Fresh Air

Whether you call them Millennials, Generation Y, or the Me Generation, one thing's for certain: this generation of young people will change the world. But how different is this hyper-connected generation from its predecessors? And what will be its legacy? In this hour, we hear from TED speakers searching to define themselves and their generation. Demographer Neil Howe coined the term “Millennial” in 1991, and offers perspective on the now loaded term...

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...

In this TED Radio Hour, we'll try to seduce you with new ideas about beauty. Philosopher Denis Dutton and psychologist Nancy Etcoff take us back in time to the primordial reasons why we all share a common taste for beauty.  Fashion model Cameron Russell walks us down the runway of beauty's perilous side. Civic leader Bill Strickland transforms inner city youth by adorning arts education centers with beauty of every shape and form...

You can give away almost anything — your time, money, food, your ideas. Giving helps define who we are and helps us connect with others. And thanks to the internet and a rise in social consciousness, there’s been a seismic shift not only in what we’re giving, but how. In this hour, stories from TED speakers who are “giving it away” in new and surprising ways, and the things that happen in return...

We communicate with each other in all sorts of ways, spoken and unspoken. In this hour, TED speakers reflect on how our words and methods of communication affect us, more than you might expect. Linguist John McWhorter says texting has come of age with such speed and force that it's created an entirely new language within a generation. Biologist Mark Pagel believes our complex language system is a piece of "social technology", simply created to help us get things done...

Memory is malleable, dynamic and elusive. When we tap into our memories, where is the line between fact and fiction? How does our memory play tricks on us, and how can we train it to be more accurate? In this hour, TED speakers discuss how a nimble memory can improve your life, and how a frail one might ruin someone else's. Forensic psychologist Scott Fraser argues that in a criminal trial, even close-up eyewitnesses can create "memories" they may not have seen...

Why do some of us believe, and some of us don’t? Can our doubts bring our beliefs into sharper focus? Do we all need to believe in something, and to seek meaning by creating rituals, myths and symbols? And what is the difference between belief and faith? In this hour, TED speakers offer personal perspectives on belief from all ends of the spectrum, from ardent atheists to the devout faithful...

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...

We try so hard to be perfect, to never make mistakes and to avoid failure at all costs. But mistakes happen. And when they do, how do we deal with being wrong? In this episode, TED speakers look at those darker moments in our lives, and consider why sometimes we need to make mistakes and face them head on. Dr. Brian Goldman tells a profound story about the first big mistake he made in the ER, and questions medicine's culture of denial...

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? 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...