Advertise on podcast: TED Talks Daily

A lot of today’s war footage is shot on phones and posted to platforms that were never meant to permanently store it. Digital archivist and TED Fellow Hadi Al Khatib founded Mnemonic to save these photos and videos before they vanish. Learn how his team is turning people’s social media posts into evidence of crimes that holds up in court — and building an archive that ensures the truth outlasts the war. (Note: this film contains disturbing footage of war.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 2,000 years ago in ancient Athens, young citizens were required to complete “ephebeia,” a two-year civic service program that taught them the laws of the city and how to defend their democracy. Author and historian Scott Reich believes this practice reflects something crucial we often forget: citizens aren’t born — they’re trained. In a hopeful talk, he shares his plan to bring a modern version of this program to the United States and explains why it could benefit everyone. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you heard the clean energy transition is failing? Energy analyst Michael Liebreich says to look again. Using a four-line spreadsheet model of the global energy system, he shows why fossil fuels will inevitably get squeezed out over time — with no bans required. The shift is well underway, he explains: it just looks different than many of us expected. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Aria Florant cofounded a nonprofit to help accelerate the reparations movement in the US … but less than a year in, her partnership with her own cofounder fell apart. Drawing on what brought the two of them back together — plus lessons from South Africa, Germany and Colombia — she lays out a four-step process for repairing harm between two people or across an entire nation. Most people think reparations are all about money, she says, but true repair goes far beyond the financial. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What’s dirtier: your phone or your hands? Molecular biologist Lotti Tajouri says there’s a gaping hole in our hygiene routine. We scrub our hands clean, then reach right for the phone — a warm, humid and mobile home for bacteria and viruses. He explores the unnervingly vibrant microbial world living on your phone and shows how you can keep this “third hand” clean. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When life gets uncertain, do you grip a little tighter? Neuroscientist Heather Berlin explores a surprising paradox: the harder you try to control everything, the more likely you are to get in your own way. Drawing on brain research and her own struggles with uncertainty, she shares practical ways to let go and make room for creativity, calm and flow. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When does normal aging end and something more concerning begins? In this episode Shoshana invites neurologist Drs. Ayesha and Dean Sherzai to discuss their studies on Alzheimer’s and Dementia. They debunk myths around Alzheimer, discuss what a brain-healthy way of eating looks like, and share why good sleep hygiene is more crucial for brain health than you think Learn more about TED Health at https://link.mgln.ai/kqazoj Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jennifer Granholm steered Michigan through the auto industry's near-collapse and later ran the US Department of Energy during the largest clean energy investment in the country's history. In conversation with climate investor Ryan Panchadsaram, she explains why the next chapter of clean energy is all about construction — and why local communities have more power than they may think. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Most people hate mosquitoes, but biotechnologist and TED Fellow Felix Hol thinks they're beautiful. He takes us inside his lab, where his team developed some unusual ways to study how these blood-sucking insects find us and feed so fast. He also explains why insecticides may send certain mosquitoes into overdrive — and how we can find smarter ways to curb the diseases they spread. (Following his story, pulled from a short film he made for TED, Hol speaks with Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, on why he’s relying on open source to share data and how he’s excited to learn more about mosquitoes navigating different temperature landscapes.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alex Van Halen and David Lee Roth — two of the rock stars behind the legendary band Van Halen — sit down with visual artist Robert Vargas to reveal the two-step recipe for great art: do your homework, then break every rule. Along the way, they swap stories about heartbreak, good luck charms and why you should rehearse for what goes wrong. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Should the US Constitution protect your DNA? Your voice? Your data? Entrepreneur Jeff Maurer spent his youth fighting fires alongside World War II veterans, and he thinks the spirit that united them can power America's next 250 years. He proposes five new amendments to the US Constitution — from protecting privacy to holding politicians accountable — and shares what it would take to get them passed. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When was the last time you played, just for fun? Eleven-year-old Mila Rojas has noticed that adults — buried under schedules, expectations and the pressure to be serious — often see play as unproductive. In this delightful talk, she shows why having fun is key for families to connect and shares some simple ways to bring more joy into everyday life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Couples therapists Harville Hendrix and Helen LaKelly Hunt spent decades teaching the world how to love well … even as their own marriage was falling apart. In this candid, funny talk, Hendrix recounts the yearlong experiment in listening that saved their relationship — and shows how any couple can break the cycle of criticism to rediscover joy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why does making friends as an adult feel like mission impossible? In today’s Sunday Pick, Corner Piece, host Melissa Fernandes explores what it means to be a friend while grappling with a friendship break up. Along the way, she interviews Anna Goldfarb, journalist and author of “Modern Friendship: How to Nurture Our Most Valuable Connections,” and Dr. Marisa G. Franco, professor and author of “Platonic: How the Science of Attachment Can Help You Make—And Keep—Friends”. They explain why friendship can get so complicated as you get older and how to build closer bonds. Melissa also explores with her co-hosts Taha Khan and Sabrina Cruz what their different types of friendships mean to them. Find more episodes of Corner Piece on your favorite podcast app or here: https://link.mgln.ai/9hQ2JB Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Ghost stories reveal much more than the ghouls and spirits that haunt them. Settle in for a spooky delight as theater educator Coya Paz Brownrigg lays out three types of bone-chilling tales and exhumes the grave truths they hold about longing, meaning and the cultural value of eerie encounters. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.