TED Radio Hour

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.

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 explore new frontiers. Guests include astrophysicist Emily Levesque, wildlife filmmaker Ariel Waldman, psychedelic-assisted psychotherapist Rick Doblin, and science fiction author Charlie Jane Anders.

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 Saklayen, and conservation innovator and biotech entrepreneur Ryan Phelan.

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 planet.

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 climate change and how fisherman Bren Smith has become kelp's unlikely evangelist. Listen to more episodes of How to Save a Planet on Spotify, including part II of Bren Smith's story. Follow How to Save a Planet and host Alex Blumberg and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson on Twitter. (Warning: This episode contains some explicit language).

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 sea. Guests include adventurer Catherine Mohr, marine biologists Marah Hardt and Ayana Elizabeth Johnson and venom scientist Mandë Holford.

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.

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. Guests include choreographer Camille A. Brown, director Jon M. Chu, and poets Amanda Gorman and Lee Mokobe.

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 Inglis, organizational psychologist Adam Grant, and civil rights activist Loretta J. Ross.

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 the future. Guests include historian Brent Leggs, law professor Martha Minow, librarian Dawn Wacek, and playwright V (formerly Eve Ensler).

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 health.

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 afford it. This bonus episode is a follow up to our most recent episode, Bucking The System – stories of outsiders who are taking on institutions like schools, medicine, and policing.

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, lawyer Priti Krishtel, and social psychologist Phillip Atiba Goff.

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.

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 Zuabi, astrophysicist Erika Hamden, chemical engineer Kathryn Whitehead, and entrepreneur Keller Rinaudo.

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.

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 Winch, visual artist Amanda Williams, biophysicist Andrew Pelling, and writer Wajahat Ali.

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 health. Guests include neuroscientists Kimberly Noble, Adriana Galván, Sandrine Thuret, and Lisa Mosconi.

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, law professor Jeannie Suk Gersen, pediatric nurse Hui-wen Sato, and climate activist Knut Ivar Bjørlykhaug.

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, TED speakers explore life lessons that teach us far more than any textbook. Guests on the show include politician Stacey Abrams, sailor Tracy Edwards, educator Alvin Irby, and LGBTQ rights advocate Ash Beckham.