The doctor on a mission to build a healthier South Sudan with Yohanis Riek | from TED Talks Daily

When was the last time you just ... played? Creative health scientist Katina Bajaj thinks adults are in a "play deprivation crisis," where we've replaced our fun-loving human nature with optimization and efficiency. She makes the case that play isn't a reward for productivity but rather a survival skill — and invites you to rediscover the freedom of not knowing where something will end up.

In this special episode recorded at Aspen Ideas Health, Shoshana interviews Jessica Malaty Rivera, an epidemiologist and science communicator, on how trust in healthcare systems are cultivated—and easily broken down—in times of crisis. Then after their conversation, Shoshana shares a talk from Hamish McKenzie, the cofounder of Substack, on the different media systems emerging and how independent creators are changing the way people receive their news.

From group chats to video calls, technology should make social connection easier than ever. So, why is everyone so lonely?

Where does pain originate? According to Rachel Zoffness, a scientist and psychologist who studies pain, research shows that pain originates in the brain. In this episode Rachel joins Shoshana to talk about how stress and anxiety can amplify pain. They also discuss the ways medical programs fall short when they don’t teach biopsychosocial pain education and how understanding pain can help you regain power over your body.

Your belly and your brain speak to each other, says obesity researcher Mads Tang-Christensen. Offering scientific proof that obesity is a disease influenced by genetics and the environment, he introduces a molecule discovered in both the brain and gut that helps control appetite -- and which could be engineered to promote healthy weight loss for those living with obesity.