Are Elvish, Klingon, Dothraki and Na'vi real languages?
AdultsBooksFilmLanguage...What do Game of Thrones' Dothraki, Avatar's Na'vi, Star Trek's Klingon and LOTR's Elvish have in common? They are all fantasy constructed languages, or conlangs. Conlangs have all the delicious complexities of real languages: a high volume of words, grammar rules, and room for messiness and evolution. John McWhorter explains why these invented languages captivate fans long past the rolling credits.
The hidden meanings of yin and yang
AdultsHistorySpiritualityPhilosophy...The ubiquitous yin-yang symbol holds its roots in Taoism/Daoism, a Chinese religion and philosophy. The yin, the dark swirl, is associated with shadows, femininity, and the trough of a wave; the yang, the light swirl, represents brightness, passion and growth. John Bellaimey explains why we all contain the spirit of yin and of yang -- and how we can achieve a balance of both in our lives.
The science of spiciness
AdultsFoodScienceCulture...When you take a bite of a hot pepper, your body reacts as if your mouth is on fire -- because that's essentially what you've told your brain! Rose Eveleth details the science and history behind spicy foods, giving insights into why some people continue to pay the painful price for a little spice.
What makes tattoos permanent?
AdultsArtGadgetsScience...The earliest recorded tattoo was found on a Peruvian mummy in 6,000 BC. That's some old ink! And considering humans lose roughly 40,000 skin cells per hour, how do these markings last? Claudia Aguirre details the different methods, machines and macrophages (you'll see) that go into making tattoos stand the test of time.
Magician with the police.
AdultsArtCreativityEntertainment...December 5th around 3am I was pulled over. I told the cop I was coming from a Holiday Party in NYC. He asked why I had all the cards in my car and I told him I was a magician. He then asked me to show him a magic trick.
Light Balance, Britain's Got Talent
AdultsArtCreativityTechnology...The Ukranian dance troupe of seven, who are making their debut performance in Asia, is part of the mall's line-up of Christmas events and activities. They will be performing from Nov 28 to Dec 7.
Toronto Maple Leafs fans finish singing US anthem after technical difficulties
AdultsPoliticsSportsCulture...The NHL's Nashville Predators might have creamed the Toronto Maple Leafs on the ice Tuesday night, but ahead of the game, there was a technical difficulty for the U.S. side. The microphone cut out while a woman was singing "The Star Spangled Banner." Instead of taking a moment to fix the sound system, the fans in the Canadian arena barely missed a beat at filling in the rest of the U.S. national anthem.
This Bird Chirps Just Like R2-D2 From "Star Wars"
AdultsAnimalsFilmEntertainment...We taught Bluey the budgie how to do R2-D2 and now he drives us crazy! He has two other budgies in his cage, and I think he's driving them crazy too!
Why is the Sky Any Color?
AdultsScienceWorldNature...It's a question that you'd think kids have been asking for thousands of years, but it might not be that old at all. The ancient Greek poet Homer never used a word for blue in The Odyssey or The Iliad, because blue is one of the last colors that cultures pick out a word for.
Master Hand
AdultsArtCultureHistoryThe American Museum of Ceramic Art is honored to present ICHEON: Reviving the Korean Ceramics tradition, an unprecedented exhibition organized by Icheon, South Korea. Icheon has a history of ceramic culture that began over 5000 years ago and has a reputation for its internationally renowned ceramics cultural events.
Avengers: Age of Ultron
AdultsFilmMarketingEntertainment...Get your first look at Ultron trying to tear apart Captain America, Iron Man, Thor and the rest of the world in the first official teaser trailer for Marvel's "Avengers: Age of Ultron," in theaters May 1, 2015!
Chimamanda Adichie: The danger of a single story
AdultsEqualitySocietyCulture...Our lives, our cultures, are composed of many overlapping stories. Novelist Chimamanda Adichie tells the story of how she found her authentic cultural voice -- and warns that if we hear only a single story about another person or country, we risk a critical misunderstanding.
Knock Knock
AdultsMusicTechnologyEntertainment...Ukrainian band Brunettes Shoot Blondes release a new music video "Knock Knock" that is performed on 14 screens.
Why we love repetition in music - Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis
AdultsMusicPsychologyCultureHow many times does the chorus repeat in your favorite song? How many times have you listened to that chorus? Repetition in music isn't just a feature of Western pop songs, either; it's a global phenomenon. Why? Elizabeth Hellmuth Margulis walks us through the basic principles of the 'exposure effect,' detailing how repetition invites us into music as active participants, rather than passive listeners.
Artist Pays Tribute To Robin Williams With This Amazing Portrait
AdultsArtCreativityCulture...Prismacolor colored pencil drawing - In memory of Robin Williams.
Sparks: A Honda Celebration of Light Story
AdultsCitiesFilmEntertainment...A miniature story of three friends meeting up for a memorable night on the beach at the Honda Celebration of Light.
Turkish Ice Cream Man
AdultsCreativityFoodCulture...This Turkish ice cream man has gotten the act of trolling down to an art. His tricks combined with his delicious ice cream always attract a crowd in Istanbul.