Why countries should measure dreams and ambitions (just like GDP) | Lance Katigbak

What do you want to be when you grow up? It's a universal question — and yet at some point, people stop asking you. Drawing on a nationwide survey across the Philippines, consumer researcher Lance Katigbak makes the case that countries should keep track of their citizens' ambitions and aspirations.…

How play boosts your creativity and resilience | Katina Bajaj

When was the last time you just ... played? Creative health scientist Katina Bajaj thinks adults are in a "play deprivation crisis," where we've replaced our fun-loving human nature with optimization and efficiency. She makes the case that play isn't a reward for productivity but rather a survival …

All you need is an orchestra — and some magic | Jacob Collier and VSO School of Music Orchestra

Jacob Collier walks onstage to conduct an orchestra ... but none of the musicians know what song they're about to play. In a joyful experiment in live music-making, Collier pieces together an iconic song with the VSO School of Music Orchestra (and a little help from the audience in the TED Theater)…

The unexpected wonders of my son's short life | James G. Robinson | Your Body on Tech

When James G. Robinson's son Nadav was born with a rare heart defect, he feared the worst. What he didn't anticipate were the moments of unexpected wonder. In this profound talk, Robinson traces five years of impossible medical odds, a genetic discovery so strange it felt like fate ... and how grat…

The case for making art in a crisis | Yiyun Kang | Your Body on Tech

We have more data than any generation in history, yet reality has never felt harder to grasp. Artist Yiyun Kang is on a mission to translate the invisible crises of our time — from vanishing fresh water and collapsing ecosystems to the black box of AI — into physical experiences that people can fee…

Can Ozempic end addiction? | Dhruv Khullar | Your Body on Tech

What if GLP-1s like Ozempic could do more than just tip the scales? Physician Dhruv Khullar traces the winding path of the "moderation molecule" — from a discovery in Gila monster saliva to a potential diabetes medication and addiction treatment — and how they could quiet the relentless noise of cr…

Why I’m obsessed with health wearables (and you should be too) | Michael Snyder | Your Body on Tech

Genome researcher Michael Snyder believes health wearables, such as smart watches and glucose monitors, can transform medicine, shifting from reactive to predictive. (In fact, he's such a big fan of these devices that he wears eight of them every single day.) From spotting an illness days before sy…

Your vaccine questions deserve real answers | Kizzmekia Corbett | Your Body on Tech

What good is a vaccine people don't trust? Immunologist and TED Fellow Kizzmekia Corbett co-developed the first COVID-19 vaccine to enter clinical trials — but she'll tell you that making the vaccine was never the hardest part. The real obstacle is the gap between scientists and the people who have…

What we're getting wrong about teens and tech | Candice Odgers | Your Body on Tech

Trigger warning - this episode contains mention of suicide and severe depression. This is episode two of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier lif…

What sitting all day does to your brain and body | Keith Diaz | Your Body on Tech

This is episode one of a seven-part series airing this week on TED Talks Daily, where author and podcaster Manoush Zomorodi — and the seven speakers she curated for TED2026 — explore how you can live a healthier life in our high-tech era. Can a five-minute walk change how you feel all day? Exerci…