TED Talks Daily

The phrase "comparison is the thief of joy" might be the kind of cliché that makes you roll your eyes — and yet, it's an idea that is, scientifically, pretty accurate. In today's episode, psychologist Laurie Santos — a Yale professor and host of "The Happiness Lab" podcast — discusses some of the surprising evidence behind what does and doesn't make us humans happy. Laurie also shares strategies o...

For millennia, we have debated the mind, body, spirit connection. But today, it sounds trite, #selfcare. In this special series on the TED Radio Hour, we explore fresh ideas on how we think, move and feel. Up first: the mind. In this segment, neurotech entrepreneur Tom Oxley joins host Manoush Zomorodi to talk about an implantable brain-computer interface that can change the way we think. To liste...

Exploring Rick Rubin's production discography is like taking a tour through the commanding heights of American music over the past few decades. The record producer joins Debbie Millman to talk about his legendary career making classic songs with the best musicians in the world, from Run-DMC to Jay-Z to Adele. This is an episode of Design Matters with Debbie Millman, another podcast from the TED Au...

ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot capable of generating human-like text, seems to be everywhere. But how trustworthy are these tools — and what do they mean for the future of writing and work? Adam brings AI entrepreneur Allie Miller and innovation and entrepreneurship professor Ethan Mollick to discuss the capabilities of ChatGPT, debate its merits and downfalls and ponder what we shou...

In Britain, one-fourth of people who were adopted make contact with their birth parents before they turn 18. In this episode of Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, another podcast from the TED Audio Collective, guest host Saleem Reshamwala meets Amanda, a Dominican woman who was adopted by a white couple in Connecticut. Amanda always knew she was adopted, and was curious about her birth parents. After...

The current explosion of exciting commercial and open-source AI is likely to be followed, within a few years, by creepily superintelligent AI – which top researchers and experts fear could disempower or wipe out humanity. Scientist Max Tegmark describes an optimistic vision for how we can keep AI under control and ensure it's working for us, not the other way around. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com...

At work, the dreamers often get credit for the big ideas, but they can also sometimes seem untethered to reality to the doers, who are trying to ... get things done. It's when these two types of humans work in harmony that business magic happens, says culture strategist Beth Viner. She lays out a practical blueprint for harnessing the dreamer's out-of-the-box thinking and the doer's practicality,...

We're fast approaching a world where widespread, hyper-realistic deepfakes lead us to dismiss reality, says technologist and human rights advocate Sam Gregory. What happens to democracy when we can't trust what we see? Learn three key steps to protecting our ability to distinguish human from synthetic — and why fortifying our perception of truth is crucial to our AI-infused future. Hosted on Acast...

Legendary actor and mental health advocate Glenn Close is on a quest to change how we think about mental health, starting with her decision to speak out about her own family's struggles — a brave choice considering the stigma that pervades the topic. In a sweeping conversation with TEDWomen curator Pat Mitchell, Close shares the inspiration behind the advocacy group she founded to combat the crisi...

Investor Cathie Wood explores this unique moment in technology, which she sees as being marked by the simultaneous evolution of five pivotal innovation platforms — a scenario unparalleled in history. Exploring the role of AI in reshaping economic paradigms, she predicts a surge in global GDP growth and productivity, underscoring the need for businesses and investors to adapt in order to keep up. H...

Have we lost the practical wisdom of what happens as people die? With lessons from a career witnessing thousands of people's final breaths, palliative care expert Kathryn Mannix urges us to demystify the experience of death, sharing how a better understanding of what actually happens can reduce fear in the final days, for you and your loved ones. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more inf...

"Democracy is the most compelling vision we have for self-governance," says freedom advocate Yordanos Eyoel. Taking a stand against predatory and opportunist authoritarian forces, she shares how to reimagine, accelerate and protect the pro-democracy movement — to build societies that are both functional and inclusive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We underestimate the power of our own generous actions," says Asha Curran, CEO of the global generosity movement GivingTuesday. Sharing stories of people making a difference through simple acts of kindness, she shows how generosity, even in its simplest forms, can be a transformative force — and explains why we all benefit from a world grounded in giving. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy fo...

The metaverse could be our key to making real progress in the fight against climate change, says engineer Cedrik Neike. Examining how AI-powered modeling eliminates the trial and error of wasteful industries, he explores how this emerging technology is already improving everything from the gigafactories that churn out electric car batteries to the fuel efficiency of your home. Learn more about how...

As the cofounder of Google DeepMind, Shane Legg is driving one of the greatest transformations in history: the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI). He envisions a system with human-like intelligence that would be exponentially smarter than today's AI, with limitless possibilities and applications. In conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, Legg explores the evolution of AGI,...

Legendary conductor Benjamin Zander explains his view on the difference between "positive thinking" and "possibility" (one's a fraud; the other's the real thing, he says) and intersperses delightful stories from a lifetime in music with a sing-along to Beethoven's Symphony No. 9. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Do you ever feel extra forgetful? Stress could be the culprit. In a fascinating talk about how your memory works, neuropsychologist Nicole Byers shares the science behind how stress drains your brain's resources, making it harder to remember things and easier to make mistakes. But fear not: she also shares a simple solution to recharge your brain and get your memory back on track. Hosted on Acast....

Competition is a core part of human nature, and it can drive us to extraordinary feats. But when it goes wrong, the results can be devastating. Poker champion and science communicator Liv Boeree introduces us to "Moloch's trap" — the dark force of game theory driving many of humanity's biggest social problems, which is now threatening to derail the AI industry. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

Generative AI is poised to transform the workplace, but we still need human brains for new ideas, says marketing expert Jessica Apotheker. She explores how marketers can find their niche in the world of AI based on their preference for data or creativity, offering a pragmatic and hopeful look at the future of business. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Clearing tropical forests isn't just dangerous to the natural world — it's also a threat to human health and wellbeing, says physician Neil Vora. Tracing how environmental devastation led to deadly epidemics like Ebola, he presents three ways deforestation unleashes disease and calls on each of us to help preserve the delicate ecological balance we depend upon. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/priva...

South Africa transitioned to democracy in the 1990s with a visionary constitution, but the promises of that constitution are largely unfulfilled to this day. Public leader Lindiwe Mazibuko explores how poor leadership failed to deliver a better life for the country's citizens — and shares her mission to cultivate a new generation of ethical leaders who can revitalize democracy in South Africa and...

Tackling climate change costs a lot of money — and the financial sector is key to getting that money flowing. In a wide-ranging conversation, sustainable investment leaders Nili Gilbert and David Blood discuss where progress is being made on climate solutions, where capital still needs to move faster and why this is an unprecedented opportunity for sustainable growth. Hosted on Acast. See acast.co...

Your immune system is more socially aware than you think, says social neuroscientist and psychology professor Keely Muscatell. Investigating the interconnectedness of your mood and your inflammatory system, she offers an evolutionary reason as to why being sick may make you feel depressed — and vice versa. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We can produce abundant, sustainable and cheap energy — for everyone, says physicist Julio Friedmann. He explores the infrastructure, innovation and investment needed to supply energy to 10 billion people, offering case studies from Chile's refurbished supply chain, built in partnership with Japan, to Namibia's budding clean hydrogen production, inviting us to envision a greener, more equitably po...

Photosynthesis is one of the most important processes on the planet, helping produce the food we eat and the air we breathe. Crop scientist Steve Long thinks it could be more efficient — and he's intent on giving it a boost. He shows how hacking photosynthesis could help feed the world all while reducing climate change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.