TED Radio Hour

In the cult comic American Born Chinese, Gene Luen Yang weaves mythical folklore with a coming-of-age immigrant story. The author reflects on why his story still feels relevant to young readers. Host Manoush Zomorodi also speaks with Ben Wang, star of the new Disney+ adaptation of the award-winning graphic novel. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

Original broadcast date: August 26, 2022. Everything is not what it seems. We can easily disguise ourselves in both the digital and physical world. This hour, TED speakers explore the ways we go incognito... from espionage to virtual reality. Guests include former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez, artist Holly Herndon, anthropologist Mary L. Gray and digital fashion designer Gala Marija Vrbanic. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

It's easy to focus on the nuances that get lost in translation, but what about the insights that are found? This hour, TED speakers reveal what we gain by adapting and translating information. Guests include textual scientist Gregory Heyworth, economist Ralph Chami, microbiologist and nanotechnologist Fatima AlZahra'a Alatraktchi and polyglot Lýdia Machová. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

Original broadcast date: January 21, 2022. Fiction can serve as a window into multiple realities—to imagine different futures or understand our own past. This hour, author and TED speaker Dave Eggers talks technology, education, and the healing power of writing. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

When problems arise, it's tempting to wait for someone else to address it. But sometimes, the only person who can fix it... is you. This hour, TED speakers share ideas on how to do it yourself. Guests include physicist and engineer Kate Stone, humanitarian programmer Tiffani Ashley Bell, builder and youth educator Emily Pilloton-Lam and videographer Jack Corbett. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without sponsors. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

Original broadcast date: October 7, 2022. We encounter friction every day — in all its forms — as we brush our teeth, go for a jog, argue with a friend. This hour, TED speakers explore how this force can be dialed up or down to improve our lives. Guests include tribologist Jennifer Vail, democracy activist and whistleblower Yaël Eisenstat, Sierra Leone's Minister of Education David Moinina Sengeh and TV producer Elan Gale. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) sponsor-free. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

Original broadcast date: July 15, 2022. "The birds and the bees" may be a euphemism for human reproduction, but procreation of actual winged animals is far wilder. This hour, TED speakers explore how birds, bees and bugs multiply. Guests include beekeeper Noah Wilson-Rich, biologist Carin Bondar, behavioral ecologist Marlene Zuk and comedian Julia Sweeney. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without ads. Sign-up at: plus.npr.org/ted

Shirin Neshat is seen as a powerful voice for Iranian women...but her art has never been shown in Iran. She speaks on life in exile and how her acclaimed and controversial art is shaped by politics. You can watch a version of this interview on YouTube here. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without ads. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

Original broadcast date: January 7, 2022. New innovations in gene and stem cell technology have the power to shape ecosystems and even change humanity. This hour, TED speakers share the breakthroughs heralding the next scientific revolution. Guests include biochemist Jennifer Doudna, physicist and biotech entrepreneur Nabiha Saklayen and conservation innovator and biotech entrepreneur Ryan Phelan. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without ads. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

When times get tough, how do we keep our spirits up? In part 3 of our series Mind, Body, Spirit, TED speakers tell stories of salvaging the human psyche and rekindling a zest for life. Guests include author Tania Luna, artist JR and tech entrepreneur Artur Sychov.

We know it's important to listen to our bodies and trust how we feel — but it's not always easy. In part 2 of our series Mind, Body, Spirit, TED speakers explore ideas about movement, pleasure and rest. Guests include choreographer Ryan Heffington, news anchor Lee Thomas, aerialist and educator Adie Delaney and therapist KC Davis. TED Radio Hour+ subscribers now get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without ads. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

For millennia, humans have debated the mind, body, spirit connection. But today, the phrase sounds trite — a hallmark of the #selfcare industry. Over the next three episodes, TED speakers will investigate fresh perspectives on how we think, move, and feel. This hour: the mind. Guests include animal behaviorist and autism activist Temple Grandin, podcast host and meditation advocate Dan Harris, neurointerventionist and entrepreneur Tom Oxley and poet Sarah Kay Starting Wednesday, March 22, TED Radio Hour Plus subscribers will get access to bonus episodes, with more ideas from TED speakers and a behind the scenes look with our producers. A Plus subscription also lets you listen to regular episodes (like this one!) without ads. Sign-up at plus.npr.org/ted.

Original broadcast date: March 22, 2022. In the last century, human life expectancy has doubled. This hour, we talk with writer Steven Johnson on the many breakthroughs that made this possible — and where we go from here.

Original broadcast date: June 3, 2022. Humor can lighten the mood. But it can also provoke, cajole and inspire. This hour, TED speakers share how we can wield humor as a tool across all aspects of our lives. Guests include comedian Marcia Belsky, computer scientist Vinith Misra, behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker, corporate strategist Naomi Bagdonas and science comedian Kasha Patel.

You don't need to be big and boisterous to pack a punch. This hour, TED speakers explore the surprising strength of all things miniscule and fleeting.

Original broadcast date: November 12, 2021. We hear calls for systemic change, but what does that look like? This hour, TED speakers share stories of taking on institutions — from schools, to medicine, to policing — so they work for everyone. Guests include economist Emily Oster, lawyer Priti Krishtel and social psychologist Phillip Atiba Goff.

There are an infinite number of ways to be a happy family, and just as many ways to be an unhappy one, says Andrew Solomon. This hour, the author and psychologist discusses modern family dynamics — and how families can find joy even when life gets complicated.

Original broadcast date: May 6, 2022. MLK Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin are household names, but what about their mothers? This hour, author Anna Malaika Tubbs explores how these three women shaped American history.

Information feels more accessible than ever, but the ways we store data are surprisingly fragile. Can we save anything forever? This hour, TED speakers explore preserving our past, present and future. Guests include artist CM Ralph, digital librarian Brewster Kahle, molecular biologist Dina Zielinski and archaeologist Chris Fisher.

Original broadcast date: April 8, 2022. Giving and receiving care—it's a natural part of life. But how do we offer the best possible support for our loved ones? This hour, TED speakers share ideas on reimagining caregiving.