Fresh Air

Is leadership only reserved for the extraordinary few? Who has what it takes to disrupt the status quo? In this hour, TED speakers share ideas about what it takes to forge a new path. Four-star general Stanley McChrystal recounts some tough lessons about leadership he gained from the front lines. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg gets to the bottom line for women who want to lead...

From Little League to the Olympics, athletic mastery plays a major role in our sense of achievement. But how do elite athletes push the limits of speed, strength and endurance? In this hour, TED speakers explore the minds and bodies of champions who achieve extraordinary physical feats, over and over again. Long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad takes us on the journey of her historic swim from Cuba to Florida at age 64...

Science and technology now allow us to "hack" solutions to the biggest challenges of our time. But how far is too far? And what are the consequences of these hacks? In this hour, we hear stories from TED speakers who dare to hack the brain, the climate, and even the animal kingdom in hopes of creating a better world. Computer security expert Mikko Hyppönen describes how he discovered the first PC virus and what he learned about protecting the Internet today...

Gazing up at the night sky is simultaneously humbling and utterly thrilling. This hour, we’ll hear from TED speakers who share an infectious sense of wonder and curiosity about our place in the universe and what lies beyond our skies. Phil Plait breaks down how we can defend Earth from an asteroid. Jill Tarter of the SETI Institute explains why it’s crucial for humans here on earth to continue searching for sentient beings in the cosmos...

Even the most original ideas are essentially remixes.  When is copying flattery, when is it thievery, and when is it sheer genius? In this hour, TED speakers explore how sampling, borrowing, and riffing make all of us innovators. Sampling music isn't about "hijacking nostalgia wholesale," says DJ Mark Ronson. It's about inserting yourself into the narrative of a song while pushing that story forward...

Let’s face it: people lie.  We lie to each other and to ourselves. Is there a deeper reason why we do it?  In this episode, TED speakers deconstruct the hard truths of deception. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely explains the hidden reasons we think it's okay to cheat or steal. Pamela Meyer points out manners and cues that can help us suss out a lie. Technology might actually force us to be more honest, says psychologist Jeff Hancock...

  We all have our struggles, whether they be mental, physical, or social. But what is it that makes some of us keep trying and striving to overcome despite the odds? In this hour, TED speakers tell their stories about overcoming a weakness and turning it into a strength. Temple Grandin talks about how she struggled with autism for years until she realized that her ability to “think in pictures” allows her to solve problems that many others might miss...

Our daily lives depend on travel: walking, biking, driving, flying. In the future, we’ll make tough compromises and bold leaps of faith to travel smarter, cleaner, and faster. In this hour, TED speakers reimagine the future of getting there.  Explorer Bertrand Piccard explains why he’s aiming to carry out an unprecedented mission: to circle the planet in a solar-powered airplane. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford describes how we can create a green future of smart roads and smart cars...

Income inequality is at an all-time high between the haves and the have-nots. But does the poverty gap have to be so wide, and can it potentially be eliminated altogether? In this hour, TED speakers share some big ideas about inequality, and new ways we might achieve prosperity for all.  Ernesto Sirolli recounts how well-intentioned aid programs can go awry; he says the first step to addressing poverty might be to “shut up and listen...

Human beings have a fine-tuned sense of fear. But how do we distinguish between fear and danger? How do we decide which fears are rational and irrational? In this hour, TED speakers explore what it means to be afraid, and how we calm ourselves down — or don’t — when we’re terrified. Astronaut and retired colonel Chris Hadfield discusses how to prepare your mind for the unexpected, and the worst...