Science and History (media)

[Art Blade]

I'm not sure where to put this, but I think here it is quite ok:

For those of you who fancy documentaries, I have found a site that has loads of them and offeres sorted playlists with written info.

For starters, hit this (and then you can go to the main page)

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/japan-memoirs-secret-empire/

[Art Blade]

I've finished watching those three episodes of ancient Japan. Rather entertaining :)

A lot of interesting stuff, but they got a few details wrong. For instance, the way you see those Samurai wear their swords (thrust through the belt, edge up) was not always the same, it only just started around the turn of the century (around 1600) and two (long and short) swords were usually worn only when wearing full armour. Imagine, they tell you the short sword was used for sepuku (the term "harakiri" is not used in Japan) as if it was the only purpose, and as if everyone had to always have a special sword at hand to kill himself at any time despite of the fact that they showed us it was a well-pepared ritual and, by the way, that happened not every day. It was a weapon and used additionally to the long sword or for close quarters combat. They also showed a couple of times how two men "fence" with katanas, crossing blades... that would never have happened. The blades were so elaborate, and the edge (usually) very thin and hard, that the risk of chipping the precious masterpiece was too high. Usually contact was avoided, at best parried with the thick back of the blade, usually at an angle that the attacking blade would just slip down alongside the defender's blade. A swordfight would be more like exchanging blows, trying to slice the opponent.

Ah, I got carried away a little  ;D

[fragger]

I for one don't mind how carried away you get, mate... that was a most interesting bit of discourse. Very informative :-X

Reminds me - I must read Shōgun again sometime soon :)

[JRD]

Hehehehe... now I see where your nick name comes from  ;)

[Art Blade]

Thanks, fragger :)

JRD, yep  ;)

[Art Blade]

Can't help it: For those of you who have a slight bit of interest in science, give this one a go:

'A Universe From Nothing' by Lawrence Krauss, AAI 2009

I've decided to edit this, because you'd probably overlook the link without a little summary :)

The focus is on the universe, how it might have begun, where did the energy come from, towards the conclusion there is a zero energy equation, what is dark matter and so on. Brilliantly presented, it is a public lecture, full of humorous anecdotes and remarks. A decent way of whiling away an hour of your time :)

[RedRaven]

Interesting find Art, not watched it yet but read the first few comments and had a bit of a chuckle. Love it when people of faith argue with people of science :) , sometimes its better than listening to a comedian.
Throughout my life so far I've been Religious (several different faiths), Political (left & right), Interested in 'life' and disillusioned with 'life'. At some point it dawn on me that no matter how far you push in one direction somehow, sooner or later you end up coming back full circle on yourself.

"Its the Circle of Life"

Look forward to watching it later tonight before bed. :-X

[Art Blade]

I watched it just prior to posting here, it's about how everything (galaxy etc) originated, how the universe started and how it might end etc. The guy is ace, and slips in plenty of funny remarks, so it won't be too arid a discussion to follow. :)

[Art Blade]

Here's something scientific, again, a bbc production. Made me think.

http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/the-ghost-in-our-genes/

Basically, it tells us how genetic heritage, passed on through generations, was believed to be passed on unaltered, as in locked away in our cells. Now there is evidence that events in our lives imprint (alter) the genes that are passed on. In a nutshell (in my own words, not scientifically correct): If someone punches you in the face, your grandchildren will still have black eyes.

[RedRaven]

If someone punches you in the face, your grandchildren will still have black eyes.

That's a great way of putting it, was reading about 4000 year old DNA on BBC site earlier, here's the article http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8506080.stm
Usually on their site as the first caffeine fix of the day works it's magic. Very good news coverage, specially on the World Service.

[Art Blade]

thanks a lot, Red :) :-X

[RedRaven]

No problems. :)

[JRD]

OWG is just great...

You just gave me plenty to watch while at home and the wife is watching her soap opera!!  ;D
... if I`m not playing FC2 or STALKER, that is...  8)

[Art Blade]

Strange how I have abandoned TV for more than a decade, and now I'm happy to watch internet instead. Well, choice docus, select vids... a nice addition to watching movie DVDs  :) And boy, there are a lot of good docus out there.

If you guys find any interesting science or history docus, please post away  :)

[PZ]

Really cool - you never know what you'll read at OWG  :-X

[Art Blade]

Really cool

Funny you should say that, I've just finished watching Part one (out of two) of a BBC docu called

absolute zero.

Part one tells us about the scientific struggle over the past couple of centuries to solve the riddle of heat and cold. It shows us how all of that lead to the invention of steam engines, the birth of the ice industry (shipping blocks of natural ice around the world into hot regions) up to modern refrigerators and air conditioning, and brushing past the development of useful thermometers. Known and unknown names such as Kelvin, Joule, Farenheit, de Lavoisier, Sir Benjamin Thompson Count Rumford, and more, are given faces and tell us about significant experiments and their consequences.

The second Part goes on towards the ultimate goal: Absolute zero.

That part contains information about how scientists strove to cool down gases so they liquified, needing lower and lower temperatures until they finally did so. We are shown how scientists struggle to come closer to absolute zero, and near that temperature, how the Bose–Einstein condensate was finally realised. Within that condensate, light speed gets slowed down to the speed of a bicycle...

I really liked this 2x1 hour docu  :-X

[Art Blade]

I edited the previous post, adding info about Part two (in case you missed the edit).

Yesterday, I watched another interesting docu called

Mapping Stem Cell Research Terra Incognita.

It explains what stemm cells really are, what they could be used for, how scientists and medical physicists strive to make them w@&k in favour of healing spinal cord injuries and it also illustrates the political, religious and ethic controversy. The focus being the scientific and medical aspect.

[Art Blade]

On a sidenote, science docus I recommend here are what I think non-sensational, which means they just transport useful information, shed light on scientific fields, as opposed to "wannabe" science where you'll find phrases that would suit fear-mongers or polemicists, like "Venus' athmosphere easily eats through human flesh" or "it is the evil sibling of Earth" or along the lines of "here is life, there is death". That is not information, that is nonsense. Scare tactics and cheap showmanship. I can't stand those "docus"  ;D

[Art Blade]

Something interesting from a scientist:

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out

I agree with this:

While the video quality is less than desirable the content of this program more than makes up for it.

Here what the site's editor wrote about it:

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out was filmed in 1981 and will delight and inspire anyone who would like to share something of the joys of scientific discovery. Feynman is a master storyteller, and his tales – about childhood, Los Alamos, or how he won a Nobel Prize – are a vivid and entertaining insight into the mind of a great scientist at w@&k and play.

In this candid interview Feynman touches on a wide array of topics from the beauty of nature to particle physics. He explains things that are hard to grasp in layman's terms much like Carl Sagan did in the cosmos series. His explanation of the scientific method covers what we know, why we know it and most importantly, what we don't know and the pleasure of figuring it out.

What caught my attention was that quote:

Professor Sir Harry Kroto, Nobel Prize for Chemistry said "The 1981 Feynman Horizon is the best science program I have ever seen. This is not just my opinion – it is also the opinion of many of the best scientists that I know who have seen the program... It should be mandatory viewing for all students whether they be science or arts students."

I am sure you'll enjoy listening to this man's story :)

[mandru]

I've got to say Art, the site that hosts some of these excellent programs you've posted is an excellent find.  :-X

Carl Segan's full series Cosmos is available with a lot of other really good stuff!  I can see that I've got a lot of hours ahead of me browsing and viewing through the listings.

[Art Blade]

Glad if you like it :)

Unfortunately, only those of us who have no bandwidth/download restrictions or limits are able to fully enjoy those docus. My internet connection costs always the same, month after month, no matter how much I download/stream. Those who pay per MB downloaded, will have to pay dearly...

[Art Blade]

SpaceRip: the BEST Space Videos on the Web

Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1znqKFL3jeR0eoA0pHpzvw

That's the channel "SpaceRip" on which I found a lot of interesting videos and playlists.

[mandru]

Looks interesting Art.  :-X

I've bookmarked the channel and will browse it at my leisure.

[fragger]

Me too. Nice find Art :-X

[Art Blade]

I was thinking of the two of you when I posted it, you're welcome :)