Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves. Support public media by joining NPR+ at plus.npr.org. You’ll get perks for over 25 NPR podcasts, including sponsor-free listening for TED Radio Hour.
Latest episodes
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50 min
How we experience time
Why does one hour drag by, but a year can pass in a flash? And how does our relationship with time influence our behavior? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on making the most of…
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50 min
Have we forgotten how to play?
Play is how we evolved to learn, solve problems, and navigate the world. So why do we treat it as optional? This hour, the science of play — and what happens when we don’t get enou…
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50 min
The shocking power of tiny things
You don't need to be big and boisterous to pack a punch. This hour, TED speakers explore the surprising strength of all things minuscule and fleeting. Guests include microbiologist…
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50 min
The women missing from music
Women have been writing music for centuries. Why do we know so few of them today? This hour, TED speakers explore the role of women in music history and how we can remember their c…
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50 min
Life can be so awkward. Here's how to embrace the embarrassing
Forgetting a name, a poorly executed hug, the 7th grade — awkwardness is part of our lives whether we like it or not. But what if we put the embarrassment aside and embraced our aw…
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50 min
Big mysteries explained through your senses
Our senses help us navigate everyday life. But can they also reveal what lies beyond our perception? This hour, TED speakers explore the hidden world through the senses. Guests inc…
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50 min
What this musician’s identity crisis teaches us about navigating change
Since childhood, Joshua Roman's life revolved around the cello. But when long COVID forced him to set his cello aside, he had to rethink his approach to life, faith and music.Origi…
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50 min
Less guilt, more joy: A new chapter for climate action
Climate action usually means sacrifice: eat less meat, buy less, drive less. What if there's another approach? Researcher Elizabeth Dunn shares climate hacks that help the planet A…
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50 min
The day the dinosaurs died
What happened in the days, even hours, after an asteroid set off the fifth extinction? A New Jersey quarry, and site of a new museum founded by paleontologist Ken Lacovara, sheds l…
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50 min
How the creator economy is making you talk like the internet
Online linguist Adam Aleksic explains how he goes viral decoding internet slang, plus why making a living online means working for 'the algorithm.' It's part 2 of our creator econo…
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50 min
The price of creativity
The words "content creator" may make you roll your eyes. But in part 1 of our series, Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler explains how the creator economy is changing work, art…
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50 min
Trusting medicine in an age of doubt
Medicine keeps advancing. Trust is falling behind. This hour, TED speakers explore why the future of healthcare depends not only on innovation, but also on listening, humility and…
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50 min
Addiction, motherhood and Jesus with writer Anne Lamott
Writer Anne Lamott has gained a cult following through shockingly honest prose on love, death, faith, writing and more. This hour, her wisdom from a career spanning 21 books and so…
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50 min
Rethinking addiction in the age of Ozempic
GLP-1s could be a breakthrough in addiction treatment. But is medicine alone enough to treat such a complicated disease? This hour, TED speakers explore modern science and old wisd…
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50 min
Searching for paradise
We often view paradise as a place of safety, beauty, tranquility. It’s an ideal we long for but one we can rarely find. This hour, TED speakers search for utopia and come to terms…
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50 min
Tracking what your body needs
Our bodies are always sending signals ... but are we listening? This hour, TED speakers explore new ways to track and understand our health — from cutting-edge technology to simple…
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50 min
The state of fashion
Whether you love fashion or hate it, we all have to get dressed in the morning, and the industry affects us in complex ways. This hour, the outrageous, environmental and seedy side…
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50 min
Are we using screens as a scapegoat for teen mental health?
For years, we’ve heard that social media is fueling a teen mental health crisis. But the evidence is more complicated. Developmental psychologist Candice Odgers unpacks what the re…
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50 min
Sports psychology for everyday life
The thrill of victory, the agony of defeat — sports cliches are everywhere. But what does it actually take to think like a winner? This hour, TED speakers explore the psychology of…
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50 min
How predictions took over our lives
From betting apps to AI models, prediction has become big business. This hour, why we're so drawn to certainty, and what happens when we mistake forecasts for facts. Guests include…