The TED Interview

Psychologist Daniel Gilbert delves deep into the weird, counterintuitive science of happiness -- and explains why our minds worry about things we needn't worry about (and fail to worry about things we really should worry about). (Audio only)

Is the dress blue or gold? Do you hear "laurel" or "yanny"? Neuroscientist Anil Seth digs into why we all perceive the world so differently, and tries to explain the biggest mystery of all: consciousness. (Audio only)

Best-selling author Elif Shafak proves that storytelling can be profoundly political -- and makes the case for embracing uncertainty in turbulent times. (Audio only)

At 26, Michael Tubbs ran for Mayor of Stockton, California, hoping to transform a city in crisis into a community of opportunity. He won. Mayor Tubbs breaks down how initiatives like universal basic income can free people from poverty, what being a good neighbor means in a democratic society, and why eradicating cycles of crime requires helping victims AND perpetrators. (Audio only)

Endless growth may actually be hurting our economy -- and our planet. Economist Kate Raworth makes a case for "doughnut economics": an alternative way to look at the economic systems ruling our societies and imagine a sustainable future for all. (Audio only)

According to cognitive scientist Donald Hoffman, our brains are showing us a "hacked" version of reality. His revolutionary new way of thinking about consciousness combines the study of evolution with insights into brain activity in an attempt to solve the mysteries behind how we perceive the world. (Audio only)

A professor at Harvard Business School and expert in work culture, Frei goes into companies like WeWork and Uber with the goal of turning toxic environments into healthy, inclusive spaces. She shares why authenticity, logic and empathy are the most vital skills an employee can have -- and how the measure of a true leader can be seen not just in their presence, but in their absence, too. (Audio Only)

In 2015, Christiana Figueres brokered the historic Paris Agreement to combat climate change. She gives an inside look at the negotiations that led to a commitment from 195 countries to work toward a low carbon future and discusses her current work on COUNTDOWN, an ambitious new initiative from TED aiming to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero. (Audio only)

Microsoft founder Bill Gates takes us deep into his remarkable history and propels us into the future of technology and philanthropy. (Audio only)

An intimate conversation with one of the most unique voices in music today. Amanda Palmer shows us how the future of creative work means asking for what you want. (Audio only)

New York Times pundit David Brooks describes a plan to rebuild broken communities and offers actionable steps to live a more meaningful life. (Audio only)

Technologist Kai-Fu Lee describes the high-stakes battle between the West and China in artificial intelligence, and what it means for the future of work. (Audio only)

Self-confessed introvert Susan Cain delves deep into this complex personality trait, offering ideas for better offices, better schools and better relationships. (Audio only)

Is the future of our economy scary? Exciting? MIT research scientist Andrew McAfee argues that it's both. (Audio only)

Dive deep into the fascinating, horrifying, hopeful story of the ocean with world-renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle. (Audio only)

Monica Lewinsky reveals the very personal price to public humiliation and explores how we can all do better. (Audio only)

Life-hack master Tim Ferriss gives an intimate look into the darker moments in his life, his Stoic philosophy, and his new passion for psychedelics. (Audio only)

Historian and futurist Yuval Noah Harari has a story about the future that's profound, exciting and unsettling. (Audio only)

Author Johann Hari offers a deeply personal and surprisingly uplifting perspective on how to tackle depression. (Audio only)

As a writer, Elizabeth Gilbert is notorious for placing her heart squarely on her sleeve. Her best-selling memoir "Eat Pray Love" was a sensation precisely because of her eloquent, open-hearted descriptions of fear, divorce and wanting everything life had to offer. When she spoke at TED back in 2009, she charmed the audience with her frank descriptions of what happened after the book became a runaway success and her lyrical ideas of the nature of creativity. Nearly ten years later, in this extraordinarily intimate conversation with TED curator Chris Anderson, she shares why openness, transparency and creativity are still central to her philosophy of life -- even when faced with moments of desperation and personal tragedy.

It can be easy to believe that humans are insignificant. We're specks of dust on a random planet in a vast universe. Less powerful than elephants. Fewer than ants. But David Deutsch believes that's all beside the point, because humans possess one unique skill: attaining knowledge. David Deutsch -- Oxford professor, father of quantum computing, recluse -- convinced Chris Anderson years ago to take over leadership of TED with his ideas about knowledge. In this mind-bending conversation, the two dive into his theory that the potential reach of knowledge is infinite. They explore how knowledge first developed, why it sets us apart and what all of these heady concepts really mean for our present and future.

Many philosophers draw a hard line between the worlds of facts and values, but not Sam Harris. In this thought-provoking conversation with Chris Anderson, he makes the case that reason can indeed answer moral questions, and then explores the many controversies that emerge from that claim. Moral superiority? Cultural superiority? How about moral progress? Chris and Sam dig in to discuss the right ways to think about defining right from wrong, and reason's role in it all.

Just after 9/11, Dalia Mogahed asked: What do 1.8 billion Muslims really think? In a grand research project with Gallup, she interviewed more than 50,000 Muslims about their lives, their dreams and the state of their religion. Today, she continues her research on Muslims as the director of research at the Institute for Social Policy and Understanding. In this intimate conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, she opens up about her own faith and shares what she believes are the most common misconceptions of the world's second-biggest religion.

Was 2017 really the "the worst ever," as some would have us believe? Cognitive psychologist and linguist Steven Pinker shares data that shows: actually, it was one of the best overall. At TED2018, head of TED Chris Anderson sat down with Steven to take a closer look at the data that suggest the world is improving -- and to unpack why so many people find this idea so challenging.

On any given night, 450,000 people in the United States stay in jail without having been convicted of any crime. Most of them are there because they don't have enough money to pay bail. Exasperated at what she saw as a systemic design flaw that primarily affects poor and marginalized people, public defense lawyer Robin Steinberg came up with a plan to fix things. As she explains in this sparky conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, that idea is about as bold as they get.

Talking about race can be difficult. But Mellody Hobson argues that we need to do it anyway -- boldly and often. Mellody is the president of Ariel Investments, a firm that manages more than 13 billion dollars. And throughout her career and in her personal life, she's experienced just how corrosive it can be when people choose to be "color blind." In this candid conversation, she shares her vision of a more harmonious, diverse America -- and the difficult truths we need to swallow (and discuss) to get there.

Join head of TED Chris Anderson for a very special conversation with legendary inventor and computer scientist Ray Kurzweil, recorded live onstage at TED2018. Listen in to hear what the man who makes a living from predicting the future arc of technology thinks is coming our way next -- including a specific prediction of when he thinks technology will finally gain human levels of language understanding.

\What shapes happiness -- the experiences we have, or the stories we tell ourselves about them afterwards? When and how does our intuition reliably fail? And why is overconfidence the fatal flaw we should all watch out for? In this fascinating, far-ranging conversation, head of TED Chris Anderson digs into the questions that really matter with Danny Kahneman -- Nobel laureate, godfather of behavioral economics and one of the most influential psychologists alive.

Do schools kill creativity? Back in 2006, Sir Ken Robinson posed this question to the TED audience -- and boy, did it touch a nerve. More than fifty million views and a decade later, head of TED Chris Anderson sits down with Sir Ken to dig into the changes and progress that have been made, and to see if the answer now is any different. How are educators thinking about creativity these days? And why should creativity be a focus at all? With his characteristic verve, wit and sparkle, Sir Ken explains all. (Audio only)