
Each year, TED hosts the world's most fascinating thinkers - convention-breaking mavericks, icons, and geniuses - who give the talk of their lives in 18 minutes or less about the best ideas in Technology, Entertainment, Design and much more.
Through this exciting co-production between TED and NPR, each episode will focus around a theme (such as "Happiness") and TEDTalks that put ideas about the theme through the paces.

But the TEDTalks are just a launching point. Woven into and around a Talk, we've layered innovative soundscapes that bring ideas to life and break-off into conversation with the original speakers to probe why an idea made waves, got inside people's heads, and provoked excitement. Sometimes only portions of the original TEDTalk is played; other times you hear them almost in their entirety. Each approach to every idea is different, yet fascinating listening and great radio.
The TED Radio Hour offers a fresh step back from the frenetic pace of news. By pulling back from immediate events to explore the ideas underlying them, a whole new, connected picture opens up. And, for the most part, it's hopeful: astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, new ways to teach and learn. Through this series, public radio stations can offer the one gift you can hang onto even after you've given it away -- the magic of an idea worth spreading.
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Iranian artist Shirin Neshat is known for her images of women that pose probing questions about the female body within Islam and Iranian culture. This hour, she reflects on her life and work in exile.
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A bipartisan group of North Carolina state lawmakers is trying again to expand the role of advanced practice nurses – a proposal closely tied to efforts to expand Medicaid.
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Music curator Alexis Charpentier hunts for forgotten records around the world. He shares the story of rediscovering a Swiss band from the 80s — and how he helped give their music a second life.
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Hrishikesh Hirway always wanted to be a musician. When his dream didn't go as planned, he navigated complex feelings of success and failure — embracing opportunities that became unexpected gifts.
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The Future Soldier Preparatory Course hopes to give potential recruits who are just short of meeting U.S. Army physical or academic standards the small boost they need.
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Artist Holly Herndon created an AI clone of her voice that can sing in any languages and in any tone. In her music, Holly shows how AI can enhance the power and artistry of the voice.
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For decades, Rosanne Cash has soared through the ranks of music with her powerhouse poetic skills and wistful reflections on her past. This hour we explore Rosanne's life and legacy through her music.
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Musician Jacob Collier is known for his electrifying performances and thoughtful views on art and humanity. This hour, Jacob joins us for a conversation on the sparks that fuel his creative process.
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Behind some of the success of the Ukrainian military against Russia is a little-known U.S. initiative, one built around state national guards.
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MLK Jr., Malcolm X and James Baldwin are household names, but what about their mothers? This hour, author Anna Malaika Tubbs explores how these three women shaped American history.