Gazing up at the night sky is always both humbling and thrilling. In this episode of TED Radio Hour, you’ll hear from speakers who share a sense of wonder and curiosity about our place in the universe. Phil Plait breaks down how we can defend Earth from an asteroid. Jill Tarter of the SETI Institute explains why it’s crucial for humans here on earth to continue searching for sentient beings in the cosmos. And Cosmologist Brian Greene unravels the strange tale of dark matter and why our universe may be one of the many in the “multiverse.”

Check your local NPR schedule to find out when the show airs today, or listen via NPR’s website »

Or head to iTunes where the podcast is available now »

We’ve all had that moment when you see or hear something and wonder: am I going crazy? In this episode, TED speakers share their experiences straddling the line between madness and sanity. Neurologist Oliver Sacks explains a peculiar condition called Charles Bonnet syndrome — when people of sound mind experience lucid hallucinations. Law professor Elyn Saks shares stories about her schizophrenic episodes and how she was able to rise above her grave diagnosis. Plus, author Jon Ronson goes psychopath spotting, and wonders who among us is truly completely sane.

Check your local NPR schedule to find out when the show premieres today. Or head to iTunes where the podcast is available now »

We called Raz in his office to talk about what’s new with TED Radio Hour, and about his deep love of pop music.

What will feel different about TED Radio Hour this season?

In short, everything. The core of the show is the same — it’s TED Talks. But what’s changed is the way we’re using sound and music and soundscapes. The first season was a different show — really good at finding awesome TED content and bringing on amazing TED speakers. Now we’re taking the opportunity to experiment, even radically experiment, with the way we deliver not just NPR content but TED content. It will still be mind-blowing — but even more so, enhanced with music and an experiential quality. We want to somehow replicate that feeling you get at TED. You actually feel it in your soul, right? We can get pretty close to that through this radio program.

So what’s your vision of how people will experience the show?

My “Barbie Dream House” vision of what a listener would be doing: you’re walking down the street, you would have your headphones on and you experience this show in a full 360-degree way. It’s designed to come and grab you and pull you in and take you on a journey. I know it sounds sort of new age-y and hokey — but that’s what it’s supposed to do. And we’re so excited about it. The first three shows are done and we just love them. We hope that people love them too.

Our goal is basically two things with every show: first, we want the person listening to somehow be changed every time they hear the show. That doesn’t mean that all of a sudden they become a Buddhist and move to Bhutan, right? It means that they will see something different about the world. It might be that they think about insanity in a totally different way, or they think about the stars in a different way. Second: we want to create a new way of telling stories on the radio. It’s this incredible opportunity for NPR because we’re this news organization with a huge following, and we’re respected. And TED is this huge thing that people are just obsessed with. Everywhere I go, I say I work for NPR and people say, “Oh my God! I love NPR. What do you do there?” And I say, “Well, I’m working on this new partnership with TED,” and they say, “Oh my God! I love TED!” There aren’t that many things in America that elicit that kind of response from people. It’s just incredible that we’ve got all these talented people on both ends of this thing.

I’m curious — what’s the one episode this season that you can’t wait to air?

The second episode. I love the first one, but the second one to me was such an incredible personal journey. It’s called “Peering Into Space” and it’s about the wonders of the skies above us. I wasn’t ever super interested in astrophysics but the way that Brian Greene can talk about it and the way that Jill Tarter's call to join the SETI search Jill Tarter can just create such a sense of wonder about what might be out there and the way that Phil Plait can talk about asteroids in this way that makes you really think about what’s right above us. I think people who haven’t taken the time to look at the stars recently are going to be amazed by what they hear. You look out at the brightest star in the sky — which is Polaris — and it’s eight and a half years ago. You are looking at the past in real time. That idea to me is so beautiful.

In that show, we tell the story about how the expansion of the universe was discovered — through Brian Greene’s TED Talk and also through Brian’s conversation with me. Then it pivots 180-degrees. All of a sudden, it’s 1998 and two research teams discover that the expansion is happening faster — it’s not slowing down. And this completely revolutionizes physics. Brian tells the story in his TED Talk, so we hear lots of his talk, but then [for the show] we found two scientists, Saul Perlmutter and Adam Riess and interviewed them. We use really interesting production techniques to bounce back and forth. That episode to me is about this universal sense of wonder and I can’t wait to hear that on the air. It’s totally changed my world. Even the way I look at the stars — it makes me think about how small we are, how small our lives are and problems are.

What else is in the works?

Cameron Russell: Looks aren't everything. Believe me, I'm a model.So we’ll do 30 shows this season. Right now we’ve got eight episodes in production. We’re looking at things like beauty — with Cameron Russell, Dan Dennett and Nancy Etcoff. We’re looking at violence with Phil Zimbardo and Steven Pinker. We’re looking at the question of whether we will need humans with Andrew McAfee, Cynthia Breazeal, Sherry Turkle. We’re going to do a show with Julian Treasure with sounds and music. The possibilities are infinite because there is so much amazing TED content. What we do is try to find a connecting thread between three or four TED speakers and then bring them together. Each show is a carefully thought-through hour. It can take, really, many weeks to put together an episode of the show but we hope that people will Julian Treasure: 5 ways to listen betterhear something that they’ll find inspiring, interesting, entertaining, even educational.

What’s your secret skill?

My secret skill is that I’m an incredible, unbelievable judge of pop music. I knew Carly Rae Jepsen was going to be awesome two weeks before she hit number one. I liked Taylor Swift before anyone else did. I love pop music. I’ve been an NPR reporter my whole life, going overseas and interviewing politicians and prime ministers and stuff, and this is my secret thing. Of course I like indie music and I love classical music and I listen to a lot of jazz, but no one in my peer group ever wants to admit that they listen to pop music and I think it’s a shame because it’s great now. We’re in this amazing time. I would say that right now, we are living in a pop music renaissance. I mean, “Scream & Shout,” the collaboration with Britney Spears and Will.I.Am — that song’s amazing — and electronic dance music folks like Calvin Harris and David Guetta working with Rihanna — it’s just awesome. Justin Timberlake and Jay-Z, “Suit & Tie?” What’s happening is so interesting to me. So my secret skill is being able to identify awesome pop music.

What’s something that’s ignored when it comes to radio shows?

Silence. It sometimes is a really effective thing in radio. It’s like a car coming to a screeching halt and it just stops.

What are some of the things you’re most looking forward to at TED2013?

Taylor Wilson: Yup, I built a nuclear fusion reactorWhere do I begin? I’m going to need an intravenous feed of 5-Hour Energy to do everything that I want to do. I don’t know when I’m going to sleep. I’m really looking forward to hearing from Jared Diamond, Elon Musk, Bono and that kid who built the nuclear reactor in his bedroom. I’m also just really excited to experience that community because TED has built something that hasn’t been replicated. It’s something that everybody I know who goes or has been can’t quite articulate — they can only really say, “You know, you just have to experience it.” There’s so much energy and innovative thinking and inspiring ideas. I’m just really excited to be in that environment.

Each episode of TED Radio Hour will turn an extraordinary idea inside out, using incredible speakers from the TED stage as a jumping off point. With music and lush soundscapes, each episode takes you on a journey that may well flip your perspective. (Listen to the preview below.) The first two episodes of the 30-part season will be “The Unquiet Mind,” premiering on NPR on March 1, and “Peering Into Space,” debuting on March 8. Podcasts of the show will also be available through iTunes.

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Stay tuned to the TED Blog next week for an interview with Guy Raz, where we’ll share which episodes he’s most excited for this season … and his secret skill.

The editors over at iTunes listen to a ton of podcasts. So we are extremely honored that they have selected TED Radio Hour, a labor of love from ourselves and NPR, as one of their Best of 2012. TED Radio Hour has been named the “Best New Audio Podcast,” joining The Adam Carolla Show, Minute Physics and Sesame Street for top podcast honors.

TED Radio Hour brings together amazing speakers from the TED stage, united in the ideas they shared. Host Allison Stewart weaves together these great talks with in-studio interviews and with topically-salient music. The point: to bring ideas to life and show how they ripple through the world.

Interested in giving TED Radio Hour an auditory spin? Here, some of our favorite episodes from season 1 of the show. Season 2 will launch in March of 2013.

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“Our Buggy Brain.” Human beings are prone to lying, cheating and perpetually misjudging the things that would actually make them happy. What tricks do our minds play in order to allow us to break our moral codes and hold onto the wrong ideals? In this episode, TED Radio Hour’s debut, Alison Stewart talks with Dan Ariely, Paul Bloom and Dan Gilbert about how our minds inform and sometimes deceive us. Listen to the episode on iTunes »

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“Food Matters.” Mmmm, food. This episode explores the growing, making and distribution of it. While Dan Barber makes our mouths water describing the best fish he ever ate, architect Carolyn Steel takes a look at the daily miracle of food reaching millions of mouths in cities. Meanwhile Cary Fowler calls for us to protect the seeds. Listen to the episode on iTunes »

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“Where Ideas Come From.” What is it that makes a light bulb go off over someone’s head? This episode explores idea formation, with Steven Johnson sharing how to create the best environment for ideas to grow. Meanwhile, Matt Ridley shares how exactly “ideas have sex” and Susan Cain underscores how important it is that we hear ideas from the voices that aren’t simply the loudest. Listen to the episode on iTunes »

Now live online: The new episode of TED Radio Hour, a program from NPR and TED. “The Pursuit of Happiness” is available online now on NPR.com — and will air online on many US NPR member stations; check your local listings.

In Episode 2, “The Pursuit of Happiness,” host Alison Stewart talks with Barry Schwartz and Kathryn Schulz — and we meet Howard Moskowitz, the hero of Malcolm Gladwell’s classic TEDTalk on the perfect spaghetti sauce.

You can find the full hour-long episode, as well as each individual segment (yes, they’re each 18 minutes long), related TEDTalks and more in-depth content on n.pr/TEDradiohour and on NPR’s mobile apps.

Subscribe to the iTunes podcast to get TED Radio Hour Episode 2: “The Pursuit of Happiness” >>

Journey through the world of ideas with TED Radio Hour, a new program from NPR and TED that inspires imagination about modern life and places bets on tomorrow with today’s most compelling minds. The show’s first episode airs today, April 27 (check listings for your local station, which may vary). You can find the full hour-long episode, as well as each individual segment (yes, they’re each 18 minutes long), related TEDTalks and more in-depth content on n.pr/TEDradiohour and on NPR’s mobile apps.

In Episode 1, “Our Buggy Brain,” host Alison Stewart talks with Dan Ariely, Paul Bloom and Dan Gilbert about how our minds inform and sometimes deceive us.

Listen to TED Radio Hour Episode 1: “Our Buggy Brain” >>

It all starts with an idea — a seed that spawns astonishing inventions, fresh approaches to old problems, new ways to think, to create.

Journey through the world of extraordinary ideas with TED Radio Hour, a new program from NPR and TED that inspires imagination about modern life and places bets on tomorrow, with today’s most compelling minds. The show’s first season will air on NPR Member stations across the country beginning April 27 (check local stations). Each program and additional in-depth content will be available at NPR.org, and on NPR’s mobile apps.

“With TED and NPR, there’s this collective curiosity about the world — a belief that civil discourse and shared ideas leads to a better understanding of the issues and opportunities we face,” says Eric Nuzum, vice president for programming at NPR. “TED Radio Hour brims with the possibility of these ideas, engaging us to think hard, and differently. It’s captivating.”

Each radio show is based on talks given by riveting speakers on the renowned TED stage, and centered on a common theme, such as the source of happiness, crowd-sourcing innovation, power shifts or inexplicable connections. Host Alison Stewart injects soundscapes and conversations that bring ideas to life, probing how concepts make waves, gain traction and, ultimately, are realized.

“At TED, we’re always looking for new ways to spread ideas,” says June Cohen, executive producer at TED. “It’s exciting to bring TED to radio — one of the world’s most powerful mediums — with a partner that has perfected the art of storytelling. TED Radio Hour is the first collaboration of its kind at TED; given NPR’s wide scope of listeners and journalistic integrity, we’re confident it will inspire curiosity among an entirely new audience.”