The TED Theater at TED2022: A New Era, April 10-14, 2021 in Vancouver, BC, Canada. (Photo: Ryan Lash / TED)

At every TED conference, in every session, there’s a lot going on. Wonder and intrigue abound. How do you ready an audience to have its mind blown again and again? Offer bite-sized moments to laugh, to ponder, to dream between ideas. Here are the shorts that offered those moments of refresh and reflection at TED2022.

The short: “Violinists Across the World Play for Ukraine”. 94 violinists from 29 countries — including nine young violinists sheltering in Ukraine — play the Ukrainian folk song “Verbovaya Doschechka”.
The creator: Kerenza Peacock
Shown during: Session 1: Courage

@adrianbliss

An elephant never forgets #fyp #comedy

♬ original sound – Adrian Bliss

The short: “An elephant never forgets”. Even those who never forget are no match for presenting live on the TED stage.
The creator: @adrianbliss
Shown during: Session 1: Courage

@corporatenatalie

Touching. Is. Done. @corporate.bro #corporate #workfromhome #meeting #9to5 #fyp

♬ original sound – CorporateNatalie

The short: “Meeting your coworker for the first time in person”. Did you really ever want to hug a coworker you’ve never met — even before the pandemic?
The creator: @corporatenatalie
Shown during: Session 1: Courage

The short: “The Shy Comedian: Capitalism”. Down with Ccapitalism.
The creator: Kyle Drury
Shown during: Session 2: Capitalism

@ramalauw

So we all agree that we can blame ✨Cap1talism✨ for all our problems right? 👀💅 #Free99 #Capitalism #mentalhealth

♬ Infomercial music – QUINNY Z

The short: “So we all agree that we can blame ✨Cap1talism✨ for all our problems right?” Capitalism isn’t free, but you know what is? The illusion of choice. It’s OK — go ahead, laugh and cry. It could be considered productive.
The creator: @ramalauw
Shown during: Session 2: Capitalism

The short: “Next To Me” by “RÜFÜS DU SOL. An epic yet intimate journey across our planet imagined by artificial intelligence set to a transportive, atmospheric song.
The creator: Performance by RÜFÜS DU SOL; Directed by Osk
Shown during: Session 3: Intelligence

The short: “Submarines”. A fluid, AI-infused music video that meshes image and perception.
The creators: zia x aza, a collaboration between musician Zia Cora and artist Aza Raskin
Shown during: Session 3: Intelligence

The short: “Art Together Now (Space Version)”. An OK Go music video in collaboration with 15,000 musicians, artists and students from 21 countries and 35 states across the US.
The creators: Executive producers: AnnMarie Thomas and OK Go; Animation producer: Scott Cook; Animator: Wooyoung Kim; Video introduction filming and editing: Maggie Stout; Music produced by: Luke Tozour; Music co-produced by: Clare Howard, Doug Orzolek and AnnMarie Thomas; “All Together Now” Written by: Damian Kulash Jr. and Timothy Nordwind; Published by: OK Go Publishing; Support from: Cognizant, The Lubin Family Foundation, Morton Salt, The Playful Learning Lab, Sara Lee Schupf
Shown during: Session 5: Vision

The short: “Beans”. In space, nobody can hear you scream — but they can hear you fart.
The creator: Directed by Alvise Avati; Produced by Cinesite
Shown during: Session 5: Vision

The short: “Still Life”. A kinetic, sketched dance animation that celebrates the beauty of movement.
The creator: Serafima Serafimova
Shown during: Session 6: Wellbeing

@hayleygeorgiamorris

The constant daily battle #learnontiktok #NespressoTalents #funny #mevsbrain #comedy

♬ original sound – Hayley Morris

The short: “The constant daily battle”. The brain makes you question everything — including just getting up in the morning.
The creator: @hayleygeorgiamorris
Shown during: Session 6: Wellbeing

The short: “I NEED YOU”. Art so lively that it jumps out of the frame and makes you want to dance.
The creator: Performance by Jon Batiste; Directed by Alan Ferguson
Shown during: Session 7: Play

@mrsamcotton

Love is in the air #fyp #valentinesday

♬ original sound – Sam Cotton

The short: “Love is in the air”. A playful, pun-filled reimagining of everyday objects and scenarios.
The creator: @mrsamcotton
Shown during: Session 7: Play

The short: “Colors”. An emotional, self-reflective musical journey that explores the beauty, diversity and unity of the world.
The creator: Black Pumas, Slash and The Pocket Queen
Shown during: Session 8: Regeneration

The short: “In our hands”. Beautiful yet devastating miniature sets of the planet’s climate crisis — and a call to create a better future.
The creator: Dorian&Daniel
Shown during: Session 8: Regeneration

The short: “Can climate change be funny?” There’s nothing funny about climate change, but Rainn Wilson and 16 of his friends give it their best shot.
The creator: Directed and produced by Ben Shelton and Rainn Wilson
Shown during: Session 8: Regeneration

The short: “Magic of Hong Kong”. A mind-blowing cyberpunk drone video of China’s liveliest city.
The creator: Timelab Pro
Shown during: Session 9: Cities

The short: “Routine Rhythms”. An abstract romp through the everyday routines of life realized in dazzling, colorful designs.
The creator: Haeri Cho; Sound design by Kelly Warner; Produced at Ringling College of Art and Design Department of Motion Design
Shown during: Session 9: Cities

@enbiggen

Indiana Jones

♬ original sound – BluntoMarx

The short: “Indiana Jones”. A never-ending, seamless homage to the classic scenes and musical charm of the beloved Indiana Jones franchise.
The creator: @enbiggen
Shown during: Session 10: Imagination

The short: “Hydraulic Dancing”. Brief, creative interpretative dances inspired by things getting smushed.
The creator: Smac McCreanor – NFT on Opensea
Shown during: Session 10: Imagination

The short: “Kidsø ‘Finja”. A soft, light and surrealist journey around the world we live in.
The creator: Swann + Yoann
Shown during: Session 10: Imagination

The short: “Une chorégraphie Originale par Sadeck Waff”. 126 professional and amateur dancers perform mesmerizing, synchronized choreography with just their arms.
The creators: Choreography by Sadeck Waff; Directed by Thibaut Charlut; La Blogothèque Productions
Shown during: Session 11: Awe

The short: “Pass the Ball”. One red ball travels through a variety of imaginative, interconnected three-second animations from around the world.
The creator: Nathan Boey
Shown during: Session 11: Awe

@itslennnie

discovery: crying is #metal & life is cool ⛈ #lennnie #mhcheckpoint #SmartfoodClub

♬ original sound – lennnie

The short: “Crying is metal.” “Existence? What a time. What a concept.
The creator: @itslennnie
Shown during: Session 11: Awe