My TEDx Talk on DNA Test Surprises Was Chosen as a TED Organization's Editor's Pick

My second TEDx Talk is live! It was chosen as a TEDx Editor’s Pick, a distinction awarded to less than 0.1% of all TEDx talks.

“Every year, TED editors select about 40 TEDx talks as Editor’s Picks from a pool of roughly 56,000 TEDx talks.” — TEDx Charleston Director

“Of the nearly 300,000 TEDx Talks published, only about 600 – less than 1% – have ever been listed as Editor’s Picks, a distinction for the most important contributions toward TED’s ‘ideas worth spreading.’” 

“Being selected as a TED Editor’s Pick is a tremendous honor,” said Renée Gravois, lead organizer for TEDxSHSU and associate professor of marketing in the College of Business Administration. “It signifies that your talk stands out among thousands for its originality, insight and potential to inspire a global audience.”

Please like and comment on my Talk to increase awareness about the risks of taking DNA tests so that people may be prepared: https://youtu.be/LDl3B-TKSgA?si=8xq2k0LyoNJGtsca

“DNA test kits have both reunited and torn apart families. At age 53, I discovered that the Dad who raised me is not my biological father and that I am half Ashkenazi Jew. Maria shares 5 important pieces of advice for before and after you take a DNA test, including an overview of common legal issues. Maria Leonard Olsen is an attorney, author and podcaster (Becoming Your Best Version). Her book, 50 After 50: Reframing the Next Chapter of Your Life, helped thousands thrive. Her next book is Before and After the DNA Test: A Comprehensive Guide to Privacy, Medical, Legal and Personal Concerns in the World of Consumer DNA Testing (Bloomsbury 2026). Maria graduated from UVA School of Law. She has written for The Washington Post, AARP and more. She spoke at TEDx CUNY on “Turning Life’s Challenges into a Force for Good,” and was featured on CBS Sunday Morning. Learn more: MariaLeonardOlsen.com.”

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

The number of TEDx Talks chosen as “Editor’s Picks” is very small—and varies slightly depending on how you measure it:

Key facts

  • Roughly ~40 talks per year are selected as Editor’s Picks out of tens of thousands published annually

  • That’s well under 1% (often cited as <0.1%) of all TEDx Talks

  • Across all time, only about ~600 out of ~300,000 TEDx Talks have been chosen

What that means in plain terms

  • It’s extremely rare—roughly 1 in 500 to 1 in 1,000 talks

  • Being selected signals that TED considers your talk among the most impactful, well-delivered, and globally relevant

Why the numbers vary slightly

Different sources describe:

  • Annual selections (~40/year)

  • Total historical picks (~600 overall)

Both are consistent—they just reflect different timeframes.

Maria Leonard OlsenDNAtestsurprises, DNAtests, fiftyafter50, BecomingYourBestVersionPodcast, TEDx, TEDxWarrenton, tedxspeakerComment