Accessibility links
TED Radio Hour Is life today better than ever before? Does the data bear that out? This hour, TED speakers explore the stories we tell with numbers — and whether those stories portray the full picture.

TED Radio HourTED Radio Hour

A journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, and new ways to think and create. Based on riveting TEDTalks from the world's most remarkable minds.
The Story Behind The Numbers
Enlarge this image

The Story Behind The Numbers Dian Lofton/iStock hide caption

toggle caption
Dian Lofton/iStock
The Story Behind The Numbers

The Story Behind The Numbers

Dian Lofton/iStock

The Story Behind The Numbers

Is life today better than ever before? Does the data bear that out? This hour, TED speakers explore the stories we tell with numbers — and whether those stories portray the full picture.

Steven Pinker: Can Numbers Show Us That Progress Is Inevitable?

Steven Pinker on the TED stage. Ryan Lash /Ryan Lash/TED hide caption

toggle caption
Ryan Lash /Ryan Lash/TED

TED Radio Hour

Steven Pinker: Can Numbers Show Us That Progress Is Inevitable?

by NPR/TED Staff

Steven Pinker: Can Numbers Show Us That Progress Is Inevitable?

Listen · 12:25
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639229357/639347901" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Hanna Rosin: Data Shows Women Have Progressed. But What's Next?

Hanna Rosin on the TED stage. James Duncan Davidson/TED hide caption

toggle caption
James Duncan Davidson/TED

TED Radio Hour

Hanna Rosin: Data Shows Women Have Progressed. But What's Next?

by NPR/TED Staff

Hanna Rosin: Data Shows Women Have Progressed. But What's Next?

Listen · 10:42
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639246777/639373399" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Michael Green: What Does GDP Not Tell Us?

Michael Green on the TED stage. James Duncan Davidson/TED hide caption

toggle caption
James Duncan Davidson/TED

TED Radio Hour

Michael Green: What Does GDP Not Tell Us?

by NPR/TED Staff

Michael Green: What Does GDP Not Tell Us?

Listen · 8:22
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639250769/639350155" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript
Paul Gilding: How Do We Continue To Grow If The Earth Has Reached Its Limit?

Paul Gilding on TED Stage. James Duncan Davidson/TED hide caption

toggle caption
James Duncan Davidson/TED

TED Radio Hour

Paul Gilding: How Do We Continue To Grow If The Earth Has Reached Its Limit?

by NPR/TED Staff

Paul Gilding: How Do We Continue To Grow If The Earth Has Reached Its Limit?

Listen · 9:29
  • Download
  • <iframe src="https://www.npr.org/player/embed/639290216/639350345" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player">
  • Transcript

TED Radio HourTED Radio Hour

A journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions, and new ways to think and create. Based on riveting TEDTalks from the world's most remarkable minds.

Previous Shows

The Spirit Of Inquiry

The force behind scientific progress is the simple act of asking questions. This episode, TED speakers explore how a deeper and more humble style of inquiry may help achieve the next big breakthrough.

The Spirit Of Inquiry

TED speakers discuss the importance of curiosity. honglouwawa/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

toggle caption
honglouwawa/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Crisis And Response

Moments of crisis can upend our lives, but can also help define them. This episode, TED speakers explore how a quick, compassionate or unexpected response can turn crisis into opportunity.

Crisis And Response

How do people respond differently to crisis? iStock hide caption

toggle caption
iStock

The Right To Speak

Should all speech, even the most offensive, be allowed on college campuses? And is hearing from those we deeply disagree with ... worth it? This hour, TED speakers explore the debate over free speech.

The Right To Speak

The Right to Speak on the TED Radio Hour from NPR. Dane Mark/Getty Images hide caption

toggle caption
Dane Mark/Getty Images

The Five Senses

The five senses shape all our experience, but we still don't fully understand them. This episode, TED speakers explore how our brains make sense of sensation, and how our minds manufacture "reality."

The Five Senses

How do our senses influence the world around us? Shutterstock hide caption

toggle caption
Shutterstock

Why We Hate

From bullying to hate crimes, cruelty is all around us. So what makes us hate? Is it learned or innate? This hour TED speakers explore the causes and consequences of hate - and how we can fight it.

Why We Hate

What Makes Us Hate? Is It Learned or Innate? Dian Lofton/Shutterstock hide caption

toggle caption
Dian Lofton/Shutterstock
Browse archive or search npr.org