TED Radio Hour How we experience time
100 snips
May 16, 2025 
In this engaging discussion, artist Katie Paterson explores deep time through her thought-provoking works that connect glaciers and stars, inspiring reflection on our temporal existence. Cognitive neuroscientist Irena Arslanova reveals how our heart's rhythms influence our perception of time, emphasizing the interplay between emotions and temporal awareness. Meanwhile, music director Robert Franz shares techniques for active listening, illustrating how music shapes our experience of time, turning classic compositions into immersive emotional journeys.
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Glacier Sound Phone Line
- Artist Katie Paterson installed a live phone line inside a melting Icelandic glacier for worldwide listeners.
- The sound connected people intimately with ancient time and current rapid glacier melting.
Heartbeat Shapes Time Perception
- The heartbeat rhythm affects how we perceive time, contracting or expanding it.
- Stimuli during heartbeats feel shorter; between beats, time feels longer.
Slow Heartbeat, Expand Time
- Slow your heart rate through deep breathing to potentially elongate perceived time.
- Mindfulness and focusing on slow or still objects can enhance time perception.