Awesome Learning

(SPOILERS) Channel Criswell masterfully explains how cinematographer Emmanuel “Chivo” Lubezki used the camera to reinforce The Revenant‘s conflicts – that of man against nature, and survival against revenge.

“Tornados dance. That’s how they destroy stuff.” Redditor notcodyshafer says his 5-year-old son Oliver dreamed of having his own science show “ever since he learned to talk.” So Oliver has been building towards this for half of his life. Keep ’em coming kid.

SciShow offers up a brief, yet informative look at nature’s electric fury. Learn what conditions make lightning occur, and the differences between some of the various types of lightning that we experience here on our planet, some of which most of us have never seen.

CineFix breaks down five sublime examples of movie action sequences, from epic set pieces to one on one fights. Because battles are cool, but battles that we understand and care about are way cooler.

Movies and TV shows use visual effects and CGI to make characters with vastly different sizes appear to inhabit the same space. But Frame By Frame explains that there are also practical effects and camera techniques that can be used to create the illusion.

AsapSCIENCE explains the basics of how the eyes of humans and other animals work, and how these incredibly useful organs have shaped not just the products of technology, but of nature and art as well.

(PG-13: Language) “Sounds shape what you see and what you think you see.” In film, sound has a unique variant: the ones made by unseen objects or beings. RocketJump Film School points out the various ways that off-screen sound can be used to paint a picture.

Kurzgesagt lists the major breakthroughs that have taken humans to this point. Ultimately, it’s a reminder that we all benefit when we communicate, cooperate, and preserve and share knowledge, not when we deceive, enslave or censor each other.

SmarterEveryDay made a transparent potato cannon that can be ignited from the back or from the middle of its combustion chamber. He then captured it in action at 25,000fps to teach us about explosions and rarefaction. And to make the best Audible commercial.

The Smithsonian Channel walks us through the lengthy path that luggage goes through from the time you drop it off at the counter until it makes its way onto your flight. With a process this complex, it’s amazing that more bags don’t go AWOL. From the show X-Ray Mega Airport.

“He rejected the idea that we have to make a fatal choice between being worthy but dull, or popular but shallow.” The School of Life talks about the greatness of Charles Dickens – a pragmatic artist and a timeless role model for teachers and advocates.

RocketJump producer Ashim Ahuja talks about the basic process and mindset of budgeting for a film. It’s easy to look at it as a buzzkill, but with enough research and resourcefulness you can make the whole greater than the sum of its parts. Besides, constraints fuel creativity.

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about cocktails, wine, and even making beer with this series of online courses from The Awesomer Shop. There’s over 80 lessons in all to teach you mixology, home brewing, and oenology. A $1500+ value.

Chemistry teacher Andy Brunning’s website is packed with amazing scientific infographics which educate and entertain. The charts explain everything from the composition of spirits, foods, and products, to the origins of element names. Be sure to check out Andy’s book too!

(PG-13: Language) “Show us character, and you’ve got good dialogue.” Channel Criswell masterfully explains the ideal purpose of dialogue in movies. A great dialogue doesn’t tell you what the story is, but who the characters are.

(PG-13: Language) “If you stick around doing nothing while everyone around you f***s up, you’re going to win big.” Last Week Tonight exposes the hidden fees and other deceptions of many retirement plans. You won’t believe what Janice from accounting gave.

Vsauce’s Michael Stevens returns with a typically long-winded, yet incredibly informative video about the nature of time, the innacuracies of time zones and calendars, and the way the planet’s tilt and rotation affect time. Say, is it Local Apparent Solar Noon yet?

“Don’t connect up the rejection with everything you fear and hate about being you.” Got dumped? Friend zoned? Ignored? The School of Life is your sober friend, armed with rational advice about mending a broken heart.

(PG-13: Language) During a recent episode of Off Camera with Sam Jones, actor Keegan-Michael Key explained some of the split-second mental processes that partners work through when creating an improv scene to keep it from running off the rails. A fascinating watch.

The School of Life describes several ancient rituals and argues that such ceremonies have profound and unique benefits. They then lament how we’re rapidly losing our taste for rituals because of infamous examples and the increased emphasis on individuality and money.

In the late ’70s, Warren Robinett came up with probably the first video game Easter egg when he hid his name in his game, the Atari 2600 classic Adventure. He didn’t do it just for fun, but also to stick it to Atari’s abusive higher ups.

Holy crap! It’s Beakman! Instead of simply going for cheap nostalgia, the science teacher to millions of ’90s kids helped Captain Disillusion debunk videos that claim to show perpetual motion machines. Beakmaaaannnn

Kurzgesagt mulls the Ship of Theseus, a paradox that asks whether an object – in this case, the human body – is still the same if you gradually replace all of its parts. And how many of your parts can be removed before you’re no longer you?