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A whimsical take by 13th-century scientists on why the hedgehog has spikes
Based on a passage from the Rochester Bestiary, a richly illustrated 13th-century text on real and mythical animals, De Herinacio (On the Hedgehog) is a stop-motion animated glimpse into Medieval thought. Relaying a creative interpretation about why hedgehogs have spines in its original Latin, this charming short video from the Polish animator Ala nunu Leszyńska and Discarding Images illuminates a time when animal mythology was used to reinforce Christian morals.
Director: Ala nunu Leszyńska
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History of science
How we came to know the size of the Universe – and what mysteries remain
26 minutes
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Art
Defying classification, fantastical artworks reframe the racism of Carl Linnaeus
8 minutes
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History of science
Meet the Quaker pacifist who shattered British science’s highest glass ceilings
14 minutes
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History of science
Ideas ‘of pure genius’ – how astronomers have measured the Universe across history
29 minutes
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Animals and humans
One man’s quest to save an orphaned squirrel, as narrated by David Attenborough
14 minutes
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Biology
Butterflies become unrecognisable landscapes when viewed under electron microscopes
4 minutes
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Stories and literature
Two variants of a Hindu myth come alive in an animated ode to Indian storytelling
14 minutes
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Biology
‘Save the parasites’ may not be a popular rallying cry – but it could be a vital one
11 minutes
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Evolution
The many ways a lizard tongue sticks, grasps, pinches and plops – in slo-mo
6 minutes