TED Radio Hour

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Exploring the biggest questions of our time with the help of the world's greatest thinkers. Host Manoush Zomorodi inspires us to learn more about the world, our communities, and most importantly, ourselves.Get more brainy miscellany with TED Radio Hour+. Your subscription supports the show and unlocks a sponsor-free feed. Learn more at plus.npr.org/ted

  • 51 minutes 23 seconds
    Soundtracks of our lives
    From our favorite songs to our own voices, we're surrounded by sound all day. But how does all this noise affect our emotions and behavior? This hour, TED speakers explore how sound shapes our lives. Guests include musician and professor of songwriting Scarlet Keys, AI CEO Pierre Barreau, voice expert Rebecca Kleinberger and musician Snow Raven.


    (Original Broadcast Date: February 21, 2025)


    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.

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    12 December 2025, 8:00 am
  • 14 minutes 20 seconds
    Remembering a maestro through 'New World Symphony'
    Before his passing, conductor Robert Franz guided us through the first movement of Dvorák's "New World Symphony" using his four essential tools for listening—rhythm, melody, texture and visuals. As the year comes to a close, Manoush Zomorodi shares one of her favorite TED Radio Hour+ episodes.

    Robert Franz was also featured in episode, "How we experience time."

    To hear more bonus content like this and to support NPR and public radio, sign up for TED Radio Hour+ at plus.npr.org/ted

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    10 December 2025, 8:00 am
  • 51 minutes 51 seconds
    Finding your bliss
    It's been a long, complicated year. This hour, TED speakers share ideas to help you get grounded, back on track, and even edge toward something like bliss.

    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.

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    5 December 2025, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 39 seconds
    Decoding nature’s hidden patterns
    We can’t protect what we don’t understand. From decoding wolf howls to making sense of millions of citizen-science sightings, we explore the tools helping researchers understand the wild in new ways.

    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.

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    28 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 37 seconds
    How to repair your most important relationships
    It's never too late to make things right—even when cracks form within our relationships with our families, our environment...or the inevitable. This hour, TED speakers offer healing solutions.

    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.

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    21 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 38 seconds
    How the creator economy is making you talk like the internet
    Online linguist Adam Aleksic explains how he goes viral decoding internet slang. Plus, why making a living online means working for “the algorithm,” in part 2 of our creator economy series.

    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.

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    14 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 35 seconds
    The price of creativity
    The words "content creator" may make you roll your eyes. But in part 1 of our series, Kickstarter co-founder Yancey Strickler explains how the creator economy is changing work, art and what we value.

    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.

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    7 November 2025, 8:00 am
  • 49 minutes 40 seconds
    Move fast...and fix democracy?
    It's easy to despair with another government shutdown. But this hour, three speakers argue that simple upgrades are key to restoring faith in the American experiment. Guests include venture capitalist and political consultant Bradley Tusk, political advisor Jennifer Pahlka and e-governance expert Anna Piperal.

    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

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    31 October 2025, 7:00 am
  • 49 minutes 37 seconds
    The great food rescue
    The average American household throws away $200 of food each month. How can we get more food onto plates and less into landfills? This hour, changing the food system, from the farm to your kitchen. Guests include food waste expert Dana Gunders, social entrepreneur Jasmine Crowe-Houston, chef and sustainability activist Anthony Myint and behavioral scientist Jiaying Zhao. 


    Original broadcast date: December 6, 2024.


    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

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    24 October 2025, 2:10 pm
  • 49 minutes 38 seconds
    The art of choosing what to do
    The way we spend our hours defines our lives. This hour, TED speakers explore how we make choices about time, meaning and attention in a world of infinite options.

    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.

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    17 October 2025, 7:00 am
  • 15 minutes 53 seconds
    Head of TED, Chris Anderson, on TED’s new chapter
    Based on the simple premise, "Ideas worth spreading," Chris Anderson spent the last 25 years turning the non-profit TED organization into a globally recognized media powerhouse. Now he's ready to announce a new chapter for TED, along with a new steward and visionary: Sal Khan.

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    15 October 2025, 5:00 pm
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