Episodes

  • How you see yourself

    How you see yourself
    Apr 4 2025
    What's the image you present to the world? And do you see yourself the same way? This hour, TED speakers add new dimensions to the idea of self perception. Guests include portrait photographer David Suh, social psychologist Dolly Chugh, journalist Elise Hu and science writer Anil Ananthaswamy.

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    50 mins
  • How the brain interprets pain — and new ways to manage it

    How the brain interprets pain — and new ways to manage it
    Mar 28 2025
    Thirty years into the opioid crisis, we still struggle to find other options for pain relief. This hour, TED speakers explain new understandings of how the brain interprets pain and new ideas to cope. Guests include equestrian Kat Naud, physician and researcher Amy Baxter and opioid reform advocate Cammie Wolf Rice.

    Original broadcast date: June 7, 2024.

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    51 mins
  • Curious stories of coexistence

    Curious stories of coexistence
    Mar 21 2025
    Can otters be city dwellers? Are aliens real? Do we have to experience misery to understand happiness? On this episode, we investigate how strange bedfellows can lead to radical realizations. Guests include evolutionary biologist Philip Johns, astrophysicist Avi Loeb and author Laurel Braitman.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

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    50 mins
  • Decoding the secret messages of data, biology and music

    Decoding the secret messages of data, biology and music
    Mar 14 2025
    It's easy to focus on the nuances that get lost in translation, but what about the insights that are found? This hour, TED speakers reveal what we gain by adapting and translating information. Guests include textual scientist Gregory Heyworth, economist Ralph Chami, microbiologist and nanotechnologist Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi and polyglot Lýdia Machová. Original broadcast date: May 19, 2023

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted.

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    50 mins
  • A neuroscientist's guide to managing our emotions

    A neuroscientist's guide to managing our emotions
    Mar 7 2025
    Emotions sometimes feel overwhelming and debilitating—but science-backed tools can help us wrangle them. This hour, neuroscientist Ethan Kross shares research from his Emotion and Self-Control Lab.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted.

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    50 mins
  • The birds and the bees

    The birds and the bees
    Feb 28 2025
    "The birds and the bees" may be a euphemism for human reproduction, but procreation of actual winged animals is far wilder. This hour, TED speakers explore how birds, bees and bugs multiply. Guests include beekeeper Noah Wilson-Rich, biologist Carin Bondar, behavioral ecologist Marlene Zuk and comedian Julia Sweeney.

    Original broadcast date: July 15, 2022.

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    50 mins
  • Soundtracks of our lives

    Soundtracks of our lives
    Feb 21 2025
    From our favorite songs to our own voices, we're surrounded by sound all day. But how does all this noise affect our emotions and behavior? This hour, TED speakers explore how sound shapes our lives. Guests include musician and professor of songwriting Scarlet Keys, AI CEO Pierre Barreau, voice expert Rebecca Kleinberger and musician Snow Raven.

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    50 mins
  • Retracing the steps of their ancestors

    Retracing the steps of their ancestors
    Feb 14 2025
    To move forward, the United States must confront its history of racial inequality. This hour, three perspectives on looking to the past to build a better future for Black Americans. Guests include author Joseph McGill Jr., Code Switch co-host B.A. Parker and opinion columnist Charles Blow.

    Original broadcast date: February 23, 2024.

    TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

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    50 mins