TED Radio Hour

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.

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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.

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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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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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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.

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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.

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Big life decisions are never easy. Should you follow a plan? Make a hard pivot? Improvise as you go? This hour, TED speakers who've made extreme life choices and their advice for getting unstuck. Guests include comedian and musician Reggie Watts, biomedical researcher Sonia Vallabh and conservationist Kristine McDivitt Tompkins.

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Week in, week out, we work. But what can we do to not lose ourselves in the 9-to-5 grind? This hour, we question how long we work, why we valorize work, and what good leadership looks like. Guests include executive coach Anne Morriss, economist Juliet Schor, social psychologist Azim Shariff and political scientist Margaret Levi.

Original broadcast date: September 22, 2023

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From robot helpers to smart body parts, the line between humans and machines is blurring. This hour, TED speakers design tech that enhances us without diminishing our humanity. Guests include robot choreographer and computer scientist Catie Cuan, engineer and biophysicist Hugh Herr, material scientist Anna Maria Coclite and biochemist Jennifer Doudna.

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There are two sides to every coin — and sometimes our strengths become weaknesses. This hour, TED speakers explore the mixed blessings and volatile flip sides of mental health, parenting and AI. Guests include developmental psychologist Yuko Munakata, entrepreneur Andy Dunn and AI researcher Yejin Choi.

Original broadcast date: August 11, 2023

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We all work in teams, from families, to companies, and everything in between. So what's the secret to doing it better? This hour, TED speakers share surprising strategies for successful teamwork. Guests include activist Hajer Sharief, social psychologist Amy Edmondson and private equity investor Pete Stavros.

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We encounter friction every day — in all its forms — as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist and whistleblower Yaël Eisenstat, Sierra Leone's Minister of Education David Moinina Sengeh and TV producer Elan Gale. Original broadcast date: October 7, 2022.

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Whether you love or hate fashion, we all have to get dressed in the morning. And the industry affects us in complex ways. This hour, the outrageous, environmental, and seedy sides of fashion. Guests include designer Machine Dazzle, supply chain expert Aparna Mehta, journalist Amanda Mull and supermodel Cameron Russell.

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Sometimes, the only way to make an impact is to be loud. This hour, three female performers talk about the rewards — and consequences — that come from speaking out and making people feel uncomfortable. Guests include comedian Lilly Singh, Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova and actor, playwright and director Sarah Jones.

Original Broadcast Date: October 20, 2023.

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It's never too late to make things right—even when cracks form within our relationships with our families, our environment...or the inevitable. This hour, TED speakers offer healing solutions. Guests include clinical psychologist Becky Kennedy, death doula Alua Arthur and indigenous community leader and conservationist Valérie Courtois. Original broadcast date: October 6, 2023

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What happened in the days, even hours, after an asteroid set off the fifth extinction? A New Jersey quarry, and site of a new museum founded by paleontologist Ken Lacovara, sheds light on the mystery.

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that Mantua Township, NJ helped to raise money for the construction of the Edelman Fossil Park & Museum. Paleontologist Ken Lacovara partnered with Rowan University to fundraise.

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We've got a special episode for you today from our friends at Short Wave. We all think about the Big Bang as the moment when our universe—everything in existence—began right? Turns out, it's not quite that simple. Today when scientists talk about the Big Bang, they mean a period of time, closer to an era rather than a specific moment.

Short Wave host Regina Barber talks with two cosmologists about the cosmic microwave background, its implications for the universe's origins and the discovery that started it all.

This episode is part of Short Wave's Space Camp series; you can find more here: https://www.npr.org/series/g-s1-3299/short-wave-space-camp

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Everything is not what it seems. We can easily disguise ourselves in both the digital and physical world. This hour, TED speakers explore the ways we go incognito... from espionage to virtual reality. Guests include former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez, artist Holly Herndon, anthropologist Mary L. Gray and digital fashion designer Gala Marija Vrbanic. Original broadcast date: August 26, 2022.

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Early adopters are flocking to AI bots for therapy, friendship, even love. How will these relationships impact us? MIT sociologist Sherry Turkle delves into her new research on "artificial intimacy." Later in the episode, host Manoush Zomorodi speaks with Somnium Space founder Artur Sychov.

Note: A few weeks ago, we talked to Sherry Turkle in a Body Electric episode called "If a bot relationship FEELS real, should we care that it's not?" Today's episode is an even deeper dive into that conversation with Sherry. We hope you enjoy it!

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True crime mysteries can be dark and thrilling. But what if humans can't crack the case? What if the suspect ... isn't human? This hour, TED Radio Hour investigates crimes with a wild twist. Guests include forensic scientist Lauren Pharr Parks, author Mary Roach, dog trainer and conservationist Megan Parker, wildlife intelligence analyst Sarah Stoner. Original broadcast date: October 21, 2022.

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The thrill of victory; the agony of defeat. Sports cliches are everywhere. But what does it actually take to think like a winner? This hour, TED speakers explore the psychology of winning and losing. Guests include former professional soccer player Abby Wambach, cognitive scientist Sian Leah Beilock, journalist Kate Fagan and art historian Sarah Lewis.

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When problems arise, it's tempting to wait for someone else to address it. But sometimes, the only person who can fix it... is you. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to do it yourself. Guests include physicist and engineer Kate Stone, humanitarian programmer Tiffani Ashley Bell, builder and youth educator Emily Pilloton-Lam and videographer Jack Corbett. Original broadcast date: May 5, 2023.

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Thanks to advances in AI, chatbots can act as personalized therapists, companions, and romantic partners. The apps offering these services have been downloaded millions of times. If these relationships relieve stress and make us feel better, does it matter that they're not "real"?

On this episode from our special series Body Electric, host Manoush Zomorodi talks to MIT sociologist and psychologist Sherry Turkle about her new research into what she calls "artificial intimacy," and its impact on our mental and physical health.

Binge the whole Body Electric serieshere.

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From the farm, to the lab, to our tables, what we eat and how it's grown is changing. Agriculture contributes to global warming—and is being transformed by it. Today, a bite into the future of food. Guests include chef and policy advisor Sam Kass, farmers Jim Whitaker and Jessica Whitaker Allen, biotechnologist Isha Datar and artist Sam Van Aken.

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Lots left vacant, offices full of equipment but devoid of people, entire villages literally left to the wolves--this hour, TED speakers share stories about bringing new life to abandoned places. Guests include evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton, entrepreneur Garry Cooper, urban renewal expert Anika Goss, and conservationist Alysa McCall.
Original broadcast date: September 8, 2023.

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Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z seem to be more divided than ever. But why are tensions running high now? This hour, TED speakers explore new reasons for this generation gap—and how to bridge it. Guests include professor and author Scott Galloway, social entrepreneur Louise Mabulo, advocate Derenda Schubert and writer Anne Helen Petersen.

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For centuries, humans have relied on the oceans for resources and food... but even the deepest sea has its limits. This hour, TED speakers discuss how we can save our seas to save our planet. Guests include marine biologists Asha de Vos, Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, and Alasdair Harris, and oceanographer Sylvia Earle. Original broadcast date: June 25, 2021.

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Do you have "screen apnea"? Our special series Body Electric continues with former Microsoft executive Linda Stone who coined the term. Around 2007, Linda noticed she had an unhealthy habit while answering emails: she held her breath. On this episode, she tells host Manoush Zomorodi how she tested her friends and colleagues for "screen apnea" and what she's done since.

Then, Manoush talks to the bestselling author of Breath,science writer James Nestor, who explains how shallow breathing impacts our physical and mental health. He takes us through a simple exercise to 'reset' our breath and relieve screen time stress.

Binge the whole Body Electric serieshere.

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Thirty years into the opioid crisis, we still struggle to find other options for pain relief. This hour, TED speakers explain new understandings of how the brain interprets pain and new ideas to cope. Guests include equestrian Kat Naud, physician and researcher Amy Baxter and opioid reform advocate Cammie Wolf Rice.

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Oceans cover nearly 75% of the Earth. While they seem vast and frightening, they're also enchanting and whimsical. This hour, TED speakers dive into stories of connection — and even love — in the sea. Guests include adventurer Catherine Mohr, marine biologists Marah Hardt and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and venom scientist Mandë Holford.
Original broadcast date: June 11, 2021

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Our special series, Body Electric, is back! This time, host Manoush Zomorodi does a deep dive into our headphone habits... because many of us wear them for hours at a time, and all that listening is taking a toll on our hearing.

Manoush speaks with exposure scientist Rick Neitzel, who has partnered with Apple on a first-of-its-kind study to find how our daily listening patterns are affecting our hearing. Neitzel offers advice on safe listening habits that can help protect our ears in the long term.

Later, Manoush takes us into the future of "consumer hearables" and how tech companies want us to never — ever— take our earbuds out.

Interested in joining the Apple Hearing Study? Sign uphere.

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Words are never just words. They carry context and controversy; they can signal identity or sow discord. This week, TED speakers explore the history and politics of our ever-evolving language. Guests include linguists Anne Curzan and John McWhorter, social psychologist Dannagal Young and writer Mark Forsyth.

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"Reduce, reuse, recycle." We've heard that for decades - but does it work? This hour, TED speakers reimagine the well-known slogan and reconsider how we think about what we consume and throw away. Guests include right-to-repair advocate Gay Gordon-Byrne, materials scientist Andrew Dent, technologist Jamie Beard and animal scientist Ermias Kebreab. Original broadcast date: May 20, 2022

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AI, EVs, and satellites are tackling the climate crisis. But they have environmental downsides. This hour, TED speakers explain how to use these tools without making global warming worse. Guests include AI researchers Sasha Luccioni and Sims Witherspoon, climate researcher Elsa Dominish and astrodynamicist Moriba Jah.

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Original broadcast date: Friday, December 3, 2021. Admitting we're wrong is painful — even seen as a sign of weakness. But what if we take a more flexible approach? This hour: how rethinking ideas can be good for our brains and our relationships. Guests include former GOP congressman Bob Inglis, organizational psychologist Adam Grant, and civil rights activist Loretta J. Ross.

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Original broadcast date: July 23, 2021. How can we create public places that feel welcoming and safe for everyone? This hour, TED speakers examine our physical and digital spaces—how they run, who they serve, and how to make them better. Guests include community organizer Shari Davis, researcher Eli Pariser, Wikipedia Library founder Jake Orlowitz, Wikipedia co-founder Jimmy Wales, and artist Matthew Mazzotta.

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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.

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Original broadcast date: December 9, 2022. We think our faces are our own. But technology can use them to identify, influence and mimic us. This week, TED speakers explore the promise and peril of turning the human face into a digital tool. Guests include super recognizer Yenny Seo, Bloomberg columnist Parmy Olson, visual researcher Mike Seymour and investigative journalist Alison Killing.

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Writer Anne Lamott has garnered a cult following with her shockingly honest prose on love, death, faith, writing and more. This hour, her wisdom from a career that has spanned 20 books and 40 years.

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Original broadcast date: July 14, 2023. From the bugs in our backyards to prehistoric reptiles, animal biology and behavior are full of puzzles and conundrums. On this episode, we hear from experts solving the mysteries of the animal kingdom. Guests include paleontologist Dean Lomax, biochemical engineer Saad Bhamla, herpetologist Gowri Shankar and conservation biologist Patrícia Medici.

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We know walking is good for our bodies, our communities, and our planet. But our car-centric cities and screen-filled lives keep us sitting. Can we change? This hour, ideas to get us moving. Guests include author Vybarr Cregan-Reid, computer historian Laine Nooney, exercise physiologist Keith Diaz, urban planner Jeff Speck, activists John Francis and Vanessa Garrison.

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Original broadcast date: June 30, 2023. Big problems need audacious solutions. This hour, TED speakers use data and common sense to make laws more effective, reform the foster care system and hold environmental offenders accountable. Guests include criminal justice reform activist Sheena Meade, child welfare advocates Sixto Cancel and Marquan Teetz, and ocean monitoring expert Tony Long.

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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.

We want to dedicate this episode to Bakker who passed away in August 2023, only a few months after giving her TED Talk. Her research and legacy continue to inspire.

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Original broadcast date: December 23, 2022. Our brains are magnificently complex - and highly fallible. This hour, neuroscientist and novelist Lisa Genova explains how to keep our brains healthy and what to do when something goes wrong.

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To move forward, the United States must confront its history of racial inequality. This hour, three perspectives on looking to the past to build a better future for Black Americans. Guests include author Joseph McGill Jr., Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker and opinion columnist Charles Blow.

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Original broadcast date: October 1, 2021. When stress, fear or sadness weigh on us, our hearts can suffer — even break. But there are ways to mend our broken hearts. This hour, TED speakers share stories and ideas about soothing heartache. Guests include cardiologist Sandeep Jauhar, law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen, pediatric nurse Hui-wen Sato, and climate activist Knut Ivar Bjørlykhaug.

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The term can refer to a double, a ghost, a shadow. But it can mean much more. From our online mirror world, to digital simulators, to the Earth's twin--TED speakers learn from the uncanny second self. Guests include author Naomi Klein, aerospace engineer Karen Willcox, planetary scientist Sarah T. Stewart and psychologist Nancy Segal.

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Original broadcast date: April 29, 2022. From workplaces to schools to national governments, leaders everywhere are being called on to solve complex problems with humility and bravery. This hour, we consider what it takes to be a leader. Guests include executive coach Patrice Gordon, organizational psychologist Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic, former First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, and educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh.

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We're entering a new era of brain monitoring and enhancement, but what are the ethical implications? This hour, TED speakers explore the potential and pitfalls of merging our minds with machines. Guests include legal scholar and AI ethicist Nita Farahany, neurotechnologist and entrepreneur Conor Russomanno, neuroscientist and physician Sergiu Pașca and sous chef Kate Faulkner.

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Original broadcast date: April 8, 2022. Giving and receiving care—it's a natural part of life. But how do we offer the best possible support for our loved ones? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on reimagining caregiving. Guests include dementia care advocate Yvonne van Amerongen, attorney Diana Adams, inclusion advocate Sara Jones, and comedian Bill Bernat.

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There's a lot to keep us up at night. How do we manage our time, navigate financial uncertainty, escape a doom and gloom spiral? This hour, TED speakers help us flip the script as we face the future. Guests include time management expert Laura Vanderkam, non-profit CEO Aisha Nyandoro, environmental data scientist Hannah Ritchie and writer Emily Esfahani Smith.

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In the interest of New Year's resolutions, we're bringing you this bonus episode from our friends at the Ten Percent Happier podcast. Host Dan Harris speaks with meditation expert Jon Kabat-Zinn about starting a practice and being more mindful in our everyday lives.

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Original Broadcast Date: January 13, 2023. Resolutions are easy to make, even easier to break. But what if a story or idea can motivate us in a whole new way? This hour, TED speakers offer different perspectives on our most common resolutions. Guests include neuroscientists Wendy Suzuki and Sandra Aamodt, science journalist Catherine Price, behavioral scientist Wendy De La Rosa, and authors Pico Iyer and A.J. Jacobs.

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Original broadcast date: June 16, 2023. Who will you be in 10 years? In 20 years? Envisioning how you will evolve is very hard. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to better plan for the future, while allowing for the unexpected. Guests include psychologist Hal Hershfield, journalist Shankar Vedantam, journalist Bina Venkataraman and philosopher Roman Krznaric.

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Dan Buettner is a National Geographic Fellow who researches Blue Zones, regions of the world where people tend to live longer. His research has looked at what habits and lifestyles contribute to longevity. In this bonus episode, he shares those habits with producer Fiona Geiran, and they discuss how Dan has incorporated many of them into his daily routine.

This bonus episode is normally something we share only with our TED Radio Hour+ supporters, but we're making this one available to everyone. To get access to all of our bonus content, listen to the show sponsor-free and support our work at NPR, sign up for TED Radio Hour+ at plus.npr.org/ted

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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.

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Ariel Waldman is a filmmaker and Antarctic explorer who first appeared in our 2021 episode, "Through the Looking Glass." Since then, she has written a new book and returned to Antarctica with a new mission. For this bonus episode, producer Matthew Cloutier reached out to get an update.

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It's easy to focus on the nuances that get lost in translation, but what about the insights that are found? This hour, TED speakers reveal what we gain by adapting and translating information. Guests include textual scientist Gregory Heyworth, economist Ralph Chami, microbiologist and nanotechnologist Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi and polyglot Lýdia Machová.

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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.

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Original broadcast date: January 27, 2023. Information feels more accessible than ever, but the ways we store data are surprisingly fragile. Can we save anything forever? This hour, TED speakers explore preserving our past, present and future. Guests include artist CM Ralph, digital librarian Brewster Kahle, molecular biologist Dina Zielinski and archaeologist Chris Fisher.

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Around the world, democratic ideals are being tested in surprising ways. As the curtains rise on a big election year, TED speakers explore what can keep people united and what drives them apart. Guests include journalist and Broadway producer Jose Antonio Vargas, civil war expert Barbara Walter, and political scientist Yascha Mounk.

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Original broadcast date: September 3, 2021. Food is one of life's greatest pleasures, yet many of our food systems are flawed. This hour, TED speakers look to the past to reconnect with what we eat, and the present to reimagine our food future. Guests include forager Alexis Nikole Nelson, chef Sean Sherman, social entrepreneur Jasmine Crowe, and environmental journalist Amanda Little.

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We often view paradise as a place of safety, beauty, tranquility. It's an ideal we long for, but one we can rarely find. This hour, TED speakers search for utopia and come to terms with reality.

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In part six: host Manoush Zomorodi digs into the preliminary results of the listener study with Columbia University researcher Keith Diaz. He shares the surprising — and encouraging — initial findings from more than 20,000 listeners who tried to incorporate movement breaks into their day.

Also on this episode, listener Dana Lopez Maile shares how the study was a "game changer" for her health. Yiliu Shen-Burke, founder of the augmented reality app SoftSpace, explains his vision of augmented reality. Finally, Manoush explores the future of screen time in a new era of artificial intelligence, and the inextricable convergence of humans and machines.

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Original broadcast date: February 24, 2023. You don't need to be big and boisterous to pack a punch. This hour, TED speakers explore the surprising strength of all things minuscule and fleeting. Guests include microbiologist Anne Madden, cognitive scientist Lera Boroditsky, former educator YeYoon Kim and former industrial engineer and Zen Buddhist monk Bart Weetjens.

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In part five: host Manoush Zomorodi investigates what information overload does to our physical and mental health. Could our tech use be interfering with the critical dialogue that takes place between the body and the brain? Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Sahib Khalsa shares his latest research on interoception — the brain's ability to sense how the body is feeling — and how finding time to unplug from our devices can help us tune into our body's natural signals.

Also in this episode: neurologist Caroline Olvera takes us inside the "TikTok tics" outbreak — exploring why thousands of teens developed Tourette's-like symptoms after watching TikTok videos in 2021. Plus, how a school in Washington, DC helps kids stay connected to their bodies by creating a high-movement, low-tech environment.

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Original broadcast date: November 4, 2022. For millennia, humans have created artifacts of their lives — from art, to books, to music. This hour, we explore ideas about capturing the ephemeral human experience for future generations to find. Guests include paleoanthropologist Genevieve von Petzinger, museum curator Ariana Curtis, music curator Alexis Charpentier and artist Katie Paterson.

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In part four: host Manoush Zomorodi explores the connection between our posture and our mood. A lot of us associate our neck and back pain with spending hours hunched over our phones and laptops. But what if that hunched posture is also making us feel tired, stressed, and anxious? Neuroscientist Peter Strick discusses his groundbreaking research on why exercising our core muscles lowers our stress.

Also in this episode: how a faulty, incorrect study went viral — claiming smartphones were causing people to grow horns on their backs. Science journalist Nsikan Akpan sets the record straight. Later, writer Paul Ingraham shares his daily strategy for doing movement snacks and strength building while balancing deadlines.

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Sometimes, the only way to make an impact is to be loud. This hour, three female performers talk about the rewards — and consequences — that come from speaking out and making people feel uncomfortable. Guests include comedian Lilly Singh, Pussy Riot co-founder Nadya Tolokonnikova and actor, playwright and director Sarah Jones.

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In part three: host Manoush Zomorodi explores how our tech habits are causing our eyes to change shape—to elongate—which causes nearsightedness. She investigates why rates of myopia among kids are soaring. She speaks with Maria Liu, an optometrist with a quest to slow down the progression of myopia in children by opening the first ever myopia control clinic in the United States.

Later in the episode, we hear from a team of employees who tried incorporating "movement snacks" into their days for one week.

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Original broadcast date: March 5, 2021. In each stage of life, our brains morph and change. This hour, TED speakers explore pivotal chapters where the brain can either flourish or decline – and what control we might have over brain health. Guests include neuroscientists Kimberly Noble, Adriana Galván, Sandrine Thuret, and Lisa Mosconi.

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In part two: host Manoush Zomorodi delves into how we met and fell hard for the personal computer—and why we continue to have this committed, yet tortuous relationship. We hear from historian Laine Nooney on how the computer revolution forever changed the way we use our bodies at work, at school and at home.

Manoush also visits the Exercise Testing Laboratory at Columbia University Medical Center where researchers collect data on how her body responds to a day of sitting compared to a day of constant movement breaks.

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It's never too late to make things right—even when cracks form within our relationships with our families, our environment...or the inevitable. This hour, TED speakers offer healing solutions. Guests include clinical psychologist Becky Kennedy, death doula Alua Arthur and indigenous community leader and conservationist Valérie Courtois.

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In this special series, host Manoush Zomorodi investigates the relationship between our technology and our bodies and asks: How are we physically adapting to meet the demands of the Information Age? Why do so many of us feel utterly drained after a day spent attached to our devices?

Part one kicks off with an exploration into how economic eras have shaped the human body in the past with author Vybarr Cregan-Reid. Then, Columbia University researcher and exercise physiologist Keith Diaz and Manoush discuss his findings and propose a challenge to listeners: Let's see if we can end this cycle of type, tap, collapse together.

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We've got a special 6-part series with an interactive twist coming your way: On Body Electric, TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi investigates the relationship between our technology and our bodies... and she has a challenge for YOU. Starts Tuesday, October 3rd.

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Original broadcast date: October 21, 2022. True crime mysteries can be dark and thrilling. But what if humans can't crack the case? What if the suspect ... isn't human? This hour, TED Radio Hour investigates crimes with a wild twist. Guests include forensic scientist Lauren Pharr Parks, author Mary Roach, dog trainer and conservationist Megan Parker, wildlife intelligence analyst Sarah Stoner.

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Week in, week out, we work. But what can we do to not lose ourselves in the 9-to-5 grind? This hour, we question how long we work, why we valorize work, and what good leadership looks like. Guests include executive coach Anne Morriss, economist Juliet Schor, social psychologist Azim Shariff and political scientist Margaret Levi.

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Original broadcast date: October 16, 2020. Sound surrounds us, from cacophony even to silence. But depending on how we hear, the world can be a different auditory experience for each of us. This hour, TED speakers explore the science of sound. Guests on the show include NPR All Things Considered host Mary Louise Kelly, neuroscientist Jim Hudspeth, writer Rebecca Knill, and sound designer Dallas Taylor.

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Lots left vacant, offices full of equipment but devoid of people, entire villages literally left to the wolves--this hour, TED speakers share stories about bringing new life to abandoned places. Guests include evolutionary biologist Shane Campbell-Staton, entrepreneur Garry Cooper, urban renewal expert Anika Goss, and conservationist Alysa McCall.

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Original broadcast date: November 11, 2022. Many of us feel pressure to hit big life milestones on a timeline. But what if age is an asset, not a liability? This hour, TED speakers examine the benefits and drawbacks of being a late bloomer. Guests include writer Doree Shafrir, network scientist Albert-László Barabási, anti-ageism activist Ashton Applewhite and retired educator Riley Moynes. Listeners also share stories.

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Original broadcast date: September 23, 2022. From hippie culture to the first personal computers, Stewart Brand has been key to some of the most groundbreaking movements of the last century. This hour, he reflects on his life and career.

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Original broadcast date: September 9, 2022. In an era dominated by labels, how can we fully embrace the nuances of being human? This hour, TED speakers share ideas for reconciling conflicting emotions and circumstances to make art and find joy. Guests include authors Gabby Rivera and Susan Cain, musician and podcast creator Hrishikesh Hirway, and Olympian Allyson Felix.

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There are two sides to every coin — and sometimes our strengths become weaknesses. This hour, TED speakers explore the mixed blessings and volatile flip sides of mental health, parenting and AI. Guests include developmental psychologist Yuko Munakata, entrepreneur Andy Dunn and AI researcher Yejin Choi.

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Original broadcast date: March 11, 2022. 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.

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Fraud is everywhere around us — but not everyone steals for the same reasons. This hour, forensic accountant Kelly Richmond Pope explores the motivations and implications of why we cheat the system.

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Original broadcast date: Friday, March 19, 2021. Our senses can only take us so far in understanding the world. But with the right tools, we can dig deeper. This hour, TED speakers take us through the looking glass, where we explore new frontiers. Guests include astrophysicist Emily Levesque, wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Rick Doblin and science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders.

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From the bugs in our backyards to prehistoric reptiles, animal biology and behavior are full of puzzles and conundrums. On this episode, we hear from experts solving the mysteries of the animal kingdom. Guests include paleontologist Dean Lomax, biochemical engineer Saad Bhamla, herpetologist Gowri Shankar and conservation biologist Patrícia Medici.

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Original broadcast date: April 30, 2021. Migration is a part of everyone's history. This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about places we call home — and how these experiences continue to reshape our culture, countries and species. Guests include bioarchaeologist Carolyn Freiwald, journalist Isabel Wilkerson, comedian Maeve Higgins and ecologist Sonia Altizer.

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Big problems need audacious solutions. This hour, TED speakers use data and common sense to make laws more effective, reform the foster care system and hold environmental offenders accountable. Guests include criminal justice reform activist Sheena Meade, child welfare advocates Sixto Cancel and Marquan Teetz, and ocean monitoring expert Tony Long.

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Original broadcast date: July 29, 2022. For decades, Rosanne Cash has soared through the ranks of music with her powerhouse poetic skills and wistful reflections on her past. This hour, we explore Rosanne's life and legacy through her music.

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Who will you be in 10 years? In 20 years? Envisioning how you will evolve is very hard. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to better plan for the future, while allowing for the unexpected. Guests include psychologist Hal Hershfield, journalist Shankar Vedantam, journalist Bina Venkataraman and philosopher Roman Krznaric.

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Original broadcast date: January 15, 2021. Breathing is essential to life. And lately, the safety of the air we inhale, or the need to pause and take a deep breath, is on our minds a lot. This hour, TED speakers explore the power of breath. Guests include former world champion freediver Tanya Streeter, journalist Beth Gardiner, activist Yvette Arellano, paleontologist Emma Schachner, scent historian Caro Verbeek and mindfulness expert Andy Puddicombe.

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In the cult comic American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang weaves mythical folklore with a coming-of-age immigrant story. The author reflects on why his story still feels relevant to young readers. Host Manoush Zomorodi also speaks with Ben Wang, star of the new Disney+ adaptation of the award-winning graphic novel.

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Original broadcast date: August 26, 2022. Everything is not what it seems. We can easily disguise ourselves in both the digital and physical world. This hour, TED speakers explore the ways we go incognito... from espionage to virtual reality. Guests include former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez, artist Holly Herndon, anthropologist Mary L. Gray and digital fashion designer Gala Marija Vrbanic.

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Original broadcast date: November 12, 2021. We hear calls for systemic change, but what does that look like? This hour, TED speakers share stories of taking on institutions — from schools, to medicine, to policing — so they work for everyone. Guests include economist Emily Oster, lawyer Priti Krishtel and social psychologist Phillip Atiba Goff.

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It's easy to focus on the nuances that get lost in translation, but what about the insights that are found? This hour, TED speakers reveal what we gain by adapting and translating information. Guests include textual scientist Gregory Heyworth, economist Ralph Chami, microbiologist and nanotechnologist Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi and polyglot Lýdia Machová.

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Original broadcast date: January 21, 2022. Fiction can serve as a window into multiple realities—to imagine different futures or understand our own past. This hour, author and TED speaker Dave Eggers talks technology, education, and the healing power of writing.

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When problems arise, it's tempting to wait for someone else to address it. But sometimes, the only person who can fix it... is you. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to do it yourself. Guests include physicist and engineer Kate Stone, humanitarian programmer Tiffani Ashley Bell, builder and youth educator Emily Pilloton-Lam and videographer Jack Corbett.

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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Original broadcast date: October 7, 2022. We encounter friction every day — in all its forms — as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist and whistleblower Yaël Eisenstat, Sierra Leone's Minister of Education David Moinina Sengeh and TV producer Elan Gale.

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!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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Original broadcast date: July 15, 2022. "The birds and the bees" may be a euphemism for human reproduction, but procreation of actual winged animals is far wilder. This hour, TED speakers explore how birds, bees and bugs multiply. Guests include beekeeper Noah Wilson-Rich, biologist Carin Bondar, behavioral ecologist Marlene Zuk and comedian Julia Sweeney.

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 ads. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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