Welcome to the TED Talks Daily summer book club, a series featuring talks and interviews to inspire your next great read. Up first, a meditation on the meaning of home, the joy of traveling and the serenity of standing still from writer Pico Iyer. After the talk, Pico shares a book that has stayed with him: "Letter to a Stranger" by Colleen Kinder. If you'd like to hear more from Pico, you can take his upcoming TED Course "How to take a life-changing journey." You'll learn how to set an intention and choose a destination, be fully present while you travel, navigate cultural differences, and live differently when you return home. Enroll at tedtalks.social/journey Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The pandemic brought into sharp focus the crisis in caregiving in the United States, which woefully under provides support for parents. Activist and Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani has a proposal to address that -- something she calls the Marshall Plan for Moms -- and she unpacks how it aims to build radically different systems in order to empower working parents. (This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event on March 23, 2022. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Imagine seeking safety abroad and instead being detained and forced to defend yourself in a high-stakes legal battle — alone. Law professor César Cuauhtémoc García Hernández explains how the asylum process in the US became warped into what we know today and poses a question that could lead the country out of its labyrinthian policies: In place of investing in more steel doors and barbed wire, what if immigration law was infused with support and justice? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Could DAOs, or "decentralized autonomous organizations", be the key to building the next great city? Experimental urbanist Scott Fitsimones shares how these mission-driven, blockchain-governed, collectively owned organizations could increase the speed and efficiency of building cities (among many other applications) -- all while pooling decision-making power in a radically collaborative way. Hear about how he started a "crypto co-op" that bought 40 acres of land in Wyoming and learn more about the potential for DAOs to get things done in the future. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Your closet is likely full of all kinds of materials -- leather, cotton, nylon and polyester, to name a few -- that contribute to fashion’s sustainability crisis. Biomaterials investigator Dan Widmaier explains how we could look to nature for sustainable replacements for these much-used materials and introduces a leather alternative made from mushrooms that looks great and doesn’t harm the environment. “We can make fashion sustainable, and we’re going to do it with science,” Widmaier says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What if the commonly accepted narratives about the foundation of civilization are all wrong? Drawing on groundbreaking research, archaeologist David Wengrow challenges traditional thinking about the social evolution of humanity -- from the invention of agriculture to the formation of cities and class systems -- and explains how rethinking history can radically change our perspective on inequality and modern life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Forget home economics and standardized tests, education visionary Trish Millines Dziko has a much more engaging and fulfilling way for students to develop real-world skills. Get schooled by Dziko as she shares how project-based learning can transform public education and unlock genius for the next generation of critical thinkers, problem solvers, ideators and leaders. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Have you had your daily dose of fun? It’s not just enjoyable, it’s also essential for your health and happiness, says science journalist Catherine Price. She proposes a new definition of fun -- what she calls “true fun” -- and shares easy, evidence-backed ways to weave playfulness, flow and connection into your everyday life.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyouTEDSports: ted.com/sportsTEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-viennaTEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Music can amplify social issues and inspire people to care about new (and sometimes unexpected) topics. But can it take something as dire as climate change and make it mainstream? With artists MyVerse and Kristen Warren as an inspiring opening act, social entrepreneur Samir Ibrahim suggests hip-hop and its stars can help us move from talking about the problem to rapping about (and acting on) solutions. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The deadliest severe weather phenomenon is something you might not realize: extreme heat. Eleni Myrivili, chief heat officer of the city of Athens, Greece, explains that extreme heat and heat waves are often overlooked because they're not as dramatic as flooding or hurricanes – and breaks down three approaches to keep cities cool in a time of rapid global temperature rise. "Cranking up the air conditioner is just not going to cut it," she says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As the saying goes, less is more. The same goes for words. Listen as Politico and Axios co-founder Jim VandeHei shares what he's learned leading two media companies -- and how to radically rethink the way you write to keep people's attention in a distracted digital world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Why do we often wait so long to recognize each other's gifts? Why are the truest compliments for the people we love often said only after they're no longer around to hear and savor them? Andrea Driessen makes the case for writing eulogies for the living, sharing the power of "grace notes" to offer connection on a deeper level and dispel any regrets of waiting until a loved one's death to appreciate their presence in your life. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

From the return of nomadic living to a climate-disrupted world, author and global strategist Parag Khanna has some predictions for humanity. Get a fascinating glimpse at the future as he tackles an urgent question: Where on Earth will eight billion humans live in the uncertain times ahead? (This conversation, hosted by TED current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was part of an exclusive TED Membership event. Visit ted.com/membership to become a TED Member.) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

"Climate doom-ism," or a pessimistic outlook on the future of the planet, rivals climate denialism in holding up the fight against climate change, says activist Zahra Biabani. Illuminating how hope combats inaction, she takes us inside the world of eco-friendly content on TikTok -- and shows that we all have what it takes to make real change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The universe that we know, with its luminous stars and orbiting planets, is largely made up of elements we can’t actually see -- like dark energy and dark matter -- and therefore don’t fully understand. Theoretical physicist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein takes us inside the search for this cosmos-shaping invisible matter and explains how, with the help of a new generation of telescopes, we could be closer to demystifying it than ever before. “The universe is more queer and fantastical than it looks to the naked eye,” she says. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Sharing his experience of being held captive in a Taliban prison for 105 days, humanitarian Safi Rauf talks about his life's mission to get food, medicine and other critical supplies to Afghans in need -- and urges the world to bolster aid and establish a peaceful presence in the country during these extraordinarily difficult times. (This talk was recorded on April 12, 2022) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What would Immanuel Kant say about a fender bender? In a surprisingly funny trip through the teachings of some of history’s great philosophers, TV writer and producer Michael Schur (from hit shows like “The Office” and “The Good Place”) talks through how to confront life’s moral dilemmas -- and shows how understanding ethical theories can help you make better, kinder decisions.For a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyouTEDSports: ted.com/sportsTEDAI Vienna: ted.com/ai-viennaTEDAI San Francisco: ted.com/ai-sf Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Where did all the lumps and bumps on buildings go? When did city architecture become so ... dull? Here to talk about why cities need inspiring architecture, designer Thomas Heatherwick offers us a visually stimulating path out of the doldrums of urban monotony -- so cities are filled with soulful buildings that people cherish for centuries. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

During the Soviet Union era, therapy was often used as a tool of political oppression. Since then, Russia has seen major reforms in mental health care -- but stigmas and distrust for the practice still live on. Psychologist and TED Fellow Olga Kitaina shares the current state of therapy in Russia (where tarot card readers and astrologers sometimes pass as psychoanalysts) and outlines her solution for getting people the professional help they need. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The world needs clean power, but decarbonization calls for a massive increase in the mining and extraction of minerals like lithium, graphite and cobalt. Environmental peacemaking expert Olivia Lazard sheds light on the scramble for these precious mineral resources -- and how the countries that control their supply chains (including China and Russia) could find themselves at the center of the new global stage. Learn why Lazard thinks planetary security depends on our ability to de-escalate resource competition and avoid the same mistakes that led to the climate crisis. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.