The BEST episodes of TED Talks season 2019
Every episode of TED Talks season 2019, ranked from best to worst by thousands of votes from fans of the show. The best episodes of TED Talks season 2019!
TED is a nonprofit devoted to Ideas Worth Spreading. It started out (in 1984) as a conference bringing together people from three worlds: Technology, Entertainment, Design. TEDTalks began as a simple attempt to share what happens at TED with the world. Under the moniker "ideas worth spreading," talks were released online. They rapidly attracted a global audience in the millions. Indeed, the reaction was so enthusiastic that the entire TED website has been reengineered around TEDTalks, with the goal of giving everyone on-demand access to the world's most inspiring voices. [TED-Ed and TEDx are separate TVDB series and should NOT be listed here.]
#1 - Arunabha Ghosh: 5 steps for clean air in India
Season 2019 - Episode 274 - Aired 11/18/2019
India's big cities have some of the worst air quality in the world. How can we fix this public health crisis? In an actionable talk, social entrepreneur Arunabha Ghosh lays out a five-step plan to put India on the path to cleaner, safer air -- and shows how every citizen can play an active role in getting there.
Watch Now:Amazon
#2 - Jack Dorsey: How Twitter needs to change
Season 2019 - Episode 85 - Aired 4/17/2019
Can Twitter be saved? In a wide-ranging conversation with TED's Chris Anderson and Whitney Pennington Rodgers, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey discusses the future of the platform -- acknowledging problems with harassment and moderation and proposing some fundamental changes that he hopes will encourage healthy, respectful conversations. "Are we actually delivering something that people value every single day?" Dorsey asks.
Watch Now:Amazon
#3 - Katie Hood: The difference between healthy and unhealthy love
Season 2019 - Episode 106 - Aired 5/17/2019
In a talk about understanding and practicing the art of healthy relationships, Katie Hood reveals the five signs you might be in an unhealthy relationship — with a romantic partner, a friend, a family member — and shares the things you can do every day to love with respect, kindness and joy. "While love is an instinct and an emotion, the ability to love better is a skill we can all build and improve on over time," she says.
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#4 - Moriba Jah: The world's first crowdsourced space traffic monitoring system
Season 2019 - Episode 153 - Aired 7/2/2019
"Most of what we send into outer space never comes back," says astrodynamicist and TED Fellow Moriba Jah. In this forward-thinking talk, Jah describes the space highways orbiting earth and how they're mostly populated by space junk. Learn more about his quest to develop and scale the world's first crowdsourced space traffic monitoring system — and how it could help solve the debris problem in near-earth space.
Watch Now:Amazon
#5 - Becca McCharen-Tran: Fashion that celebrates all body types -- boldly and unapologetically
Season 2019 - Episode 237 - Aired 10/22/2019
Fashion designers have the power to change culture -- and Becca McCharen-Tran is using her platform to expand the industry's narrow definition of beauty. Sharing highlights of her work, McCharen-Tran discusses the inspiration behind her norm-shattering designs and shows how she's celebrating beauty in all forms. "I want the consumer to know that it's not your body that needs to change -- it's the clothes," she says.
Watch Now:Amazon
#6 - Daniel Streicker: What vaccinating vampire bats can teach us about pandemics
Season 2019 - Episode 251 - Aired 10/31/2019
Could we anticipate the next big disease outbreak, stopping a virus like Ebola before it ever strikes? In this talk about frontline scientific research, ecologist Daniel Streicker takes us to the Amazon rainforest in Peru where he tracks the movement of vampire bats in order to forecast and prevent rabies outbreaks. By studying these disease patterns, Streicker shows how we could learn to cut off the next pandemic at its source.
Watch Now:Amazon
#7 - Gaby Barrios: Why gender-based marketing is bad for business
Season 2019 - Episode 271 - Aired 11/15/2019
Companies often target consumers based on gender, but this kind of advertising shortcut doesn't just perpetuate outdated stereotypes -- it's also bad for business, says marketing expert Gaby Barrios. In this clear, actionable talk, she explains why gender-based marketing doesn't drive business nearly as much as you might think -- and shows how companies can find better ways to reach customers and grow their brands.
Watch Now:Amazon
#8 - Martin Danoesastro: What are you willing to give up to change the way we work?
Season 2019 - Episode 5 - Aired 1/8/2019
What does it take to build the fast, flexible, creative teams needed to challenge entrenched work culture? For transformation expert Martin Danoesastro, it all starts with one question: "What are you willing to give up?" He shares lessons learned from companies on both sides of the innovation wave on how to structure your organization so that people at all levels are empowered to make decisions fast and respond to change.
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#9 - Brittany Packnett: How to build your confidence -- and spark it in others
Season 2019 - Episode 107 - Aired 5/20/2019
"Confidence is the necessary spark before everything that follows," says educator and activist Brittany Packnett. In an inspiring talk, she shares three ways to crack the code of confidence — and her dream for a world where revolutionary confidence helps turn our most ambitious dreams into reality.
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#10 - Victor Vescovo: What's at the bottom of the ocean -- and how we're getting there
Season 2019 - Episode 175 - Aired 8/2/2019
Victor Vescovo is leading the first-ever manned expedition to the deepest point of each of the world's five oceans. In conversation with TED science curator David Biello, Vescovo discusses the technology that's powering the explorations — a titanium submersible designed to withstand extraordinary conditions — and shows footage of a never-before-seen creature taken during his journey to the bottom of the Indian Ocean.
Watch Now:Amazon
#11 - Hamdi Ulukaya: The anti-CEO playbook
Season 2019 - Episode 110 - Aired 5/22/2019
Profit, money, shareholders: these are the priorities of most companies today. But at what cost? In an appeal to corporate leaders worldwide, Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya calls for an end to the business playbook of the past — and shares his vision for a new, "anti-CEO playbook" that prioritizes people over profits. "This is the difference between profit and true wealth," he says.
#12 - Dan Clay: Why you should bring your whole self to work
Season 2019 - Episode 38 - Aired 2/5/2019
Dan Clay was worried about being dismissed as "too gay" at work, so he dialed down his personality. But then his alter ego, Carrie Dragshaw, went viral online. Here's what happened next.
#13 - Adena Friedman: What's the future of capitalism?
Season 2019 - Episode 226 - Aired 10/11/2019
Global markets let people put their money behind ideas that make society better. So why does capitalism get a lot of the blame for the world's problems? In this forward-thinking talk, Nasdaq president and CEO Adena Friedman explains how markets can level the playing field -- as long as we imagine more and new ways to balance the capitalistic foundations of choice and freedom.
#14 - Scott Williams: The impact of a TED Talk -- one year later
Season 2019 - Episode 20 - Aired 1/14/2019
In 2017, Scott Williams highlighted the invaluable role of informal caregivers within society on the TED@Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany stage. Since then, over a million have seen his talk. Williams joins curator Bruno Giussani to discuss the influence of his talk both within Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, and on the general public.
#15 - Renzo Vitale: "Drottning Kristina"
Season 2019 - Episode 19 - Aired 1/14/2019
Composer and pianist Renzo Vitale performs his piece "Drottning Kristina," bringing the audience along on a warm, meditative yet energetic instrumental journey that closely reflects the tempos of life.
#16 - Kathy Vinokurov: Challenging the perception of belonging
Season 2019 - Episode 18 - Aired 1/14/2019
What happens when you're Russian, grow up in Israel and work for an international pharmaceutical company in Germany? You end up with a multinational background that may be difficult for your peers to understand or relate to on a personal level. Materials scientist Kathy Vinokurov believes that we can break down these cultural barriers — using something as simple as a homemade cake.
#17 - Daniel Sherling: How we use a shipping container to spark scientific curiosity
Season 2019 - Episode 17 - Aired 1/14/2019
"How can students get excited about science if they don't have access to the resources?" asks science education promoter Daniel Sherling. Answer? Bring the fun science to schools — with a mobile science lab meant to encourage engaged, dynamic learning! Sherling explains how he, his team and a bright yellow shipping container tour North America with a single goal: to spark curiosity in the next generation of scientists.
#18 - Doreen Koenning: Can sharks help us fight cancer?
Season 2019 - Episode 16 - Aired 1/14/2019
Medicine made from human antibodies help us battle cancer and other diseases — but they blend into our immune system so well, it's difficult to track their side effects. Shark antibodies, by contrast, stand out like a sore thumb. Antibody researcher Doreen Koenning has dedicated her career to studying how these proteins could become a valuable tool in clinical drug trials — and potentially create a new breed of treatment in the fight against cancer.
#19 - Sarah Klein: The possibilities of human-centric lighting
Season 2019 - Episode 15 - Aired 1/14/2019
Lighting, which is often selected based on installation costs, can actually help us improve how we work, help with jetlag, and even improve our sleep. Researcher Sarah Klein believes we need to think of light differently — not just as illumination, but as a tool for our emotional and biological well-being.
#20 - Lars Jönsson: "Healthcare Anthem of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany"
Season 2019 - Episode 14 - Aired 1/14/2019
A thoughtful ode to health care, composed by Tilo Alpermann and performed on the TED@Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany stage by Lars Jönnson.
#21 - Vikas Jaitely: How we can fight antibiotic-resistant superbugs with a new class of vaccines
Season 2019 - Episode 13 - Aired 1/14/2019
The alarming rise of "superbugs" could claim up to 10 million lives globally by 2050 due to their unique ability to resist antibiotics. However, pharmacist Vikas Jaitely is researching ways we can battle these drug-resistant bacteria — by studying how they evolve in order to create more effective treatments and vaccines.
#22 - Boris Hesser: A grassroots healthcare revolution in Africa
Season 2019 - Episode 12 - Aired 1/14/2019
Half the world's population doesn't have access to basic health care. The answer to bridging this divide lies in pharmacies, which Boris A. Hesser believes can be developed into bonafide centers of community care. In this forward-thinking talk, Hesser explains how he and his team are working to bring affordable health care to everyone, everywhere.
#23 - Deutsche Philharmonie Merck: "Part II. The Journey Through Time" / "Ruslan and Lyudmila"
Season 2019 - Episode 11 - Aired 1/14/2019
Composed by its conductor, Ben Palmer in 2018, the Deutsche Philharmonie Merck performs "Part II. The Journey Through Time" to celebrate the 350th anniversary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. This is followed by a second piece by Mikhail Glinka, "Ruslan and Lyudmila," an overture based on a poem by Pushkin, providing a contemplative melody with toiling bravado, soaring strings and notes of inspiration — which one could imagine as the sounds of a working mind struck by brilliance.
#24 - Gunjan Bhardwaj: How blockchain and AI can help us decipher medicine's big data
Season 2019 - Episode 10 - Aired 1/14/2019
When diagnosed with a disease, it's often overwhelming to sort through mountains of medical data to figure out what therapies are available, pinpoint where they're offered and identify the best experts to help. Complexity specialist Gunjan Bhardwaj recognizes that mining this information may best be done using a system of artificial intelligence and blockchain to help people, within and outside the medical field, navigate and comprehend such "deep, dense and diverse" data — entering a new era where all research is searchable and shareable.
#25 - Julie Cordua: How we can eliminate child sexual abuse material from the internet
Season 2019 - Episode 230 - Aired 10/15/2019
Social entrepreneur Julie Cordua works on a problem that isn't easy to talk about: the sexual abuse of children in images and videos on the internet. At Thorn, she's building technology to connect the dots between the tech industry, law enforcement and government -- so we can swiftly end the viral distribution of abuse material and rescue children faster. Learn more about how this scalable solution could help dismantle the communities normalizing child sexual abuse around the world today. (This ambitious plan is part of the Audacious Project, TED's initiative to inspire and fund global change.)