the world. In this timely conversation, political scientist Ian Bremmer explains the historical co...
Work has changed. Why haven't resumes? | Nicos Marcou
09 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Resumes are a mainstay of the job application process -- despite little to no evidence that they actually help job-seekers or employers get what they ...
How business can drive solutions to social problems | Carlos Rodríguez-Pastor
07 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Driven by the belief that businesses can — and should — invest in the communities around them, Intercorp founder and philanthropist Carlos Rodríg...
How to fix fashion and protect the planet | Amy Powney
06 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
From the field to your closet, your clothes go on a long journey before they enter your life. Designer Amy Powney explores the fashion industry's brut...
The Encyclopedia of Invisibility — a home for lost stories | Tavares Strachan
05 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Conceptual artist Tavares Strachan creates the kinds of projects that make you stop in your tracks, like a 4.5-ton block of Arctic ice he brought back...
You don't actually know what your future self wants | TED Business
04 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"You are constantly becoming a new person," says journalist Shankar Vendantam. In a talk full of beautiful storytelling, he explains the profound impa...
10 lessons I learned from being a nerd | Jordan Dinwiddie
03 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Are you super devoted to a sports team, superhero or perhaps "Star Wars"? You’re part of a fandom, just like storyteller Jordan Dinwiddie. She share...
The truth about human population decline | Jennifer D. Sciubba
02 Oct 2023
Contributed by Lukas
With birth rates falling, the worldwide human population is getting older and smaller. According to traditional thinking, this spells a future of labo...
This country runs on 98 percent renewable energy | Ramón Méndez Galain
29 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Fifteen years ago, Uruguay was experiencing an energy crisis brought on by its reliance on fossil fuels; today, the nation produces 98 percent of its ...
The world's rarest diseases — and how they impact everyone | Anna Greka
28 Sep 2023
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 I gave my teenage daughter a vibrator | Robin Buckley
27 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
"Why does a vibrator make us uncomfortable, but Viagra does not?" asks cognitive-behavioral coach Robin Buckley. Sharing her own personal story of emp...
CRISPR's next advance is bigger than you think | Jennifer Doudna
26 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
You've probably heard of CRISPR, the revolutionary technology that allows us to edit the DNA in living organisms. Biochemist and 2023 Audacious Projec...
How I found myself -- by impersonating other people | Melissa Villaseñor
25 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Ever think you'd hear Sandra Bullock, Britney Spears and Dolly Parton in one TED Talk? Here they are, courtesy of "Saturday Night Live" star Melissa V...
Are we the last generation -- or the first sustainable one? | Hannah Ritchie
22 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
The word "sustainability" gets thrown around a lot these days. But what does it actually mean for humanity to be sustainable? Environmental data scien...
The simple solution to fast fashion | Josephine Philips
21 Sep 2023
Contributed by Lukas
Your favorite pair of jeans -- the ones you refuse to throw out -- are actually a part of a global climate solution, says fashion entrepreneur Josephi...
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...