How to Be a Better Human

Perrin Ireland is an artist and environmentalist who draws science comics. She’s also the author of Poking the Squid: What We Can Learn from Animal Sex. In this episode, Perrin discusses why learning about the kinky sex lives of animals is a form of biodiversity! From topics such as animal caregiving to how language tends to ascribe sexual characteristics onto non-objects, Perrin shares why openly talking about animal sex isn’t scandalous, but allows for better understanding of animal and human social organization.

Factcheck Notes

1. Reported estimates of same-sex pairings and divorce rates in penguins vary across species and populations. Some studies have found values similar to those mentioned here, although these should not be treated as general estimates.

2. Rostrum-to-genital interactions in dolphins have been interpreted in multiple ways. In addition to possible sexual functions, studies suggest they may facilitate the inspection of chemical cues, allowing dolphins to gather information such as identity or reproductive status. Therefore, describing this behavior solely as a form of oral sex may oversimplify its potential functions.

3. Although it has been suggested that dolphins may obtain information by listening to the echoes produced by another dolphin’s echolocation, there is currently insufficient evidence that dolphins can intentionally transmit complex 3D images or engage in "holographic communication". This remains mostly a speculative hypothesis rather than an established scientific theory.

Featured guest

Follow Perrin Ireland on Instagram, LinkedIn, and at https://www.experrinment.com/
Buy Poking the Squid: What We Can Learn from Animal Sex

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDPods
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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How to find and create Joy in your life -- what is joy? And what is its purpose in our lives? We talk with Ingrid about how to cultivate more joy in our daily lives, especially when we don't feel particularly in the headspace for joy, and about how our design choices can have a huge impact on the way we perceive joy in our environment. We also talk with her about her book Joyful and her TED talk.

(This episode originally aired in 2025.)
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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Journalist Keith Rushing has spent years trying to report on his most difficult story - the history of his own family. Who do we come from? What do we inherit from the past? How can understanding our ancestors make us better humans today? To find out the answers, Chris invites Keith to talk about his book Descended: Searching for my Gullah-Geechee Roots. They cover how everything from the history of slavery to the cultural significance of African connections to the Gullah-Geechee people. This is a conversation about how you can spark your own curiosity to start researching your own family history.

Featured guest

Follow Keith Rushing on Instagram and LinkedIn
Buy Descended: Searching for my Gullah-Geechee Roots

Connect with the team

Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDPods
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Some people are born knowing exactly what they want to do with their life – and because of that, they’re able to get to the top of their field. But most of us have multiple passions and identities, making it difficult to visualize our own unique paths. So, how do we explore who we are and what we love to do in our careers and in our lives? This week, guest & TED Fellow Constance Hockaday helps us navigate and voice our deepest hopes and desires. She walks us through her perspective as an artist, what she’s learned from immersing herself into small and sometimes very isolated communities, and gives tips on how to find liberation by pursuing your passion.

(This episode originally aired in 2024.)
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

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“Social media and screen time aren’t the most important factor in teen mental health,” says development psychologist Candice Odgers. While this claim sounds counterintuitive, Candice shares why it’s so pervasive—scary stories sell. They always have. In this episode, Candice joins Chris to discuss social inequity and the five areas that would be more effective in helping improve teens mental health than banning social media.

Featured guest
Follow Candice Odgers on LinkedIn and at https://candiceodgers.com/
Watch Candice's TED Talk

Connect with the team
Follow Chris on Instagram and at chrisduffycomedy.com
Buy Chris’ book, Humor Me
Watch How to Be a Better Human videos on YouTube at TEDPods
Follow TED on X, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and TikTok
For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscripts

Fill out our survey at bit.ly/BHSurvey6
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.