Marine biologist Sylvia Earle has spent more than four decades at the forefront of ocean exploration -- and at age 83, she shows no signs of slowing down. Earle was the first female chief scientist of the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and was named Time magazine's 1998 "Hero of the Planet." Earle offers her brief but spectacular take on passion for the ocean and the planet.

Sexual assault and abuse are issues of national and global reach and prominence. Among Navajo populations, the problem is even more prevalent. As one of the few female delegates on the Navajo council, Amber Kanazbah Crotty is leading a campaign called "Start by Believing" to encourage communities to support survivors. She shares her brief but spectacular take on revitalizing Navajo communities.

Writer and producer Frank Rich has led a long and varied career in the arts, from serving as theater critic for The New York Times to his current role as executive producer for the hit HBO show "Veep," now in its final season. Rich talks about his experience in the political circles of D.C., using drama as an escape and his brief but spectacular take on a life in theater.

Gloria Steinem is a writer, author, activist and feminist icon who travels widely to raise awareness for the gender equity causes she helped pioneer. At age 85, Steinem says she has no intention of passing on her torch but instead will use it to light others'. She reflects on the learning her unusual upbringing enabled and offers her brief but spectacular take on the women's movement right now.

Steve Martin and Martin Short have been nearly inseparable since meeting more than 30 years ago on the set of "Three Amigos." The two legendary Hollywood comedians sat down with Steve Goldbloom to discuss their latest touring special, "Now You See Them, Soon You Won't" and their brief but spectacular take on their "fabulously popular and undeserved success."

The gig economy has created many opportunities for securing temporary work with companies like Uber and Taskrabbit. But despite the increased flexibility short-term employment provides, it doesn't pay off for everyone. Social entrepreneur Terrence Davenport, who coaches low-income clients on the digital economy, shares his brief but spectacular take on life and work in rural Arkansas.

Andrew Bird is a multi-instrumentalist who has created field recordings in a Utah canyon, a Lisbon aqueduct and the Los Angeles River. Known for his virtuosic violin playing and songwriting styles that defy traditional classification, Bird took an unusual approach to developing his music -- one that involved prolonged isolation. Bird offers his brief but spectacular take on playing to the room.

Naomi De La Rosa was nine when her mother was deported from the U.S., after authorities learned she had entered the country illegally a decade earlier. Though she was thrust into a caregiver role for her younger brother and eventually her elderly father, De La Rosa still managed to excel at school. Now a freshman at the University of Arizona, she shares her brief but spectacular take on family.

Franklin Leonard is the founder of The Black List, a website that aims to connect potential screenwriters with filmmakers. The site allows users to upload their screenplays and earn ratings from the site's community, with the possibility of seeing their work actually produced into a movie. Leonard shares a brief but spectacular take on how the tool could help grow Hollywood inclusivity.

Jerri Clark's son Calvin was in college when his erratic behavior began, eventually leading to a diagnosis of bipolar disorder. His run-ins with law enforcement convinced Clark that medical and legal systems have very little tolerance for individuals with serious psychiatric issues. She shares her brief but spectacular take on why mental illness 'should never be a crime.'