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Why musician Mike Posner went back to the site of his near-lethal snakebite

Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode "How taking a second look can change your everything"

When fame left him feeling empty, singer-songwriter Mike Posner set out to look for happiness. His plan: walk across America. What he didn't plan for: a venomous snake.

About Mike Posner

Mike Posner is a singer-songwriter with five studio albums. His pop single "I Took A Pill In Ibiza" was nominated for Song of the Year at the 2017 Grammys. In addition to his own music, Posner has written hits for some of the world's biggest artists, including Maroon 5 and Justin Bieber.

In 2019, Posner walked nearly 3,000 miles across North America. He then made it to the peak of Mount Everest in 2021, raising more than $250,000 for the Detroit Justice Center.

This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Fiona Geiran and edited by Sanaz Meshkinpour. You can follow us on Facebook @TEDRadioHourand email us at [email protected].

Web Resources

Related TED Bio: Mike Posner
Related TED Talk: Let Curiosity Lead
Related TED Talk: The secret to a happy life — lessons from 8 decades of research

Related NPR Links

NPR Music: To Reset Your Life As A Pop Star, Try Walking Across America
Short Wave: A man let snakes bite him for years. He could be the key to a universal antivenom
NPR Music: Music interviews

Copyright 2025 NPR

Manoush Zomorodi
Manoush Zomorodi is the host of TED Radio Hour. She is a journalist, podcaster and media entrepreneur, and her work reflects her passion for investigating how technology and business are transforming humanity.
Fiona Geiran
[Copyright 2024 NPR]
Sanaz Meshkinpour
[Copyright 2024 NPR]