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TED Talks Daily

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.

The joy of learning random things on Wikipedia | Annie Rauwerda

TED Talks Daily

  • 920 views
  • 5 months ago
  • 12:46

Writer Annie Rauwerda makes a habit of getting lost among the seemingly endless digital archives of Wikipedia, discovering fake towns, promiscuous tortoises, 19th-century fangirls and so much more. An avid editor of the crowd-sourced platform, she speaks to the joys of exploring niche and humorous subjects, accidentally learning just for fun — and broadening your horizons along the way.

US politics isn't broken. It's fixed | Katherine M. Gehl

TED Talks Daily

  • 3.8K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 17:42

The "broken" US political system is actually working exactly as designed, says business leader and activist Katherine Gehl. Examining the system through a nonpartisan lens, she makes the case for voting innovations, already implemented in parts of the country, that give citizens more choice and incentivize politicians to work towards progress and solutions instead of just reelection.

The exploitation of US college athletes | Tim Nevius

TED Talks Daily

  • 4K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 11:09

Colleges and universities in the US make billions of dollars each year from sports, compromising the health and education of athletes -- who are disproportionately Black -- in the name of money, power and pride. Sports lawyer and former NCAA investigator Tim Nevius exposes how the system exploits young talent and identifies fundamental reforms needed to protect players.

Step 1: The Puls‪e‬ | ZigZag

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.6K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 21:46

ZigZag, a business podcast about being human, returns with The ZigZag Project: six steps (and episodes) to help you map out a path that aligns your personal values with your professional ambitions. In this first episode, host Manoush Zomorodi shares stories and data from the 150 listeners who volunteered to test the project. Learn why change requires spending time in "the neutral zone" -- and get your first assignment. Listen and subscribe to ZigZag and more podcasts from the TED Audio Collective wherever you're listening to this.

An honest history of an ancient and "nasty" word | Kate Lister

TED Talks Daily

  • 3.9K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 18:33

With candor and cunning, sex historian Kate Lister chronicles the curious journey of an ancient, honest word with innocent origins and a now-scandalous connotation in this uproarious love letter to etymology, queens, cows and all things "cunt."

Language around gender and identity evolves (and always has) | Archie Crowley

TED Talks Daily

  • 5.1K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 13:51

Dictionaries and grammar "rules" don't have the final word on language -- and believing they do can harm more than help, especially for the trans community. Sociolinguist Archie Crowley deconstructs three common myths around language, demonstrating how it's a fluid system that naturally evolves in the direction of inclusion.

The future of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy | Rick Doblin

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.1K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 16:20

Could psychedelics help us heal from trauma and mental illnesses? Researcher Rick Doblin has spent the past three decades investigating this question, and the results are promising. In this fascinating dive into the science of psychedelics, he explains how drugs like LSD, psilocybin and MDMA affect your brain -- and shows how, when paired with psychotherapy, they could change the way we treat PTSD, depression, substance abuse and more.

Why winning doesn't always equal success | Valorie Kondos Field

TED Talks Daily

  • 4.1K views
  • almost 3 years ago
  • 15:56

Valorie Kondos Field knows a lot about winning. As the longtime coach of the UCLA women's gymnastics team, she won championship after championship and has been widely acclaimed for her leadership. In this inspiring, brutally honest and, at times, gut-wrenching talk, she shares the secret to her success. Hint: it has nothing to do with "winning."

What science taught me about being a Muslim drag quee‪n‬ | TEDx SHORTS

TED Talks Daily

  • 1.9K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 05:18

For a long time, Amrou Al-Kadhi struggled to negotiate the intersections between their queer and Islamic heritage. These identities felt completely polarized, as if their identity were founded on a tectonic fault at constant risk of rupture. Yet, it was the unlikely world of quantum physics that allowed Al-Kadhi to find the magic of contradictions -- and to revel in their intersectional identity. Listen and subscribe to TEDx SHORTS and more podcasts from the TED Audio Collective at audiocollective.ted.com.

An election system that puts voters (not politicians) first | Amber McReynolds

TED Talks Daily

  • 2K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 11:02

From hours-long lines and limited polling locations to confusing and discriminatory registration policies, why is it so hard to vote in the US? Voting rights expert Amber McReynolds offers a proven alternative: a new process, already happening in parts of the country, that could bring accountability, transparency and equity to the outdated and sputtering system that American democracy currently relies on.

Why I photograph the quiet moments of grief and loss | Caroline Catlin

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.1K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 13:49

The only thing as powerful as our grief is the love we have for those we've lost, says photographer Caroline Catlin. In this meditation on the intersection of life and death, Catlin shares how her personal journey with loss drove her to capture the elusive moments of grace and beauty that exist even in the hardest moments imaginable.

Possible futures from the intersection of nature, tech and society | Natsai Audrey Chieza

TED Talks Daily

  • 2K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 09:22

Biodesigner Natsai Audrey Chieza prototypes the future, imagining a world where people and nature can thrive together. In this wildly imaginative talk, she shares the vision behind her innovation lab, which works at the intersection of nature, technology and society to create sustainable materials and models for the future. Chieza invites us to consider what kind of world we wish for -- and what systemic changes and collaborations need to happen for it to exist.

The innovations we need to avoid a climate disaster | Bill Gates

TED Talks Daily

  • 3.3K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 47:01

The single most important thing for avoiding a climate disaster is cutting carbon pollution from the current 51 billion tons per year to zero, says philanthropist and technologist Bill Gates. Introducing the concept of the "green premium" -- the higher price of zero-emission products like electric cars, artificial meat or sustainable aviation fuel -- Gates identifies the breakthroughs and investments we need to reduce the cost of clean tech, decarbonize the economy and create a pathway to a clean and prosperous future for all. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED Global curator Bruno Giussani, was recorded in March 2021.)

The Power of Spaces | TED Radio Hour

TED Talks Daily

  • 3.4K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 12:29

How do spaces shape the human experience? In what ways do our rooms, homes and buildings give us meaning and purpose? In this segment, architect Michael Murphy joins host Manoush Zomorodi to explore the power of the spaces we make and inhabit. To listen to the whole episode, find TED Radio Hour wherever you're listening to this. And explore the world of the TED Audio Collective at audiocollective.ted.com.

Online learning could change academia -- for good | Tyler Dewitt

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.9K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 14:40

Higher education remains rooted in rigid, traditional structures and tracks -- and it's at risk of getting left behind in favor of expanded access, greater flexibility and tailored learning. Educator Tyler DeWitt explains how innovations in digital content and virtual reality are ushering in the future of learning, emphasizing why academia must adapt to this new reality and embrace an approach to education that works with students' needs -- not against them.

How to have constructive conversations | Julia Dhar

TED Talks Daily

  • 4.2K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 11:33

"We need to figure out how we go into conversations not looking for the victory, but the progress," says world debate champion Julia Dhar. In this practical talk, she shares three essential features of productive disagreements grounded in curiosity and purpose. The end result? Constructive conversations that sharpen your argument -- not your relationships.

How synthetic biology can improve our health, food and materials | Emily Leproust

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.2K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 12:24

What if we could we use biology to restore our balance with nature without giving up modern creature comforts? Advocating for a new kind of environmentalism, scientist and entrepreneur Emily Leproust rethinks modern sustainability at the molecular level, using synthetic biology to create green alternatives. From lab-developed insulin and disease-resistant bananas to airplanes made of super-strong spider silk, she explains how reading and writing DNA can lead to groundbreaking innovations in health, food and materials.

What if mental health workers responded to emergency calls? | Leslie Herod

TED Talks Daily

  • 1.9K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 10:05

When you report an emergency in the US, police, firefighters or paramedics answer the call. What if mental health professionals responded, too? Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod shares a straightforward and research-backed approach that brings heart and humanity to criminal justice rather than unnecessary fines and arrests -- and keeps crises from escalating into traumatic, or even deadly, events.

How to challenge conventional wisdom -- and change any industry | How to Be a Better Human

TED Talks Daily

  • 2.3K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 28:06

Do you think Hollywood needs to change? How about your own industry? It's difficult to get decision makers to step outside of the tried-and-true and attempt something new. In this episode, host Chris Duffy sits down with Franklin Leonard -- founder and CEO of the Black List, a company that elevates great screenplays and the writers who create them -- to discuss how he shifted the way Hollywood works, and how anyone can catalyze change by questioning whether the conventional wisdom is all convention and no wisdom. Listen and subscribe to How to Be a Better Human and more podcasts from the TED Audio Collective at audiocollective.ted.com.

4 lessons the pandemic taught us about work, life and balance | Patty McCord

TED Talks Daily

  • 3.3K views
  • about 3 years ago
  • 09:07

The COVID-19 pandemic changed the way we work for good. Can it also change it for the better? Consultant Patty McCord reviews four key insights employers and employees alike gleaned from their shift to working from home -- and shares how companies can use what they learned in lockdown to creatively and innovatively rethink how we do business.