TED Talks Daily

Climate justice activist Vanessa Nakate sits down with former president of Ireland Mary Robinson for an enlightening, intergenerational conversation about the state of the climate crisis. Nakate paints a picture of life in her home country of Uganda -- which faces prolonged droughts, landslides and flooding stemming from climate change -- and clarifies the need for energy-rich, high-emitting natio...

How do we make historically exclusive fields like classical music, fine arts or academic research more accessible to everyone? Education equalizer and violist Matthew Garcia thinks one way to remove barriers is to create free, virtual education programs that connect talented young minds to the resources they need to thrive in their future careers. Learn more about the power of virtual nonprofits t...

Imagine a boat that propels by moving its "tail" from side to side, just like a fish. That's the kind of machine that TED Fellow Robert Katzschmann's lab builds: soft-bodied robots that imitate natural movements with artificial, silent muscles. He lays out his vision for machines that take on mesmerizing new forms, made of softer and more lifelike materials -- and capable of discovering unknown pa...

Confronting climate change makes for better cities and a better quality of life, says Heidi Sørensen, director of the climate agency for the city of Oslo, Norway. From construction sites without noise pollution to fully electric transportation, she details the exciting green transition happening in her city. The Norwegian capital's ambitious goal of reducing 95 percent of its carbon emissions by 2...

In June 2022, TED's climate initiative, Countdown, launched its Dilemma Series: events designed to look at some of the "knots" in the climate change space, where diverging positions have stalled progress and solidified into an inability to collaborate across differences. The event focused on the question: Is there a role for carbon credits in the transition to a fair, net-zero future? Through TED...

We know capitalism exacerbates injustice and inequality worldwide. So how can we fix it? Professor and social entrepreneur Manish Bhardwaj thinks we need to integrate "moral clarity" -- which he defines as "doing the right thing because it is right, and not from fear of sanction or in expectation of reward" -- into society at a foundational level. In this practical talk, he explains how to use the...

What if we could use the power of DNA to create a sustainable, circular economy? In a talk about breakthrough science, synthetic biologist Jason W. Chin describes his team's work rewriting the genetic blueprint of cells to create a virus-resistant organism -- the largest synthetic genome ever made and a first step towards reimagining what life can become. Learn more about how this advancement coul...

From favorite moons to the search for alien life, astronomer Heidi Hammel discusses the latest in astronomy and the breakthrough innovations behind her work with NASA's James Webb Space Telescope. In conversation with science journalist Nadia Drake, Hammel shares how scientists are studying objects that are farther away and older than ever before, searching for answers to how our universe evolved...

Actor and activist Jane Fonda discusses her frontline work fighting for climate action, including recent efforts to support climate-minded candidates running for office in the US and to break the fossil fuel industry's stranglehold on the country's government. Hear why she decided to bring her climate activism into the electoral arena after decades of marching, protesting and civil disobedience --...

Does success come from luck or skill, and how do you tell the difference? One way to find an answer: think like a pro gambler does, says football executive Rasmus Ankersen. Using sports analytics to emphasize his point, Ankersen digs into the reasons why successful companies often hesitate to change until it's too late, offering data-driven lessons on how to stay ahead of your competition. Hosted...

Youth leader Shreya Joshi diagnoses a key source of political polarization in the US and shows why having "uncomfortable conversations" with people you disagree with is crucial to bridging the divide. "When we are able to recognize what unites us, it becomes so much easier to have conversations about what divides us," she says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Pakistan contributes less than one percent to the global greenhouse gas emissions perpetrating climate change, yet one-third of the country was recently inundated with “biblical” floods that killed hundreds and displaced millions. If we’re to move towards a sustainable future in the wake of such tragedies, the response will require more than just infrastructure repairs and a return to the status q...

Eighty percent of the world's biodiversity is within Indigenous territories, yet these communities often don't have a say when it comes to protecting the lands they inhabit. Environmental activist Jupta Itoewaki explains why Indigenous peoples are best positioned to lead the world's efforts to preserve nature and maintain a habitable planet -- and reminds us of their outsized importance in chartin...

We know diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) boosts creativity and profits, but progress has been slow: today, nearly 90 percent of Fortune 500 CEOs are white males. It’s time for leaders to become "rock stars" of inclusion -- and that starts with pushing through discomfort to forge new connections, says veteran broadcaster and diversity leader June Sarpong. She presents examples of successful, c...

Eating pizza with a stuffy nose just isn't as satisfying -- and there's a reason for that. Dr. Jen Gunter explains how our ability to smell and taste work together to give us a full sensory experience. So whether you're sniffing the caramelized aroma of coffee, a whiff of trash or a trillion other things, your brain knows exactly what's under your nose. For more on how your body works, tune into h...

If you think social media is powerful, keep an eye on immersive video games, says futurist Noah Raford. As more and more people are drawn into virtual worlds, the communities they forge are spawning real-world social movements. Raford urges us to recognize what's really going on -- and then harness those forces to build the future we want. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more informatio...

Whose pleasure is prioritized during sex, and why? Psychosexologist Karen Gurney explains how a lack of equal pleasure in the bedroom actually reflects broader gender inequality in society -- and asks you to reconsider what dynamics are at play, even behind closed doors. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Despite common belief, retirement takes more than financial planning. And while you may be beyond ready to go on permanent vacation, you also have to psychologically prepare for when the novelty wears off. Riley Moynes explains the four phases of retirement and offers a framework for how to avoid the inevitable pitfalls of taking it too easy in order to help you make the most of your golden years....

In an invitation to slow down and look at the world around you, graphic journalist Wendy MacNaughton illustrates how drawing can spark deeply human, authentic connections. Ready to try? Grab a pencil and join MacNaughton for this delightful talk. "Drawing is looking, and looking is loving," she says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly fifteen percent of the world's population lives with a disability, yet this massive chunk of humanity is still routinely excluded from opportunities. Sharing her experience growing up with an autistic sister, disability inclusion advocate Meghan Hussey illuminates the path towards an inclusive future in four steps, and it starts with an attitude check on assumptions and stereotypes. Designi...

Climate action has historically had a gender-neutral lens, but this lack of intentionality allows underlying biases to sneak in and negatively impact women, says gender and climate researcher Zineb Sqalli. Using Vienna, Austria's gender-equal urban planning program as a model for how women can be included in every step of building a green economy, Sqalli offers solutions for advancing both sustain...

To get young kids to thrive in school, we need to do more than teach them how to read and write -- we need to teach them how to manage their emotions, says educator Olympia Della Flora. In this practical talk, she shares creative tactics she used to help struggling, sometimes disruptive students -- things like stopping for brain breaks, singing songs and even doing yoga poses -- all with her exist...

Conservation champion and TED Fellow Adjany Costa is on a mission to empower Indigenous communities. Instead of imposing pre-designed policy and plans on local people, she says, conservation efforts should center those who know the land best, enabling them to tailor solutions to their unique environmental, social and economic realities. She presents a roadmap for Indigenous communities to take bac...

How do you raise kids to step outside of their comfort zones and unlock their inner potential? It all starts with helping them develop a resilient mindset. Mother and business owner Tameka Montgomery makes the case for cultivating an entrepreneurial outlook at an early age -- and offers five strategies for emboldening young minds to embrace opportunities and solve their own problems, no matter the...

The housing market can be vexing: while some neighborhoods get ridiculously expensive and price out longtime residents, others have historic homes sitting vacant without demand. Equitable housing developer and TED Fellow Bree Jones shares how she found a way to revitalize neighborhoods experiencing hyper-vacancy while preventing gentrification -- supporting home buyers and transforming communities...