TED Radio Hour
TED Radio Hour

What we — and AI — can learn from nature's intelligence

January 16, 2026

AI Summary

5 min read

🎙️ The Speakers & Context

  • The Format: Host-led radio show featuring curated TED Talks with live commentary and interviews.
  • The Key Players:
    • Manoush Zamarodi (Host, NPR/TED Radio Hour): Journalist synthesizing talks; credible for bridging science to public discourse.
    • Greg Gage: Neuroscientist, U-Mich professor, Backyard Brains co-founder; expert in plant neurobiology demos.
    • Frances Chance: Computational neuroscientist at Sandia National Labs; specializes in bio-inspired AI for defense/security.
    • Keely Muscatel: Psychoneuroimmunologist at UNC Chapel Hill; links inflammation to behavior.
    • Karen Bacher: Environmental researcher; decodes bioacoustics for conservation via AI.
  • The Vibe: Wonder-filled, educational; reflective awe at nature's efficiency vs. human tech hubris.

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What you'll learn

  • 1 (00:00) **🎙️ Introduction: Greg Gage**
  • 2 (15:37) **Frances Chance: Dragonfly Hunting Algorithms**
  • 3 (26:16) **Keely Muscatel: Immune System's "Sickness Behavior"**
  • 4 (40:16) **Karen Bacher: Bioacoustics Decoding Animal Communication**

+ Full timestamped outline available in the app

Show Notes

Artificial intelligence is powerful, but what about natural intelligence? This hour, TED speakers explore the intrinsic genius in animal language, insect behavior, plant anatomy and our immune system. Guests include neuroscientist Greg Gage, computational neuroscientist Frances Chance, social psychoneuroimmunologist Keely Muscatell and environmental researcher Karen Bakker. We want to dedicate this episode to Bakker who passed away in August 2023, only a few months after giving her TED Talk. Her research and legacy continue to inspire. 

Original broadcast date: March 8, 2024

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