Humans are a naturally social species, but COVID-19 forced us into deeply unnatural isolation. However, loneliness was a problem long before social distancing became the norm. In this hour-long episode of NPR’s TED Radio Hour, Jonny Sun, Susan Pinker, Grace Kim and Suleika Jaouad explore what loneliness looks and feels like, and how we can try to make peace with it.

I produced Susan Pinker’s segment in this episode. She’s the author of The Village Effect, a book that explores how face-to-face interactions are critical for our happiness and long-term health. She gave a TED Talk on the subject in 2017.

I scripted interview questions for our host, recorded the interview and turned 60+ minutes of tape into a tight 20-minute segment. I also did the sound design and scoring.