What do you have here? Lava flowÂing from a deep-ocean seafloor volÂcano, explodÂing into 35 foot long streams with bubÂbles as much as 3 feet across. This kind of action has nevÂer been witÂnessed before. (SomeÂwhat surÂprisÂing, no?) This clip comes out of The UniÂverÂsiÂty of WashÂingÂton. And the real action, which takes place near AmerÂiÂcan Samoa, begins at the 1:28 mark.
In NovemÂber 2007, Japan’s Kaguya spaceÂcraft orbitÂed the moon with a high-def camÂera onboard. You can see the first HD footage of an “earthÂrise” and “earthÂset” by checkÂing out these still images (EarthÂrise and EarthÂset). The video above gives you a good look at what an “EarthÂrise” looks like from outÂer space.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
Just a quick note: our colÂlecÂtion of Free CoursÂes from top uniÂverÂsiÂties was getÂting a bit long, pushÂing toward 275 coursÂes. So we decidÂed to make things a bit easÂiÂer to navÂiÂgate. You can now directÂly access indiÂvidÂual secÂtions of the colÂlecÂtion. The secÂtions are listÂed below, and you can othÂerÂwise find them in the “Free CoursÂes” secÂtion of our site (locatÂed in the cenÂter verÂtiÂcal nav). All coursÂes can be downÂloaded to your comÂputÂer or mp3 playÂer (yup, it’s a bonanÂza of free conÂtent), and while the colÂlecÂtion includes many coursÂes in audio, you will also find many in video too.
The world accordÂing to John IrvÂing. Times are tougher for young writÂers. But the book isn’t going away. You can watch the full interÂview with IrvÂing here.
The New York Times asks: Can an old brain learn, and then rememÂber what it learns? Can it keep nimÂble and throw off the rust? HapÂpiÂly, new studÂies sugÂgest that it can, and it largeÂly comes down to nudgÂing neuÂrons in the right direcÂtion by chalÂlengÂing our ingrained perÂcepÂtions, conÂfronting new ideas, and conÂstantÂly pushÂing to disÂcovÂer new things. Get more on how to keep your mind sharp here.
We can’t help you get fit (at least physÂiÂcalÂly) in the new year. But we can help you learn a new lanÂguage. Our colÂlecÂtion of Free LanÂguage Lessons covÂers 37 lanÂguages, and we have now develÂoped secÂtions dedÂiÂcatÂed to comÂmonÂly sought after lanÂguages. (See below.) Please keep in mind that the colÂlecÂtion also feaÂtures less freÂquentÂly spoÂken languages–Maori, LuxÂemÂbourÂgish, TagaÂlog, YidÂdish and beyond. For all lanÂguages, please visÂit the full colÂlecÂtion How to Learn LanÂguages for Free: SpanÂish, EngÂlish, ChiÂnese & 37 OthÂer LanÂguages:
YesÂterÂday, Jon GorÂdon (the host of Future Tense, a techÂnolÂoÂgy show aired by AmerÂiÂcan PubÂlic Media) disÂcussed the major tech innoÂvaÂtions of the decade. At the end of the show (around the 49th minute), a caller asked: “What’s the neatÂest site, in terms of wow facÂtor, that makes you say holy cow this is so cool?” And, in answer, Jon respondÂed: Open CulÂture. We’re not cutÂting edge. We’re under-read and under-appreÂciÂatÂed. (All probÂaÂbly true — any thoughts on how to fix that?). But we delivÂer the goods. Thanks very much Jon, and thanks for allowÂing me the rare self-pat on the back. You can lisÂten to the interÂview below or access it here. And, if you want, you can folÂlow us on TwitÂter and FaceÂbook and get updatÂed on all new bits of Open CulÂture.
CouldÂn’t let you down. CouldÂn’t let the year end withÂout givÂing you a “best of” list. So here it goes. A pureÂly subÂjecÂtive list. 25 items. Some eduÂcaÂtionÂal; some a litÂtle more enterÂtainÂing; some popÂuÂlar, etc. I hope you enjoy, and you can always search through our comÂplete archive here. Thanks all, and best wishÂes in ’10.
Yup, we menÂtioned Quentin TaranÂtiÂno last week, and we’re doing it again this week because Rosario has unearthed this nice clip. In six snapÂpy minÂutes, TaranÂtiÂno (direcÂtor of Pulp FicÂtion, ReserÂvoir Dog, IngloÂriÂous BasÂterÂds, etc) lists his favorites films made since 1992 — when he, himÂself, startÂed makÂing films. You’ll know some of these titles, but likeÂly not othÂers.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
My Best Friend’s BirthÂday, Quentin Tarantino’s 1987 Debut Film
FilmÂmakÂing Advice from Quentin TaranÂtiÂno and Sam RaiÂmi (NSFW)
Quentin TaranÂtiÂno Gives Sneak Peek of Pulp FicÂtion to Jon StewÂart (1994)
Today, we’re rolling out a sizÂable colÂlecÂtion of Free eBooks, most of them clasÂsics, that feaÂtures major works writÂten by James Joyce, F. Scott FitzgerÂald, Jane Austen, NietÂzsche and othÂers. (We have even thrown in a litÂtle Paulo CoelÂho.) You’ll find 100+ free ebooks in total, and you can downÂload the texts to your comÂputÂer, smart phone (iPhone, Android, etc.) or KinÂdle, dependÂing on the forÂmat you choose. Our eBooks Primer overviews the difÂferÂent downÂload options, so please give it a quick read over. Below, we’ve postÂed a quick samÂple from the new colÂlecÂtion (plus a link to the entire list of Free eBooks). Feel free to offer feedÂback and share the list with friends. Down the road, you can always find this colÂlecÂtion in the top navÂiÂgaÂtion bar. Just looks for eBooks.
For more ebooks, please visÂit Free eBooks: Great Books on Your PC, iPhone, KinÂdle & Beyond
Note: Don’t forÂget to check in on Seth HarÂwood’s big KinÂdle experÂiÂment. What hapÂpens when you sell your book for 99 cents on the KinÂdle? Find out as the experÂiÂment unfolds. StoÂry here.
Today’s free stoÂry: When They Were CallÂing You in for DinÂner (lisÂten here) or read it in the Charles RivÂer Review [To downÂload the stoÂry and lisÂten on your MP3 playÂer, just right-click and “save file as…”]
Dear OC readÂers,
About a week ago, I postÂed here about my PubÂlishÂing ExperÂiÂment Take 1. I spoke of the need for authors (Yes, Authors!) to make experÂiÂments in new media and pubÂlishÂing. Well, now’s the time to put my ficÂtion where my mouth is. Today I’m launchÂing my colÂlecÂtion of short stoÂries, A Long Way from DisÂney, on AmaÂzon’s KinÂdle platÂform at the price of $.99.
Direct link to buy A Long Way from DisÂney on AmaÂzon.
Please visÂit SethHarwood.com/kindle for more info. You can buy the book if you have 1) A KinÂdle 2) an iPhone/iPod Touch or 3) Any PC comÂputÂer!
Easy! See you soon with more free stoÂries and results from this experÂiÂment.
PS: If you’d like to hear more free stoÂries like this, you can check out new posts today at CrimeWAV.com and SethHarwood.com. You can also get the stoÂries directÂly from iTunes.
Seth HarÂwood podÂcasts his ideas on the pubÂlishÂing indusÂtry and his ficÂtion for free at sethharwood.com. He will be teachÂing an online course (The EssenÂtial Art: MakÂing Movies in Your Reader’s Mind) with StanÂford ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies startÂing in JanÂuÂary. His first novÂel, JACK WAKES UP, is in stores now.
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