Elise Hu

Flames are stretching into the communities of Brentwood, West L.A., and Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles. Firefighters are conducting airdrops and digging lines on the ground in an effort to stop the flames from spreading. They are racing to contain the Palisades Fire, which is already the biggest of the wildfires in the county, ahead of more wind events forecast for Monday.

Flames are stretching into the communities of Brentwood, West L.A., and Mandeville Canyon in Los Angeles. Firefighters are conducting airdrops and digging lines on the ground in an effort to stop the flames from spreading. They are racing to contain the Palisades Fire, which is already the biggest of the wildfires in the county, ahead of more wind events forecast for Monday.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney gave an update.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Maroney gave an update.

Dusk to dawn curfews are in effect for Palisades and Eaton Fire evacuation zones. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

Dusk to dawn curfews are in effect for Palisades and Eaton Fire evacuation zones. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

The L.A. County Sheriff is working with the coroner's office and FEMA to conduct searches. L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna says specialized search and rescue teams will use cadaver dogs to search for missing people as well as remains.

The L.A. County Sheriff is working with the coroner's office and FEMA to conduct searches. L.A. County Sheriff Robert Luna says specialized search and rescue teams will use cadaver dogs to search for missing people as well as remains.

Firefighters have struggled to contain the biggest Palisades fire in West Los Angeles. It grew by about 1,000 acres overnight. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

Firefighters have struggled to contain the biggest Palisades fire in West Los Angeles. It grew by about 1,000 acres overnight. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

Many Angelenos are eager to survey the damage in their neighborhoods and see what can be salvaged. But fire crews say repopulation won't happen until those areas are considered safe. Crews have to clean up toxic ash, hazardous waste, and make repairs to power and water infrastructure first. The Eaton and Palisades fires are the two most destructive in Southern California history.

Many Angelenos are eager to survey the damage in their neighborhoods and see what can be salvaged. But fire crews say repopulation won't happen until those areas are considered safe. Crews have to clean up toxic ash, hazardous waste, and make repairs to power and water infrastructure first. The Eaton and Palisades fires are the two most destructive in Southern California history.

And another surge of Santa Ana winds are expected late Monday. into Tuesday. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

And another surge of Santa Ana winds are expected late Monday. into Tuesday. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

The 26.2-mile race took runners from Dodger Stadium on through iconic L.A. neighborhoods of Chinatown, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. Spectators and supporters lined the entire route to cheer on the athletes. One of them was 15-year-old Abel Rivera, who lost his childhood home to the Eaton Fire in Altadena.

The 26.2-mile race took runners from Dodger Stadium on through iconic L.A. neighborhoods of Chinatown, Hollywood, and Beverly Hills. Spectators and supporters lined the entire route to cheer on the athletes. One of them was 15-year-old Abel Rivera, who lost his childhood home to the Eaton Fire in Altadena.

His neighborhood is just beginning to clean up and think about rebuilding after wildfires tore through it. For young Abel, training to run the marathon distance helped keep him calm and centered through tragedy.

His neighborhood is just beginning to clean up and think about rebuilding after wildfires tore through it. For young Abel, training to run the marathon distance helped keep him calm and centered through tragedy.

Abel ran with 3,000 other Los Angeles middle and high school students. They take part in a program called Students Run LA. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

Abel ran with 3,000 other Los Angeles middle and high school students. They take part in a program called Students Run LA. For NPR News, I'm Elise Hu in Los Angeles.

After we hear from Catherine, stick around for her conversation with TED Fellows program director Lily James Olds.

That was Catherine Nakalembe, a 2025 TED Fellow.

To learn more about the TED Fellows program and watch all the TED Fellows films, go to fellows.ted.com.

And that's it for today.

This episode was produced by Lucy Little, edited by Alejandra Salazar, and fact-checked by Eva Dasher.

The audio you heard at the top comes from the short film made by Divya Gidangi and Owen McLean, story edited by Corey Hajim, and produced by Ian Lowe.

Video production manager is Searing Dolma.

Additional support from Lily James Olds, Leonie Horster, and Allegra Pearl.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

Our team includes Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

Additional support from Emma Tobner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

And now a special conversation between TED fellow Catherine Nakalembe and TED fellows program director Lily James Olds.

That's coming up right after a quick break.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Today's talk is part of our new 2025 TED Fellows Films, adapted for podcasts just for our TED Talks Daily listeners.

We'll be releasing these special episodes showcasing our amazing fellows on certain Fridays throughout the rest of 2025 and into the new year.

So stay tuned.

The TED Fellows program supports a network of global innovators, and we're so excited to share their work with you.

Today, we'd like you to meet the satellite food security specialist, Catherine Nakalembe.

It might be hard to imagine how satellites orbiting in space can help farmers tending to the soil on Earth.

But for Catherine, who uses satellite technology and machine learning to monitor smallholder farming, this connection is essential.

She shares how satellites can play a vital role in helping to feed the world and why, even with her bird's eye view, a grounded, bottom up approach to supporting farmers is just as key.

As she puts it, true innovation isn't about high tech systems, but about making technology fit the problem.

Troy Vincent Sr., who was an all-star in the National Football League, is now the executive vice president of football operations for the NFL.

And he had access to the opportunities that led him down the path to football fame.

But as he shares in his talk, the reality is that for many young people, especially young women, the dream of becoming a professional athlete vanishes all too soon.

He asks us to consider what it will take to get sports to a place where the playing field isn't just metaphorically level, but literally accessible to all.

If you enjoy the ideas you hear on this show, did you know you have the chance to actually see the newest TED Talks live next month?

This year's TED Next conference in Atlanta, Georgia is coming up November 9th through the 11th.

And you can learn more about joining us there at TED.com slash future you.

And there won't just be talks.

In addition to hearing world-class ideas from inspiring speakers like Jermaine Dupri, Sanjay Gupta, and Vivian Tu live, TED offers unforgettable interactive experiences, discovery sessions, and networking events.

Witness history in the making, make connections that will last a lifetime, and get inspiration that might just spark your next big idea.

Go to TED.com slash future you or click the link in our show notes to learn more about TED Next.

That was Troy Vincent Sr.

speaking at TED Sports Indianapolis in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This episode was fact-checked by the TED Sports Research Team and produced and edited by our team.

Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tanzika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Imagine a world where all young people, regardless of their gender, had access to the same opportunities.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

It turns out the smell is the least of our worries when it comes to landfills.

In this talk, sustainability strategist Mohamed A. Sultan shares why methane gas, the odorless, invisible gas, is so dangerous for our health and our well-being.

Showcasing different examples of sustainable development projects across the African continent, he offers an alternative path towards a world with low methane emissions and shares why this is not only good for the planet, but good for people everywhere.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Mohamed A. Sultan at the TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Fasey-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

If you enjoy the ideas you hear on this show, did you know you have the chance to actually see the newest TED Talks live next month?

Over the next 15 minutes, he engages with multiple audience members he's never met before, wows everyone, and shows us how the principles of mentalism can be tools for living better and more connected lives at home, at work, and in our relationships.

That was Oz Perlman leaving us all speechless at TED 2025.

And if you can, I would definitely recommend checking out the video of this talk over at TED.com.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

And you can learn more about joining us there at TED.com slash future you.

And there won't just be talks.

In addition to hearing world-class ideas from inspiring speakers like Jermaine Dupri, Sanjay Gupta, and Vivian Tu live, TED offers unforgettable interactive experiences, discovery sessions, and networking events.

Witness history in the making, make connections that will last a lifetime, and get inspiration that might just spark your next big idea.

What?

Hey, y'all, Elise here, jumping in to say that Ian did, in fact, sit down at this moment looking absolutely flabbergasted, meaning he was thinking of Alexander the Great.

I'm as shocked as you are, honestly.

You don't have to hold the applause inside, Ted.

Go to TED.com slash future you or click the link in our show notes to learn more about TED Next.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hugh.

Have you ever wanted to read someone else's mind?

Well, mentalist Oz Perlman is billed as one of the world's greatest mind readers, and yet he says he doesn't have any special powers.

Around this time, someone from offstage hands Oz a small whiteboard and a marker.

He turns to Angira, and as he talks to her, he writes down a name, but doesn't reveal it to the audience just yet.

Are we singers?

Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan.

Bob Dylan.

This is not my first rodeo.

Okay, folks, the camera swings back to Anjira, who is bouncing up and down as she stands talking to Oz, and he's right.

She wasn't actually thinking of Bob Dylan.

It's true.

In this spectacular talk meets magic show, mentalist Oz Perlman opens up to a captivated audience, sharing why it all comes down to understanding the human spirit and mind.

The whiteboard turns to face us, and Oz had, in fact, written down Trevor Noah on the small whiteboard, and Jira is truly shocked.

Jeff, do you know what the most common question I get at the end of a show is?

Oz turns back to the man in the audience named Jeff, who he had spoken with earlier.

A staff person hands him a small blank whiteboard and a marker.

This year's TED Next conference in Atlanta, Georgia is coming up November 9th through the 11th.

At this point, O's is back on stage and he whips out a bright green collapsible Frisbee.

As you can imagine, Dylan throws it far up into the seats, stays right.

Please go.

Oh my God, is that far?

So close your eyes if you can, please don't if you're driving, and imagine you're sitting in the TED theater.

That's right.

Oz is on stage, the house lights go up, and he walks out into the audience.

Show everybody!

Well, you guessed it, folks.

Jeff had indeed written down... Thank you, Brett!

...Barack Obama.

I'm your host, Elise Hugh.

Last Sunday, I shared with y'all that we're doing a virtual read-along of TEDx speaker Oliver Berkman's book, Meditations for Mortals, four weeks to embrace your limitations and make time for what counts.

This is happening in the lead up to our TED Talks Daily Live Book Club conversation, which is gonna happen on Tuesday, November 4th.

While we read along, I'm sharing a few talks with you here that I've been reminded of or have turned to as I'm reading this book.

Today, we're thinking about what it means to take action.

Oliver asks us to think about what could shift if we embrace imperfection, which connects to this 2023 talk from cognitive scientist Maya Shankar.

In her talk, she explains how life's curveballs can be expansive and even inspiring.

She also has three questions to reframe our relationship to change and open up the possibility for growth.

You can follow me on Instagram at Elise Who, that's E-L-I-S-E-W-H-O, where I'll be sharing thoughts about the book Meditations for Mortals as we read along.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

And if you're intrigued, please head to ted.com slash join to sign up and RSVP for our book club meeting.

But for now, here's Maya's talk.

That was Maya Shankar at TED 2023.

Her talk was originally published in July 2023.

And to those of you who are interested in joining us for our last live book club conversation of the year, which I hope you do, it's happening November 4th with Oliver Berkman, the author of Meditations for Mortals.

Just visit ted.com slash join to sign up and RSVP.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

If you enjoy the ideas you hear on this show, did you know you have the chance to actually see the newest TED Talks live next month?

Cesar's lab is based in Santiago, Chile, and it uses AI to design new proteins with both therapeutic and environmental applications.

His creative approach to protein design and AI shows why Latin America is emerging as such a leader in this space and why we should look to enzymes for everything from breaking down PET plastics to developing new healthcare solutions.

After we hear from Cesar, stick around for his conversation with TED Fellows Program Director Lily James Olds.

It's coming up.

And you can learn more about joining us there at TED.com slash future you.

That was Cesar Ramirez Sarmiento, a TED 2025 fellow.

To learn more about the TED Fellows program and watch all the TED Fellows films, just go to fellows.ted.com.

And that's it for today.

This episode was produced by Lucy Little, edited by Alejandra Salazar, and fact-checked by Eva Dasher.

The audio you heard at the top comes from the short film made by Divya Gidangi and Owen McLean.

Story edited by Corey Hajim and produced by Ian Lowe.

Video production manager is Searing Dolma.

Additional support from Lily James Olds, Leonie Horster, and Allegra Pearl.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

Our team includes Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

Additional support from Emma Tobner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

And there won't just be talks.

In addition to hearing world-class ideas from inspiring speakers like Jermaine Dupri, Sanjay Gupta, and Vivian Tu live, TED offers unforgettable interactive experiences, discovery sessions, and networking events.

Witness history in the making, make connections that will last a lifetime, and get inspiration that might just spark your next big idea.

And now a special conversation between Cesar and TED Fellows Program Director Lily James Olds.

Coming up right after the break.

Go to TED.com slash future you or click the link in our show notes to learn more about TED Next.

If you enjoy the ideas you hear on this show, did you know you have the chance to actually see the newest TED Talks live next month?

This year's TED Next conference in Atlanta, Georgia, is coming up November 9th through the 11th.

And you can learn more about joining us there at TED.com slash future you.

And there won't just be talks.

In addition to hearing world-class ideas from inspiring speakers like Jermaine Dupri, Sanjay Gupta, and Vivian Tu live, TED offers unforgettable interactive experiences, discovery sessions, and networking events.

Witness history in the making, make connections that will last a lifetime, and get inspiration that might just spark your next big idea.

Go to TED.com slash future you or click the link in our show notes to learn more about TED Next.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Today's talk is part of our new 2025 TED Fellows Films adapted for podcasts just for our TED Talks Daily listeners.

We'll be releasing these special episodes showcasing...

our amazing fellows on certain Fridays throughout the rest of 2025 and into the new year.

This year's TED Next conference in Atlanta, Georgia is coming up November 9th through the 11th.

The TED Fellows program supports a network of global innovators, and we are so excited to share their work with you.

Today, we'd love for you to meet protein engineer, designer, and TED Fellow Cesar Ramirez Sarmiento.

What if we could take one of nature's fundamental biological building blocks, proteins, and redesign them to tackle some of humanity's biggest challenges?

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

What really happens when someone wins the lottery?

In this TEDx talk, Matt Pitcher, who is a former financial advisor to UK national lottery winners, shares the fascinating stories of what sudden wealth can do.

From life-changing joy to personal crises, these real-life accounts reveal how money can test values, relationships, and our identities.

He asks the question of all of us, what would you do if you won?

And more importantly, how are you already spending your most valuable resources of money and time?

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Matt Pitcher speaking at TEDxWinchester in the UK in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Fasey-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

By now it's clear we need bold strategies to pay for and stop the damages of climate change.

In this talk, economist Esther Duflo asks a blunt question.

Why don't we just tax the world's richest people in order to pay for climate damages?

She explains why a publicly funded redistribution system financed by taxes on billionaires and large multinational companies could really work and says this grand bargain is more within reach than we might expect.

That was Esther Duflo at the TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

You know, the one who makes elaborate, gorgeous, intricate, edible structures all out of chocolate.

The ones whose videos have amassed literally billions of views over the years.

Well, we have a tasty treat for you on today's episode.

Omari Gishaw, considered by some as the world's most creative pastry chef, joins Lateef Nasser, co-host of Radiolab and a guest curator at TED 2025, for a talk and demonstration and the important role food plays in the creation of wonder.

Hey all, Elise here to give you some context for what you're hearing.

As Amaury describes what goes into making the coffee clock and the reasons behind doing the work that he does,

There's a video behind him on stage of him working on all of the elements of this delicate edible clock.

He shows us how he manages to captivate the entire world with only one ingredient and without ever speaking a word.

At this point in Amory's conversation with Latif, someone has wheeled a cart on stage with all of the ingredients needed to make this coffee clock in real time.

A camera is pointed down on the cart so we can see the details of what's on it.

And we see intricate, tiny pieces of a clock.

I'm talking about all of the gears, the clock hands painted in metallic colors.

They all look so real.

It's truly hard to believe they're made of chocolate.

Omri walks us through what would be the final stage of this process, which is putting the clock together.

Yes, Omri does have a heat gun with him on stage.

And that sound you're hearing is him warming up this chocolate glue that he's describing as we continue to watch his hands delicately put together these pieces.

Et voilà.

At this point, as you can imagine, Omri has finished.

With Latif's wow, we see a gorgeous, glossy, dark chocolate cake with the clock sitting on top.

And just like that, Omri cuts into all of his hard work to describe what's inside.

And I really won't blame you if you rush to go grab a chocolate bar after this.

And that was Omri Guichat and Latif Nasser at TED 2025, leaving us all craving chocolate.

If you can, I definitely recommend checking out the video of this talk over at TED.com.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

It might be safe to say that most of us have seen the chocolate guy on social media.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Thankfully, women's sports are finally experiencing a huge surge in popularity around the world.

I mean, who's not watching the WNBA playoffs right now?

There's been record-breaking viewership and attendance of games across sports and significant revenue growth.

And yet, social media algorithms, for example, are still skewing largely to covering men's sports.

In her talk, Olympic medalist and world champion rower Kate Johnson, who now leads global marketing strategy for sports and entertainment at Google, unpacks how and why this is still happening and why it's time to get serious about leveling the playing field for women's sports.

That was Kate Johnson speaking at TED Sports Indianapolis in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This episode was fact-checked by the TED Sports Research Team and produced and edited by our team.

Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tanzika Sangmarnivong.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

As many of you know, here on TED Talks Daily, we have our own book club series.

Once a month, I sit down with TED speakers who have new books out, and we talk about their work and the big ideas that shape them.

A few times a year, we host one of these conversations live for the TED membership community.

Our last event of the year will be November 4th with the author and TEDx speaker Oliver Berkman.

And I'm super excited to let you all know that for the first time ever, I am hosting a virtual read-along of his book, Meditations for Mortals, four weeks to embrace your limitations and make time for what counts.

I'd love for you to join me for the read-along.

I really am a huge fan of Oliver Berkman and his work.

The live event happens on November 4th.

You can follow me on Instagram at Elise Who, that's E-L-I-S-E-W-H-O, where I'll be sharing some thoughts and prompts about the book leading up to the event.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

And if you are intrigued, head to TED.com slash join to sign up and RSVP.

That was Meg Jay in conversation with Whitney Pennington Rogers at a TED membership event in 2021.

And for those of you who are interested in joining us for our last live book club conversation of the year on November 4th with author Oliver Berkman, visit TED.com slash join to sign up and RSVP.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Reading Oliver's book has made me think of the many incredible talks and conversations we have shared over the years that dig into big questions of how to embrace who we are and what we want to be, how to make the most of our time.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

Today, as we get started on week one of our virtual read-along, we're sharing this Archive TED membership conversation from 2021.

It's with TED curator Whitney Pennington-Rogers, who sits down with clinical psychologist Meg Jay to talk about how to close the empathy gap between you and your future self.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

What happens when we let kids take risks and solve problems on their own?

This question led journalist and founder of the free-range kids movement, Lenore Skenazy, to embrace the title she had been given online of, quote, America's worst mom, after she shared the story of allowing her nine-year-old son to ride the New York City subway alone.

That was Lenore Skenazy in conversation with Whitney Pennington-Rogers for a TED membership event in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This episode was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

In a follow-up conversation to her 2025 talk released a few weeks ago, Lenore spoke with TED curator Whitney Pennington-Rogers to dig further into why it's so important to raise independent kids in today's tech-heavy, safety-obsessed age.

There are so many thorny topics that we parents have to confront as we parent kids these days.

And that's why I'm really excited to mention another show I'm hosting called Raising Us.

It's a podcast from a kid's company called A Kids Co.

This is their first parenting podcast, and it's for parents to help us talk to our kids about topics like gaming, social media...

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

puberty, the environment, democracy.

Like I mentioned, a lot of thorny topics.

And all of these topics couldn't be better connected with the overarching point that Lenore Skenazy makes in her conversation with Whitney.

Here they are.

Yeah, let's do it.

How has your previous activism and your social media work connected to this decision to try and go into electoral politics?

We sat down together at this year's TED conference to unpack how our online lives have moved offline and what that means.

Why electoral politics?

Very common story.

Yes.

And a quick note, this conversation was recorded in April 2025 while Deja was still running for Congress in a Democratic Party primary election for Arizona's 7th congressional district held in September.

The conversation mentions her run.

And the flip side of this is that after World War II, all the electeds were in their 20s because it was like all these war veterans who just came home.

And so Congress, if you actually looked at people who were elected officials in like the 1948 Congress.

And most of them were probably in their 20s or at least half.

Right.

So it's pretty astounding.

What is your message then to young people who might be feeling pretty cynical?

I know it.

If not cynical, helpless about civics right now.

Well, Deja, congrats on your TED Talk.

Thank you.

To kick things off, I would love to know what it was like just preparing for the TED Talk, what surprised you along the way in this whole journey to winding up on stage.

Oh, I love this.

I wish we'd started here.

I know.

Maybe we should.

So what does innovation or a good idea look like to you or mean to you?

Oh, so a good idea has staying power.

Okay.

A good idea sticks.

What would you say is the merit to distilling big ideas into something like a TED Talk now that you've done it?

All right.

What is something new that you brought into your life in 2025?

A run for Congress.

Okay, boom.

You got that one.

And then that was a real lightning answer.

And then what are you hoping to leave behind this year?

This conference has spent already a lot of time talking about AI.

It's going to continue to focus on AI.

There's been so many.

I mean, how many robots have there been?

What is the conversation about AI missing, do you think?

What do you want to hear more of in these conversations?

Is there a regret you have, a mistake that you've made in your life that has really taught you something in particular?

What's your transformative mistake?

I love that.

I love that.

Okay, last question.

Okay.

What is a small gratitude that you have in your life right now?

So a detail, something really specific that you're like, oh, I'm so glad that exists or I'm so glad for that particular moment or product.

That was Deja Fox in conversation with me, Elise Hu at TED 2025 in April 2025.

You can check out Deja's talk on the TED Talks daily feed and at TED.com.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This episode was produced by Lucy Little and edited by Alejandra Salazar.

This episode was recorded by Rich Amies and Dave Palmer of Field Trip, production support from Daniela Balarezo and Shu Han Hu.

The TED Talks Daily team includes Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

Yeah, yeah.

Why do you think it is that teen girls so often get written off culturally as a source of power and innovation and intellect?

Well, some of it might be structural, too, right?

I mean, obviously, you're talking about kind of culturally the way that things are labeled and identified and spoken about and who gets to count and matter and who doesn't.

But also there's structural aspects of our online platforms, which is what your talk gets to, that can be quite difficult or unsafe spaces for women and girls.

Yeah.

And so you are advocating for alternate online spaces that are built by and for young women.

We'd love for you to just kind of expand on what that looks like and how an online space that is coming from and governed by a more women's perspective is different.

And there's also a lot of sameness too.

I mean, one of the big knocks against the TikTok algorithm is that you often see the same heavily, largely white, thin, you know, women with feminine, traditionally or conventionally feminine features.

Are there platforms that you're

wanting to see that do that differently?

Or are there those in existence that kind of offer a different look at reality?

When it comes to these alternative spaces, who's in charge of them?

Because obviously the mega tech companies and the mega conglomerates are in charge of our existing spaces.

What about the new platforms?

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas and conversations to spark your curiosity every day.

Who's running them?

Is it also profit-driven in the same way?

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Deja Fox is 25 years old, and she already has a decade's worth of experience as a public figure and activist.

Well, that raises the next question.

Are there certain tech regulations or proposed regulations of social platforms that you're supportive of?

So there's nothing in particular that Congress has looked at so far that you're like, oh, yes, we need to curb this.

That's in big part thanks to social media.

Through sharing her youth activism, Deja grew a strong following that translated into a budding career in politics.

So when it comes to the new spaces that your talk focuses on, alternative online spaces, ones that are kind of growing now—

How would these new platforms protect and preserve safety and have the online community guidelines that maybe are missing now?

And how should they be prevented from winding up with the same problems and the same muck that's showing up in our current online platforms?

including becoming one of history's youngest presidential campaign strategists during Kamala Harris's 2024 campaign.

Yeah, but does it create any, like, I guess, a balkanized kind of internet, though, where it's like, this is the girl internet and this is the boy internet?

Yeah.

And then...

There's like the gender wars that we're already seeing continue to play themselves out, but in completely different echo chambers.

Now, Deja is challenging us to reimagine what our internet looks like and how to make social media a more inclusive space for everyone, including girls and women.

Yeah.

Stick around.

We'll be right back after a short break.

Let's connect our conversation to what you're up to now.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

Welcome back to my top 10 TED Talks, our first ever podcast playlist where we share a curated list of TED Talks from the archive on our feed all at once.

The first few talks on my top 10 list have asked us to look inward because the way we view and relate to ourselves affects who we are and how we act in the world.

But now I want to look outward.

So next up, I want to share journalist George Monbiot's talk from 2019 on the political stories that shape everything in our societies.

It's a framing for understanding the modern world.

It feels like the world's in crisis and upheaval.

And for me, this is a vital talk for the time we're living in.

He explains why we're stuck in a system that just keeps failing us and offers a potential way out.

Hey, everyone, you're listening to TED Talks Daily, the show where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was George Monbiot at the TED Summit in 2019.

This is the fifth of 10 talks from the TED Archives that we are reposting as part of our first podcast playlist of my top 10 talks.

As we consider the narratives of the world, the systems that we're in, it really leads well into the next talk about institutions and institutionalized and structural racism.

That's coming up next.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

That was James Koonsler at TED 2004.

Can you believe it?

This is the seventh of TED Talks from the TED Archives that we are reposting as part of our first TED Talks Daily podcast playlist of my top 10 talks.

And stick with us because we're going to go to a more modern talk coming up next from Lori Gottlieb.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

Thanks for listening.

Welcome back to my top 10 TED Talks, our first ever podcast playlist where we share a curated list of talks from the archive on our feed all at once.

Whether you've been with us since the first talk I shared in this playlist or you're just jumping in right here, this is one of my favorites for many reasons.

And one of the reasons is that you have to go way back to find it.

Social critic James Koonsler's 2004 talk, The Ghastly Tragedy of the Suburbs and the Very Real Reasons Behind Why They're So Ugly.

The delivery of this talk really cracks me up, and I think it's worth watching on TED.com for his visual examples.

But as a listen, it's also a good one.

It's asking us to reflect on the way that the design of our neighborhoods can make us more or less human and connected.

Hey, everyone.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, the show where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Lori Gottlieb speaking at TED at DuPont 2019.

This is the eighth of 10 talks from the TED archives we are reposting as part of our first podcast playlist of my top 10 TED talks.

And I'm glad you just heard from Lori Gottlieb because it pairs really well with the next one.

It is a classic from the psychotherapist Esther Perel.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

Thanks for listening.

I'm your host, Elise Hume.

After all these years of listening and now hosting this show, the number one question I still get is, Elise, what are the talks that have stood out to you?

What are your favorite talks?

And of course, I have more than 10 favorites, but we had to start somewhere.

So we made a playlist and dropped 10 of my favorite TED Talks on the feed for our first ever podcast playlist.

This next one is from psychotherapist and author Lori Gottlieb, and it's had a profound impact on my life and my thinking because it's taught me how most of life's problems just boil down to wanting one of two things, freedom or change.

But it's really important that we take into account something else.

Lori Gottlieb gets into it.

Hey everyone, you're listening to TED Talks Daily, the show where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

Welcome back to Elise's Top 10 TED Talks, our first ever podcast playlist where we share a curated list of talks from the archive on the feed all at once.

That was Esther Perel at TED 2015.

This is the ninth of 10 talks from the TED archives that we are reposting as part of our first podcast playlist of my top 10 TED talks.

And to wrap it up, who better than one of our TED favorites, Suleika Juwad.

That's coming up.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

Thanks for listening.

Thank you so much for having me.

Therapist and podcast host Esther Perel's 2015 talk is called Rethinking Infidelity, a talk for anyone who has ever loved.

And honestly, the title says it all.

It reframed how I understand relationships and ourselves.

And in a world that's all about connection, what better talk to dig into this topic?

Hey, everyone.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, the show where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

Thank you.

That was Suleika Juwad at TED 2019.

And that was the last talk from the TED Archives that we are reposting as part of our first TED Talks Daily podcast playlist of my personal top 10 TED Talks.

What a joy to be able to share some of these favorites with you.

And thank you so much for taking the time to listen.

I return to these talks pretty often and hope you will too.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Welcome back to my top 10 TED Talks, our first ever podcast playlist where we share a curated list of talks from the archive on the feed all at once.

I hope that you have enjoyed some of these, if not all of them, on this list.

And to close out this playlist, we have the formidable writer, teacher, and activist Suleika Juwad.

We started with talks that were about our present and future selves and how to think about it.

We've also talked about stories that we tell ourselves, narratives for the wider world, and what it means to consider aesthetics, connection and relationships.

Now we bring you to Suleika.

In her first TED Talk from 2019, she shares what almost dying taught her about living.

And she asks us the profound yet simple question, how do you begin again and find meaning after life is interrupted?

As we've learned from so many TED Talks, life can be a series of interruptions and restarts, frustrations.

Hey, everyone.

Suleika reminds us of life's beauty and our resilience.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, the show where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

What happens when following the right path leads you to the wrong place?

That was a conversation between Yancey Strickler and Jenny Du for our original series, TED Intersections.

Visit TED.com to watch this conversation and others from the series.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Fasey-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Writer, entrepreneur, and former Kickstarter CEO Yancey Strickler sits down with engineer and chemist Jenny Du to explore the question of how we each find unique purpose in this new episode from TED Intersections.

our original series that features unscripted conversations between speakers and experts taking on subjects at the intersection of their expertise.

Yancey and Jenny discuss how they each found the spark that led to their success and why it's important to love our own weird ways of being.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Video games and kids.

It's a complicated subject, and I imagine just about everyone has an opinion, especially parents.

But what happens when a parent decides to step into the world of video games to understand their kids instead of begging them to get offline?

In this talk, esports competitor Hannah Bouquet shares how she found connection with her kids through playing esports and how video games can actually be a game changer for families.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Hannah Bouquet speaking at TEDx Sioux Falls in the US in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

In 1992, urban peace activist Akilah Shirels helped to broker a historic peace treaty between two rival gangs in Los Angeles, California.

It's a truce that led to a significant decrease in gang-related violence in neighborhoods across the city.

In his talk, Akilah shares how this experience changed his perspective on the power of dialogue and collaboration and began to redefine what public safety can look like.

And stick around after the talk for a Q&A between Akilah and TED's Head of Media and Curation, Helen Walters.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Akilah Shirell speaking at TED 2025.

This ambitious idea is part of the Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.

Learn more at audaciousproject.org.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

When the wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, California earlier this year, reports started coming out about insurance companies pulling back coverage from the people who needed it most.

This trend is only expected to increase as companies try to remove as much risk as possible.

In her talk, climate risk advisor Amy Barnes explains why we need to reframe risk insurance as a warning bell.

She says adaptation and smarter tools can help us get ahead of disasters and invest in resilience before it's too late.

That was Amy Barnes at the TED Countdown Summit Nairobi in Kenya in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sungmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Christopher Faisy-Bogan.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

Today, we're bringing you another one of our Sunday Picks, where we share an episode of another podcast from the TED Audio Collective handpicked by us for you.

When was the last time you really connected with someone who disagrees with you?

Modern life places us in all kinds of echo chambers.

So what happens when these divides stop us from seeing and understanding one another?

In a time of deepening polarization, we reached into the archives of our audio collective podcast, How to Be a Better Human, to share an episode featuring journalist Monica Guzman.

Monica is the chief storyteller for Braver Angels, an organization dedicated to political depolarization.

Monica shares the tools she uses to find common ground with her loved ones and talks about why interacting with and listening to different points of view is critical work, especially now.

How to Be a Better Human is a show that looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another.

If you want to hear more insights like this, listen to How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts.

Happy Sunday, TED Talks Daily listeners.

Learn about the TED Audio Collective at audiocollective.ted.com.

Coming up.

I'm Elise Hugh.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

For climate justice advocate Harjeet Singh, the reality is clear.

Climate change has made global uncertainty a part of daily life.

In his talk, he shares the stories of real exciting solutions that are already saving lives and livelihoods at the local level.

and argues that just as people adapt, policy and development must adapt to tailoring responses to fit local realities and not global ideals.

Because sometimes real change happens from the ground up, and we all have a part to play.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Harjeet Singh speaking at TED Countdown Summit in Nairobi, Kenya in 2025.

If you're curious about TED's curation, find out more at TED.com slash curation guidelines.

And that's it for today.

TED Talks Daily is part of the TED Audio Collective.

This talk was fact-checked by the TED Research Team and produced and edited by our team, Martha Estefanos, Oliver Friedman, Brian Green, Lucy Little, and Tansika Sangmarnivong.

This episode was mixed by Lucy Little.

Additional support from Emma Taubner and Daniela Balarezo.

I'm Elise Hu.

I'll be back tomorrow with a fresh idea for your feed.

Thanks for listening.

Food waste has about five times the greenhouse gas footprint of the entire aviation industry.

I'm your host, Elise Hu.

Deep down, we may all be searching for the same things, to know who we are and that our existence will have a positive impact on the world.

At least this is what author and journalist Jennifer Wallace thinks and what led her to interview hundreds of people asking the simple question, do you feel like you matter?

In her talk, she revealed that for so many, the answer to this question was actually no.

She digs into what she calls a crisis of mattering and shares what she's learned about how we can change the way we view ourselves and our places in the world so that ultimately we're able to answer, yes, I matter.

You're listening to TED Talks Daily, where we bring you new ideas to spark your curiosity every day.

That was Jennifer Wallace speaking at TED 2025.