This new video from CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty, feaÂturÂing archaeÂolÂoÂgist John Robb, gives you a quick and visuÂalÂly appealÂing introÂducÂtion to how humans have underÂstood someÂthing we take for grantÂed – our own bodÂies. CovÂerÂing 10,000 years in six minÂutes, Robb takes us from the “AniÂmal Body” and “SexÂuÂalÂized Body” of the MesolithÂic and NeolithÂic Ages, to the “PolitiÂcized Body” of the ClasÂsiÂcal Age, “God’s Body” of the MidÂdle Ages, and finalÂly “The Body as Machine,” the metaphor we have been livÂing with since 1500. And we wrap up with the “Body DigÂiÂtal,” the body of the future, and “MulÂtiÂple BodÂies.” This video comes from the CamÂbridge Ideas series availÂable on CamÂbridge’s YouTube chanÂnel.
Philip Roth’s Creative Surge & the Death of the Novel
Philip Roth, now 77 years old, keeps pubÂlishÂing with a cerÂtain urgency. EveryÂman in 2006, Exit Ghost in 2007, IndigÂnaÂtion 2008, The HumÂbling last year, and next comes NemeÂsis, due to be released in earÂly OctoÂber. After The HumÂbling hit the shelves, magÂaÂzine ediÂtor Tina Brown conÂductÂed a rare video interÂview with Roth, and they covÂered a fair amount of ground in 14 minÂutes: his creÂative surge, how he approachÂes writÂing sex scenes, ObaÂma’s litÂerÂary talÂents, the comÂing extincÂtion of the novÂel and whether the KinÂdle can make any bit of difÂferÂence, etc. You can watch the video above, or read a tranÂscript here.
Now a litÂtle freeÂbie. A nice copy of IndigÂnaÂtion goes to the first readÂer who sends along a comÂpelling piece of open/intelligent media that we choose to post on the site. (If you’re lookÂing for more guidÂance on what we have in mind, please read the tips on this page.) You can subÂmit your media picks here. Cheers…
Richard Feynman: Fun to Imagine
Back in 1983, the BBC aired Fun to ImagÂine, a teleÂviÂsion series hostÂed by Richard FeynÂman that used physics to explain how the everyÂday world works – “why rubÂber bands are stretchy, why tenÂnis balls can’t bounce forÂevÂer, and what you’re realÂly seeÂing when you look in the mirÂror.” In case you’re not familÂiar with him, FeynÂman was a Nobel prize-winÂning physiÂcist who had a gift for many things, includÂing popÂuÂlarÂizÂing sciÂence and parÂticÂuÂlarÂly physics. The clip above comes from Fun to ImagÂine, and thanks to this YouTube video, you can now watch all six videos in the series, each runÂning about 12 minÂutes. If you’re lookÂing for more FeynÂman videos, let me give you this: The PleaÂsure of FindÂing Things Out, an hour-long BBC/PBS proÂgram from 1981, and FeynÂman’s legÂendary lecÂtures on physics taped in 1964, now postÂed online courÂtesy of Bill Gates. And, oh yes, don’t forÂget FeynÂman playÂing the bonÂgos too…
Want to study some physics? Get Free Physics coursÂes here. And Free Physics TextÂbooks here.
Journalism for Our Century
As jourÂnalÂists try to find their footÂing in the new digÂiÂtal enviÂronÂment, News21, a Carnegie and Knight iniÂtiaÂtive, has startÂed “incuÂbatÂing” eight jourÂnalÂism schools across the counÂtry and helpÂing stuÂdents develÂop new forms of invesÂtigaÂtive reportÂing in mulÂtiÂmeÂdia forÂmats. Above, we have Spilling Over, a piece of digÂiÂtal reportÂing that lays bare the emoÂtionÂal toll the BP Oil spill has takÂen on a Louisiana comÂmuÂniÂty. The eight minute video report was assemÂbled by a News21 team at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of North CarÂoliÂna. NPR has more on the News21 project, and the News21 webÂsite feaÂtures othÂer stuÂdent projects. H/T to Mike S. for anothÂer superb find…
America on the Brink
David GerÂgen has served four difÂferÂent AmerÂiÂcan presÂiÂdents (Nixon, Ford, ReaÂgan, and ClinÂton), and he now heads the CenÂter for PubÂlic LeadÂerÂship at the HarÂvard Kennedy School. Last month GerÂgen, known for being a meaÂsured observÂer of polÂiÂtics, spoke before the ComÂmonÂwealth Club of CalÂiÂforÂnia and issued a very sober warnÂing: AmerÂiÂca faces monÂuÂmenÂtal probÂlems. But unforÂtuÂnateÂly our capacÂiÂty to address them has nevÂer been so diminÂished, and we’re this close to headÂing into a civÂiÂlizaÂtionÂal decline. Just what is limÂitÂing our abilÂiÂty to hanÂdle these probÂlems? If you cut to the chase, it’s a mediocre genÂerÂaÂtion of AmerÂiÂcans – politiÂcians, busiÂness leadÂers, media moguls, citÂiÂzens – habitÂuÂalÂly putting perÂsonÂal interÂests first and the greater good secÂond. It’s not a pretÂty picÂture, but GerÂgen sugÂgests a few ways out of the woods. (Hint: eduÂcaÂtion counts here.) You can stream the talk here, grab it on iTunes, or lisÂten below. And if you think there’s nothÂing you can perÂsonÂalÂly do to make this genÂerÂaÂtion a betÂter one, I sugÂgest you watch the last few minÂutes of this Robert SapolÂsky video.
30 Years of Asteroids in 3 Minutes
This amazÂing litÂtle video charts the locaÂtion of every asterÂoid disÂcovÂered since 1980. As we move into the 1990s, the rate of disÂcovÂery picks up quite draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly because we’re now workÂing with vastÂly improved sky scanÂning sysÂtems. And that means that you will espeÂcialÂly want to watch the secÂond half of the video. Below the jump, I’ve pastÂed some more inforÂmaÂtion that explains what you’re seeÂing. Thanks to @WesAlwan and Mike for sendÂing this great litÂtle clip our way.
via GizÂmoÂdo
3D Light Show from Ukraine to Your Living Room
BuildÂing becomes canÂvas. Give it a minute to get going. AccordÂing to an OC readÂer, the show was orgaÂnized to celÂeÂbrate the indeÂpenÂdence of Ukraine (August 24th). Thanks Olga!
via metafilÂter
Earthrise, Then and Now
On DecemÂber 24, 1968, astroÂnauts aboard ApolÂlo 8, makÂing the first human trip around the moon, stumÂbled upon a most beauÂtiÂful scene – an “EarthÂrise.” Almost 40 years latÂer (in 2007), Japan’s Kaguya satelÂlite capÂtured footage of the same scene unfoldÂing: an EarthÂrise and also this time an EarthÂset. If you click on the preÂcedÂing links, you will see some pretÂty wonÂderÂful still shots in HD.
Jonathan Franzen’s Freedom: The First Two Chapters
Last week, Jonathan Franzen appeared on the covÂer of TIME magÂaÂzine – the first time in a decade that a livÂing novÂelÂist has graced the covÂer page. Authors only get there if they’re flirtÂing with greatÂness (TIME’s piece is called “Jonathan Franzen: Great AmerÂiÂcan NovÂelÂist”) and if they have a new novÂel comÂing out. FreeÂdom hits the bookÂstores next TuesÂday, but you can get startÂed with the first two chapÂters right now. Good NeighÂbors and AgreeÂable both appear on The New YorkÂer magÂaÂzine web site.
All the Great Operas in 10 Minutes
You’ve perÂhaps seen the “Nine Minute SopraÂnos” (all 6 seaÂsons summed up in 9 minÂutes) or “The Wire Wrap Up” (5 seaÂsons of The Wire recapped in five short minÂutes). Now you get 11 Great Operas in 10 MinÂutes along with their plot lines that rival the dark twists and turns of any HBO series. (Or maybe it’s the othÂer way around.) La traviÂaÂta, CarÂmen, Don GioÂvanÂni, Aida – they’re all covÂered here.
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