Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
There are a few basic facts about climate change that we can be near-certain about: the global temperature is rising, this change is being driven by humans, and it represents a serious threat to a great many living things on the planet – humans included. But due to countless complexities and uncertainties, the trajectory of the global temperature in our deep past and, more pressingly, our near future is riddled with known unknowns. In Degrees of Uncertainty, the US video essayist Neil Halloran takes a data-centric deep dive into the climate crisis, emphasising the vital importance of rejecting fatalism when it comes to solving the problem. In doing so, he also charts the evolution of science itself since the age of enlightenment, and makes a case for science demanding scrutiny from an informed public, especially journalists. You can explore an interactive version of this video at Halloran’s website.
Via Kottke
Video by Neil Halloran
video
Chemistry
Why do the building blocks of life possess a mysterious symmetry?
12 minutes
video
Cosmology
Tiny, entangled universes that form or fizzle out – a theory of the quantum multiverse
11 minutes
video
Rituals and celebrations
A beginner’s guide to a joyful Persian tradition of spring renewal and rebirth
3 minutes
video
Astronomy
The history of astronomy is a history of conjuring intelligent life where it isn’t
34 minutes
video
Metaphysics
Simple entities in universal harmony – Leibniz’s evocative perspective on reality
4 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
Passed over as the first Black astronaut, Ed Dwight carved out an impressive second act
13 minutes
video
Engineering
A close-up look at electronic paper reveals its exquisite patterns – and limitations
9 minutes
video
Biography and memoir
The unique life philosophy of Abdi, born in Somalia, living in the Netherlands
29 minutes
video
Cognition and intelligence
What’s this buzz about bees having culture? Inside a groundbreaking experiment
8 minutes