SCIENCE(ish) etc.
I can't embed it, but click here to go check out the really nice slideshow of microscopic images. Science/art. Scart.
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Carl Sagan has one of the best voices I've ever heard, and he seems to have some great things to say with it. This mash-up of his voice-over and some images from the egyptian protests is completely absorbing. I'll be seeking out his work/tv shows as soon as I can (probably when I don't have a degree to do):
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The Loneliest Whale In The World
"a lonely whale with vocal problems whose love song supposedly chases lady whales away."On the one hand, this is the sort of humanising of nature that I'm not awlays a huge fan of, but on the other hand it's the kind of great (/so sad) story that can engage and excite people who might normally not have much interest. Interesting story either way.
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I love this story:
State censorship won't keep North Koreans from learning about the civil resistance in North Africa and the Middle East. Thousands of helium balloons will be soon released over the Korean border with information about the uprisings that toppled the Tunisian and Egyptian governments.Fantastic persistence and noble intentions. Here's the full article.
ANIMATION etc.
Lovely titles for "the pillars of the earth" - whatever that is:
The Pillars of the Earth - Main Titles from Acme Filmworks on Vimeo.
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Pure, simple fun from the Despicable Me gang. I shamelessly love this:
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I haven't read the book this is based on, and I know nothing about it, but this short concept clip (explained here) is really nice:
The Escapist v.s. The Iron Gauntlet from Jamie Caliri on Vimeo.----
Watch cityscapes form from keyboards. Unusual:
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Oddly mesmerising music video.
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This video is really nice. There's lots of good time-lapse videos knocking about, but this is one of the best I've seen:
NYC - Mindrelic Timelapse from Mindrelic on Vimeo.----
Imagine having the patience to make this:
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INTELLECTUAL CURIOSITY etc.
There's an interesting essay by George Orwell - Why I write - that starts with this:
"From a very early age, perhaps the age of five or six, I knew that when I grew up I should be a writer"That makes me wonder if the very best people at anything are just built that way and achieve greatness through an internal drive and ambition. Maybe not, but an interesting thought. The essay makes for good reading anyway - well worth it if you have a minute.
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In a similar vein, watch an interview with Isaac Aasimov (this is part 2 - CLICK HERE for all the other bits) Really nice ideas about learning and computers etc, and interesting to see how he imagines the internet and computer access will drive people to control their own learning, and hence develop a true passion and enjoyment for learning.
"Once we have computer outlets in every home, each of them hooked up to enormous libraries where anyone can ask any question and be given answers, be given reference materials, be something you’re interested in knowing, from an early age, however silly it might seem to someone else… that’s what YOU are interested in, and you can ask, and you can find out, and you can do it in your own home, at your own speed, in your own direction, in your own time… Then, everyone would enjoy learning."
The main problem in what he says is that he imagines that everyone has the same capacity for loving learning that he does, but maybe not everyone does. He is right, though, that there's an enjoyment that everyone gets from learning in at least some respects, and people like the power and comfort that knowledge gives them - that's often underestimated when we consider modern education. He makes tons of interesting points, and it's great to hear a such great hopefulness and energy. He talks fantastically and says loads of things that still apply today. Also go and watch part 3 - you get a bit more about his personal approach to life, and it's really entertaining:
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Beautiful video raising a potentially big issue:
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If you have more time than me, I suspect there's a universe of great stuff in the Lone Gunman's Year In Review.
ART, DESIGN + MISCELLANY etc.
Hilarious (and nicely photographed) American streets named after English places, badly:
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Click on the image below and go through the slideshow of "Pictures of the Year":
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Fire insurance maps from 1880-1920. Sounds horrendously dull, but check out the covers. Bloody brilliant:
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Finally, remember the London Olympic logo that everyone loves so much? Apparently it's not just ugly, but actually offensive. Iran threatening to boycott the olympics due to the racist logo that reads "zion". Read more here. Classic.
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Phew. See my "best of" post for the usual sources - particular note that many of these came from Brain Pickings/Curiosity Counts; Coudal Partners; Animade; New Scientist; etcetcetc.
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