TED Health

When was the last time you just ... played? Creative health scientist Katina Bajaj thinks adults are in a "play deprivation crisis," where we've replaced our fun-loving human nature with optimization and efficiency. She makes the case that play isn't a reward for productivity but rather a survival skill — and invites you to rediscover the freedom of not knowing where something wi...

In this special episode recorded at Aspen Ideas Health, Shoshana interviews Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and science communicator, on how trust in healthcare systems are cultivated—and easily broken down—in times of crisis. Then after their conversation, Shoshana shares a talk from Hamish McKenzie, the cofounder of Substack, on the different media systems emerging and how independent c...

From group chats to video calls, technology should make social connection easier than ever. So, why is everyone so lonely? In this episode, Sabrina sets out to investigate the "loneliness epidemic" that is sweeping the globe and impacting her friends and cohosts. She interviews Professor Fay Bound-Alberti, author of "A Biography of Loneliness: The History of an Emotion" to unde...

Where does pain originate? According to Rachel Zoffness, a scientist and psychologist who studies pain, research shows that pain originates in the brain. In this episode Rachel joins Shoshana to talk about how stress and anxiety can amplify pain. They also discuss the ways medical programs fall short when they don’t teach biopsychosocial pain education and how understanding pain can help you regai...

Your belly and your brain speak to each other, says obesity researcher Mads Tang-Christensen. Offering scientific proof that obesity is a disease influenced by genetics and the environment, he introduces a molecule discovered in both the brain and gut that helps control appetite -- and which could be engineered to promote healthy weight loss for those living with obesity. Hosted on Acast. See acas...

Women and girls with autism spectrum disorder often don’t display the behaviors people typically associate with neurodivergence, greatly impacting when, how -- and if -- they are diagnosed. Autism acceptance advocate Kate Kahle makes the case for more research into this gender discrepancy, sharing her personal experience with masking, being diagnosed as a teenager and how it allowed her to better...

When does vision loss become blindness? Writer, audio producer and editor Andrew Leland explains how his gradual loss of vision revealed a paradoxical truth about blindness -- and shows why it might have implications for how all of us see the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have we misunderstood pain? Researcher and physician Amy Baxter unravels the symphony of connections that send pain from your body to your brain, explaining practical neuroscience hacks to quickly block those signals. Her groundbreaking research offers alternatives for immediate pain relief -- without the need for addictive opioids. (Followed by a Q&A with TED current affairs curator Whitney P...

Ever had a hard time doing daily household tasks -- cooking, cleaning, laundry -- and felt like a terrible person for struggling in the first place? Therapist KC Davis is here to flip that negative internalized script with a simple yet perspective-shifting fact that may change your approach to life. Learn a gentler, more practical approach to mental health as Davis shares hard-won wisdom and helpf...

Silvana Konermann and the team at Arc Institute are trying to crack one of science's most difficult problems: why complex diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer remain so stubbornly unsolvable, even as research advances. Her solution is a universal “virtual cell” — an AI model trained on a billion biological experiments that can read the language of human cells, predict what's going wrong and reveal...

When Dr. Charles Moore, professor in the Otolaryngology or ENT department (Ear, Nose, and Throat), saw patients coming in with undiagnosed late-stage diseases, he decided to do something about it. Dr. Moore got into his car and drove directly to neighborhoods to administer care. In this episode. Dr. Moore joins Shoshana to talk about the various programs he implemented, including the “Walk With a...

When attending live music events, it’s tempting to want to immerse in the full experience—standing by the stereo, head banging near the stage, singing at the top of your lungs. But in maximizing your concert experience, are you harming your body? In this final episode of the Senses Miniseries, Shoshana shares talks that touch on the consequences of loud noise exposure and a surprising benefit of e...

What does Parkinson's smell like? Ask nurse Joy Milne. Born with a hypersensitive nose, she spent a lifetime learning to recognize diseases through their scents. When she smelled Parkinson's on her husband years before his diagnosis, she decided to put her gift to the test. Today, her extraordinary nose has been translated into a non-invasive test — helping researchers diagnose what was right unde...

“My lens around style doesn’t have anything to do with style anymore — it’s about physicality,” says stylist and fashion consultant Stacy London. “What do I want to be able to do? How do I keep myself strong?” Stacy’s message has resonated for many women, and for this episode, she joins Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, host of TED Health, at TED2025 for a special live conversation about why women are so...

Does venting actually help you cool off, or does it just add fuel to the fire? Social psychologist Jennifer Parlamis busts common myths about anger, showing how curiosity — not catharsis — can keep you calm. Discover the surprising science behind anger management and four practical tools for building stronger relationships from a researcher who’s rethinking Freud, one deep breath at a time. Hosted...

Welcome back to our "A Healthier You" series, where TED Health host Shoshana Ungerleider guides you on a journey to your healthiest self. Join her and healthcare experts as they uncover insights that could revolutionize your understanding of health – from your heart to your brain to your gut. Embarking on a fitness journey can be overwhelming, but it doesn't have to be intimidating. In today's epi...

Join Shoshana in this live taping at TEDNext 2024 for a perspective-shifting conversation on achievement with ethicist, author, and rabbi Ira Bedzow. Shoshana and Ira challenge the way today’s culture and individuals look at success, exploring life’s deeper meaning and purpose in a time that celebrates "urgency culture." You’ll gain practical strategies for reducing burnout, improving your mental...

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. After the talk, Shoshana shares how one patient cha...

Are screens ruining our eyesight? Will eating carrots fix your vision? And are blue light glasses essential… or a scam?! In this episode in the five-part miniseries on senses, Dr. Rupa Wong joins Shoshana to talk about eye diseases, what technology is doing to our vision, and why spending at least 2 hours a day in the sun can help your eyesight. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more info...

With fascinating research and hilarious anecdotes, neuroscientist Camilla Arndal Andersen takes us into the lab where she studies people's sense of taste via brain scans. She reveals surprising insights about the way our brains subconsciously experience food -- and shows how this data could help us eat healthier without sacrificing taste. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information...

David Eagleman is a neuroscientist who studies brain plasticity and how our senses help us perceive the world. Over the next 5 weeks, Shoshana is diving into ideas about our senses. First up she  invites David to talk about touch and its relationship to brain plasticity. She then asks what role touch plays in a world that is increasingly digital and mediated by screens. Hosted on Acast. See a...

Trigger warning - this episode contains mention of suicide and severe depression. For years, the warning has been: smartphones are destroying a generation. But developmental psychologist Candice Odgers says that decades of data on teens tells a different story — violence, alcohol use and pregnancy are at historic lows, and research shows social media may not actually be the culprit for mental heal...

Why do we feel exhausted all the time? We’ll get through the workday, collapse on the couch, scroll for a while, and go to bed… but wake up still feeling depleted. In this episode, Shoshana seeks to understand the concept of“deep rest.” She speaks to psychologist Dr. Alexandra Crosswell on the role stress plays in our daily lives and what safety has to do with bodily repair and restoration. Talk f...

In this episode, Shoshana invites Dr. Vivek Murthy, the 19th and 21st Surgeon General of the United States, to discuss the ongoing loneliness epidemic. After the interview, Shoshana shares a TED-Ed talk from Terry Kupers, "What happens to your brain without social contact?" Everyone needs time to themselves, and peaceful solitude has stress-relieving benefits. But when being alone is forced upon y...

When has healthcare advice become so complicated? And how should we be thinking about long-term wellness? Zeke Emanuel is an oncologist and bioethnicist whose latest book, Eat Your Ice Cream, might sound paradoxical against modern health trends and wellness noise. Zeke joins Shoshana to discuss what healthy aging looks like and why it’s never too late to practice health habits. Talk featured TED-E...