Fresh Air

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...

Some people might only dream of adventure, but for others, there’s no other option but to explore the most extreme places on Earth. From the deepest caves to rough oceans, from the North Pole to dizzying heights on a high wire: what drives adventurers to constantly push to the brink of human endurance? In this hour, TED speakers share their experiences of going to the edge of our world. Arctic explorer Ben Saunders recounts his harrowing solo ski trek to the North Pole...

"The world has over a trillion hours a year of free time to commit to shared projects," says professor Clay Shirky. But what motivates dozens, thousands, even millions of people to come together on the Internet and commit their time to a project, for free? What is the key to making a successful collaboration work? In this hour, TED speakers unravel ideas behind the mystery of mass collaborations that build a better world...

Our lives are often defined by turning points. They can happen gradually or in an instant. But how do we reconcile the before and the after — our former selves with who we’ve become? In this hour, we hear from TED speakers who have been shaped by profound turning points in their lives. Surgeon and author Sherwin Nuland recalls how he broke free of a debilitating depression after undergoing electroshock therapy...

Stories ignite our imagination, let us leap over cultural walls and cross the barriers of time. Stories affirm who we are, and allow us to experience the similarities between ourselves and others, real or imagined. Stories help us make meaning of our lives. In this hour, TED speakers talk with Guy Raz about the art of storytelling, and how good stories have the power to transform our perceptions of the world...

Musician Amanda Palmer told host Guy Raz it took months for her TED Talk to take shape. We couldn't fit this part of their conversation in the final cut of our new episode, "Giving It Away", so we've included it here. Plus, Amanda performs her "Ukulele Anthem" at TED. 

Learning is an integral part of human nature. But why do we — as adults — assume learning must be taught, tested, and reinforced? Why do we put so much effort in making kids think and act like us? In this hour, TED speakers explore the different ways babies and children learn on their own — from the womb, to the playground, to the web...

On this episode 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...

Violence and brutality are grim realities of life. So why are some people violent, and others aren’t? Are some of us born that way, or can anyone be pushed into committing acts of cruelty? What would it take for an ordinary person to become violent? In this hour, TED speakers explore the sinister side of human nature, and whether we’re all capable of violence. Psychologist Philip Zimbardo tells the story of his notorious Stanford Prison experiment and how easy it is for people to turn violent...