Every weekday, TED Talks Daily brings you the latest talks in audio. Join host and journalist Elise Hu for thought-provoking ideas on every subject imaginable — from Artificial Intelligence to Zoology, and everything in between — given by the world's leading thinkers and creators. With TED Talks Daily, find some space in your day to change your perspectives, ignite your curiosity, and learn something new.
Similar Podcasts
Data Viz Today
Helping you become a more effective information designer.
You want to create effective data visualizations. That’s hard work. There are so many decisions to make, like chart type, annotations, and color!
Will this podcast help?
Host and fellow data viz designer Alli Torban is in the trenches with you. She shares the latest tools and methods that she’s discovered while on the job and interviewing top designers.
If you’re an analyst, journalist, or designer who wants to hone your skills with specific tactics, then this show could be just what you need.
Greater Than Code
For a long time, tech culture has focused too narrowly on technical skills; this has resulted in a tech community that too often puts companies and code over people. Greater Than Code is a podcast that invites the voices of people who are not heard from enough in tech: women, people of color, trans and/or queer folks, to talk about the human side of software development and technology. Greater Than Code is providing a vital platform for these conversations, and developing new ideas of what it means to be a technologist beyond just the code.
Featuring an ongoing panel of racially and gender diverse tech panelists, the majority of podcast guests so far have been women in tech! We’ve covered topics including imposter syndrome, mental illness, sexuality, unconscious bias and social justice. We also have a major focus on skill sets that tech too often devalues, like team-building, hiring, community organizing, mentorship and empathy. Each episode also includes a transcript.
We have an active Slack community that members can join by pledging as little as $1 per month via Patreon. (https://www.patreon.com/greaterthancode)
Radiolab
Radiolab is on a curiosity bender. We ask deep questions and use investigative journalism to get the answers. A given episode might whirl you through science, legal history, and into the home of someone halfway across the world. The show is known for innovative sound design, smashing information into music. It is hosted by Jad Abumrad, Lulu Miller, and Latif Nasser.
How to disagree with respect — not hate | Spencer J. Cox
Spencer J. Cox, Republican governor of the state of Utah in the United States, says that even in these deeply polarized times, it's still possible to disagree without hate or contempt. He shows how this idea sparked a viral campaign ad he co-created with his Democratic political opponent back in 2020 — and shares four practical things every one of us can do to heal the divides in our nations and neighborhoods. (TED is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and does not participate or intervene in any political campaign and neither supports nor opposes any candidate for public office.)
The unsung heroes putting climate solutions into practice | Aline Sousa
The improper handling of waste is the third largest source of methane emissions in the world, says Aline Sousa, but waste pickers like her help reduce this environmental impact. She dives into the monumental effort of the often-overlooked people making sure recyclables, compostables and trash end up in the right places — and calls for better recognition of these key players on the frontline of fighting climate change.
Sunday Pick: How free solo climber Alex Honnold faces fear
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Today we're sharing a special episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, a podcast about what makes the greatest minds tick. In 2017, Alex Honnold did what even the world’s best rock climbers thought was impossible. He climbed to the top of El Capitan -- a granite rock mountain more than 3,000 feet high -- without a rope, harness, or net. His audacious feat was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” and it left Adam with some burning questions about what we can learn from his unique approach to managing fear. Alex opens up about how he regulates his emotions when he’s hanging on by just a few fingers, what still scares him, and how he stays motivated to pursue ambitious goals. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG2
How to break through fear and become a leader | Valerie Montgomery Rice
Vigilance. Grit. Resilience. Valerie Montgomery Rice, the president and CEO of Morehouse School of Medicine, shares where she learned these key qualities of successful leadership, offering three lessons for anyone who wants to overcome their fears, stand up for what’s right and build opportunity for all.
Why isn't the climate movement voting? | Nathaniel Stinnett
Millions of people say they care deeply about climate change ... yet they're not showing up at elections to turn their concern into political power, says environmental voting advocate Nathaniel Stinnett. He explains why increasing voter participation is essential to advancing the climate movement and shows how his team is mobilizing millions of new environmental voters — without talking about climate change at all.
The secret to finding your ideal workplace | Marion Campan
What's the most important thing to look for when applying for a new job? Entrepreneur Marion Campan advocates for a focus on company culture above all else. She offers practical strategies for evaluating companies before accepting a new position — including how to ask the right questions about values, feedback and expectations — to help job seekers find positions where they can thrive.
A firework ladder to the sky — and the magic of explosive art | Cai Guo-Qiang
From a boy setting off small explosions in his living room to the creator of world-famous pyrotechnic events, multidisciplinary artist Cai Guo-Qiang has always been drawn to gunpowder. He gives a stunning tour of his work — including his fireworks spectacle at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, his "sky ladder" of fire reaching to the clouds and new work created with AI — and shows how his art probes the line between destruction and construction, control and freedom, violence and beauty. (This talk was delivered in Mandarin and translated live into English. The translation was put through a custom AI model of Cai Guo-Qiang's voice, powered by technology from Metaphysic. You'll hear how Cai would sound if he were speaking English.)
The secret force for limitless energy? Lasers | Tammy Ma
In 2022, physicist Tammy Ma and her team achieved a scientific breakthrough decades in the making: fusion ignition, or the combining of two atoms to generate more energy out of a reaction than was put in — recreating on Earth the same process that powers the Sun. She explains how they used a giant laser (way, way bigger than you're thinking) to catalyze this reaction and shares a vision for how this technology could change the world by creating limitless clean energy.
TED Talks Daily Book Club: Come Together | Emily Nagoski
This is our second installment of the TED Talks Daily Summer Book Club series. Join Elise as she interviews TED speakers about their books and their ideas beyond the page.As a sex educator and author, Emily Nagoski is renowned for dismantling the sexual myths that surround us, and replacing them with healthy ideas, backed by science. And then…her own sex life fell apart. Her latest book, “Come Together, the Science (and Art!) of Creating Lasting Sexual Connections,” is Emily’s attempt to research her way out of her own sexual desert. The result is a book that delights with humor and insights for anyone looking to improve their own relationship to pleasure and intimacy.This interview was recorded live as part of the TED Membership program. TED Members are invited to attend our live recordings and participate in Q&As with authors. Next month: Jonathan Haidt. To join in on the fun, sign up at go.ted.com/membership.
How buildings can improve life — inside and out | Doris Sung
Architect and building tech innovator Doris Sung presents a compelling vision for reimagining building facades as active contributors to urban life and public health. Showcasing innovative technologies — like buildings that filter particulates out of the air and facades that react to heat — Sung demonstrates how modern architecture can evolve beyond aesthetics to address critical issues like pollution, energy efficiency and urban heat islands, offering a glimpse into a future where architecture improves life for inhabitants and pedestrians alike.
War journalism should be rooted in empathy — not violence | Bel Trew
We need journalism that moves beyond a constant focus on violence and honestly depicts the full impact of war, in and out of the trenches, says conflict journalist Bel Trew. She makes a passionate call for war reporting to be rooted in compassion and truth, sharing stories that illuminate the human toll of conflict with the hope of healing our fractured world.
The problem with food and climate — and how to fix it | Jonathan Foley
Global food production — from meat to grains — accounts for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions, says sustainability scientist Jonathan Foley. He presents a portfolio of data-backed solutions to build a better food system world-wide, starting with four key steps to cut emissions.
The satellite helping slow climate change — right now | Millie Chu Baird
Meet MethaneSAT: the satellite circling Earth right now to track global emissions from methane: a highly potent, short-term greenhouse gas. Environmental advocate Millie Chu Baird details the heat-trapping side effects of a planet full of methane — and explains why understanding where it comes from and taking steps to reduce it is the single most important thing we can do to affect climate change in our lifetimes. (MethaneSAT is part of the Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)
What to do when you offend someone | Lambers Fisher
Misunderstandings between you and your loved ones will happen — it's what you do next that matters most, says marriage and family therapist Lambers Fisher. Drawing on his work helping couples and relatives work through communication issues, he shares four principles to accept the inevitability of offending someone close to you — and how to use these moments to build trust and empathy.
What's possible when the arts belong to everybody | Lear deBessonet with Brian Stokes Mitchell
With huge, city-wide casts from an array of communities, theater director Lear deBessonet's productions illuminate the unique power of the arts to transform our lives through collective expression. She explores the power of spectacle to inspire awe, connect individuals and heal loneliness with tangible, life-changing results. In a dramatic moment, deBessonet's message comes to life when Broadway star Brian Stokes Mitchell takes the stage for a dazzling performance of "The Impossible Dream (The Quest)," accompanied by pianist Todd Almond, the MEI Screaming Eagles Marching Band and some surprise vocalists.