Ted Radio Hour

In this hour, TED speakers explore our origins as a species — who we are, where we come from, where we're headed — and how we're connected to everything that came before us. In an updated interview, futurist Juan Enriquez says homo sapiens are becoming a new species, right before our eyes. Other guests from the original 2014 episode include geneticist Spencer Wells, historian David Christian, paleontologist Jack Horner, and anthropologist Louise Leakey.

Original broadcast date: May 18, 2018. 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 Tomasdottir, professor of leadership Jochen Menges, and writer and activist Naomi Klein.

We think of love as a mysterious, unknowable force. Something that happens to us. But what if we could control it? This hour, TED speakers on whether we can decide to fall in — and out of — love. Guests include writer Mandy Len Catron, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher, musician Dessa, One Love CEO Katie Hood, and psychologist Guy Winch.

Original broadcast date: October 23, 2015. The era of open source has led to countless innovations. When does it work and when is it chaos? In this episode, TED speakers explore how open source is changing how we build, collaborate and govern.

Why do we revere risk-takers, even when their actions terrify us? Why are some better at taking risks than others? This hour, TED speakers explore the alluring, dangerous, and calculated sides of risk. Guests include professional rock climber Alex Honnold, economist Mariana Mazzucato, psychology researcher Kashfia Rahman, structural engineer and bridge designer Ian Firth, and risk intelligence expert Dylan Evans.

Original broadcast date: January 3, 2014. We all have our struggles, whether they be mental, physical, or social. But what is it that makes some of us keep trying and striving to overcome despite the odds? In this hour, TED speakers tell their stories about overcoming a weakness and turning it into a strength. Guests include professor Temple Grandin, poet Shane Koyczan, psychologist Eleanor Longden, and educator Kakenya Ntaiya.

Original broadcast date: June 27, 2014. When is copying flattery, when is it thievery, and when is it sheer genius? In this hour, TED speakers explore how sampling, borrowing, and riffing make all of us innovators. Guests include DJ Mark Ronson, filmmaker Kirby Ferguson, media and entertainment expert Johanna Blakley, and writer Steven Johnson.

Anger is universal and complex: it can be quiet, festering, justified, vengeful, and destructive. This hour, TED speakers explore the many sides of anger, why we need it, and who's allowed to feel it. Guests include psychologists Ryan Martin and Russell Kolts, writer Soraya Chemaly, former talk radio host Lisa Fritsch, and business professor Dan Moshavi.

Many of us either cope with mental illness or know someone who does. But we still have a hard time talking about it. This hour, TED speakers explore ways to push past — and even erase — the stigma. Guests include musician and comedian Jordan Raskopoulos, neuroscientist and psychiatrist Thomas Insel, psychiatrist Dixon Chibanda, anxiety and depression researcher Olivia Remes, and entrepreneur Sangu Delle.

Original broadcast date: April 17, 2015. Humans need food, sleep, safety, love, purpose. Psychologist Abraham Maslow ordered our needs into a hierarchy. This week, TED speakers explore that spectrum of need, from primal to profound. Guests include psychologist Margie Lachman, neuroscientist Russell Foster, computer security expert Bruce Schneier, journalist Sebastian Junger, activist Caroline Casey, and psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.

More than test scores or good grades — what do kids need to prepare them for the future? This hour, guest host Manoush Zomorodi and TED speakers explore how to help children grow into better humans, in and out of the classroom. Guests include educators Olympia Della Flora and Liz Kleinrock, psychologist Thomas Curran, and writer Jacqueline Woodson.

Original broadcast date: November 10, 2017. Art can evoke powerful feelings. But can it do more? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on the transformative nature of art and its ability to shape the way we see ourselves and the world around us. Guests include painter and sculptor Titus Kaphar, painters Dre Urhahn and eL Seed, textile artist Magda Sayeg, and conductor Benjamin Zander.

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.

Original broadcast date: February 20, 2015. The brain can seem as mysterious as a distant galaxy, but scientists are starting to map and manipulate its many regions. In this hour, TED speakers take us on a trip through the human brain. Guests include neuroanatomist Jill Bolte-Taylor, neuroscientists Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Nancy Kanwisher, and Rebecca Saxe, and philosopher David Chalmers.

Why do some of us believe, and some of us don't? And can doubt bring our beliefs into sharper focus? In this hour, TED speakers, from ardent aetheists to the devout, explore all ends of the spectrum. In a brand new interview, minister Greg Tonkinson describes how he had to reckon with doubt when his faith was shaken to its core. Other guests from the original 2013 episode include actor Julia Sweeney, and writers Lesley Hazelton, Alain de Botton, and Devdutt Pattanaik.

Do animals grieve? Do they have language or consciousness? For a long time, scientists resisted the urge to look for human qualities in animals. This hour, TED speakers explore how that is changing. Guests include biological anthropologist Barbara King, dolphin researcher Denise Herzing, primatologist Frans de Waal, and ecologist Carl Safina.

Original broadcast date: March 27, 2015. In this episode, TED speakers describe how all forms of amusement — from tossing a ball to video games — can make us smarter, saner and more collaborative. Guests include neuroscientist Jeff Mogil, comedian Charlie Todd, Dr. Stuart Brown, primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo, and researcher Jane McGonigal.

Self-help advice is filled with quick fixes on "living your best life." But there are no shortcuts. This hour, TED speakers search for meaningful ways to reduce stress, gain confidence, and connect. Guests include conflict mediator Priya Parker, activist Brittany Packnett, cognitive scientist Sabine Doebel, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, and author Nilofer Merchant.

Original broadcast date: October 27, 2017. We're living in a time of intense ideological division, and it often feels impossible to bridge the gap. But can we afford not to? This hour, TED speakers explore how to communicate across the divide. Guests include social media activist Megan Phelps-Roper, social psychologist Robb Willer, former Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, public radio host Celeste Headlee, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

Original broadcast date: November 17, 2017. 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.