TED Talks Daily

Philosopher Meghan Sullivan and space architect Ariel Ekblaw don't usually work at the same altitude ... but put them in a room together, and they'll answer the big questions. Drawing on wisdom from Aristotle to astronauts, they discuss what humans inherently owe each other, what it takes to live a good life and what a rulebook for a better world might look like. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.)

TED Fellow Ryosuke Takashima is the youngest-ever mayor in Japan's history — but he doesn't consider himself a politician. His approach to leadership is simple: listen to as many voices as possible (from students to elders) in order to figure out what needs fixing. Hear why he thinks inviting citizens to participate in reforming their own communities is the best way to get things done.Following his story, pulled from a short film he made for TED, Ryosuke speaks with Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, on the unexpected benefits of being a young civil servant. They talk about  his view of politics, what it is and what it could be, and how his age allows him to ask more questions which helps him advocate for change.

Who decides which voices survive? It's a question classical singer Gabriella Di Laccio never thought to ask until she found an encyclopedia listing thousands of women composers from across history ... and knew almost none of them. Her journey to rediscover these brilliant musicians revealed how many songs have gone unheard — and sparked a mission to record what's missing before the silence becomes permanent.

Meditation asks you to slip into a state of serene presence. But why does something that sounds effortless often feel so difficult? In this lighthearted invitation, spiritual leader Yongey Mingyur Rinpoche shares three steps to help you accept the ebb and flow of your emotions and learn to meditate anytime, anywhere.(This episode originally aired in 2022.)

What's your point? Communication expert Chris Fenning reveals how the first 60 seconds can make or break a workplace conversation — and shares a three-step framework to help you get it right.

What sound came after the Big Bang? Astronomer Mark Whittle takes us back to the infant cosmos, where massive sound waves pulsed through primordial gas in a pattern that's still traceable across the galaxy today. Working with sound artist Ander Mikalson and composer Caroline Shaw, he turns those ancient tones into a glorious, awe-inspiring choral work.

During the pandemic, Anthony Klotz predicted the “Great Resignation”: a mass exodus of unhappy workers leaving their jobs after COVID epiphanies. Now, he’s seeing a different pattern begin to emerge as people opt to hunker down in their current jobs until they can find a better option. Anthony is an organizational psychologist and professor at the London School of Management. His recent book, Jolted: Why We Quit, When to Stay, and Why It Matters, explores how we make decisions in our jobs and careers. In this episode, he joins Anne and Frances to weigh in on the patterns developing right now in the world of quitting, offer practical advice for how to make measured decisions in a fickle job market, and explain the phenomenon he calls “jolts,” when a person experiences something that causes them to suddenly reevaluate their position. Together, they also work through a listener’s dilemma as she navigates a relationship with collaborators who mistrust each other, and offer tips for leaders who suspect a member of their team may be considering quitting.

Ann Patchett’s newest book “Whistler” is a love story born from grief. In this TED Talks Daily Book Club interview, Patchett tells host Elise Hu about her writing process for the novel, where she finds inspiration and her unlikely second life as a bookstore owner. (This conversation was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. TED Membership is the best way to support and engage with the big ideas you love from TED. To learn more, visit ted.com/membership.)

What if your city could borrow money from its own bank instead of private lenders? TED Fellow Trinity Tran is leading the push for public banks — which are owned by the people through their local governments — and shows how this model could ensure your local tax dollars stay in your community. Following her story, pulled from a short film she made for TED, Trinity joins Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, to dig more into how a public bank actually works, why it’s an ideal solution to reinvesting funds into local communities, and why local organizing really works