TEDx SHORTS

By TED and PRX

Personal Journals Society & Culture

What's TEDx SHORTS about?

Start each day with short, eye-opening ideas from some of the world's greatest TEDx speakers. Hosted by Atossa Leoni, TEDx SHORTS will immerse you in surprising knowledge, fresh perspectives, and moving stories from some of our most compelling talks. Less than 10 minutes a day, everyday.

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LAST EPISODE

How to Find the Comedy in A...

07.11.2022

On a list of the least funny topics imaginable, the global refugee crisis, border disputes, and questions of citizenships are probably close to the top. And yet comedian Maeve Higgins has spent her career finding ways to make jokes about ...

TEDx SHORTS episodes:

07.11.2022 How to Find the Comedy in A Messed-Up World (with Maeve Higgins) On a list of the least funny topics imaginable, the global refugee crisis, border disputes, and questions of citizenships are probably close to the top. And yet comedian Maeve Higgins has spent her career finding ways to make jokes about ...
06.09.2022 Listen now: Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala You don’t need to travel to feel thrilled about a new place; if the last two years have taught us anything, it’s that the ideas, cultures, and charm of our world can reach us wherever we are. This season on ...
05.11.2022 Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter Can you REALLY boost your metabolism? Is blue light actually ruining your sleep? How much vaginal yeast is healthy and when is it … too much? Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter is BACK for a second season to bust ...
04.12.2022 Listen now: WorkLife season 5 WorkLife with Adam Grant is back for a fifth season! Organizational psychologist Adam Grant knows that you spend a quarter of your life at work–and in this show, he talks to some of the world’s most unusual professionals to discover ...
03.27.2022 3 ways to make better decisions Cognitive scientist Tom Griffiths shows how we can apply the logic of computers to untangle tricky human problems using three practical strategies. This talk was filmed at TEDxSydney. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of ...
03.26.2022 Academic research is publicly funded -- why isn't it publicly available? Erica Stone looks at the discrepancies between tax funded academic research and the post-research availability of expensive journals, and advocates for a new, open-access relationship between the public and scholars. This talk was filmed at TEDxMileHighWomen. All TEDx events are ...
03.25.2022 "Aliens built the pyramids" and other absurdities of pseudo-archaeology Archaeologist Sarah Kurnick illustrates why some misconceptions about humanity’s past perpetuate racist and xenophobic notions of history and culture. This talk was filmed at TEDxMileHigh. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ...
03.20.2022 When local news dies, so does democracy Journalist Chuck Plunkett passionately makes the case for local news as an essential part of any healthy democracy. This talk was filmed at TEDxMileHigh. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas ...
03.19.2022 How a miniaturized atomic clock could revolutionize space exploration Jill Seubert is a deep space navigator who shares the intricacies involved in space travel. This talk was filmed at TEDxUCLA. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To ...
03.18.2022 Why students should have mental health days Student Hailey Hardcastle explains why schools should offer mental health days and allow students time to practice emotional hygiene without stigma. This talk was filmed at TEDxSalem. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
03.13.2022 The true cost of financial dependence Accountant Estelle Gibson offers actionable advice on finding greater financial independence. This talk was filmed at TEDxDayton. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To learn more about TEDxSHORTS, ...
03.12.2022 How to support witnesses of harassment and build healthier workplaces Memory scientist Julia Shaw examines the ways companies can protect and advocate for employees who face workplace discrimination and harassment. This talk was filmed at TEDxLondonWomen. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission ...
03.11.2022 What tech companies know about your kids Anthropologist Veronica Barassi urges parents to demand protections and look closely at the ways their kids’ data is being collected online. This talk was filmed at TEDxMileHigh. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
03.06.2022 Who counts as a speaker of a language? Spanish professor Anna Babel reveals the intricate relationship between language and culture. This talk was filmed at TEDxOhioStateUniversity. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To learn more about ...
03.05.2022 The hidden history found in your teeth Bioarchaeologist Carolyn Freiwald traces the story of human migration across the Americas to illustrate what ancient teeth can reveal about you. This talk was filmed at TEDxUniversityofMississippi. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
03.04.2022 I let algorithms randomize my life for two years Computer scientist Max Hawkins looks at the ways algorithms can offer unique chances to step outside of one’s comfort zone. This talk was filmed at TEDxVienna. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission ...
02.27.2022 Why I talk to white supremacists Vidhya Ramalingam shares the ways she and others are working on intervention strategies to tackle the hate that exists on and offline. This talk was filmed at TEDxLondonWomen. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of ...
02.26.2022 The 1-minute secret to forming a new habit Sociologist Christine Carter offers one simple step that could help you keep motivated to achieve your goals, both big and small. This talk was filmed at TEDxMarin. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
02.25.2022 How you can use impostor syndrome to your benefit Reflecting on the leadup to launching a successful software company, Atlassian CEO Mike Cannon-Brookes shares what he’s learned about overcoming the very common feeling of “imposter syndrome”. This talk was filmed at TEDxSydney. All TEDx events are organized independently by ...
02.20.2022 Climate change and the challenge of long-term thinking Using the story of Hurricane Sandy’s effect on New Yorks as an example, Scientist and professor Adam Sobel shows how bridging science with storytelling is a key to enabling more action to stop climate change. This talk was filmed at ...
02.19.2022 Surprising ways sea ice affects us all Arctic scientist David Barber shares the history of sea ice to shed light on its importance in shaping Earth’s future. This talk was filmed at TEDxUManitoba. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission ...
02.18.2022 Let's scan the whole planet with LiDAR Chris Fisher makes the case for scanning the whole planet with LiDAR -- a technology that uses lasers shot from an airplane to map the ground -- in order to preserve our cultural and ecological heritage. This talk was filmed ...
02.13.2022 What COVID-19 reveals about US schools Educator Nora Flanagan offers four ideas for educational reform to improve systems for teachers, students, and families in a post-pandemic world. This talk was filmed at TEDxWrigleyville. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
02.12.2022 A chef shares her recipe for sustainable future Chef Peggy Chan looks at the ways our diets impact not just our bodies, but on the health of local economies and our planet. This talk was filmed at TEDxTinHau. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the ...
02.11.2022 The sports divide Alicia Lui discusses how sports divide Hong Kong, explaining the conditions that influence women and their decision to participate in sports, as well as stressing the role of sports as an equalizer for society. All TEDx events are organized independently ...
02.06.2022 Do you bring your full authentic self to work? Writer Jodi-Ann Burey offers a call to action for supporting authenticity at work — another way of achieving further professional equity. This talk was filmed at TEDxSeattle. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's ...
02.05.2022 Democracy needs an update With the increasing changes and threats to global democracy, writer and researcher Max Rashbrooke outlines the ways citizens can help protect society by being involved in everyday political decisions. This talk was filmed at TEDxAuckland. All TEDx events are organized ...
02.04.2022 3 myths about racism In an effort to build a shared understanding around fighting discrimination, political science professor Candis Watts Smith interrogates three myths about racism. This talk was filmed at TEDxPSU. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of ...
01.30.2022 Why nostalgia for empire persists Historian Farish Ahmad-Noor examines the misguided nostalgia for colonialism facing sovereign nations forging renewed cultural identities. This talk was filmed at TEDxNTU. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. ...
01.29.2022 A new way to define self-worth When working with homeless and disabled artists, the refrain that social entrepreneur Liz Powers hears most often is: "I don't want a handout, I want an opportunity." In this talk, Powers explores the concept of "Joblifting," a way to create ...
01.28.2022 The downside of digital siloing Journalist Gina Keating looks at our culture of predictive algorithms and encourages taking more control of our choices and individuality. This talk was filmed at TEDxRitenourRoad. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission ...
01.23.2022 Why falling behind can get you ahead Journalist David Epstein shares how specializing in a particular skill too early in life may undermine your long-term development.
01.22.2022 How stigma shaped modern medicine In the 1940s, cancer was a condition shrouded in fear and denial, rarely discussed in public. Now there's a healthy public discourse and billions of dollars in research funding dedicated to it. In this talk, writer and microbiologist Dr. Nathalia ...
01.21.2022 Why we need archaeology in war zones Paleontologist and stand-up comic Ella Al-Shamahi guides us through her family’s native home of Yemen to highlight the human, scientific, and cultural toll many countries encounter from war and instability. This talk was filmed in 2016 at TEDxNashville. All TEDx ...
01.16.2022 Racism thrives on silence -- speak up! Telling the story of a harrowing UK court case that spotlights the corrosive effects of injustice, human rights lawyer Dexter Dias urges us all to speak out and expose toxic myths about race -- in order to allow hope, change ...
01.15.2022 How artificial light affects our health Sleep researcher Dragana Rogulja outlines the damage artificial light does to our health and suggests some ways to combat the problem.
01.14.2022 Biomolecular tales of our ancestors Microbiologist Alisa Kazarina describes how cutting edge research at the crossroads of archaeology and microbiology can trace humanity's physical development while providing insight on how to treat contemporary diseases.
01.09.2022 Let's think about archaeology on the moon Space archaeologist Alice Gorman highlights the moon's prominent role in our culture and the importance of thoughtfully preserving it. This talk was filmed at TEDxSydneySalon. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ...
01.08.2022 Poop, power and participation Design practitioner Julia King argues for a radical shift in the way we think about human waste and sanitation. This talk was filmed at TEDxWarwick. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ...
01.07.2022 Why do we blame individuals for economic crises? Sociologist Liene Ozolina examines how the 2008 global financial crisis decimated Latvia’s economy and why responsibility should not be shifted to the citizens who struggle the most in its aftermath. This talk was filmed at TEDxRiga. All TEDx events are ...
01.02.2022 How centuries of sci-fi sparked spaceflight NASA economist Alexander MacDonald shares how the human imagination for space flight wasn’t only sparked by history’s esteemed scientists but also our great storytellers. This talk was filmed at TEDxAuckland. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the ...
01.01.2022 Stop looking for your passion Terri Trespicio spent the early part of her career reluctant to pursue opportunities she didn't have a fiery passion about. After finding this to be a very limiting mindset, she now encourages everyone to stop looking for passion. This talk ...
12.31.2021 Why we need to reimagine the future Angela Oguntala is a futurist who asks us to look outside of our preconceptions to find inspired visions of the future in unexpected places. This talk was filmed at TEDxCopenhagen. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the ...
12.26.2021 Will the right to protest survive its migration online? Digital activist Brett Solomon reflects on how state-sanctioned internet shutdowns, increased surveillance, and unequal access to the internet are impacting communities all over the world. This talk was filmed at TEDxByronBay. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in ...
12.25.2021 How to care for your community with radical hospitality Doniece Sandoval is a social activist and entrepreneur who was troubled by the striking wealth gap in San Francisco. She shares the way she implemented change for the Bay Area’s homeless population and offers guidance on how we can all ...
12.24.2021 The counterintuitive way to be more persuasive Organizational psychologist Niro Sivanathan offers a fascinating lesson on the "dilution effect," a cognitive quirk that weakens our strongest cases -- and reveals why brevity is the true soul of persuasion. This talk was filmed at TEDxLondonBusinessSchool. All TEDx events ...
12.19.2021 Futura, the font that helped launch Apollo Designer Douglas Thomas shares Futura's role in launching the Apollo 11 spacecraft -- and how it became one of the most used fonts in the world. This talk was filmed at TEDxSanFrancisco. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers ...
12.18.2021 "Entrepreneur" is a mindset not a job title Satish Kanwar challenges the common narrative around the “startup spirit." This talk was filmed at TEDxToronto. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To learn more about TEDxSHORTS, the ...
12.17.2021 How technology connects us to fine art Bob Sumner walks us through how augmented reality is changing how we interact with art. This talk was filmed at TEDxZurich. All TEDx events are organized independently by volunteers in the spirit of TED's mission of ideas worth spreading. To ...
12.12.2021 Why language is humanity's greatest invention Game of Thrones’ language creator David Peterson shows how studying, preserving and inventing new languages helps us understand our collective humanity -- and gives a quick lesson on High Valyrian. This talk was filmed at TEDxBerkeley. All TEDx events are ...

Older episodes

TEDx SHORTS

What's TEDx SHORTS about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

TEDx SHORTS episodes:

How to Find the Comedy in A Messed-Up World (with Maeve Higgins)

Listen now: Far Flung with Saleem Reshamwala

Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter

Listen now: WorkLife season 5

3 ways to make better decisions

Academic research is publicly funded -- why isn't it publicly available?

"Aliens built the pyramids" and other absurdities of pseudo-archaeology

When local news dies, so does democracy

How a miniaturized atomic clock could revolutionize space exploration

Why students should have mental health days

The true cost of financial dependence

How to support witnesses of harassment and build healthier workplaces

What tech companies know about your kids

Who counts as a speaker of a language?

The hidden history found in your teeth

I let algorithms randomize my life for two years

Why I talk to white supremacists

The 1-minute secret to forming a new habit

How you can use impostor syndrome to your benefit

Climate change and the challenge of long-term thinking

Surprising ways sea ice affects us all

Let's scan the whole planet with LiDAR

What COVID-19 reveals about US schools

A chef shares her recipe for sustainable future

The sports divide

Do you bring your full authentic self to work?

Democracy needs an update

3 myths about racism

Why nostalgia for empire persists

A new way to define self-worth

The downside of digital siloing

Why falling behind can get you ahead

How stigma shaped modern medicine

Why we need archaeology in war zones

Racism thrives on silence -- speak up!

How artificial light affects our health

Biomolecular tales of our ancestors

Let's think about archaeology on the moon

Poop, power and participation

Why do we blame individuals for economic crises?

How centuries of sci-fi sparked spaceflight

Stop looking for your passion

Why we need to reimagine the future

Will the right to protest survive its migration online?

How to care for your community with radical hospitality

The counterintuitive way to be more persuasive

Futura, the font that helped launch Apollo

"Entrepreneur" is a mindset not a job title

How technology connects us to fine art

Why language is humanity's greatest invention