Over the course of hundreds of scuba dives, marine biologist Ayana Elizabeth Johnson fell in love -- with a fish. In this ode to parrotfish, she shares five reasons why these creatures are simply amazing (from their ability to poop white sand to make colorful "wardrobe changes") and shows what's at stake -- for us and them -- as climate change threatens the future of coral reefs.

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Among the dinosaurs, giant sea dragons roamed the ancient ocean. Millions of years later, paleontologist Dean R. Lomax and his team freed the remains of one of these colossal creatures from the Earth. Settle in to learn about the once-in-a-lifetime discovery of the 10-meter-long Rutland ichthyosaur: the largest and most complete ichthyosaur ever unearthed in Britain and one of the greatest finds in the country's paleontological history.

(This episode originally aired in 2022.)

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What if we could hear nature's ultrasonic communication -- and talk back? From a bat's shrill speech to a peacock's infrasound mating call, conservation technology researcher Karen Bakker takes us through a sound bath of animal noises that are far outside humanity's range of hearing, demonstrating how artificial intelligence has translated the incredible complexity of nature's soundtrack. She asks us to consider the moral weight of such transformative technology and explores the futuristic opportunities presented for conservation, interspecies communication and more.

(This episode originally aired in 2024.)

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The ocean plays host to a peculiar party of wild, marine sex life that's perhaps quirkier (and kinkier) than you can fathom. But is human behavior interrupting these raunchy reproductive acts? Take a deep dive with marine biologist Marah J. Hardt to discover what exactly goes down under the sea -- and why your own wellness depends on the healthy sex lives of fish.

(This episode originally aired in 2020.)

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Meet the fantastically colorful and astonishingly adaptable sea slugs that found a way to photosynthesize (or create energy from sunlight) like plants. Diving deep into these often overlooked creatures, invertebrate zoologist Michael Middlebrooks introduces the solar-powered slugs that lost their shells -- but gained the ability to directly harness the power of the sun.

(This episode originally aired in 2023.)

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When professional child actor Suki Hillier landed the title role in "Matilda The Musical," she thought she would have to learn how to become someone else. Instead, she realized she had known the role since she was three, when she playfully tried to move objects with her mind the way Matilda does. In this joyful talk, she reveals the similarities between the stage and life — because imagination isn't about escaping the world. It’s a way of building one.

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Garrett Langley founded Flock because he believed it was too easy to get away with crime in the US. His solution? A network of license plate readers, cameras, drones and audio sensors that has changed how police departments investigate crime — and raised urgent questions about safety, surveillance and privacy. In this talk, Langley explains why he thinks this tech makes the world safer, and addresses the controversy around it. (Followed by a Q&A with TED Chairman Chris Anderson and a note from TED guest curator Bilawal Sidhu)

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What's the most powerful tool in any classroom? In the age of AI, education advocate Matt Wu still believes it's the people. In this hopeful talk, he discusses the nonprofit he leads, Schoolhouse, which pairs students with peer tutors from across the globe, building the crucial human connection that every person needs to thrive. Peer tutoring isn't just teaching students how to learn concepts, says Wu. It's teaching them how to better understand one another.

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What if the next Lionel Messi or Simone Biles is out there right now ... but no one knows? Sports scientist Richard Felton-Thomas shows how new AI tools are expanding the reach of talent discovery in sports, helping scouts find the next great superstar — and letting athletes showcase their skills from anywhere in the world.

(This episode originally aired in 2025.)

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You've probably heard the warnings about digital privacy: read the terms of service, think before you share, be careful what you click. But AI ethicist Jen Golbeck says the problem runs a lot deeper than that. In this eye-opening talk, she reveals how corporations and governments built a system of "data colonialism" that tracks your movements, searches and habits — for profit and control. Learn how you can fight back against the surveillance state, starting with the devices in your own home.

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Does your “dream job” really exist? You may know Emily Durham as Emily the Recruiter on social media, where she shares practical, refreshingly honest career advice and coaches people through the biggest professional decisions of their lives. Emily doesn’t believe in the idea of a dream job. In this episode, she joins Anne to make the case for the “awake job” that actively fits into your purpose, lifestyle, and financial needs. Emily reflects on how her own purpose has evolved over time, and answers questions from listeners about how to gracefully quit a job, find a path forward when you feel stuck, and communicate your values to a potential employer.

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