Late in the week, TEDTalks named its top ten videos. Whether this is a quanÂtiÂtaÂtive or qualÂiÂtaÂtive judgÂment, I am not sure. On the list, you’ll find Al Gore talkÂing about how to avert a cliÂmate criÂsis, David GalÂlo showÂing amazÂing underÂwaÂter creaÂtures, and Ken RobinÂson describÂing why schools kill creÂativÂiÂty (we’ve postÂed that one below). Again the full list is here.
Stephen Hawking’s Explosive New Theory
ArtiÂcle begins: “Prof Stephen HawkÂing has come up with a new idea to explain why the Big Bang of creÂation led to the vast cosÂmos that we can see today. Astronomers can deduce that the earÂly uniÂverse expandÂed at a mind-bogÂgling rate because regions sepÂaÂratÂed by vast disÂtances have simÂiÂlar backÂground temÂperÂaÂtures. They have proÂposed a process of rapid expanÂsion of neighÂbourÂing regions, with simÂiÂlar cosÂmic propÂerÂties, to explain this growth spurt which they call inflaÂtion. But that left a deepÂer mysÂtery: why did inflaÂtion occur in the first place?” The rest here.
Superstring Theory Explained Dynamically
“In clear, nonÂtechÂniÂcal lanÂguage, string theÂoÂrist BriÂan Greene explains how our underÂstandÂing of the uniÂverse has evolved from EinÂstein’s notions of gravÂiÂty and space-time to superÂstring theÂoÂry, where minusÂcule strands of enerÂgy vibratÂing in 11 dimenÂsions creÂate every parÂtiÂcle and force in the uniÂverse.” If you want to get deepÂer into Greene’s work on string theÂoÂry, I would recÂomÂmend referÂring back to this preÂviÂous post.
This dynamÂic preÂsenÂtaÂtion was made at the TED conÂferÂence. (PS You may also want to see BoingÂBoÂing’s new post: Top 10 TedTalks.)
No Ice at the North Pole
The chance of ice disÂapÂpearÂing this sumÂmer? 50/50. WorÂriÂsome, I’d say.
The Gas Mileage Illusion (and the Future of Electric Cars)
GivÂen the sudÂden nationÂal obsesÂsion with the price of oil & gas, it seems worth flagÂging this bit of video put togethÂer by two proÂfesÂsors from Duke UniÂverÂsiÂty. Some may find their perÂspecÂtive on gas mileage rather obviÂous, othÂers not. Either way, it can’t hurt to get their point across.
SepÂaÂrateÂly, here’s a quick piece on the state of elecÂtric cars and when they may be ready for prime time. You’ll learn here about the TesÂla RoadÂster, a high-perÂforÂmance elecÂtric sports car, that goes from 0 to 60 miles per hour in 3.9 secÂonds and gets the equivÂaÂlent of 256 miles per galÂlon. PretÂty impresÂsive, even if it costs $109k.
Great Literature in Three Lines or Less
Here’s 1984, Moby Dick, ParÂadise Lost, The Great GatsÂby and othÂer clasÂsics boiled down to three lines, courÂtesy of McSweeny’s.
How’s This for a Book Trailer?
A couÂple weeks ago we talked about a new trend in the book pubÂlishÂing world — creÂatÂing proÂmoÂtionÂal videos for new books and letÂting them go viral on YouTube and othÂer social video sites. Here’s one of the betÂter examÂples I’ve seen. 12 books by LemoÂny SnickÂet get proÂmotÂed at once. Lots of bang for the marÂketÂing buck:
Salman Rushdie’s Book Tour Rolls Through Google
Salman Rushdie’s latÂest book, The Enchantress of FloÂrence: A NovÂel, has hit the streets. And it comes just three years after his last one, ShalÂiÂmar the Clown, which makes him a good deal more proÂlifÂic than many of his conÂtemÂpoÂraries. (A piece in The Guardian — The Great AmerÂiÂcan Pause — notes that many celÂeÂbratÂed novÂelÂists have been pubÂlishÂing books a bit more leisureÂly, often once every 10, 12 or even 20 years.) DurÂing his book tour last week, Rushdie travÂeled to Google’s HQ, where, among othÂer things, he talked about how he used Google and othÂer online tools to do the hisÂtorÂiÂcal research for The Enchantress of FloÂrence. The talk runs a good 70 minÂutes, and it takes you through the process that brought his work from conÂcept to realÂiÂty. Watch the video below.
Want to know how to add YouTube videos to your iPod? Then check out our piece: 10 Ways to Make Your iPod a BetÂter LearnÂing GadÂget.
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