Ted Talks Daily

Want to learn a new language but feel daunted or unsure where to begin? You don't need some special talent or a "language gene," says Lýdia Machová. In an upbeat, inspiring talk, she reveals the secrets of polyglots (people who speak multiple languages) and shares four principles to help unlock your own hidden language talent -- and have fun while doing it. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As kids, we all get advice from parents and teachers that seems strange, even confusing. This was crystallized one night for a young Clint Smith, who was playing with water guns in a dark parking lot with his white friends. In a heartfelt piece, the poet paints the scene of his father's furious and fearful response. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On this episode of ZigZag, host Manoush Zomorodi is joined by Eric Ries, who went from writing Silicon Valley's bible to building a stock market for social justice. Together, they examine why quarterly earnings reports cause anti-social behavior and how a new stock exchange in the US might present a systemic solution. As Eric says, this "will serve as inspiration to a new generation of civic entrepreneurs who will say: We don't have to take the institutions of our society as a given. We could try to build new and better ones." ZigZag, the business show about being human, is now a member of the TED family of podcasts. Listen or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Nearly 400 years ago, a tiny town in Germany made a bargain with God: spare its people from the Black Plague and we'll put on a play in your honor... forever. And it worked! Now every decade, the entire town comes together to stage the play, drawing massive crowds to one of the largest religious spectacles in the world. But problematic parts of the play have been challenged, and tensions rise when a new voice tries to update a 2,000-year-old story with help from some unexpected allies. (Audio only) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You use your brain's executive function every day -- it's how you do things like pay attention, plan ahead and control impulses. Can you improve it to change for the better? With highlights from her research on child development, cognitive scientist Sabine Doebel explores the factors that affect executive function -- and how you can use it to break bad habits and achieve your goals. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our biases can be dangerous, even deadly — as we've seen in the cases of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, and Eric Garner, in Staten Island, New York. Diversity advocate Vernā Myers looks closely at some of the subconscious attitudes we hold toward out-groups. She makes a plea to all people: Acknowledge your biases. Then move toward, not away from, the groups that make you uncomfortable. In a funny, impassioned, important talk, she shows us how. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Things are pretty shocking out there right now -- record-breaking storms, deadly terror attacks, thousands of migrants disappearing beneath the waves and openly supremacist movements rising. Are we responding with the urgency that these overlapping crises demand from us? Journalist and activist Naomi Klein studies how governments use large-scale shocks to push societies backward. She shares a few propositions from "The Leap" -- a manifesto she wrote alongside indigenous elders, climate change activists, union leaders and others from different backgrounds -- which envisions a world after we've already made the transition to a clean economy and a much fairer society. "The shocking events that fill us with dread today can transform us, and they can transform the world for the better," Klein says. "But first we need to picture the world that we're fighting for. And we have to dream it up together." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Marine biologist, fish ecologist and self-confessed ocean optimist Steve Simpson explains the intricate sounds that exist in our oceans -- and why listening to this soundtrack can help us protect it. This talk was filmed at TEDxExeter. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. With TED's podcast TEDx SHORTS, start each day with short, eye-opening ideas from some of the world's greatest TEDx speakers. Listen or subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Far-UVC light is a type of ultraviolet light that kills microbes and viruses and, crucially, seems to be safe to use around humans. Radiation scientist David Brenner describes how we could use this light to stop the spread of SARS-CoV-2, the virus responsible for COVID-19, in hospitals, nursing homes, trains and other public indoor spaces -- paving the way for a potentially game-changing tool in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED science curator David Biello, was recorded July 7, 2020.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What does Kendrick Lamar have in common with Disney's "Moana"? They recognize our common humanity and show us how to love ourselves and one another, says writer and educator Chloé Valdary. She shares how she uses pop culture to help people develop resilience and advance social change -- and explains why cultivating love is the key to connection, healing and moving forward together. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED business curator Corey Hajim, was recorded June 30, 2020.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Crisis interventions often focus on a single aspect of a big, complicated problem, failing to address the broader social and economic context. Kwame Owusu-Kesse describes how the Harlem Children’s Zone is taking a more holistic approach to the pandemic, weaving together a network of services to help communities recover and rebuild. Learn more about their comprehensive COVID-19 relief and recovery response focused on five primary areas of need -- and their plans to scale it across the US. (This ambitious plan is a part of the Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

On July 20, 2012, a mass shooting in a movie theater of Aurora, Colorado left the town, and the nation, reeling. To many -- including Tom Teves, who lost his son in the tragedy -- the news coverage that followed focused on all the wrong things. Why did the reporting overwhelmingly fixate on the shooter rather than the lives of the victims or the heroic efforts of first responders? With urgency and measure, Teves calls for media attention that acts in the interest of the public (instead of profit) by revoking what shooters want most: infamy. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"If you change your city, you're changing the world," says Eric Garcetti, mayor of Los Angeles and chair of C40 Cities, a network of the world's megacities committed to tackling the climate crisis. He shares tangible ways Los Angeles and other cities across the globe are promoting economic and social justice while taking concrete action on climate change -- and talks about how to create a more inclusive, green and sustainable society as we rebuild from COVID-19. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was recorded July 7, 2020.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Education activist (and recent Oxford graduate) Malala Yousafzai reflects on the defining moments of her life, how she balances passion with personhood and where the world finds itself during the COVID-19 crisis. With humor and humility, she shares her dreams of seeing social progress in her lifetime, explains why girls education advocacy must not relent during the pandemic and champions youth activists worldwide leading the fight for a fairer future for all. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was recorded July 8, 2020.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A more equal world starts with you. Citing a formative moment from her own life, equity advocate Nita Mosby Tyler highlights why showing up and fighting for others who face injustices beyond your own lived experience leads to a fairer, more just future for all. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you could help decide how the government spends public funds in your community? That’s the idea behind participatory budgeting, a process that brings local residents and governments together to develop concrete solutions to real problems close to home. In this inspiring call to action, community leader Shari Davis shows how participatory budgeting can strengthen democracy, transform neighborhoods and cities -- and give everyone a seat at the table. “We’ve got to open the doors to city halls and schools so wide that people can’t help but walk in,” she says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this tour of the microscopic world, explorer and artist Ariel Waldman introduces the charismatic creatures lurking beneath Antarctica's massive ice sheet, the largest on earth. From "cuddly" water bears to geometric algae made of glass, Waldman shows how this seemingly barren landmass is actually a polar oasis of life -- if we just know where to look. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With clarity and insight, economist and author William "Sandy" Darity discusses how the grievous injustice of slavery in the US led to the immense wealth gap that currently exists between Black and white Americans. He explains how reparations for descendants of enslaved people would work -- and why it's necessary that the US engage in this act of compensation and redemption to make progress towards true equality. (This virtual conversation, hosted by TED's current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was recorded June 30, 2020.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"We've been promised a future of chrome -- but what if the future is fleshy?" asks biological designer Christina Agapakis. In this awe-inspiring talk, Agapakis details her work in synthetic biology -- a multidisciplinary area of research that pokes holes in the line between what's natural and artificial -- and shares how breaking down the boundaries between science, society, nature and technology can lead us to imagine different possible futures. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a breathtaking, jazz-inflected spoken-word performance, TED Fellow Marc Bamuthi Joseph shares a Black father's tender and wrenching internal reflection on the pride and terror of seeing his son enter adulthood. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.