TED Radio Hour

Why do some of us believe, and some of us don't? And can doubt bring our beliefs into sharper focus? In this hour, TED speakers, from ardent aetheists to the devout, explore all ends of the spectrum. In a brand new interview, minister Greg Tonkinson describes how he had to reckon with doubt when his faith was shaken to its core. Other guests from the original 2013 episode include actor Julia Sweeney, and writers Lesley Hazelton, Alain de Botton, and Devdutt Pattanaik.

Do animals grieve? Do they have language or consciousness? For a long time, scientists resisted the urge to look for human qualities in animals. This hour, TED speakers explore how that is changing. Guests include biological anthropologist Barbara King, dolphin researcher Denise Herzing, primatologist Frans de Waal, and ecologist Carl Safina.

Original broadcast date: March 27, 2015. In this episode, TED speakers describe how all forms of amusement — from tossing a ball to video games — can make us smarter, saner and more collaborative. Guests include neuroscientist Jeff Mogil, comedian Charlie Todd, Dr. Stuart Brown, primatologist Isabel Behncke Izquierdo, and researcher Jane McGonigal.

Self-help advice is filled with quick fixes on "living your best life." But there are no shortcuts. This hour, TED speakers search for meaningful ways to reduce stress, gain confidence, and connect. Guests include conflict mediator Priya Parker, activist Brittany Packnett, cognitive scientist Sabine Doebel, health psychologist Kelly McGonigal, and author Nilofer Merchant.

Original broadcast date: October 27, 2017. We're living in a time of intense ideological division, and it often feels impossible to bridge the gap. But can we afford not to? This hour, TED speakers explore how to communicate across the divide. Guests include social media activist Megan Phelps-Roper, social psychologist Robb Willer, former Norwegian Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, public radio host Celeste Headlee, and Rabbi Jonathan Sacks.

Original broadcast date: November 17, 2017. Sometimes, the best solutions to complex problems are simple. But simple doesn't always mean easy. This hour, TED speakers describe the innovation and hard work that goes into achieving simplicity. Guests include designer Mileha Soneji, chef Sam Kass, sleep researcher Wendy Troxel, public health advocate Myriam Sidibe, and engineer Amos Winter.

Technology has reshaped our lives in amazing ways. But at what cost? This hour, TED speakers reveal how what we see, read, believe — even how we vote — can be manipulated by the technology we use. Guests include journalist Carole Cadwalladr, consumer advocate Finn Myrstad, writer and marketing professor Scott Galloway, behavioral designer Nir Eyal, and computer graphics researcher Doug Roble.

Original broadcast date: February 6, 2016. Sinful behavior is human, and nearly impossible to avoid. In this hour, TED speakers talk about the guilty pleasure of behaving badly and the challenge of confronting sin — and avoiding it. Guests include psychologist Christopher Ryan, former Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett, activist Dave Meslin, epidemiologist Gary Slutkin, entrepreneur Nick Hanauer, book editor Parul Seghal, and record-holding Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings.

Original broadcast date: April 25, 2014. Love is instinctive and essential, but what is it that brings certain people together? In this hour, TED speakers examine the mystery of connection and relationships. Guests include writers Amy Webb and Jeff Kluger, Anthropologist Helen Fisher, Psychotherapist Esther Perel, and CEO Angela Patton.

When the life you've built slips out of your grasp, you're often told it's best to move on. But is that true? Instead of forgetting the past, TED speakers describe how we can move forward with it. Guests include writers Nora McInerny and Suleika Jaouad, and human rights advocate Lindy Lou Isonhood.

Original broadcast date: September 15, 2017. From data collection to gene editing to AI, what we once considered science fiction is now becoming reality. This hour, TED speakers explore the future consequences of our present actions.Guests include designer Anab Jain, futurist Juan Enriquez, biologist Paul Knoepfler, and neuroscientist and philosopher Sam Harris.

There's no greater threat to humanity than climate change. What can we do to stop the worst consequences? This hour, TED speakers explore how we can save our planet and whether we can do it in time. Guests include climate activist Greta Thunberg, chemical engineer Jennifer Wilcox, research scientist Sean Davis, food innovator Bruce Friedrich, and psychologist Per Espen Stoknes.

Original broadcast date: July 21, 2017. We often know how to plan for the future, but find it hard to take the necessary steps. This hour, TED speakers challenge the inevitable and explore what to do today to prepare ourselves for tomorrow. TED speakers include neuroscientists Daniel Levitin and Rebecca Brachman, writer Lisa Genova, epidemiologist Seth Berkley, and behavioral economist Daniel Goldstein.

Failure can feel lonely and final. But can we learn from failure, even reframe it, to feel more like a temporary setback? This hour, TED speakers on changing a crushing defeat into a stepping stone. Guests include entrepreneur Leticia Gasca, psychology professor Alison Ledgerwood, astronomer Phil Plait, former professional athlete Charly Haversat, and UPS training manager Jon Bowers.

Original broadcast date: December 15, 2017. Are deception and secrecy categorically wrong? Or can they be a necessary means to an end? This hour, TED speakers share stories of going undercover to explore unknown territory, and find the truth. Guests include poet and activist Theo E.J. Wilson, journalist Jamie Bartlett, counter-terrorism expert Mubin Shaikh, and educator Shabana Basij-Rasikh.

Our greatest breakthroughs and triumphs have one thing in common: creativity. But how do you ignite it? And how do you rekindle it? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas on jumpstarting creativity. Guests include economist Tim Harford, producer Helen Marriage, artificial intelligence researcher Steve Engels, and behavioral scientist Marily Oppezzo.

Original broadcast date: June 10, 2016. We usually get wiser with age, but that doesn't mean we have to grow up to wise up. This hour, TED speakers explore what it means to find wisdom at every stage of life. Guests include journalist Joshua Prager, writer Adora Svitak, conservationist Boyd Varty, advocate Tony Porter, and psychiatrist Robert Waldinger.

Who should get to keep secrets, and who should demand to know them? In this hour, TED speakers talk about the damage secrets can do, and the shifting roles we play when we keep, or share them. In a special updated interview, Global Witness co-founder Charmian Gooch explains how secrecy and corruption have changed in the five years since she gave her TED talk. Other guests from the original 2015 episode include PostSecret founder Frank Warren, equality advocate Ash Beckham, and journalist Glenn Greenwald.

Original broadcast date: July 29, 2016. Failure can be devastating, but it can also make us stronger and smarter. This week, TED speakers explore how failure clears the way for success, in our everyday work, and our innermost lives. Guests include entrepreneur Astro Teller, economist Tim Harford, author Casey Gerald, and writer Lidia Yuknavitch.

What does it take to change the world for the better? This hour, TED speakers explore ideas on activism—what motivates it, why it matters, and how each of us can make a difference. Guests include civil rights activist Ruby Sales, labor leader and civil rights activist Dolores Huerta, author Jeremy Heimans, "craftivist" Sarah Corbett, and designer and futurist Angela Oguntala.