TED Radio Hour

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

Often times, it's the loudest voices in the room, rather than the quiet ones, that we pay attention to. This hour, TED speakers explore why we should give the quiet ones a chance.

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.

Confronting Stigma

Why do we harshly judge certain behaviors or conditions, making it harder to talk honestly about them? This hour, TED speakers confront stigmas around addiction, depression, HIV and sex work. Guests include journalist Johann Hari, TV/film producer and mental health advocate Nikki Webber Allen, HIV awareness educator Arik Hartmann, and sex worker and activist Juno Mac.

Peering Deeper Into Space

The past few years have ushered in an explosion of new discoveries about our universe. This hour, TED speakers explore the implications of these advances — and the lingering mysteries of the cosmos. Guests include theoretical physicist Allan Adams, planetary scientist Sara Seager, and astrophysicists Natasha Hurley-Walker and Jedidah Isler.

Can We Trust The Numbers?

Data, statistics and algorithms dominate every aspect of our lives. But how accurate are they, and how fair? This hour, TED speakers explore the ups and downs of relying too much on the numbers. Guests include mathematician and data scientist Cathy O'Neil, computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, data visualisation editor Alan Smith, data journalist Mona Chalabi, and criminal justice reformer Anne Milgram.

The Big Five

What are the five biggest global challenges we face right now — and what can we do about them? This hour, TED speakers explore some radical solutions to these enduring problems. Guests include geoengineer Tim Kruger, president of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband, political scientist Ian Bremmer, global data analyst Sarah Menker, and historian Rutger Bregman.

What Is Beauty?

Beauty surrounds us, draws us in, gives joy and creates conflict. In this hour, TED speakers conjure up beauty both ancient and modern, and suggest reasons why humans are hardwired to crave and respond to beauty. Guests include the late philosopher Denis Dutton, psychologist Nancy Etcoff, fashion model Cameron Russell, community activist Bill Strickland, and designer Richard Seymour. (Original broadcast date: April 19, 2013)

Going Undercover

Are deception and secrecy categorically wrong? Or can they be a necessary means to an end? This hour, TED speakers share stories of going undercover to explore unknown territory, and find the truth. Guests include poet and activist Theo E.J. Wilson, journalist Jamie Bartlett, counter-terrorism expert Mubin Shaikh, and educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh.

Transparency

Sometimes, being truthful can be uncomfortable — even risky. But can radical honesty and openness change things for the better? This hour, TED speakers take transparency all the way to its limit. Guests include business writer David Burkus, entrepreneur Ray Dalio, journalist Trevor Timm, and hospital-patient liaison Leilani Schweitzer.

Simple Solutions

Sometimes, the best solutions to complex problems are simple. But simple doesn't always mean easy. This hour, TED speakers describe the innovation and hard work that goes into achieving simplicity. Guests include designer Mileha Soneji, chef Sam Kass, sleep researcher Wendy Troxel, public health advocate Myriam Sidibe, and engineer Amos Winter.