What does it mean to be judged before you walk through the door? What are the consequences? This week, TED speakers delve into the ways racism impacts our lives, from education, to health, to safety. Guests include poet and writer Clint Smith, writer and activist Miriam Zoila Pérez, educator Dena Simmons, and former prosecutor Adam Foss.

We experience powerful emotions all of the time, but what are they exactly? Where do they come from? This hour, TED speakers invoke history, language, science and music to help us think about the way we feel. Guests include writer John Koenig, cultural historian Tiffany Watt Smith, psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett, developmental researcher Kang Lee, and conductor Michael Tilson Thomas.

Why do we harshly judge certain behaviors or conditions, making it harder to talk honestly about them? This hour, TED speakers confront stigmas around addiction, depression, HIV and sex work. Guests include journalist Johann Hari, TV/film producer and mental health advocate Nikki Webber Allen, HIV awareness educator Arik Hartmann, and sex worker and activist Juno Mac.

The past few years have ushered in an explosion of new discoveries about our universe. This hour, TED speakers explore the implications of these advances — and the lingering mysteries of the cosmos. Guests include theoretical physicist Allan Adams, planetary scientist Sara Seager, and astrophysicists Natasha Hurley-Walker and Jedidah Isler.

Data, statistics and algorithms dominate every aspect of our lives. But how accurate are they, and how fair? This hour, TED speakers explore the ups and downs of relying too much on the numbers. Guests include mathematician and data scientist Cathy O'Neil, computer scientist Joy Buolamwini, data visualisation editor Alan Smith, data journalist Mona Chalabi, and criminal justice reformer Anne Milgram.

What are the five biggest global challenges we face right now — and what can we do about them? This hour, TED speakers explore some radical solutions to these enduring problems. Guests include geoengineer Tim Kruger, president of the International Rescue Committee David Miliband, political scientist Ian Bremmer, global data analyst Sarah Menker, and historian Rutger Bregman.