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TED Tech

TED Tech

TED Tech 266 Episodes Sep 18, 2026

TED Tech explores the intersection of technology and humanity, covering topics from virtual realities to the internet of things. Hosted by journalist Sherrell Dorsey, each episode features TED speakers discussing how tech shapes society, science, design, business, and more. New episodes are released every Friday.

Episodes

What we're getting wrong about teens and tech | Candice Odgers | Your Body on Tech
What we're getting wrong about teens and tech | Candice Odgers | Your Body on Tech Sep 18, 2026 55:06 Trigger warning - this episode contains mention of suicide and severe depression.For years, the warning has been: smartphones are destroying a generation. But developmental psychologist Candice Odgers says that decades of data on teens tells a different story — violence, alcohol use and pregnancy are at historic lows, and research shows social media may not actually be the culprit for mental healt
What sitting all day does to your brain and body | Keith Diaz | Your Body on Tech
What sitting all day does to your brain and body | Keith Diaz | Your Body on Tech Sep 11, 2026 47:19 Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exercise scientist Keith Diaz shows how your body is built for the kind of movement that modern life has quietly erased — and suggests something refreshingly doable: making time for small doses of movement sprinkled throughout the day, as a way to boost your brain and body. And stick around after his talk for a deep dive conversation with our gue
Why living online is leaving us exhausted — and what actually helps (with Manoush Zomorodi and Elise Hu) | from TED Talks Daily
Why living online is leaving us exhausted — and what actually helps (with Manoush Zomorodi and Elise Hu) | from TED Talks Daily Sep 4, 2026 42:41 Manoush Zomorodi, host of TED Radio Hour, takes over as guest host ofTED Talks Daily this week to answer a timely question: What does it mean to be human right now, as technology reshapes everything around us? She brings together seven thinkers — scientists, doctors, parents, an artist — to wrestle with how we stay connected to ourselves, and our bodies, in a world that keeps pulling us away. Firs
Alternative Future (#1): AI is changing how we talk and think. How can we stop it? with Adam Aleksic and Advait Sarkar
Alternative Future (#1): AI is changing how we talk and think. How can we stop it? with Adam Aleksic and Advait Sarkar Aug 31, 2026 34:06 Algorithms and AI don’t show us reality, but that doesn’t stop people from treating ChatGPT and online bots as our personalized therapists, travel planners, and editors. In this episode, Sherrell is sharing two talks on how AI is changing the way we’re influenced. From shaping our language to becoming “middle managers of our own thoughts,” these speakers ask what happens when we offload critical t
Alternative Future (#2): What Earth in 2125 could look like | Iseult Gillespie
Alternative Future (#2): What Earth in 2125 could look like | Iseult Gillespie Aug 31, 2026 7:59 Faced with the realities of current crises, it’s easy to assume our world is headed in a bleak direction. But there’s good reason to be hopeful— with developments in science and technology, a positive future is more viable than ever before. So, what if the future was awesome? Iseult Gillespie explores what three cities could look like in 100 years if we harness the tools we have at our disposal. [
Alternative Future (#3): How to build in space for life on Earth | Ariel Ekblaw
Alternative Future (#3): How to build in space for life on Earth | Ariel Ekblaw Aug 31, 2026 14:15 Is space the “final frontier” — or the perfect place to revolutionize life on Earth? Space architect Ariel Ekblaw reveals how self-assembling structures could build orbiting real estate in space dedicated to solving humanity’s greatest dilemmas on Earth, leading to scientific and medical breakthroughs only possible in zero gravity. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Alternative Future (#4): The food that fertilizes itself | Giles E.D. Oldroyd
Alternative Future (#4): The food that fertilizes itself | Giles E.D. Oldroyd Aug 31, 2026 14:46 Could the key to a sustainable food system already be growing in the world’s farms? Plant scientist Giles E.D. Oldroyd explores how a special quirk of soybean plants allows them to naturally partner with networks of fungi and bacteria to access essential nutrients in the air and soil — eliminating the need for synthetic fertilizers. He shows how harnessing these microscopic powerhouses could help
Alternative Future (#5): Who owns the internet of the future? | Ordinary Things
Alternative Future (#5): Who owns the internet of the future? | Ordinary Things Aug 31, 2026 21:12 The emergence of data-driven mass surveillance "is threatening to turn privacy into a relic of the 20th century," says the anonymous YouTube creator known as Ordinary Things. Meanwhile, state-funded troll farms are spreading disinformation and curating chaos on platforms meant to connect us and revolutionize the way we live. This week, we're revisiting a talk in which Ordinary Things gives an enli
Why humans should merge with AI | D. Scott Phoenix
Why humans should merge with AI | D. Scott Phoenix Aug 28, 2026 33:37 Deep tech entrepreneur D. Scott Phoenix spent years building AI — now, he believes we're on the cusp of a profound merger between humans and machines. Reframing the AI debate through the lens of evolutionary biology, he shifts the question from whether we should fear or embrace AI to whether we understand what's at stake if we get it wrong. Hear his provocative case for why we need to "eat the AI.
Why AI isn't going to become conscious | Anil Seth
Why AI isn't going to become conscious | Anil Seth Aug 21, 2026 19:37 We see consciousness in AI the same way we see faces in clouds, says neuroscientist Anil Seth. He explores the all-too-human tendency to project inner life onto machines that are brilliant mimics, not sentient beings, and gives a definitive answer to the urgent question: Will AI ever gain consciousness? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
How to parent in the age of AI with Stephen Remedios and Avni Patel Thompson
How to parent in the age of AI with Stephen Remedios and Avni Patel Thompson Aug 14, 2026 27:31 Outsourcing parenthood can feel like the ultimate life hack. Less noise. Fewer interruptions. But at what cost? In today’s episode, Sherrell shares two talks on parenting in the age of AI. First, a father who handed the job to AI and learned something no algorithm could teach him. Then, a founder who says the goal was never to outsource the parenting but to lighten the load for the people carrying
Exploring the ocean through whales with Eric Stackpole
Exploring the ocean through whales with Eric Stackpole Aug 7, 2026 15:43 What if you stuck a camera onto a whale’s back before it dives underwater? What would you discover and what would you hear? In this episode, Sherrell shares a talk from an ocean explorer who captured something no one had ever seen. Then, she shares a TED-Ed lesson that explains the mechanics of whale communication and why their sounds are so melodic.Talks featuredA Whale’s Eyeview of the Ocean | E

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