When was the last time you really connected with someone who disagrees with you? Or saw a post on social media that challenged your views? Or listened to a newscast from across the political aisle? Modern life places us in all kinds of echo chambers – so what happens when these divides stop us from actually seeing and understanding one another? Today's Sunday Pick is from How to be a Better Human, another podcast from TED. Host Chris Duffy speaks with journalist Mónica Guzmán, the daughter of Mexican immigrants who voted –twice– for Donald Trump. Now 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. She talks about why interacting with (and listening to) different points of view is critical work – and how through curiosity we can achieve the seemingly impossible task of understanding those we tend to think of as our enemy. Her book, “I Never Thought of It That Way: How to Have Fearlessly Curious Conversations in Dangerously Divided Times” is out now. Check out more How to Be a Better Human wherever you get your podcasts.

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Should you be polite to robots? Political strategist Bradley Tusk and roboticist Ali Kashani explore how new technology is poised to make your life easier — from voting on your phone to having a robot deliver your lunch. They discuss the best ways to use technology to meet people where they are and the challenges that come with disrupting the status quo. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.)

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What if we could get a heads-up about serious health issues before they begin, from the moment a baby is born? In this groundbreaking talk, geneticist and physician Robert C. Green shares how his team became the first in the world to comprehensively sequence and analyze the DNA of healthy newborns, revealing hidden risks for treatable conditions. The future of medicine isn’t just about curing illness, he says — it's about predicting and preventing it.

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What if every dollar you spend today could save you 10 dollars tomorrow? Development expert Harjeet Singh reveals how climate solutions like floating farms and “sponge cities” that absorb floodwater aren’t just clever adaptations — they’re smart economics. He explains why wealthy nations must fund the adaptation efforts of developing countries and shows how anybody can build resilience to climate change no matter where they are.

For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.

Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:

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It’s not enough to do important work — we need to know it truly matters, says journalist Jennifer Wallace. Drawing on her research into firefighters, caregivers and more, she shows how simple acts of acknowledgment and connection can fuel our sense of purpose in a world that too often undervalues recognition.

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TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou

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As "beauty filters" proliferate on social media platforms like TikTok, journalist Elise Hu says we've entered the era of the technological gaze, where the digital world shapes real-world beauty standards. She explains how to navigate this new reality in all its forms — and why you should reject the idea that your appearance dictates your worth.

This episode originally aired on January 27, 2025.

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Physician-scientist David Fajgenbaum was dying from a rare disease that didn't have a cure — until he discovered a lifesaving drug that wasn't originally intended for his condition. In an astonishing talk, he shares how his near-death experience led him to cofound the nonprofit Every Cure, which is using AI to uncover hidden treatments and save many other people's lives. (This ambitious idea is part of The Audacious Project, TED’s initiative to inspire and fund global change.)

Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:

TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou

TEDSports: ted.com/sports

TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna

TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf

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In a conversation about the intersection of art and AI, spoken word poet Salome Agbaroji and musician Samora Pinderhughes sit down with Elise Hu, host of TED Talks Daily, to talk about their practices, the importance of community art programs and the impact of technology on human creativity. The two discuss why the influence of technology isn't something you can simply turn off and turn on again — and explore how to avoid compromising humanity for the sake of technological advancement. "The human experience is a very real one that we shouldn’t neglect,” says Agbaroji.

Samora Pinderhughes' Links

Black Spring Mixtape

https://www.healingprojectsound.org/

2025 MoMA Adobe Creative Resident

Salome Agbaroji's Links

TED Talk: "The Unprompted," a poem that AI will never understand

Website: https://www.salomeagbaroji.com/

Instagram: @salomeagbaroji

Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:

TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou

TEDSports: ted.com/sports

TEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-vienna

TEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.