Getting Excited, Making Things: Sci Show

Showing posts with label Sci Show. Show all posts

Friday, December 11, 2015

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 110)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we talk technology and learning, spiders and raindrops.

First, on SciShow Talk Show, Hank Green talks to Professor Rick Hughes about education and technology. I particularly like the concept of the "Comfortable Consumer vs Competent Creator". I think it's difficult for students in Computer Science to distinguish between the things that are part of the underlying mathematics and logic of computation and the things that are part of the computational structure's people have created. It's also difficult then for students to know when they need to create new things for themselves and when they should use the tools that already exist.

Next Simon's Cat encounters a spider, and comes out quite a bit better than Simon ... or the spider.

Finally, Nataly Dawn does a beautiful cover of "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head." I think the cover is beautiful, but as a Calgarian, I'm a little confused by the song. Usually raindrops are hurled at my face by powerful wind or are snow. Still, this one makes me happy to listen (and makes me think of lemonade).

Tuesday, October 06, 2015

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 106)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we get excited about Mars, Star Wars and the Internet!

First, on Sci Show, Hank Green gets excited about finding water in the soil of Mars. It's funny then that as I'm posting this, we just discovered that there are flows of liquid water across the surface of Mars. (So you can watch Hank get excited about water on mars again in about 75 more favourites posts.

Next the people at Sincerely Truman, lay down some rules for Mr. Abrams on what's essential to make Star Wars good. I think the rules are pretty good ones, and I'm cautiously optimistic that the new movies will follow these.

Finally, Lauren Fairweather reminds us that the Internet can be really awesome.

Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 92)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we defeat Gannon through the power of "HEY LISTEN", learn how much it costs to know what the weather in San Fransisco and make cool ideas real.

First, AttackingTucans and Josh Jepson, together as Versus, present the (Abridged) story of The Legend of Zelda, Ocarina of Time. It's a little ... rude, but it's entertaining. Also, beware spoilers for Ocarina of Time, but on the plus side I don't need to replay OoT now.

Next, on Computerphile, Professor Brailsford takes time to explain how much you can compress information when you absolutely positively need to know what the weather in San Fransisco is, but it's terribly expensive to send each bit.

Finally, Hank Green talks about four real-world advancements made based on works of science fiction on SciShow.

Friday, December 05, 2014

Blog: Favourite YouTube Videos (Volume 68)

In this volume of my favourite YouTube videos, we look at juvenile behaviour in both humans and birds.

First, George Watsky talks at TEDxSFED about how he found a place he liked, that time he threw up on a plane and the ses in his speech.

Next, Hank Green brings us a dose of drunk bird science on SciShow.

Finally, Hank ruins all those songs he just danced to.

Thursday, December 27, 2012

Blog: Cool Things I Never Mentioned

So I decided not to keep going with the weekly Cool Things posts. I either had too many or too few things to post and then keeping cool things for a week doesn't make much sense. So from now on cool things will show up on my Twitter feed (and I might post a round up here from time to time).

I have a pretty big list of videos left over that I didn't post and I'm going to post a list of them here (just as links since I don't think any of us need a 40 video long post).

Getting Excited, Making Things