Podcast · Learning

How to Be a Better Human

New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest: 5 Oct 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

5 Oct 2026 · 53 minNew

How to reclaim your narrative (w/ Monica Lewinsky)

Monica Lewinsky is an anti-bullying activist and host of Reclaiming with Monica, a podcast that shines her guests’ unguarded conversations about how they make sense of the world. In this episode filmed in front of a live audience at TED 2026, Chris interviews Monica on how she finds healing throughout the years. They discuss the role of public shaming in an online world, the differences between cancel culture and accountability culture, and how to have more empathy after surviving trauma. Featured guest Follow Monica Lewinsky on Instagram and X Subscribe to Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky on…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

28 Sep 2026 · 44 min

How reading can transform your life (w/ Reginald Dwayne Betts)

“We have tried to create a system devoid of beauty, and it has failed. We have never tried to create a system that is replete with beauty and ask us what it might do.” Reginald Dwayne Betts is a poet, a lawyer, and a prison reform advocate. In this episode, he joins Chris to discuss the detrimental effects of prison systems and how lack of resources and the lack of beauty in prison perpetuates dehumanization. Reginald and Chris also share their favorite poems and books and discuss Reginald’s work with the Freedom Library to bring books to prisoners and correction officers. Poems and Books…
21 Sep 2026 · 42 min

How to live longer (w/ Keith Diaz)

Keith Diaz is an exercise scientist who studies the importance of movement to combat a sedentary lifestyle. He joins Chris to talk about how you can build better habits, and why simple alarm alerts might be more effective in motivating people to move than savvier tech like smart watches. Keith also shares why you need to activate your muscles to help you fight diseases and stay healthy. Featured guest Follow Keith Diaz on LinkedIn Watch Ketih's TED Talk Connect with the team Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me Watch How to Be a Better Human videos…
14 Sep 2026 · 48 min

How to navigate complicated family dynamics (w/ Emerson Whitney)

How do you bring up difficult topics—especially when it involves a loved one? In this episode, Emerson Whitney, author of the book O Mother, talks about the grief of losing his mom to suicide. Emerson shares delicate topics such as growing up neurodivergent with ADHD and autism and how he continues to show up as his authentic self. Then Emerson and Chris discuss finding community and how to cultivate more joyful friendships. Featured guest Follow Emerson Whitney on Instagram and at https://emersonwhitney.com/ Buy O Mother Connect with the team Follow Chris on Instagram and at…
7 Sep 2026 · 44 min

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | from Better In Person

Harlan Coben doesn’t think so. The mega-best-selling author talks suburbia, impostor syndrome, and what he learned from his college friend David Foster Wallace. If you'd like to see the video version of Better in Person, you can watch it on YouTube or Apple Podcasts . Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
4 Sep 2026 · 34 min

Summer Fridays: How zombies, dragons, and superheroes could make you a better person (w/ Christopher Robichaud)

Roleplaying games and the Marvel universe may be fictional, but they can also teach us a lot about morality in the real world. Christopher Robichaud is a Lecturer in Ethics and Public Policy at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. In this episode, he shares ways we can explore important, everyday issues in fun, safe, and unexpected ways. Christopher has made a career out of teaching ethics and philosophy using pop culture, dissecting moral questions using anything from zombie apocalypse simulations to superhero narratives. He received his doctorate in philosophy from MIT. In 2015 he won…
31 Aug 2026 · 43 min

How to be creatively inspired (w/ Hrishikesh Hirway)

Hrishikesh Hirway is a musician and producer, but you probably know him best as the host of the podcast Song Exploder. Hrishikesh has a new album out, “In the Last Hour of Light,” and he shares with Chris his creative process. Hrishikesh also talks about his definition of success and why he values the act of creating over the insecurity of whether his work is “good enough.” Finally, Hrishikesh shares his advice for how people can become more attuned to their creative side. Featured guest Follow Hrishikesh Hirway on Instagram , LinkedIn , YouTube , and at https://hrishikesh.co/ Subscribe to…
28 Aug 2026 · 37 min

Summer Fridays: The art of paying attention (w/ Wendy MacNaughton and Laurel Braitman)

If you found yourself doodling or writing a lot as a child but then lost the hobby as you grew up, Wendy MacNaughton and Laurel Braitman want to help you recapture your spark. Wendy MacNaughton is an illustrator, the author of “How to Say Goodbye”, and the creator of Draw Together, an art and learning community. Laurel Braitman is a TED Fellow, the author of the memoir “What Looks Like Bravery”, and the founder of Writing Medicine, a community of writing healthcare professionals. Together, Wendy and Laurel created Attention Club, a group of people pursuing creativity by practicing focus with…
24 Aug 2026 · 43 min

The last places without human sounds (w/ Matt Mikkelsen)

What is natural sound in an increasingly noisy world? asks sound recordist and audio engineer Matt Mikkelsen. Matt travels the world recording natural sounds in places where you can’t hear anything made by humans: no planes, no cars, no ringing phones. In this episode, Matt joins Chris to talk about the difference between quiet and silence. Matt shares his adventures and work with Quiet Parks International and even shares a story about the time he was struck by lightning. They also talk about the importance of choosing our acoustic environment and why it’s important to unplug and sit still…
21 Aug 2026 · 34 min

Summer Fridays: Why you should try birding (w/ Christian Cooper)

If you ask Christian Cooper, a science writer, editor, and the host of the show “Extraordinary Birder With Christian Cooper”, birding can teach us all kinds of lessons about life, self-acceptance, and joy. In this episode, Christian shares what he deems as the seven pleasures of birding, why inclusion is especially important in life-affirming pursuits, and how anyone (city-dwellers and countryside-residents alike) can commune with nature to unlock the awe and wonder of the world around us. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6…
17 Aug 2026 · 41 min

How increasing your happiness can help solve climate change (w/ Jiaying Zhao and Elizabeth Dunn)

The conversation around climate change is often bleak and terrifying, but it doesn’t have to be that way, says climate behavior scientist Jiaying Zhao, or JZ. In this episode, JZ and happiness researcher Elizabeth Dunn join Chris to discuss why we need to account for happiness in climate solutions. JZ and Elizabeth argue since happiness is contagious, making happiness-driven decisions go further in influencing behavioral change than fear-based tactics. They also talk about an anesthetic gas that releases more carbon than CO2 and why you should google if your bank is investing money in fossil…
14 Aug 2026 · 35 min

Summer Fridays: How to clean your house without losing your mind (w/ KC Davis)

Let’s face it: if chores were fun, they probably wouldn’t be called that. Because for most people, life can be overwhelming – and that means it doesn’t always look like a cleaning commercial where everyone is dancing their way to do laundry, take out trash, or smiling while washing the dishes. KC Davis is a therapist, author, podcaster, and TikToker who knows that caring for yourself can be a struggle. In this episode, she shares how radically rethinking “care” tasks –like not seeing a lack of cleanliness as shameful, or viewing messiness as a moral failure– can improve our quality of life.…
10 Aug 2026 · 41 min

What trees can teach us about life (w/ Robert Moor)

What can we learn from trees? Robert Moor thinks that the path to a well-lived life lies in trying our best to live like a tree. Branch out, prune what doesn’t work, and make use of the spots where we’ve been injured or broken. Robert talks to Chris about his decade-long project to write a book about the wisdom of trees, which took him from a thousand year old bonsai in Tokyo to a tree-climbing teacher in England and living in the canopy of an old growth forest in Canada to try and prevent its logging. This is an adventurous, far-ranging episode about what it means to be a human and why the…
7 Aug 2026 · 25 min

Summer Fridays: Lessons from 102-year-old swimmer Maurine Kornfeld (re-release)

Maurine “Mighty Mo'' Kornfeld will soon turn 102 years old, and most days, you can catch her doing laps in a Los Angeles public swimming pool. And that’s not just because she regularly competes in – and wins – world swimming championships! It’s because she loves being in the water, despite only picking up swimming as a hobby well into her sixties. In this special episode, Maurine shares what she’s learned from doing something she loves almost every day, why it’s never too late to start something new, and the three things anyone can do to improve their life, no matter their age. For the full…
3 Aug 2026 · 45 min

Why should you care about animal sex? (w/ Perrin Ireland)

Perrin Ireland is an artist and environmentalist who draws science comics. She’s also the author of Poking the Squid: What We Can Learn from Animal Sex. In this episode, Perrin discusses why learning about the kinky sex lives of animals is a form of biodiversity! From topics such as animal caregiving to how language tends to ascribe sexual characteristics onto non-objects, Perrin shares why openly talking about animal sex isn’t scandalous, but allows for better understanding of animal and human social organization. Factcheck Notes 1. Reported estimates of same-sex pairings and divorce rates…
31 Jul 2026 · 38 min

Summer Fridays: How to be more joyful (w/ Ingrid Fetell Lee) (re-release)

How to find and create Joy in your life -- what is joy? And what is its purpose in our lives? We talk with Ingrid about how to cultivate more joy in our daily lives, especially when we don't feel particularly in the headspace for joy, and about how our design choices can have a huge impact on the way we perceive joy in our environment. We also talk with her about her book Joyful and her TED talk. (This episode originally aired in 2025.) For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…
27 Jul 2026 · 43 min

How to understand your family history (w/ Keith Rushing)

Journalist Keith Rushing has spent years trying to report on his most difficult story - the history of his own family. Who do we come from? What do we inherit from the past? How can understanding our ancestors make us better humans today? To find out the answers, Chris invites Keith to talk about his book Descended: Searching for my Gullah-Geechee Roots. They cover how everything from the history of slavery to the cultural significance of African connections to the Gullah-Geechee people. This is a conversation about how you can spark your own curiosity to start researching your own family…
24 Jul 2026 · 35 min

Summer Fridays: How to find “your thing” (or your many things) (w/ Constance Hockaday) (re-release)

Some people are born knowing exactly what they want to do with their life – and because of that, they’re able to get to the top of their field. But most of us have multiple passions and identities, making it difficult to visualize our own unique paths. So, how do we explore who we are and what we love to do in our careers and in our lives? This week, guest & TED Fellow Constance Hockaday helps us navigate and voice our deepest hopes and desires. She walks us through her perspective as an artist, what she’s learned from immersing herself into small and sometimes very isolated communities, and…
20 Jul 2026 · 43 min

What the data shows about youth mental health (w/ Candice Odgers)

“Social media and screen time aren’t the most important factor in teen mental health,” says development psychologist Candice Odgers. While this claim sounds counterintuitive, Candice shares why it’s so pervasive— scary stories sell. They always have . In this episode, Candice joins Chris to discuss social inequity and the five areas that would be more effective in helping improve teens mental health than banning social media. Featured guest Follow Candice Odgers on LinkedIn and at https://candiceodgers.com/ Watch Candice's TED Talk Connect with the team Follow Chris on Instagram and at…
17 Jul 2026 · 37 min

Summer Fridays: How to get your sense of wonder back (w/ Nate DiMeo) (re-release)

How do you make sense of the present? Nate DiMeo might suggest you look at the past. Nate is the host of the podcast and book, The Memory Palace. Nate joins Chris to discuss how the past can teach us to live life in a new, rich, and complex way. Nate shares how to exercise the muscle of curiosity, how to tap into your sense of wonder to escape algorithmic filters, and urges you to seek moments of meaning in between life’s biggest plot points. This is an episode of TED's How to Be a Better Human podcast. Listen on your favorite podcast app: https://tedtalks.social/4gmAZt3 For the full text…
13 Jul 2026 · 42 min

How to think fast and talk smart (w/ Matt Abrahams)

Matt Abrahams is a communication expert who teaches strategic communication at Stanford University, hosts the podcast Think Fast Talk Smart, and wrote the new book Think Faster, Talk Smarter. In this episode, he joins Chris to share his insights on mastering communication on the spot. From breaking down the four-step format on how to give an excellent speech to identifying which peers would be most effective as your test audience, Matt’s tips demonstrate the clues you can use to help you communicate better and deliver messages worth remembering. Featured guest Follow Matt Abrahams on…
6 Jul 2026 · 44 min

Why you are starved for creativity—and how to fix it (w/ Katina Bajaj)

Katina Bajaj is a scientist studying “creative health.” She looks at the role of play, fun, art, and creativity in our overall wellbeing. When was the last time you’ve gone on an “awe walk?” For Katina, carving out time where she’s not listening to music or podcasts on her walks but instead smelling the hydrangeas or allowing her mind to wander is a key way to destress. Katina joins Chris to talk about why adults are starved for creativity and why it’s important to push through the discomfort when trying something new for the first time. Featured guest Follow Katina Bajaj on Instagram ,…
29 Jun 2026 · 41 min

How play is the secret to success at work (w/ Maxwell Pearce)

Why is it so fun to watch your team win in the World Cup or to be a Knicks fan as they finally get an NBA championship? There’s a collective joy in sports that can also be found in art, theater, and comedy. In this episode of How to Be a Better Human with Maxwell Pearce, Chris talks to him about his accomplishments as a mixed media artist and a Harlem Globetrotter. Maxwell integrates playfulness into his art and in sports—whether it’s using shoelaces as texture in his artwork or training his body to perform a basketball trick shot. Maxwell shares how play is the secret ingredient in his…
22 Jun 2026 · 41 min

How to give up control - advice from neuroscientist Heather Berlin

Heather Berlin is a a neuroscientist, clinical psychologist, and professor of psychiatry and neuroscience who studies the science of giving up control. She joins Chris to talk about finding the balance between knowing when to hold on to control and when to let go and be present in the moment. They also discuss why you don’t need to always be productive or in a constant state of self-optimization, and how there are benefits in learning to lose track of time and practicing boredom. Featured guest Follow Heather Berlin on Instagram , LinkedIn , and at https://heatherberlin.com/ Buy Heather's…
15 Jun 2026 · 40 min

Why you should try improv comedy (w/ Rick Andrews)

What do radio personality Ira Glass, New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani, and your host Chris Duffy have in common? They all have practiced an unexpected skill that makes them more human—improv comedy. And they learned it from master improv teacher Rick Andrews. Rick joins Chris to discuss the life lessons they learn from giving up control and practicing how to “yes an” in conversations. They also modeled improv games such as “Alibi,” “7 Things,” “Fortunately and Unfortunately,” and more, so you can sprinkle some improvisational silliness to build better communication and trust in your work…
8 Jun 2026 · 43 min

Why you need to get up and move—right now! (w/ Manoush Zomorodi)

How long have you been sitting today? If you’re still on the couch or the office chair, then this is your PSA to get up and move! In this episode, Manoush Zomorodi, host of NPR's TED Radio Hour, joins Chris to share the detrimental effects of sitting all day. They talk about the joy of adding more positive interruptions in your life, why going off-camera helps you improve your mind-body connection, and more! Featured guest Follow Manoush Zomorodi on Instagram , LinkedIn , and at https://www.manoushz.com/ Subscribe to Manoush Minutes on Substack Buy her book Body Electric Connect with the…
1 Jun 2026 · 53 min

Stressed, stuck, and overthinking? The science of moving forward w/ Ranjay Gulati | 10% Happier

In today’s special featured episode of 10% Happier with Dan Harris, hear from Ranjay Gulati, a Harvard professor and author whose pioneering work focuses on unlocking organizational and individual potential—embracing courage, nurturing purpose-driven leaders, driving growth, and transforming businesses. Find out how you can decipher courage and recklessness, build moral anchors for your decision-making, and take action when you’re feeling stuck. 10% Happier with Dan Harris is a show about how to do life better, hosted by a former ABC News anchor turned bestselling author. Drawing on a mix of…
25 May 2026 · 37 min

Why you should take a risk every day with Julie Zhuo | from WorkLife with Molly Graham

When you think about risk, you probably think about big, dramatic moves: quitting your job, moving across the country, saying something controversial. But the people who are actually good at taking risks are the ones who practice small challenges every day. Julie Zhuo was one of the earliest product and design leaders at Facebook, and is now the co-founder of Sundial, a company that uses AI to help organizations make better decisions. In this episode, Molly and Julie dissect what it actually means to take a risk and how you can build your risk-taking skills through daily practice. Julie…
18 May 2026 · 41 min

How algorithms changed the way we communicate (w/ Adam Aleksic

A-1. Killer-diller. Outta sight. All that and a bag of chips. This slaps! From the 1940s to the early 2020s, these words and phrases are all generational slang that means the same thing—“excellent.” In this episode, Chris speaks with linguist and content creator Adam Aleksic on how technology and algorithms are changing language. They also discuss which age-group is experimenting the most with language, how social media is transforming how the deaf community communicates, and whether going completely offline does more harm than good. Featured guest Follow Adam Aleksic on Instagram , TikTok ,…
11 May 2026 · 42 min

How to handle uncertainty (w/ Simone Stolzoff)

I was looking for certainty when there was no certainty to be found. If Simone’s words resonate with you, then this episode is for YOU. Simone Stolzoff is a journalist who writes about the uncertainty of life. In his conversation with Chris, he observes why people are becoming less tolerant of uncertainty, the harm caused when we take AI output as definitive answers, and what you can do to expand your capacity to hold uncertainty in your life. Featured guest Follow Simone Stolzoff on Instagram , LinkedIn , TikTok , and at simonestolzoff.com/ Buy Simone's books How to Not Know and The Good…

About How to Be a Better Human

How To Be A Better Human isn’t your average self improvement podcast. Each week join Chris Duffy in conversation with guests and past speakers as they uncover sharp insights and give clear takeaways on how YOU can be a better human. From your work to your home and your head to your heart, How To Be a Better Human looks in unexpected places for new ways to improve and show up for one another. Inspired by the popular series of the same name on TED’s Ideas blog, How to Be a Better Human will help you become a better person from the comfort of your own headphones. Follow Chris on Instagram and TikTok at @chrisiduffy. Buy his book Humor Me . Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

How to Be a Better Human is a English learning podcast from TED. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: TED
Language: English
Category: Learning
New episodes: Weekly
Typical length: 42 min
Latest episode: 5 Oct 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1544098624
Website: play.prx.org/listen?uf=https%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2FHowToBeABetterHuman
Rights: TED

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How to Be a Better Human

Latest episode

How to reclaim your narrative (w/ Monica Lewinsky)

Earlier episodes 29 most recent

How reading can transform your life (w/ Reginald Dwayne Betts)

How to live longer (w/ Keith Diaz)

How to navigate complicated family dynamics (w/ Emerson Whitney)

Does it Take a Twisted Mind to Write Twisted Stories? | from Better In Person

Summer Fridays: How zombies, dragons, and superheroes could make you a better person (w/ Christopher Robichaud)

How to be creatively inspired (w/ Hrishikesh Hirway)

Summer Fridays: The art of paying attention (w/ Wendy MacNaughton and Laurel Braitman)

The last places without human sounds (w/ Matt Mikkelsen)

Summer Fridays: Why you should try birding (w/ Christian Cooper)

How increasing your happiness can help solve climate change (w/ Jiaying Zhao and Elizabeth Dunn)

Summer Fridays: How to clean your house without losing your mind (w/ KC Davis)

What trees can teach us about life (w/ Robert Moor)

Summer Fridays: Lessons from 102-year-old swimmer Maurine Kornfeld (re-release)

Why should you care about animal sex? (w/ Perrin Ireland)

Summer Fridays: How to be more joyful (w/ Ingrid Fetell Lee) (re-release)

How to understand your family history (w/ Keith Rushing)

Summer Fridays: How to find “your thing” (or your many things) (w/ Constance Hockaday) (re-release)

What the data shows about youth mental health (w/ Candice Odgers)

Summer Fridays: How to get your sense of wonder back (w/ Nate DiMeo) (re-release)

How to think fast and talk smart (w/ Matt Abrahams)

Why you are starved for creativity—and how to fix it (w/ Katina Bajaj)

How play is the secret to success at work (w/ Maxwell Pearce)

How to give up control - advice from neuroscientist Heather Berlin

Why you should try improv comedy (w/ Rick Andrews)

Why you need to get up and move—right now! (w/ Manoush Zomorodi)

Stressed, stuck, and overthinking? The science of moving forward w/ Ranjay Gulati | 10% Happier

Why you should take a risk every day with Julie Zhuo | from WorkLife with Molly Graham

How algorithms changed the way we communicate (w/ Adam Aleksic

How to handle uncertainty (w/ Simone Stolzoff)

About How to Be a Better Human

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