TED Health

Today, a trailer from Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, a new TED Original podcast.​​Everyone wants to know if they're normal. Is my body normal, is my brain normal, are my feelings normal? When it comes to defining “normal,” data journalist Mona Chalabi isn’t interested in averages: she goes beyond the spreadsheet and digs into the deviations, talking to experts, strangers (even her Mum!) to see the bigger picture. Along the way, she will tackle urgent, random and sometimes deeply personal questions: How long does it take to heal from heartbreak? How many friends should I have? What makes “good” sperm? And does normal even exist?Subscribe to Am I Normal? wherever you're listening to this.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When you report an emergency in the US, police, firefighters or paramedics answer the call. What if mental health professionals responded, too? Colorado State Representative Leslie Herod shares a straightforward and research-backed approach that brings heart and humanity to criminal justice rather than unnecessary fines and arrests -- and keeps crises from escalating into traumatic, or even deadly, events.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could an everyday clothing item help protect your health? In this quick talk, TED Fellow Alicia Chong Rodriguez introduces us to a smart bra designed to gather real-time data on biomarkers like heartbeat, breath and temperature. Learn how this life-saving gadget could help close the gender gap in cardiovascular research -- and, finally, usher women's health care into the 21st century.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if you were holding life-saving medicine ... but had no way to administer it? Zoom down to the nano level with engineer Kathryn A. Whitehead as she gives a breakdown of the little fatty balls (called lipid nanoparticles) perfectly designed to ferry cutting-edge medicines into your body's cells. Learn how her work is already powering mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines and forging the path for future therapies that could treat Ebola, HIV and even cancer.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The stress you may feel being otherized or stereotyped can take a significant toll on your health and well-being. In this thoughtful conversation, social psychologist Valerie Purdie-Greenaway reveals the true source of this anxiety (hint: it isn't the individual) and shares strategies on building resilient systems of support for ourselves and others -- so that we can build a more inclusive, empathic and just world. (This conversation, hosted by TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks, is part of TED's "How to Deal with Difficult Feelings" series.)For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As COVID-19 spread, BioNTech cofounders Uğur Şahin and Özlem Türeci had one goal: to make a safe, effective vaccine faster than ever before. In this illuminating conversation with head of TED Chris Anderson, the immunologists (and married couple) share the fascinating story of how their decades of mRNA research powered the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine -- and forecast what this breakthrough science could mean for the future of vaccines and other immunotherapy treatments.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hot flashes, joint pain, anxiety, depression, difficulty sleeping -- these unforgiving menopause symptoms directly impact work but often go overlooked and under-discussed as a taboo topic, says entrepreneur Andrea Berchowitz. She gives practical advice on how to create a menopause-friendly work culture that supports gender equity and diversity retention in the workplace.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You may be familiar with the five stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. After decades of research and his own experience with tragic loss, grief expert David Kessler ventured beyond that classic framework and sought a sixth, crucial stage: meaning. He shares practical wisdom and strategies for anyone seeking to honor a loved one's memory and move through life in light of personal loss. (This conversation, hosted by TED curator Cloe Shasha Brooks, is part of TED's "How to Deal with Difficult Feelings" series.)For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Take a mind-blowing trip to the lab as TED Senior Fellow Andrew Pelling shares his research on how we could use fruits, vegetables and plants to regenerate damaged human tissues -- and develop a potentially groundbreaking way to repair complex spinal cord injuries with asparagus.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

After his son was diagnosed with cerebral palsy, Billy Samuel Mwape realized that his project management skills might be put to use to support his child's special needs. In this inspiring, personal talk, he describes how project management -- the process of leading a team's work to achieve goals on a tight timeline -- can help you tackle life's biggest challenges.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.