Ted Talks Daily

The key to deeply connecting with others is about more than just talking — it's about asking the right kinds of questions, says journalist and author Charles Duhigg. He explores research-backed tools to have more meaningful conversations, sharing a simple yet powerful approach to transform how you communicate. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a futurist who helps people prepare for all different kinds of possibilities, Jane McGonigal thinks we overuse words like "unthinkable" and "unimaginable." She introduces three hypothetical scenarios, showing how you can foster the ability to think creatively, anticipate new risks and feel ready for whatever the future may hold. (Created in collaboration with Ignite Talks) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Telling other people what you want – or need – can be a really difficult thing to do! Nedra Glover Tawwab is a therapist and New York Times bestselling author who helps people create healthy boundaries with themselves and others, both at work and in personal relationships. In this episode, she talks about why identifying your needs is so important, clarifies what healthy boundaries can look like and shares empowering tools so you can advocate for yourself – and get the treatment you deserve. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts   Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Self-love isn’t self-indulgence — it’s the learnable skill of treating yourself with the kindness you'd offer a friend, says mindfulness expert Dan Harris. He shares science-backed tips for improving your relationship with yourself and shows how a little more tenderness can enhance the rest of your life, too. (This live conversation was hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers and was part of a TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to support TED today and join more exclusive events like this one.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Generative AI is built on three key resources: people, compute and data. While companies invest heavily in the first two, they often use unlicensed creative work as training data without permission or payment — a practice that pits AI against the very creators it relies on. AI expert Ed Newton-Rex has a solution: licensing. He unpacks the dark side of today's AI models and outlines a plan to ensure that both AI companies and creators can thrive together. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Cement is one of the most-consumed materials on Earth — second only to water — and it accounts for a whopping eight percent of the world's carbon pollution. What if we could turn this climate villain into a hero? Clean tech innovator and serial entrepreneur Ryan Gilliam reveals his company's surprisingly simple process for transforming waste from the cement-making process back into limestone using existing infrastructure, creating a competitive and eco-friendly product that could pave the way for gigaton-scale climate solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Are you looking at the right data when making big decisions? Data deconstructor Sharon Zicherman challenges our reliance on averages, showing how they can be misleading — especially in life-changing moments. By rethinking the way we interpret data, he reveals a smarter approach to assessing risk and making better choices. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Leo Villareal is an artist, but his tools aren't paint and canvas; he manipulates light, color and computer code to create monumental works of public art. In a dazzling talk, he takes us inside his efforts to light up some of the world's most iconic bridges — including an installation of 25,000 LED lights on San Francisco's Bay Bridge and a piece uniting nine bridges along London's River Thames — and shows how public art can transform a city. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do some countries have a seemingly endless supply of talent in certain fields? From Jamaica's sprinters to South Korea's golfers, public policy professor Anirudh Krishna explains why "talent ladders" — structured pathways to identify and nurture people's potential — are the best way to make sure everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We often take gender for granted as a “natural” division in sports and life. But did you know the first decisions to divide sports into “male” and “female” categories were in many ways the result of women beating men in mixed gender competitions? In this episode, Jody chats with Veronica Ivy, a trans world cycling champion, about the pitfalls of dividing sports by gender. Then he hears from Laura Pappano, a journalist and researcher about the fascinating (and modern) history of gender segregation in sports. Finally, Jody returns to his Ultimate Frisbee roots as he and Raha Mozaffari, a two-time National Champion in the Mixed Division, talk about what we could learn from sports if we stopped using gender as the primary way to categorize athletes -- and explored all the other ways we could create games that are safe, fair, and competitive. Transcripts for Good Sport are available at go.ted.com/GStranscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When anxiety rears its head, we often just want it to go away. Clinical psychologist David H. Rosmarin asks us to consider instead the positive role anxiety can play in our lives, sharing four practical steps to transform it from your enemy into your ally. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

AI is evolving into a mysterious new form of intelligence — powerful yet flawed, capable of remarkable feats but still far from human-like reasoning and efficiency. To truly understand it and unlock its potential, we need a new science of intelligence that combines neuroscience, AI and physics, says neuroscientist and Stanford professor Surya Ganguli. He shares a vision for a future where this interdisciplinary approach helps us create AI that mimics human cognition, while at the same time offering new ways to understand and augment our own brains. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

“Being on a voyage forces you to unplug,” says TED Fellow and third-generation captain Lehua Kamalu. Sharing ancient knowledge from traditional Hawaiian ocean voyaging, she reflects on the transformational power of seafaring journeys — and what it means to travel mindfully, no matter where you are. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Agriculture is key to solving the climate crisis, but most farmers don’t have the financial incentive to switch to more eco-friendly practices, says banker and farmer Berry Marttin. He explores how improving the systems around carbon and biodiversity credits could bolster the economic viability of a green transition, offering hope for a world in which sustainable produce is not only possible but also profitable. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens when personal grief collides with your professional life? Drawing on her experience as the CEO of a crisis management firm and a hospice chaplain, Meredith Wilson Parfet breaks down the reality of grief — at work and beyond — and shares practical tools for navigating chaos, without toxic positivity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

TED Fellow and chemosensory researcher Paule Joseph unveils the hidden power of a sense that's too often overlooked: smell. She delves into the science behind smell — from how it evokes memory and emotion to its potential for early disease detection — and advocates for the creation of a baseline test for taste and smell that could open the door to more comprehensive health care. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a public intellectual, activist and professor at Smith College, Loretta Ross is no stranger to confrontation and debate. But years of working to change the minds of others have led her to rethink her own ideas about approaching difficult conversations. Loretta and Adam discuss why shaming rarely changes behavior and her powerful alternative to cancel culture. They also reflect on personal moments of confrontation and explore strategies for talking others out of hate. Available transcripts for ReThinking can be found at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Technology is changing our world — and how we communicate — at an astonishing rate. So much so that entrepreneur Victor Riparbelli predicts that artificial intelligence will drive audio and video to replace text as our primary form of communication by the end of this decade. He imagines a world where anyone can create a Hollywood film, receive personalized education or communicate via hyper-realistic avatars — all in the time it takes to read a book. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Tired of “privilege walks” and black squares on social media that feel hollow? Workplace inclusion expert Y-Vonne Hutchinson peels back the superficial layer of performative DEI to reveal a fresh approach that meets people’s real-life anxieties — from climate chaos to political instability — and helps us connect with compassion and respect. It’s a spark of optimism for anyone looking to replace empty gestures with thoughtful, practical solutions that actually make a difference. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Headlines have been swirling as President Trump enters his second month back in office and his policies come into focus. In this urgent, fast-paced conversation, political scientist Ian Bremmer defines what we should pay attention to, digging into a newly fractured US-Europe relationship, the potential future of Ukraine and moves in Gaza, China and within the United States itself. (This interview, hosted by TED’s Helen Walters, was recorded on February 24, 2025.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.