TED Radio Hour

By NPR

Society & Culture Technology Social Sciences

What's TED Radio Hour about?

Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves.Get more brainy miscellany with TED Radio Hour+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/ted

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Listen Again: Work, Play, R...

08.12.2022

Original broadcast date: February 11, 2022. As kids, play comes naturally. But over time, it gets replaced with work. This hour, TED speakers explore how to reconnect with play—to spark creativity, combat despair, and find our way in the world. ...

TED Radio Hour episodes:

08.12.2022 Listen Again: Work, Play, Rest - Part 2 Original broadcast date: February 11, 2022. As kids, play comes naturally. But over time, it gets replaced with work. This hour, TED speakers explore how to reconnect with play—to spark creativity, combat despair, and find our way in the world. ...
08.05.2022 Listen Again: Work, Play, Rest - Part 1 Original broadcast date: February 4, 2022. The past few years have shaken the fundamental ways we live. It's... disorienting. But it's also an opportunity to reexamine how we spend our time. Over the next three episodes, TED speakers will investigate ...
07.29.2022 Rosanne Cash: The Rhythm and Rhyme of Memory 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.
07.22.2022 Listen Again: A Century Of Money (2020) Original broadcast date: December 11, 2020. Recessions, depressions, bubbles, and blue skies — our economy has a history of soaring and plummeting. This hour, TED speakers look to the past for lessons on building a more stable financial future. Guests ...
07.15.2022 The Birds And The Bees "The birds and the bees" may be a emphamism 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, ...
07.08.2022 Searching For Alien Life Are we alone in the universe? Are we one of a crowd? This hour, we travel the cosmos with TED science curator David Biello, exploring where we are in the search for alien life.
07.01.2022 Listen Again: Revitalize (2021) Original broadcast date: April 9, 2021. During exhausting times, how can we bring what's been dormant back to life? This hour, TED speakers explore ways to revitalize our minds, bodies, buildings—and even populations. Guests include psychologist Guy Winch, visual artist ...
06.24.2022 Listen Again: Saleem Reshamwala: Far Flung Places Original broadcast date: July 30, 2021. This hour, journalist Saleem Reshamwala gives us a tour of surprising people and places — Lima, Nairobi, and prehistoric New Jersey — to inspire new perspectives on travel and cultures.
06.17.2022 Jacob Collier: The Language Of Harmony Musician Jacob Collier is known for his electrifying performances and thoughtful views on art and humanity. This hour, Jacob joins us for a conversation on the sparks that fuel his creative process. Want to share feedback with our team? NPR ...
06.10.2022 Listen Again: Heartache 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 ...
06.03.2022 Humor Us Humor can lighten the mood. But it can also provoke, cajole, and inspire. This hour, TED speakers share how we can wield humor as a tool across all aspects of our lives. Guests include comedian Marcia Belsky, computer scientist Vinith ...
05.27.2022 Listen Again: It Takes Time Original broadcast date: February 5, 2021. We live in an era of instant gratification. But some things--to reach their full potential--simply cannot be rushed. This hour, TED speakers explore what we can learn from ideas ... that take time. Guests ...
05.20.2022 Repair, Repurpose, Reimagine "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 ...
05.13.2022 Listen Again: Sound And Silence Original broadcast date: Friday, 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 ...
05.06.2022 Anna Malaika Tubbs: The Three Mothers MLK Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin are household names, but what about their mothers? This hour, author Anna Malaika Tubbs explores how these three women shaped American history.
04.29.2022 What Leadership Looks Like 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 ...
04.22.2022 Listen Again: The Power Of Spaces Original broadcast date: July 24, 2020. How do spaces shape the human experience? In what ways do our rooms, homes, and buildings give us meaning and purpose? This hour, TED speakers explore the power of the spaces we make and ...
04.15.2022 Listen Again: The Biology Of Sex Original broadcast date: May 8, 2020. Many of us were taught biological sex is a question of female or male, XX or XY... but it's far more complicated. This hour, TED speakers explore what determines our sex. Guests on the ...
04.08.2022 Take Care 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 ...
04.01.2022 Listen Again: The Food Connection 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 ...
03.25.2022 Steven Johnson: Why We're Living Longer In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.
03.18.2022 Listen Again: Warped Reality (2020) Original broadcast date: October 30, 2020. False information on the internet makes it harder and harder to know what's true, and the consequences have been devastating. This hour, TED speakers explore ideas around technology and deception. Guests include law professor ...
03.11.2022 What Lies Beneath 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 ...
03.04.2022 Listen Again: Migration 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 ...
02.25.2022 Listen Again: Jason Reynolds - The Antidote To Hopelessness Original broadcast date: September 17, 2021. Jason Reynolds is an award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. This hour, Jason speaks with Manoush about reaching kids through stories that let them feel understood.
02.18.2022 Work, Play, Rest - Part 3 Rest is so much more than just a good night's sleep. From human hibernation to ASMR to the science of dreams, we explore how to nourish our minds and bodies with different forms of rest. Guests include physiologist Craig Richard, ...
02.11.2022 Work, Play, Rest - Part 2 As kids, play comes naturally. But over time, it gets replaced with work. This hour, TED speakers explore how to reconnect with play—to spark creativity, combat despair, and find our way in the world. Guests include musician Jacob Collier, human ...
02.04.2022 Work, Play, Rest - Part 1 The past few years have shaken the fundamental ways we live. It's... disorienting. But it's also an opportunity to reexamine how we spend our time. Over the next three episodes, TED speakers will investigate evolving notions of what it means ...
01.28.2022 Listen Again: The Life Cycles Of Cities (2020) Original broadcast date: November 15, 2020. Cities are never static; they can transform in months, years, or centuries. This hour, TED speakers explore how today's cities are informed by the past, and how they'll need to evolve for the future. ...
01.21.2022 Dave Eggers: Writing For A Better Future 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.
01.14.2022 Listen Again: Through The Looking Glass 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 ...
01.07.2022 Reshaping Evolution New innovations in gene and stem cell technology have the power to shape ecosystems and even change humanity. This hour, TED speakers share the breakthroughs heralding the next scientific revolution. Guests include biochemist Jennifer Doudna, physicist and biotech entrepreneur Nabiha ...
12.31.2021 Listen Again: An SOS From The Ocean Original broadcast date: June 25, 2021. 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 ...
12.29.2021 Bonus Episode: Kelp Farming, for the Climate As part of our series about oceans, we're featuring a special bonus episode from our friends at Gimlet's How to Save a Planet. Hosts Alex Blumberg and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson explore how seaweed and giant kelp can help us address ...
12.24.2021 Listen Again: A Love Letter To The Ocean Original broadcast date: June 11, 2021. 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 ...
12.17.2021 Amy Webb: A Glimpse Into The Future This hour, futurist Amy Webb guides us through innovations that give a glimpse into the future of transportation, wellness, tech, commerce, and travel ... and the impacts they'll have on our lives.
12.10.2021 Listen Again: The Artist's Voice Original broadcast date: May 13, 2021. Art not only spreads joy, but also inspires us to think deeply about the world around us. This hour, TED speakers explore how dance, poetry, and film can shift beliefs and empower creative expression. ...
12.03.2021 Changing Our Minds 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 ...
11.26.2021 Listen Again: Making Amends Original broadcast date: July 10, 2020. What makes a true apology? What does it mean to make amends for past mistakes? This hour, TED speakers explore how repairing the wrongs of the past is the first step toward healing for ...
11.19.2021 Listen Again: Jen Gunter: Body Talk Original broadcast date: May 28, 2021. What does it mean to be healthy and to care for our bodies? This hour, physician and writer Jen Gunter empowers us to cut through false medical claims and make informed decisions about our ...
11.17.2021 Bonus Episode: Robin Steinberg Nearly half a million Americans are jailed because they can't pay bail. In this live conversation, host Manoush Zomorodi interviews public defender Robin Steinberg, who has created a rotating bail fund to help pay cash bail for those who can't ...
11.12.2021 Bucking The System 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, ...
11.05.2021 Listen Again: Nora McInerny: Life's Rough Edges When experiencing grief or hardship, how can we move forward? This hour, writer Nora McInerny shares ideas on navigating the most difficult parts of life... and living life fully in the face of loss.
10.29.2021 Special Delivery What does it take to deliver a message, precious cargo, or vaccines — meant for exactly the right place in our bodies? This hour, TED speakers explore the often perilous journey of crucial deliveries. Guests include theater director Amir Nizar ...
10.22.2021 Shoham Arad: Ideas Into Action Anyone can have a big idea. But how do those big ideas come to fruition and grow? Director of the TED Fellows program Shoham Arad walks us through several speakers who turned a spark into a movement.
10.15.2021 Listen Again: Revitalize Original broadcast date: April 9, 2021. After an exhausting year for everyone, how can we bring what's been dormant back to life? This hour, TED speakers explore ways to revitalize our minds, bodies, buildings—and even populations. Guests include psychologist Guy ...
10.08.2021 Listen Again: Life Stages Of The Brain (10.8.2021) 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 ...
10.01.2021 Heartache 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, ...
09.24.2021 Listen Again: School Of Life (2020) Original broadcast date: October 2, 2020. Millions of kids returned to school this month. But if there's one thing we've learned from the past two years, it's that there's so much to learn outside the classroom as well. This hour, ...
09.17.2021 Jason Reynolds: The Antidote To Hopelessness Jason Reynolds is an award-winning author and National Ambassador for Young People's Literature. This hour, Jason speaks with Manoush about reaching kids through stories that let them feel understood. This conversation is part of a collaboration between NPR and the ...

Older episodes

TED Radio Hour

What's TED Radio Hour about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

TED Radio Hour episodes:

Listen Again: Work, Play, Rest - Part 2

Listen Again: Work, Play, Rest - Part 1

Rosanne Cash: The Rhythm and Rhyme of Memory

Listen Again: A Century Of Money (2020)

The Birds And The Bees

Searching For Alien Life

Listen Again: Revitalize (2021)

Listen Again: Saleem Reshamwala: Far Flung Places

Jacob Collier: The Language Of Harmony

Listen Again: Heartache

Humor Us

Listen Again: It Takes Time

Repair, Repurpose, Reimagine

Listen Again: Sound And Silence

Anna Malaika Tubbs: The Three Mothers

What Leadership Looks Like

Listen Again: The Power Of Spaces

Listen Again: The Biology Of Sex

Take Care

Listen Again: The Food Connection

Steven Johnson: Why We're Living Longer

Listen Again: Warped Reality (2020)

What Lies Beneath

Listen Again: Migration

Listen Again: Jason Reynolds - The Antidote To Hopelessness

Work, Play, Rest - Part 3

Work, Play, Rest - Part 2

Work, Play, Rest - Part 1

Listen Again: The Life Cycles Of Cities (2020)

Dave Eggers: Writing For A Better Future

Listen Again: Through The Looking Glass

Reshaping Evolution

Listen Again: An SOS From The Ocean

Bonus Episode: Kelp Farming, for the Climate

Listen Again: A Love Letter To The Ocean

Amy Webb: A Glimpse Into The Future

Listen Again: The Artist's Voice

Changing Our Minds

Listen Again: Making Amends

Listen Again: Jen Gunter: Body Talk

Bonus Episode: Robin Steinberg

Bucking The System

Listen Again: Nora McInerny: Life's Rough Edges

Special Delivery

Shoham Arad: Ideas Into Action

Listen Again: Revitalize

Listen Again: Life Stages Of The Brain (10.8.2021)

Heartache

Listen Again: School Of Life (2020)

Jason Reynolds: The Antidote To Hopelessness

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