Sunday Pick: All the lonely people | from Corner Piece

More from TED Talks Daily

1. 

   7 Oct 2026 · 14 min

   What my politically divided family teaches me | Tami Pyfer

   Tami Pyfer has five kids who belong to five different political parties, and sometimes family conversations get heated. Drawing on her work as a former policy advisor to the governor of Utah, she wanted to find a healthier way for people to talk about politics without contempt. The result is the Dignity Index: an eight-point scale that measures the language we use to disagree, aiming to ease political divisions. What score do you think your last conversation would get? Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more…

2. 

   6 Oct 2026 · 13 min

   The wonder of weightlifting | Jaime Seeman (re-release)

   With humor and hard science, obstetrician and gynecologist Jaime Seeman reveals why building muscle is one of the best ways to combat women’s top health risks. Learn the truth behind three weightlifting myths that prevent women from getting serious about strength training — and why your future self will thank you for picking up those dumbbells. (This episode originally aired in 2025.) Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

3. 

   5 Oct 2026 · 16 min

   The secret to lasting love | Eli J Finkel

   Social psychologist Eli J. Finkel has spent decades studying what makes partnerships successful. In a practical talk drawing on lessons from pop culture, he explores why so many of us struggle to be true to ourselves in our relationships — and what the happiest couples do differently. Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

4. 

   3 Oct 2026 · 51 min

   The joy of foraging your own food | Alexis Nikole Nelson

   There's a whole world of food growing right outside our doors — in our backyards, on sidewalks, in the parks we walk through every day — and most of us pass by it without a second glance. Alexis Nikole Nelson wants to change that. A self-described “ethnobotany nerd,” she’s spent years teaching people how to forage the wild food hiding in plain sight. She explores how paying closer attention to what’s already around us can reconnect us to the land, our communities and each other. (This conversation, hosted by TED’s Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. TED…

5. 

   2 Oct 2026 · 18 min

   Why we should design cities like Disney | Zach DeBoer

   Where you live shapes your relationships, your emotions and even how long you live, says community designer Zach DeBoer. After studying what a century of building cities around cars has done to downtowns in the US, he turned to lessons from some of the most walkable, carefully designed streets in the country: the ones inside Disney theme parks. With ideas ranging from narrower roads to buildings that pull you around the next corner, he offers a practical guide to turning ordinary downtowns into magical places people want to explore. Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most…

6. 

   1 Oct 2026 · 18 min

   Are your dealbreakers sabotaging your love life? | Amy Chan

   Relationship expert Amy Chan believes we're in a relationship recession, fueled by modern daters constantly looking for what could go wrong. But what if your dealbreakers are the very thing keeping you from finding love? In this relatable talk, she reveals how to discover true connection — and why the right person for you might not be who you expect. Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

7. 

   10 Oct 2026 · 24 minNew

   Why the future is human ... plus AI | Sal Khan and Esther Perel

   As AI reshapes work, school and love, what part of being human can't a machine take over? In a wide-ranging conversation, psychotherapist Esther Perel and TED's vision steward Sal Khan provide their unique takes on the answer. From personalized learning and AI companions to "emotional capitalism" and the rituals we create to live with uncertainty, the two explore if we're getting better at living or just getting better at optimizing. (This conversation is part of “TED Intersections,” a series featuring thought-provoking conversations between experts navigating the ideas shaping our world.)…

8. 

   9 Oct 2026 · 19 minNew

   The three words that saved my life | Blake Mycoskie

   On paper, Blake Mycoskie is a glowing success story: he founded TOMS Shoes, building a global brand that has given away more than 100 million pairs of shoes to children in need. Yet despite his success, his struggle with depression nearly cost him his life. In this personal talk, he explores the all-too-common shame that keeps people suffering in silence — and shares his new mission to spread the simple yet powerful message that each of us is inherently enough. (Note: This talk includes discussion of suicide and depression.) More resources Resources for suicide prevention, post-attempt…

9. 

   8 Oct 2026 · 18 minNew

   How imaginary worlds help kids learn | Anna Rainio

   All children develop at different paces — so why do schools expect every student to learn the same way? Early education researcher Anna Rainio introduces "playworlds," a learning activity where adults and kids create imaginary stories together. She shows how pretend play helps students find their place — and the power of a teacher or parent starting with a simple question: Why not? Vote for our show in the Signal Awards for Most Inspirational podcast! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

10. 

    30 Sep 2026 · 29 min

    AI and the end of loneliness | Paul Bloom

    AI companions may soon cure loneliness, says psychologist Paul Bloom: a gift for the isolated and the elderly, but a danger for the young, who need to experience the hard work of real relationships. So what happens to a generation raised on chatbots that never need an apology or get bored of a story? Bloom pitches a stranger, more hopeful solution, one that lets us lean on AI without ever losing our humanity. (Following his talk, Bloom joins Elise Hu to talk more about what role an empathetic AI could play in human life. They dig into how difficult conversations help us grow and why it might…

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