NPR/TED Staff

Sir Ken Robinson makes a case for creating an education system that nurtures — rather than stifles — creativity.

What happens in the brain during musical improv? Researcher Charles Limb scanned the brains of jazz musicians to find out.

After a nasty bout of writer's block that stretched on for nearly a decade, Sting found inspiration by channeling the stories of the shipyard workers he knew from his childhood.

Writer Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses. She shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person "being" a genius, all of us "have" a genius.

Zak Ebrahim is the son of terrorist El-Sayyid Nosair, one of the masterminds of the 1993 World Trade Center bombing. He tells the story of being raised to hate and how he chose a very different path.

Hugh Herr lost both legs in a climbing accident 30 years ago. Now, as the head of the MIT Media Lab's Biomechatronics group, he's building the next generation of bionic limbs.

At the age of 19, Shaka Senghor was jailed for shooting and killing a man. That event started his years-long journey to redemption.

For most of Geena Rocero's career modeling lingerie and swimsuits, no one knew she was born a boy. Rocero talks about her decision to risk her career and reveal her background.

As a kid, director James Cameron was fascinated with exploring the world around him — everything from pond water to bugs. Those childhood obsessions led him some of the deepest places underwater.

Mythbusters co-host Adam Savage talks about three people who inspired him to be curious: his dad, a former Earth-science teacher, and physicist Richard Feynman.

Designer Thomas Thwaites explains what compelled him to build a toaster, literally from the ground up.

Director James Cameron's blockbuster films create unreal worlds. He reveals his childhood fascinations and how they fueled the passion behind his movies.

Geneticist Wendy Chung describes what it's like to chip away at the mysteries of autism, and the excitement of uncovering tiny but critical clues.

Biologist Nathan Wolfe says the unseeable world of microbes is fertile ground for new discoveries.

Writer Jon Mooallem tells the story of the teddy bear, and considers how the tales we tell about wild animals have real consequences for a species' chance of survival — and the natural world at large.

Animal trainer Ian Dunbar says we need to see the world through the eyes of our dogs if we want to really communicate with them.

What do our dogs think when they look at us? Poet Billy Collins imagines the inner life of a former canine companion.

Empathy, cooperation, and fairness seem like distinctly human traits. But Frans de Waal explains why other animals might share those same qualities.

From compulsive bears to self-destructive rats, science historian Laurel Braitman studies animals with mental health issues and asks what we can learn from them.

We made playlists of TED Radio Hour stories that will keep you curious about big ideas throughout the summer.

For your next hike, let the TED Radio Hour keep you company with these intriguing stories. TED speakers explore ideas about fear, privacy, and money while you explore the great outdoors. ...