In a nostalgic video essay, Julian Palmer of The Discarded Image took a look at the rather distinctive film soundtracks of the 1980s, how they were used to set the mood of the film and how they correlated to what was happening around the world. Among the films Palmer used to convey his message were…
‘Crazy Rich Asians’ Director Jon M. Chu Shoots Beautiful Short Film Using Only an iPhone XS Max
Somewhere, someone is practicing. To test out the camera functionality brand new iPhone XS Max, the folks at Wired gave one to director Jon M. Chu of Crazy Rich Asian to shoot as he saw fit. The resulting short film entitled “Somewhere” features freestyle dancer Luis Rosado practicing his moves over and again inside his…
How Roger Sterling’s Sense of Entitlement Held Him Back While Other ‘Mad Men’ Characters Moved On
As part of their ongoing analysis of the well-defined, flawed characters of Mad Men, Debra Minoff and Susannah McCullough of ScreenPrism take a look at the stalled, privileged existence of Roger Sterling. At the beginning of the series, Roger is the ultimate playboy with the world at his feet. Yet as the years pass into…
The Breeds, Personalities, Temperaments and Physical Traits of the Beloved Pet Dogs of Ancient Rome
In a tail-wagging video essay, Julien Blarel of Invicta History takes a look at an often ignored facet of daily ancient Roman life – their pet dogs. Blarel explains the type of breeds available along with their physical traits, personality and temperament with the help of wonderful illustrations by Beverly Johnson. He also reads aloud…
How External Sensory Expectations Give Context to How the Brain Predictively Perceives Information
In a thought-provoking animation by Lazy Chief for FOST (Future of Storytelling), neuroscientist Anil Seth explains how the brain engages with the constantly input of external stimulation. He specifically focuses on how the brain predictively perceives an object or situation, but is dependent upon sensory experience and expectation to give context to the situation. Seth…
How the Distinctly Syncopated Clave Rhythm Pattern of Afro-Cuban Music Took Hold in Modern Music
The fast talking doodling music theorist and musician 12tone visually and verbally explains the syncopation, the theory behind numerous variations of clave rhythmic patterns. These distinct rhythms are believed to have originated in Africa and have strong ties to Afro-Cuban music. These clave patterns eventually took real hold in modern music, most famously with the…
How Iceland’s Copious Supply of Geothermal Energy Fuels the Perfect Conditions for Greenhouse Produce
In a sulphurous episode of BBC Earth Lab, presenter Greg Foot happily treats himself to the hot tub-like waters of Iceland’s unique geology that makes water warm while the air is cold. This is due to the constantly shifting tectonic plates and continental divides, which release heat from the Earth’s core into the groundwater. The…
Two Vastly Different Chefs Share a Common Love of Combining Flour, Eggs and Water to Make Fresh Pasta
In an doughy episode of the BuzzFeed culinary series Tasty, host Vaughn Vreeland visited two vastly different restaurants, Borgatti’s Ravioli and Chef Michael White of the Altamarea Group, both with a common love of homemade pasta. Two artisan pasta makers perform their craft, exploring a beautiful marriage between eggs and flour. Vreeland first stopped at…