TED Talks Daily

Talks on Love Playlist (3/5): The relationship between sex and imagination | Gina Gutierrez

<p>Sex is as much mental as it is physical -- and imagination is the most powerful tool we have to expand our personal agency and capacity for pleasure, says sexual wellness storyteller Gina Gutierrez. The founder of audio-erotica company Dipsea, Gutierrez creates immersive audio stories designed to open up space to explore your desires and fantasies on your terms. She shares some tips to inspire your sexual imagination and bring joy, confidence and empowerment into your life.</p><br><p>This episode originally aired in 2024.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Talks on Love Playlist (4/5): A queer vision of love and marriage | Tiq Milan and Kim Katrin

<p>Love is a tool for revolutionary change and a path toward inclusivity and understanding for the LGBTQ+ community. Married activists Tiq and Kim Katrin have imagined their marriage -- as a transgender man and cis woman -- a model of possibility for people of every kind. With infectious joy, Tiq and Kim question our misconceptions about who they might be and offer a vision of an inclusive, challenging love that grows day by day.</p><br><p>This episode originally aired in 2016.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Talks on Love Playlist (5/5): Why friendship can be just as meaningful as romantic love | Rhaina Cohen

<p>We tend to consider romantic partners and family ties to be our most important relationships, but deep friendships can be just as meaningful. In a perspective-shifting talk, author Rhaina Cohen introduces us to the people unsettling norms by choosing a friend as a life partner — and shows why we're all better off recognizing there's more than one kind of significant other.</p><br><p>This episode originally aired in 2024.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Origami, the ancient art form solving modern problems | Miles Wu

<p>14-year-old student Miles Wu is obsessed with origami, transforming everyday scraps of paper into unexpected creations. In a joyful talk, he explores the ancient art form — from making Christmas ornaments and pigeons to folding patterns that can hold 10,000 times their weight — and shows all the possibilities hiding inside a single piece of paper.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How Community Notes reduce viral misinformation | Keith Coleman, Jay Baxter

<p>Community Notes on X started with a wild idea: Instead of tech companies deciding what's true, what if you let people fact-check each other? Jay Baxter and Keith Coleman, who helped build the crowdsourced system adding context to misleading posts, discuss how the program reduces viral misinformation — and why people across the political spectrum trust it. In conversation with TED guest curator Audrey Tang, they discuss how their "surprising agreement" algorithm could reveal the common ground that quietly exists across a polarized internet. (Followed by a note from TED guest curators Divya Siddarth and Audrey Tang)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to build a career you actually love | Bill Gurley

<p>Passion doesn't drive work — fascination does, says venture capitalist and author Bill Gurley. Drawing on years of research into the lives of high achievers, he shows why obsessive, lifelong learning is the real engine of career excellence.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

We’re keeping the ocean wild — and you can join us | Sylvia A. Earle

<p>In 2009, marine biologist Sylvia Earle stood on the TED stage and made a wish: to build a global network of "Hope Spots" and protect the ocean before it's too late. Seventeen years later, she's back to report on what's happened since — and the picture is both more urgent and more hopeful than you might expect. From 100,000 fur seals saved from near-extinction to coral reefs rebuilt clam by clam, Earle says we already know exactly what needs to be done; the only thing left is to find the will to do it.</p><br><p>(Following her talk, Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, interviews Earle on how she uses AI to gather data on the ocean and what she saw in a one-person submarine surfacing off the coast of Hawaii during a storm.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Sunday Pick: In celebration of Pride Month | from Design Matters

<p>In celebration of Pride Month, we’re revisiting conversations with accomplished LGBTQ+ guests—Carol Leifer, Paul Tazewell, Sonya Passi, Leisha Hailey, and Kate Moennig—about the journeys that led them to fulfilling professional lives and the influences that shaped who they are today.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Inside Dubai's mission to build the city of the future | His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, Whitney Pennington Rodgers

<p>What does it look like when a city becomes a laboratory for innovation? His Excellency Khalfan Belhoul, CEO of the Dubai Future Foundation, explains why Dubai is cutting the bureaucratic red tape to experiment with big ideas in everything from AI and emerging tech to finance and climate solutions. The future, he says, depends on those willing to test it. (This conversation is hosted by TED's Whitney Pennington Rodgers.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Your invitation to become a philanthropist | Sara Lomelin (re-release)

<p>Philanthropy disruptor Sara Lomelin thinks communities can build power through collective giving, or what she calls “giving circles”: groups of people with shared values who come together to make change, strengthen their social fabric and help diverse solutions get funded. Learn the four steps to start a thriving giving circle in your community -- and see how thousands of people worldwide are already part of this movement to usher in a new era of philanthropy that is democratic and joyful.</p><br><p>(This episode originally aired in 2022.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Why the best ideas come from play | Maxwell Pearce

<p>Coaches kept telling Maxwell Pearce to stick to the fundamentals. Good thing he didn't listen. A Harlem Globetrotter and artist, he went on to build a global reputation for gravity-defying dunks and a theory that the same playful rule-breaking is what powers progress in every field. In this joyful talk, he makes the case that play isn't the opposite of serious work — it's the secret ingredient behind it.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Why you should disappoint your parents | Desiree Akhavan (re-release)

<p>tid127921tid</p><p>When filmmaker Desiree Akhavan told her Iranian immigrant parents she was in love with a woman, she knew they would object. She explains why it's worth the risk to let people get to know the real you.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The love of my life (and why I need to share it with you) | Ann Patchett

<p>If you want to live in a world where people read, novelist Ann Patchett has news for you: it's your job to help create that reality. Tracing her path from a chance airport encounter through a career writing iconic novels and opening a beloved independent bookstore, she makes the case that reading isn't a private pleasure but a civic act that builds empathy, sustains a "long-format brain" and pulls people out of isolation. Ready to lose yourself in a book?</p><br><p>(Following her talk, Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, interviews Patchett on the joys and challenges of owning a bookstore. They also discuss whether audiobooks count as reading, the inefficiency of book banning, and how to raise young people to be readers. Patchett also teases the books she’s excited about in 2026.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to escape the smartphone doom loop | Larz May, Elise Hu

<p>Larz May has spent a decade building digital wellness programs for young people, and she's discovered something quietly radical: the smartphone doom loop of screen dependence and anxiety isn't inevitable, and joy (not restriction) is the way out. She makes the case for a different relationship with technology — starting with swapping screens for some analog fun.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Sunday Pick: Kristen Bell on delivering honesty with empathy | from ReThinking with Adam Grant

<p>On today's "Sunday Pick" on TED Talks Daily, we're bring you an episode from the TED Podcast <em>ReThinking with Adam Grant</em>. You probably know Kristen Bell as the star behind characters like Veronica Mars, Princess Anna from <em>Frozen</em>, and Eleanor from <em>The Good Place</em>. In this episode, Adam sits down with Kristen live at BetterUp’s Uplift leadership summit to examine how she’s learning to overcome her people pleasing tendencies and stop internalizing other people’s emotions. Kristen gets in character to demonstrate how to be honest without being unkind. She also makes the case that compliments are underrated, opens up about her strategies for dealing with envy, and offers a surprising theory of why we overexplain. </p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The counterintuitive secret of leadership | Jessica Kriegel

<p>Control is an illusion — and the leaders who chase it are holding their teams back. Workplace culture expert Jessica Kriegel explores the tactic that leaders who want to achieve extraordinary results should try instead.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How screens stole childhood — and how to get it back | Jonathan Haidt

<p>Humans aren't just social — we're ultrasocial, wired like bees and ants for deep connection. So what happens when smartphones take over childhood, tablets replace textbooks and AI companies infiltrate our kids’ lives? Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt lays out three principles of technoskepticism — and explains why, two years after sounding the alarm in “The Anxious Generation,” he's more concerned (and hopeful) than ever before.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The invisible infrastructure in the sky | Adam Bry

<p>Drones aren't just weapons of war; they're becoming first responders, infrastructure inspectors and guardians of the grid. Adam Bry, who leads the top drone manufacturer in the US, shows how autonomous drones are transforming emergency response and public safety — from detecting faulty power lines and preventing wildfires to catching crime in real time. During his talk, he demos the technology live from the TED stage, piloting a drone in Tokyo from his laptop in Vancouver.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

My $60 million science experiment | Mark Rober

<p>Mark Rober spent years trying to land a rover on Mars. Now, the former NASA engineer turned science YouTuber with millions of subscribers is launching a new mission: to teach the next generation of big problem solvers. That's why he's spending 60 million dollars to build a STEM curriculum kids actually want. With squirrel obstacle courses, giant lasers and elephant toothpaste explosions, who wouldn't want to learn from YouTube's top engineer?</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The missing ingredient in every peace deal | Hiba Qasas

<p>What if the path to peace starts with self-interest? After four decades inside some of the world's most dangerous conflict zones, mediator Hiba Qasas has learned that most peacebuilding efforts get it wrong from the start. She makes a provocative case that conciliation shouldn't begin with empathy — and reveals how leading with shared incentives brought hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian leaders into active collaboration, even in the midst of war. (Following her talk, Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, interviews Qasas on our collective responsibility to advocate for peacemaking.)</p><br><p><br></p><br><p><br></p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to set the right goals and stay motivated | Ayelet Fishbach (re-release)

<p>You can't just "find" motivation, says scientist Ayelet Fishbach — you have to learn how to motivate yourself. She shares a handful of tips backed by 20 years of motivation research, offering surprisingly simple wisdom on how to optimize your goals, set yourself up for success and avoid the tempting calls of procrastination.</p><br><p>(This episode originally aired in 2024.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to prevent burnout (w/ Master Fixer Guy Winch) | from Fixable

<p>Do you feel like work is taking over your life? Guy Winch is a psychologist and author of the book <em>Mind Over Grind: How to Break Free When Work Hijacks Your Life. </em>In this episode, Anne sits down with Guy at the annual TED conference in Vancouver to discuss the insidious ways work can follow you home and how to set boundaries to avoid burnout. They dig into the harmful effects of after-hours rumination, share practical rituals to help you separate work from the rest of your life, and offer tips on how to take a truly restorative vacation.&nbsp;</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to be smarter about the news | Ian Bremmer

<p>Political scientist Ian Bremmer has access to the rooms, conversations and world leaders who make the news of the day. So how does he stay on top of everything that’s going on? In conversation with TED’s Helen Walters, Bremmer opens up about how he thinks about sources, how he avoids getting spun — and what we can all do to think more clearly about the news. (This interview was recorded on May 20, 2026.)</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How to stand out in the ocean of AI slop | Mick Mahler

<p>AI artist Mick Mahler has a counterintuitive take: the more powerful the machines get, the less the technology actually matters. Showing delightful examples of his own art, from jazz-playing spiders to a Kafka-inspired beetle film, he explains how creators can use new technology to serve their vision (not replace it). The real question — the one that separates meaningful work from AI slop — is the one only you can answer.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

How I set myself free | Keke Palmer

<p>Multihyphenate entertainer Keke Palmer has mastered the art of performing — on stage and off. But she realized the skills that carried her family out of poverty might be the very thing keeping her trapped. In this powerful talk, she unpacks the hidden cost of hyper-functioning and what it really means to stop acting and start living.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The problem with streaming — and the case for physical media | Tom Rizzuto

<p>Streaming media gives us access to everything instantly, but at what cost? Music professor Tom Rizzuto traces the history of physical media — from CDs and vinyl to bone music (Soviet-era records pressed onto discarded X-rays) and the near-loss of "Nosferatu" — making the case that art shouldn't just live in the cloud.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

The simple habit for a happier social life | Nicholas Epley

<p>We are wired for connection, and yet many of us spend most of our lives avoiding it, says behavioral scientist Nicholas Epley. Drawing on decades of research into happiness, loneliness and well-being, he reveals why we consistently underestimate how receptive others are to connecting — and invites us to seize the small moments that lead to a more social life.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Life lessons from the DJ booth | ELEW

<p>Welcome to Club Reality, where no matter what life throws at you, the music never stops. In this talk and performance, musician ELEW shares his path from jazz pianist to DJ — and the unexpected philosophy he finds in both.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Sunday Pick: What are allergies — and how to get rid of them with Dr. Zachary Rubin | from TED Health

<p>On today's "Sunday Pick" on TED Talks Daily, we bring you an episode from TED Podcast TEDHealth. Does eating local honey help reduce your allergies through microexposure to local pollen? How effective is at-home allergies test? And why do so many Olympic athletes have asthma? These are some of the questions raised in today’s conversation with host Shoshana Ungerleider and her guest, immunologist Dr. Zachary Rubin. From cat dander to pollen to peanuts, Dr. Rubin discusses how having minor to severe allergies can affect your health and what you can do to manage your allergies. </p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

Why I love my bad days | Alexi Pappas

<p>One month before the Rio Olympics, runner Alexi Pappas couldn't hit her splits in practice. She was begging her watch to change its mind. Then her coach told her to take it off — and shared the best advice she's ever received. That single piece of wisdom led her to break a national record and changed how she chases her goals, carrying her through ultramarathons, a memoir and three films. Bad days aren't a detour, she says — they mean you're right on track.</p><br><p>Following the talk, host Elise Hu caught up with Alexi for a "Beyond the Talk" conversation to dig deeper – into what the rule of thirds looks like beyond sport, what it means to befriend pain rather than just survive it, and what she wants people to know about how to keep going even when you think it’s impossible.&nbsp;A heads up: this conversation involves mention of mental health struggles and suicide.</p><br><p>Afterwards, check out Alexi's own podcast <em>Mentor Buffet</em>, where she talks to athletes, actors, movie producers, DJs, chefs, authors, and other people she admires about who has influenced them along their journey. You can find Mentor Buffet on <a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/mentor-buffet/id1767728358" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Apple</a>, <a href="https://open.spotify.com/show/1O68PH0r2JXIL6UW1JMGEo?si=1ffbbc6d81c249cd" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spotify</a>, and <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Mentor_Buffet" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">YouTube</a>.</p><p><br></p><hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>