Warning: this film features flashing light that could be unsuitable for photosensitive viewers.
The recently released images from the James Webb Space Telescope are dazzling accomplishments of human ingenuity. They’re also processed for maximum awe-inducing effect, with multiple pictures often combined to form one pristine image, and colours recalibrated for the human eye. The experimental short Brilliant Noise (2006) finds beauty in the unvarnished and little-seen imagery of space observation in its rawest form. Composed of gritty black and white videos built from NASA’s open data portal, the film features a compilation of solar-flare activity, complete with the flickering and static that are usually smoothed over in NASA-released public-outreach videos. Stripped down to their essence, these sequences possess a direct and guttural power – like a punk-rock alternative to the refined imagery that abounds in social media feeds.
Directors: Ruth Jarman, Joe Gerhardt
Website: Semiconductor
videoMathematics
After centuries of trying, we’ve yet to arrive at a perfect way to map colour
20 minutes
videoMusic
A riveting audiovisual dive into what makes sounds harmonious, or not
28 minutes
videoEngineering
How water-based clocks revolutionised the way we measure time
10 minutes
videoHistory of science
How we came to know the size of the Universe – and what mysteries remain
26 minutes
videoEngineering
Building a prosperous future demands bold ideas. These are some of the boldest
40 minutes
videoOceans and water
A stunning visualisation explores the intricate circulatory system of our oceans
5 minutes
videoHistory of science
Ideas ‘of pure genius’ – how astronomers have measured the Universe across history
29 minutes
videoMaking
On the Norwegian coast, a tree is transformed into a boat the old-fashioned way
6 minutes
videoComputing and artificial intelligence
A future in which ‘artificial scientists’ make discoveries may not be far away
9 minutes