logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
14m 28s

How fantasy worlds can spark real change...

TED
About this episode
When the world's problems have you weary, journalist and science fiction writer Annalee Newitz suggests a good dose of escapist fiction to refresh your perspective. Step into the whimsical world of science fiction, cosplay and "goblincore" to see how fantasy worlds help us reimagine our relationships with our communities and each other — and why the best way to solve your problems may start with escaping them.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Yesterday
How to raise confident kids in an age of anxiety | Lenore Skenazy
The secret to reducing childhood anxiety is actually quite simple: just let kids do more stuff on their own, says Lenore Skenazy, cofounder and president of Let Grow, an organization dedicated to normalizing childhood independence. In conversation with TED’s Whitney Pennington Ro ... Show More
43m 37s
Oct 10
The hidden cost of buying gold | Claudia Vega
Gold may glitter, but the hidden cost of mining it is devastating. Amazon researcher and TED Fellow Claudia Vega exposes how mercury pollution from artisanal gold mining poisons local communities and destroys rainforests — and shows why protecting the planet is far more valuable ... Show More
33m 25s
Oct 9
How we’re turning pollution into toys, toothpaste and more | Xu Hao
It took alcohol 200 years to go from scientific discovery to industrial revolution, but tech innovator Xu Hao says we can’t afford to wait that long to tackle the climate crisis. He explores why most climate solutions are still stuck in labs — despite breakthrough science that ca ... Show More
14m 22s
Recommended Episodes
Jan 2023
"Snow Crashing Into The Metaverse" from Imaginary Worlds
This week, we’re sharing an episode of Imaginary Worlds. For the last 30 years, the real world has been catching up to Neal Stephenson’s vision of the future in his 1992 novel Snow Crash, which influenced the creators of Google Earth, Second Life, Oculus Rift and more. Now the ce ... Show More
29m 19s
May 2022
Breaking the boundaries of fiction
How novelists working across popular genres like crime, horror and fantasy are overcoming literary snobbery to get their work the credit it deserves and broaden the definition of what makes truly great writing. South Korean horror writer Bora Chung, shortlisted for the 2022 Inter ... Show More
27m 21s
Feb 2022
'Anthem' considers the world we are passing down to the next generation
Noah Hawley is a world builder. He created the TV shows Fargo and Legion, so he is no stranger to getting an audience immersed in his worlds. His new novel Anthem is no different. But it doesn't take that much imagination, despite the fantasy creatures: This world is remarkably s ... Show More
6m 33s
Jul 2024
How to use psychology to write a best seller, with Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD
From getting lost in a novel to binge-watching a favorite TV show, we humans spend a lot of time in fictional worlds. Jennifer Lynn Barnes, PhD, a psychologist and novelist, talks about why we’re drawn to fictional worlds; the psychology of fandom and fan fiction; and how insight ... Show More
51m 56s
Nov 2022
N.K. Jemisin on Multiverses, Revolution and the ‘Soul’ of Cities
For the next few months, we’re sharing some of our favorite conversations from the archives. This week we turn the mic over to our sibling podcast “The Ezra Klein Show,” for a discussion that aired last month between Klein and the novelist N.K. Jemisin.The novelist and former Boo ... Show More
1h 4m
Mar 2018
The Other Real World
Reality TV may be popular around the world, but it's also roundly mocked as formulaic and contrived. So, can that kind of fragile fantasy world meaningfully influence reality? We look at the goals and impact of a UN-backed reality show called "Inspire Somalia," that attempted to ... Show More
48m 13s
Oct 2022
Black reality in a world of fantasy
Why build a fantasy world that still has racism? B.A. Parker moderates a discussion on Black science fiction and fantasy with authors Tochi Onyebuchi and Leslye Penelope at the National Book Festival. Learn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoices NPR Priv ... Show More
29m 15s
Dec 2021
Want To Start Reading Sci-Fi And Fantasy? Here's A Beginner's Guide
Today we're bringing you a beginner's guide to reading science fiction and fantasy from our friends at NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour and Life Kit. So whether you're a longtime fan or a stranger in these strange lands, we've got you covered with the basics of what defines this genr ... Show More
19m 39s