TED Radio Hour

Finite

Original broadcast date: July 17, 2015. In a world with limited resources, can we find ways to salvage what's disappearing? Can we innovate our way out of a finite landscape? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about living with less. Guests include ethnobotanist Mark Plotkin, ecologist Jon Foley, economist Ramanan Laxminarayan, community organizer Rob Hopkins, and researcher Navi Radjou.

Wired For Altruism

(Original broadcast date: May 26, 2017). Helping others feels good, but why do some go farther than others? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about altruism — what motivates us to be altruistic, what limits us and do we ever go too far. TED speakers include psychologist Abigail Marsh, clinical psychologist Cheryl Steed, philosopher Peter Singer, and writer Larissa MacFarquhar.

Forgiveness

Original broadcast date: May 12, 2017. When loss, violence, or betrayal test our willingness to forgive — how do we do it anyway? This hour, TED speakers explore the challenges and benefits of forgiving others — and ourselves. Guests include mental health advocate Sue Klebold, co-authors Thordis Elva and Tom Stranger, and writer Elizabeth Lesser.

Transformation

Are we simply the sum of our experiences? Or can we choose our own path? In this hour, TED speakers share stories of undergoing remarkable transformations despite extraordinary challenges. In a special updated interview, biophysicist Hugh Herr explains that in the coming decades, wearable robotics will allow humans to augment their physical capabilities. Other guests from the original 2014 episode include peace advocate Zak Ibrahim, model Geena Rocero, and criminal justice reform advocate Shaka Sengor.

Courage

(Original broadcast date: December 12, 2014) What does it mean to be courageous? Is it an automatic response or a conscious choice? This hour, TED speakers examine the nature of courage and what it takes to risk everything to do the right thing. Guests include entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan, reporter Janine di Giovanni, lawyer Kimberley Motley, and president of Planned Parenthood Dr. Leana Wen.

Misconceptions

Original broadcast date: November 15, 2013. What if truths we believe in are completely wrong? In this hour, TED speakers move beyond conventional wisdom to reveal complex realities about what we think we know to be true. Guests include writers Malcolm Gladwell, Jennifer 8. Lee and Leslie T. Chang, environmentalist Allan Savory, and psychologist Barry Schwartz.

Where Joy Hides

When we focus so much on achievement and success, it's easy to lose sight of joy. This hour, TED speakers search for joy in unexpected places, and explain why it's crucial to a fulfilling life. Speakers include inventor Simone Giertz, designer Ingrid Fetell Lee, journalist David Baron, and musician Meklit Hadero.

Unintended Consequences

Human innovation has transformed the way we live, often for the better. But as our technologies grow more powerful, so do their consequences. This hour, TED speakers explore technology's dark side. Guests include writer and artist James Bridle, historians Yuval Noah Harari and Edward Tenner, internet security strategist Yasmin Green, and journalist Kashmir Hill.

The Food We Eat

Original broadcast date: November 17, 2016. Food is more than nourishment. It's a source of pleasure — and guilt — and an agent of change. This episode, TED speakers explore our deep connection to food, and where it's headed. Guests include community leader Pam Warhurst, food writer Mark Bittman, pediatrician Robert Lustig, experimental psychologist Charles Spence, and entomologist Marcel Dicke.

What Makes Us ... Us

For thousands of years, we've searched to answer the question: Who are we? Today, science has brought us closer than ever to the answer. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on what makes us ... us. In a brand new interview, neuroscientist Anil Seth explores how our brains construct our conscious reality--everything we perceive, from objects to emotions. Other guests from the original 2016 episode include biochemist Sam Sternberg, psychologist Steven Pinker, and humorist Ze Frank.

Getting Better

Original broadcast date: February 10, 2017. We expect a lot of our doctors, but they don't always have the best tools to treat us. This episode, TED speakers explore new ways to think about disease, diagnosis, and the delicate art of healing. Guests include filmmaker Jennifer Brea, anesthesiologist Elliot Krane, law professor Dorothy Roberts, and cardiologist Paula Johnson.

Dying Well

Is there a way to talk about death candidly, without fear ... and even with humor? How can we best prepare for it with those we love? This hour, TED speakers explore the beauty of life ... and death. Guests include lawyer Jason Rosenthal, humorist Emily Levine, banker and travel blogger Michelle Knox, mortician Caitlin Doughty, and entrepreneur Lux Narayan.

The Power Of Design

Design is all around us, but much of it could be better, bolder, more elegant. This episode, TED speakers on the essence of good design in buildings, brands, the digital realm and the natural world. Guests include designer Tony Fadell, architect Marc Kushner, Airbnb co-founder Joe Gebbia, design critic Alice Rawsthorn, and science writer Janine Benyus. (Original broadcast date: May 20, 2016).

The Spirit Of Inquiry

The force behind scientific progress is the simple act of asking questions. This episode, TED speakers explore how a deeper and more humble style of inquiry may help achieve the next big breakthrough. Guests include educator Michael Stevens, professor and science historian Naomi Oreskes, surgeon Kevin Jones, former college president Liz Coleman, and author Eric Haseltine. (Original broadcast date: February 24, 2017.)

The Right To Speak

Should all speech, even the most offensive, be allowed on college campuses? And is hearing from those we deeply disagree with ... worth it? This hour, TED speakers explore the debate over free speech. Guests include recent college graduate Zachary Wood, political scientist Jeffrey Howard, novelist Elif Shafak, and journalist and author James Kirchick.

Why We Hate

From bullying to hate crimes, cruelty is all around us. So what makes us hate? And is it learned or innate? This hour, TED speakers explore the causes and consequences of hate — and how we can fight it. Guests include reformed white nationalist Christian Picciolini, CNN commentator Sally Kohn, podcast host Dylan Marron, and writer Anand Giridharadas.

Hidden Potential

Are grit and perseverance enough to succeed? Or does someone need to give you a chance? This hour, TED speakers explore why some are overlooked despite their talents, and how that can begin to change. Guests include recovering politician Jeff Smith, human resources expert Regina Hartley, sociologist Victor Rios, arts curator and activist Malika Whitley, and middle school principal Pearl Arredondo.

The Person You Become

Over the course of our lives, we shed parts of our old selves, embrace new ones, and redefine who we are. This hour, TED speakers explore ideas about the experiences that shape the person we become. Guests include aerobatics pilot and public speaker Janine Shepherd, writers Roxane Gay and Taiye Selasi, activist Jackson Bird, and fashion executive Kaustav Dey.

Becoming Wise

We usually get wiser with age, but that doesn't mean we have to grow up to wise up. This hour, TED speakers explore what it means to find wisdom at every stage of life. Guests include journalist Joshua Prager, student Adora Svitak, writers Boyd Varty and Tony Porter, and psychiatrist Robert Waldinger. (Original broadcast date: June 10, 2016)

Inspire To Action

What motivates us to take up a cause, follow a leader, or create change? This hour, TED speakers explore stories of inspirational leadership, and what makes some movements more successful than others. Guests include high school history teacher Diane Wolk-Rogers, writer and behavioral researcher Simon Sinek, 2016 Icelandic presidential candidate Halla Tómasdóttir, professor of leadership Jochen Menges, and writer and activist Naomi Klein.

The Act Of Listening

Listening — to loved ones, strangers, faraway places — is an act of generosity and a source of discovery. In this episode, TED speakers describe how we change when we listen deeply. In a special updated interview, StoryCorps founder Dave Isay reflects on how we can best listen to each other, especially within our current political climate. Other guests from the original 2015 broadcast include sound artist Honor Harger, percussionist Evelyn Glennie, and Baptist minister Jeffrey Brown.

The Meaning Of Work

Love it or hate it, most of us have to work for a living. So, how can we make work more meaningful? This hour, TED speakers explore our values and motivations when it comes to the workplace. Guests include entrepreneur Margaret Heffernan, psychologist Barry Schwartz, behavioral economist Dan Ariely, and tech entrepreneur Dame Stephanie Shirley. (Original broadcast date: October 2, 2015).

Turning Kids Into Grown-Ups

Parenting is fraught with uncertainty, changing with each generation. This hour, TED speakers share ideas about raising kids and how — despite our best efforts — we're probably still doing it wrong. Guests include former Stanford dean Julie Lythcott-Haims, former firefighter Caroline Paul, author Peggy Orenstein, psychologist Dr. Aala El-Khani, and poet Sarah Kay.

In Search Of

How far would you go to find something that's just out of reach, or maybe not even real? In this hour, TED speakers tell stories about searching for elusive sea creatures and distant aliens. Guests include astronomer Seth Shostak, oceanographer Edith Widder, chef Dan Barber, and humorist John Hodgman. (Original broadcast date: January 9, 2015)

Decoding Our Emotions

We experience powerful emotions all of the time, but what are they exactly? Where do they come from? This hour, TED speakers invoke history, language, science and music to help us think about the way we feel. Guests include writer John Koenig, cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith, psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, developmental researcher Kang Lee, and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.