Via Cosmos and StarTalk, renowned astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson is able to wonderfully articulate the wildly compelling complexities of the universe. This month, YouTube channel MinutePhysics got Dr. Tyson to narrate in his trancing voice “A Brief History of Everything,” an 8-minute condensed tale of the universe from conception to modern day. The clip, embedded above for your viewing pleasure, is nothing short of fascinating. NDT’s words and descriptions for the layman are entirely digestible, Henry Reich’s stop-motion illustrations are perfect aids, and Igor Stravinsky’s “Firebird Suite” orchestration provides a deserving epic backdrop. Now, mash play and satiate your curiosity. And don’t forget to keep looking up.
Category Archives: Education
Mysterious sci-fi pic ‘Ambition’ requires your attention [Update: ‘Ambition’ revealed, short film inside]
Coming completely out of left field is this extremely promising science fiction film Ambition. I happened to have stumbled upon it at Sploid and ever since I’ve been fascinated by its lofty design and minimal exposure. Here’s what we know: Ambition hails from Polish director Tomek Bagiński who is best known for his short films Bieg, The Kinematograph, Fallen Art, and Oscar-nominated The Cathedral. It stars Aidan Gillen (most famous for his role as Petyr “Littlefinger” Baelish in HBO’s Game of Thrones) and Aisling Franciosi (Netflix’s The Fall). And here’s what we have in terms of plot:
Bagiński’s latest project – tells of a young apprentice (Franciosi) struggling to master nanotechnology on an alien world and prove herself to her enigmatic master (Gillen). Will her herculean goals remain tantalizingly out of reach, or will she fulfill them and in the process, change life as we know it?
The film was shot on location in Iceland, and as you can see in the trailer embedded above, the director took full advantage of the stellar landscape. What else does the trailer disclose? In the future, humans have the ability to build and control worlds. Oh, and Gillen poses the lovely existential question that so many movies before have attempted to tackle: “What is the key to life on Earth?” It certainly seems like Ambition will be, erm, ambitious in figuring out the meaning of life and how to truly sustain it.
“This is a project, ultimately, about great ambition: the power of the human spirit and our collective will to exceed all perceived boundaries,” said Bagiński of his shiny new film. “As our heroes seek out and close in on the very key to life, it goes beyond mere cinematic tropes to deal with the bolder universal themes of facing the future, battling uncertainty and showing the determination that makes us great. But it’s not all that it seems!”
Up to this point, this is all the information we have regarding the mysterious Ambition. Of course, there’s the movie’s official website which offers posters, production pictures, and behind-the-scenes stills. YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram accounts also follow the journey of its release. And yet Ambition is riding under the radar. Perhaps the tide will change when it premieres in front of an international audience tomorrow, Oct. 24 in London at the British Film Institute’s celebration of sci-fi film and television. A major announcement regarding the project (it better be a stateside release!) is expected.
Jump after the break and let Bagiński’s vision wash over you with its utterly beautiful landscapes, computer-generated visuals, and epic score. Check back here in the coming days to discover more about Ambition.
Update (10/24): What if I said Ambition is available for you to watch right now, in the comfort of your own home? Well, it is! Click after the break to view the short film and learn more about its origins and purpose.
The world’s heath & wealth over 200 years get spectacularly visualized
Using highly effective visuals in augmented reality animation, BBC’s Hans Rosling tells the story of the world in 200 countries over 200 years using 120,000 numbers, in just four minutes. More specifically, he plots life expectancy against income for every country since 1810, and the visually splendid data reveals interesting rises and drops in correspondence to major historical events such as world wars. Go on mash play and educate yourself.
[Via Gawker]
Blindfolded humans cannot walk straight
Here’s an unsolved mystery as old as time: blindfolded humans cannot walk straight. If you blindfold a person and tell them to walk straight, that person will quickly begin to walk in circles and not even know it! Says Robert Krulwich in an NPR report, “Humans, apparently, slip into circles when we can’t see an external focal point, like a mountain top, a sun, a moon. Without a corrective, our insides take over and there’s something inside us that won’t stay straight.” Though many scientists have attempted to figure out what exactly that something is, no one has cracked it just yet. Watch the fun animation describing the strange phenomenon in the video above.
[Via NPR]
The ‘Drawing Hands’ paradox
Drawing Hands by Ben Gavette. 1948. Lithograph.
I stumbled upon this image while studying the concept of autopoesis which literally means “auto (self)-creation” and revolves around the notions of structure and function. Drawing Hands is a complex and intriguing illustration that centers itself on autopoeisis and begs the questions, which hand is the illustration and which hand is doing the illustrating? Quite the paradox, eh? American thinker Douglas Hofstadter called this a “strange loop” which arises when, by moving up or down through a hierarchical system, one finds oneself back where one started. Boom. Did I just blow your mind?
[Info. via Wiki]
Colleges now accepting YouTube videos in applications
A number of colleges, including Tufts University and the University of Chicago, are now accepting YouTube videos from prospective students as part of their application. At these select schools students have the option to include a YouTube video displaying their talent(s) along with the standard required essays. Tufts asks for a one-minute video that “says something about you.”
Lee Coffin, the dean of undergraduate admissions, said the idea came to him last spring as he watched a YouTube video someone had sent him. “I thought, ‘If this kid applied to Tufts, I’d admit him in a minute, without anything else,’ ” Mr. Coffin said.
In the latest applicant pool for Tufts 1,000 of the 15,000 prospectives submitted a video. And many of these videos are garnering a big following. Amelia Downs’ video that combines “two of [her] favorite things: being a nerd and dancing” has over 77,000 views! Though it’s something that might get her into college, it’s also an artifact I would not want others to see. In the end, this is a surprising and exciting decision made by colleges; it gives students a visually creative way to express who they are outside the realm of those boring essays.
Though he may already forgotten his trip to the dentist, David is shoe-in for NYU Tisch, wouldn’t you say?
A kick to the groin results in no pain, but how?
What exactly happens when you get kicked in the groin? Better question: How come this guy Kirby Roy does not fall over into the fetal position when American Gladiator Justice kicks him square in the balls? I am writhing in pain for this guy and he feels nothing! Sports Science has the answer. Watch it all play out in the video above.
[Via Gizmodo]
Noteput music table teaches you with tangible notes
Created by Jürgen Graef & Jonas Heuer.
“Noteput” is an interactive music table with tangible notes, that combines all three senses of hearing, sight and touch to make learning the classical notation of music for children and pupils more easy and interesting.
Note that the Notput is not touch-sensitive; it does not feature multitouch interaction. It uses a built-in camera system to pick up unique markers that are stamped on the large musical notes. The camera system recognizes each note and its specific location on the staff.
Drops of water like you’ve never seen before
Learn what really happens to a drop of water when it hits a surface. Recording water droplets at 2,000 frames per second makes visualizing it a lot easier (and possible).
[Via Gizmodo]
Dove presents “Evolution”
This video goes behind-the-scenes and reveals how all those ads on billboards and in magazines are really created.
It’s all about inner-beauty. That’s what counts most.
[Thanks, Brian J.]
“U.S.-military grade acoustic deterant denied”
Watch the guys from BBC’s Bang Goes the Theory go against one of the military’s most powerful “sound blaster” devices, the Long Range Acoustic Device.
[Via Engadget]