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The Importance of Being Lonely
Being lonely is one of the most important survival mechanisms humans have. Early in our evolution, feelings of loneliness meant that we weren't part of a group — and weren't going to be alive for long. Kurzgesagt looks at the science of being lonely and why in our ultra-connected world, we feel more lonely than ever.
Why a Base On Mars is a Bad Idea
With all the talk of building habit on Mars capable of supporting human life, it's actually a really bad idea. Mars is cold, devoid of resources, and pounding by high levels of radiation — everything not conducive supporting human life. But Kurzgesagt decided to do it anyway. Here's how we could make it work.
Life On Rogue Planets
Not all planets have a Solar System to call home. Some planets travel a lonely path through the cosmos, freezing and wreaking havoc on nearly anything they encounter — or get destroyed themselves in the process. These frozen masses might be the last place you'd think life could exists, but there's a possibility that life is hiding deep beneath their surfaces. Kurzgesagt looks at how this could happen and why their lifelessness might only be skin-deep.
How to Build a Dyson Sphere
In order for humanity to continue to progress at its current rate, we'll need to find better sources of energy to fuel our expansion. Earth-based sources will only get us so far — in order to expand into space, a huge energy source will be required, like that found in a star. Once solely the realm of science fiction, the Dyson sphere might one day be plausible, and Kurzgesagt looks at how it could be made.
25 Chemistry Experiments in 15 Minutes
Chemists specialize in turning one thing into another. From the ancient and largely unsuccessful art of alchemy to modern day medicine, chemistry has been a huge part of pushing civilization forward. Andrew Z. Szydło is a chemistry teacher and in this TEDx talk, goes through 25 fascinating science experiments in 15 minutes.
Year In Search 2018
The year has nearly come to an end. Before you put 2018 behind you completely, take a look back at the events that shaped it through Google's most searched topics.
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Vans UltraRange Rapidweld Shoe
Made for athletes in search of a comfortable shoe to wear while traveling, the Vans UltraRange Rapidweld is one of the most versatile in the brand's arsenal. It's made with a new UltraCush Lite midsole compound for added comfort and durability. It also has LuxLiner sock-fit construction for a secure, comfy fit, fully breathable mesh with Rapidweld details, and synthetic, textile, and suede uppers. Each pair is finished using water-based inks and glues and a durable rubber reverse waffle lug outsole.
Presented by Vans.
Squarespace
Others may leave their future in someone else's hands, not you. Squarespace gives you all the tools you need to build your vision from the ground up. From websites, domains, online stores, marketing tools, and analytics, Squarespace is the all-in-one platform to build an amazing online presence. Be creative and start your website with Squarespace today.
Presented by Squarespace.
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DIY SpaceX Rockets
No longer the sole province of huge government organizations or private defense companies, getting into space is being revolutionized by private companies. SpaceX is leading the charge with their reusable rockets, but in a sign of how far technology can filter down, Joe Barnard is building his own — albeit on a smaller scale. While Joe hasn't successfully landed a rocket yet, he's getting closer every day, along with learning a lot in the process.
Spending Christmas Around the Moon
When John F. Kennedy kicked off the space race by announcing the goal of landing on the moon by the end of the decade, it was one of the biggest crunch times in history. The newly-formed NASA faced the nearly-impossible task of not only getting there but designing and building the multitude of systems required to make the trip. On December 21, 1968, Apollo 8 launched and put three astronauts in orbit around the moon. Flying on largely untested equipment, the mission was a success as the crew spent Christmas watching the Earth rise over the horizon of the moon.
Voyager 2 Leaves the Solar System
Launched 16 days before its twin Voyager 1 in 1977, Voyager 2 has left the Solar System and entered interstellar space and is now taking the first direct measurements of the plasma fields there. In operation for 41 years, 3 months and 21 days, Voyager 2 has technology that is far inferior to the smartphone in your pocket — yet it's still providing valuable data to scientists here on Earth. See you space cowboy. . .
Sounds of Mars
Last spring, NASA's InSight Lander was launched into space on a journey to Mars. After landing on the Red Planet, the spacecraft's seismometer picked up the first sounds. What you hear are Martian winds blowing across the Elysium Planitia at around 10-15 mph.
The Truth About Vinyl
It's become one of the greatest debates of the modern age: Is vinyl better than digital? Vinyl records have experienced a resurgence in the last few years, with claims of better sound fidelity versus the digital format. Real Engineering tries to settle the debate once and for all by analyzing the science behind the two competing formats.
The Longest Timelapse From Space
The International Space Station has been orbiting the Earth for 20 years. The first module was launched in 1998, and since then, the ISS has been more than the most distant research platform in history — it also represents what we are capable of when we come together for a common goal. In honor of the ISS' 20th anniversary, The European Space Agency released the longest timelapse ever recorded from space.
NASA InSight Mars Landing
NASA's InSight touched down on the Red Planet on November 26 with a plethora of instruments that will exponentially increase our understanding of Mars. InSight is the first lander that takes its instruments from itself and places them on the surface — described as the most high-tech version of the arcade claw game you could imagine. NASA streamed the whole event live, along with the first communications from InSight.
The End of Space
Trash isn't just a problem on the surface of Earth — it also poses a danger for the communications and scientific infrastructure that we rely on in space. 60 years of launching things into orbit have created a huge amount of space junk that can destroy satellites, even at sizes as small as a pea. With the problem of space junk growing exponentially, some novel solutions have been proposed, from nets and harpoons to repelling magnets and lasers.
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Moral Code Back Office Leather Backpack
You have plenty of options for backpacks, but most don't look as good and aren't built to last as long as this one. Available in premium black leather with nickel hardware or premium tan leather with gunmetal hardware, the Back Office is ready to serve daily and is also a fantastic carry-on option. The interior has a laptop sleeve with neoprene lining, while dedicated pockets for your smartphone and pens keep everything organized. Two spacious compartments and a mesh side pocket finish the exterior, making this pack as functional as it is fashionable.
Presented by Moral Code.
Coldsmoke Windbloc Joggers II
While normal sweats are great for lounging around the house, most aren't ideal for getting out in the temperatures seen daily throughout the winter months. Coldsmoke's Windbloc Joggers were made for just that kind of weather, using Polartec Windbloc fleece that blocks virtually all wind with an exterior that's extremely water repellent. You get the feel of fleece joggers on the inside, while the outside looks more polished and wards off the elements. Made in California, think of the Windbloc Joggers as more of your go-to casual pant than workout garb, as the insulation factor makes them great for braving the elements, but not spin class.
We suggest taking your normal size:
X-Small: Waist: 28-30"/ Length: 37.5"
Smalll: Waist: 30-32"/ Length: 38"
Medium: Waist: 32-34"/ Length: 38.5"
Large: Waist: 34-36"/ Length: 39"
X-Large: Waist: 36-38"/ Length 39.5"-
We Are NASA
You don't have to be a space nerd to get goosebumps from the latest NASA promo. Narrated by Mike Rowe, America's space agency launched a new video taking an inspiring look back at their 60-year history. The focus then shifts to their future, teasing plans for Mars missions and a return to the Moon.
World's Fastest Jet Suit
Richard Browning is the founder and chief test pilot of Gravity, maker of the fastest jet suits in the world. Browning grew up flying model aircraft with his father, an aeronautical engineer, and started designing his first jet suit a few years ago. After a lot of trial and error, Browning has a fully-functional jet suit that would make James Bond jealous — and it's faster than anything that's been built before.
First 8k Video From Space
From experiments with DNA and RNA to growing plants in zero-gravity, the International Space Station has been a major contribution to humanity's reach for the stars. NASA recently got some ultra-high-definition camera equipment to the ISS and released the first video shot in the format to the public. With crew members performing experiments and incredible shots of the Earth below, expect even more breathtaking scenes from our spot 254 miles above the planet.
Scaling the Universe
When trying to grasp the scale of stars and planets in an infinite universe, our finite minds have trouble visualizing how big things get out there. Most visualizations use a fixed perspective, where a larger planet or star appears to be the same size in the frame as the one before it. Corridor Crew took a different approach, setting Earth as the size of a tennis ball, and placing stars of increasing size in familiar a cityscape to help us truly see how small our neck of the galaxy is.
Apollo 11's Journey to the Moon
You've seen the launch and watched Neil Armstrong take those first steps but that was only a part of the mission. A lot happened during the eight-day journey between the Earth and the Moon to make the lunar landing a success. This animated breakdown details exactly what took place during the deconstruction of the Saturn V rocket and Apollo spacecraft.
The History of Ctrl+Alt+Del
If you've ever used a computer, you've used that magical three-key combo — Ctrl+Alt+Del. Stuck programs or locked up computers, that simple command gets you out of the loop and back to work. Dr. Dave Bradley invented the command while working at IBM on its revolutionary personal computer. When something crashed, Dr. Bradley needed a way to get the computer reset without having to go through the entire boot process — and Ctrl+Alt+Del was born.
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Parkour Atlas
It's faster than you, stronger than you, and now it can do parkour better than you. While we sit behind our devices, every day Atlas is evolving into the ultimate super-species. Boston Dynamic's robot now uses special control software to jump over logs, climb steep terrain, and take over the world.
The First Manned Launch of an Apollo Mission
15 months before the launch of Apollo 11 that landed the first humans on the Moon, Apollo 7 was the first Apollo mission that carried humans into orbit. NASA celebrates the first manned launch of the Apollo program with this retrospective featuring archival footage and interviews with Walter M. Schirra, Donn F. Eisele, and R. Walter Cunningham, the three astronauts on the historic mission.
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The Most Precise Atomic Clock in the World
The first atomic clock was built in 1955, and since then, they've been the standard at keeping the world synchronized. From TV broadcast signals to GPS, atomic clocks do more than minutes and seconds. Dr. Jun Ye and his team at the University of Colorado have built the most accurate atomic clock ever, an instrument capable of measuring everything from the Theory of Relativity to movement at the center of the Earth.
What Smartphones are Made Of
The supercomputer in your pocket is a miracle of human progress in science and technology — and a representative of the environmental impact of our modern society. From rare earth minerals to heavy metals like lead, a smartphone requires a lot of resources, and those resources mostly come from small countries with cheap labor. TED looks at what you need to make a smartphone and how that affects people and environments across the globe.
The First Private Passenger On The Lunar BFR Mission
No human has been to the Moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. Well, that's about to change. Although the rocket hasn't even been built yet, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk announced that his company had officially signed the first private passenger to board the BFR launch vehicle and fly around the Moon. That person is Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa. The fashion tycoon has bought the entire first flight and it's scheduled to take off as early as 2023.
How We Could Build a Moon Base Today
When it comes to space colonization, everyone is talking about Mars. But if humans wanted to inhabit a closer space rock, we could start today. We currently have the technology and estimates from NASA to build a Lunar base. This could be the first step in further colonies as well as new technologies that could enhance our life here on Earth. As always, Kurzgesagt gives the details in a vibrantly animated nutshell.
How Life on Earth Can Help the Search for Aliens
Microbiologist Luke McKay is fascinated by the prospect of life on other planets. To help the search for alien life, McKay is studying a little closer to home — in the hot springs of the United States. Motherboard talked with McKay to see how life living in some of the most extreme conditions on Earth can help scientists look for life on other planets.
Apple's Big News in 108 Seconds
In an event held at the Steve Jobs Theater on the Apple Campus, the trillion dollar company made some big announcements. They revealed a new line of iPhones and an updated Apple watch. While the entire keynote took about two hours, you can catch all the highlights right here in under two minutes.
