Onbashira Matsuri
Footage from Japan’s Onbashira festival—reputed to have continued, uninterrupted, for 1,200 years—where young men prove their mettle by riding enormous logs down a hill.
Have the Monks Stopped Meditating?
Trailer for the new Werner Herzog documentary about the internet, Lo And Behold: Reveries of the Connected World, in which monks are found to tweet. See also: "Be Not Afraid," the private diaries of Werner Herzog
Rise of the Lion City
Australian filmmaker Keith Loutit spent three years filming Singapore’s rapid growth, including rarely seen night scenes and the rapid progress of construction sites. “The goal of all my work is to help people see their surroundings with fresh eyes as if for the first time,” Mr. Loutit told Channel
A Rare Look Inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault
A rare look inside the Svalbard Global Seed Vault—“the world’s most important freezer”—which is closed for about 350 days a year. As explained by The Kid Should See This: “On the Norwegian island of Spitsbergen, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault protects around 865,000 seed samples from
Secrets of Baltimore, the Snowy Owl
An NPR reporter retraces a snowy owl’s journey from a beach in Maryland to an island in Canada. (We’re suckers for a good animal video to watch at lunchtime.)
Dances With Robots
In the video for Kaytranada’s “Lite Spots,” a robot best friend learns how to dance. Directed by Martin C. Pariseau.
Sailing Into Amsterdam
A stunning time-lapse video captures hundreds of ships sailing into Amsterdam. From PBS Newshour: “Every five years, as many as 600 ships navigate around the canal for a five-day festival in order to showcase and celebrate Netherland’s history of seafaring and ports. The event, called SAIL Amsterdam,
A Geographical Theory of Westeros
The world of Game of Thrones is heavily based on historical events. One theory says the geography of Westeros is a modified version of the British Isles. See also: The Google map of Westeros.
Bruce Lee Tutorial in Quickness
How to move your hands very fast, from a bonus clip from I Am Bruce Lee, the 2012 documentary about the legendary martial arts master. See also: Trailer for I Am Bruce Lee.
Theremini Says Hello!
The theremin is one of the oldest electronic musical instruments in history. The “theremini,” its new little brother, is flat-out adorable. See also: Archival video of Leon Theremin playing his own instrument.