Episodes

  • We resist change and surprises—but shock can shift our lives for the better

    We resist change and surprises—but shock can shift our lives for the better
    Dec 13 2024
    Being jolted out of the everyday can be a good thing. From an elaborate farce, to benign naughtiness, to a life-altering event—this hour, TED speakers explain the productive side of the provocative. Guests include bird truther Peter McIndoe, psychologist Paul Bloom and cognitive scientist Maya Shankar.

    Original broadcast date: December 8, 2023

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    52 mins
  • The great food rescue

    The great food rescue
    Dec 6 2024
    The average American throws away $200 of food each month. How can we get more food onto plates and less into landfills? This hour, changing the food system, from the farm to your kitchen. Guests include food waste expert Dana Gunders, social entrepreneur Jasmine Crowe-Houston, chef and sustainability activist Anthony Myint and behavioral scientist Jiaying Zhao.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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    52 mins
  • Living Longer ... And Better

    Living Longer ... And Better
    Nov 29 2024
    In some pockets of the world, people have a higher chance of living longer. So how do they do it? This hour, TED speaker Dan Buettner takes us to Blue Zones to learn how to live a long, happy life. Original broadcast date: December 22, 2023.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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    52 mins
  • Life can be so awkward. Here's how to embrace the embarrassing

    Life can be so awkward. Here's how to embrace the embarrassing
    Nov 22 2024
    Forgetting a name, a poorly executed hug, the 7th grade — awkwardness is part of our lives whether we like it or not. But what if we put the embarrassment aside and embraced our awkward selves? Guests include social scientist Ty Tashiro, cartoonist Liana Finck, journalist Melissa Dahl and sex and relationship counselor Erin Chen. Original broadcast date: April 19, 2024.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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    50 mins
  • Making sense of the sun

    Making sense of the sun
    Nov 20 2024
    The sun rises and sets every day of our lives, but it still holds many mysteries. This hour, TED speakers share the latest in probing, replicating, and harnessing the power of our massive star. Guests include astrophysicist Nour Rawafi, fusion physicist Tammy Ma, renewable energy strategist Rebecca Collyer and science journalist David Baron.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

    Correction: a previous version of this story referred to Nour Rawafi as a NASA scientist, when in fact he is a scientist at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) and NASA. The international team working on NASA's Parker Solar Probe mission are comprised of scientists from APL, NASA, and several other organizations.

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    50 mins
  • What we—and AI—can learn from nature's intelligence

    What we—and AI—can learn from nature's intelligence
    Nov 8 2024
    Artificial intelligence is powerful, but what about natural intelligence? This hour, TED speakers explore the intrinsic genius in animal language, insect behavior, plant anatomy and our immune system.

    Guests include neuroscientist Greg Gage, computational neuroscientist Frances Chance, social psychoneuroimmunologist Keely Muscatell and environmental researcher Karen Bakker.

    Original broadcast date: March 8, 2024

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    50 mins
  • A guide to being brave in relationships

    A guide to being brave in relationships
    Nov 1 2024
    From sustaining a marriage to making new friends, forming connections requires courage. This hour, TED speakers guide us through being brave during the most difficult moments in relationships. Guests include writer and podcaster Kelly Corrigan, journalist Allison Gilbert and clinical psychologists Julie and John Gottman.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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    50 mins
  • The mysteries that lie beneath

    The mysteries that lie beneath
    Oct 25 2024
    From our planet's underwater caves to its ancient soils, there are entire worlds right beneath our feet. This hour, we explore the subterranean forces that shape our lives above the ground. Guests include cave diver Jill Heinerth, death care advocate Katrina Spade, soil scientist Asmeret Asefaw Berhe and paleontologist Nizar Ibrahim. Original broadcast date: March 11, 2022.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

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    50 mins