TED Talks Daily

The universe that we know, with its luminous stars and orbiting planets, is largely made up of elements we can’t actually see -- like dark energy and dark matter -- and therefore don’t fully understand. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes us inside the search for this cosmos-shaping invisible matter and explains how, with the help of a new generation of telescopes, we could be closer to demystifying it than ever before. “The universe is more queer and fantastical than it looks to the naked eye,” she says.

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Sharing his experience of being held captive in a Taliban prison for 105 days, humanitarian Safi Rauf talks about his life's mission to get food, medicine and other critical supplies to Afghans in need -- and urges the world to bolster aid and establish a peaceful presence in the country during these extraordinarily difficult times. (This talk was recorded on April 12, 2022)

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Where did all the lumps and bumps on buildings go? When did city architecture become so ... dull? Here to talk about why cities need inspiring architecture, designer Thomas Heatherwick offers us a visually stimulating path out of the doldrums of urban monotony -- so cities are filled with soulful buildings that people cherish for centuries.

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During the Soviet Union era, therapy was often used as a tool of political oppression. Since then, Russia has seen major reforms in mental health care -- but stigmas and distrust for the practice still live on. Psychologist and TED Fellow Olga Kitaina shares the current state of therapy in Russia (where tarot card readers and astrologers sometimes pass as psychoanalysts) and outlines her solution for getting people the professional help they need.

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The world needs clean power, but decarbonization calls for a massive increase in the mining and extraction of minerals like lithium, graphite and cobalt. Environmental peacemaking expert Olivia Lazard sheds light on the scramble for these precious mineral resources -- and how the countries that control their supply chains (including China and Russia) could find themselves at the center of the new global stage. Learn why Lazard thinks planetary security depends on our ability to de-escalate resource competition and avoid the same mistakes that led to the climate crisis.

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We all know that information is power, but what if you live in a country without a free press or regular access to the internet? You have to be creative and find nimble ways to help your community stay informed. That's exactly what journalists in Caracas, Venezuela are doing by delivering the news every weekday ... on public buses all over! In this episode of Far Flung, a podcast from the TED Audio Collective, hop on a music-filled and inspiring journey as El Bus TV combats misinformation and arms you with the hope that there's always a way to take action on the things that matter -- wherever you are. Listen to Far Flung wherever you are listening to this.

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A blank spot on a digital map can signal much more than a gap in data -- it can mean something is being intentionally hidden. Sharing the remarkable discovery of massive alleged detention camps in Xinjiang, China, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Alison Killing shows how governments can obscure human rights abuses by limiting journalist access on the ground -- and calls for more reliable open-source data (like satellite and social media imagery) to shine a light on the world's darkest places.

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How does a nation reconcile when its identity is at odds with its policies? Ali Noorani traces the arc of the US immigration debate to show a safer and more compassionate way forward, highlighting why centering human dignity creates lasting bonds and healthier communities.

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From nourishing our foods to storing massive amounts of carbon, soil is teeming with diverse microbial life that could slow global warming. Climate change scientist Jane Zelikova calls for agricultural practices that protect Earth's soil by growing climate-adapted crops that don't mess with the microbes. "Soils are the literal foundation of life on this planet -- the reason that we eat and the climate solution just waiting to be unlocked," she says.

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Before entering the world of financial journalism, Gillian Tett was a cultural anthropologist who studied how the past influences our present thoughts and behaviors. In an entertaining talk, she shows how you can use an anthropological outlook to see the world with fresh eyes and welcome new and different cultural truths into your life.

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