SolarSystemScope presents a very cool online interface for zooming around the solar system in a beautiful 3D model. The whole experience happens right in your web browser. Check it out! > Link: Solar System Scope | Interactive 3D model of Solar System Planets and Night Sky
Explore the Solar System and Night Sky in 3D Read More
The United States–its citizens and lawmakers–need to pay careful attention to the effects of our near-term actions. The outcome of not raising the debt ceiling is uncertain–nobody really knows what will happen. But the press is ablaze with information: The Economist does a nice job of summing up the status of government debt >> Link: America’s
America’s Deficit and the Debt Ceiling Read More
The Spanish have been doing it for centuries–mixing cultures across time and heritage. The Alhambra, the Mosque of Cordoba, the Synagogue of Santa Maria la Blanca. Why not do it in the most modern of settings? The Barcelona Supercomputing Center features the MareNostrum: a supercomputer housed in an old Roman Catholic church! Even if you don’t
World’s Most Beautiful Computer Read More
The University of Arizona presents a well-produced series of engaging lectures on popular cosmology: the origins of the universe, black holes, dark matter, the big bang, and the search for (and understanding of) life in the universe. It’s all free on iTunes U–a fantastic source for free audio and video courses online. >> Link: Cosmic Origins
Cosmic Origins: Birth, Life, and Death of the Universe Read More
From Information is Beautiful: a fascinating, fun, thought-provoking, and (yes) beautiful survey of beliefs about consciousness. Click and play! >> Play: What is Consciousness?
What is Consciousness? Read More
From Information Aesthetics: Visual Budget is a cutting-edge data-visualization web site. It explains all the complicated ins and outs of the US Federal Budget using interactive charts and motion graphics. It is a tool that lets citizens like you and me understand this important issue, armed with the latest most comprehensive facts and figures. It
Visual Budget – an Interactive Guide to the Federal Budget Read More
The Economist presents a thorough primer on what’s going on at Japan’s failed nuclear energy facilities–the science, technology, obstacles, crises, and solutions are all explained well. A good read if you want a high-level overview of the terrible situation there. >> Link: The post-earthquake nuclear crisis: The Japan syndrome | The Economist
Japan’s Post-Quake Nuclear Energy Troubles Explained Read More
While the news media has been brining us incredible and sad accounts of what’s happened in Japan, the response from Google has been different–and incredible in its own right. Within hours of the earthquake and tsunami, Google had compiled a special site with information about local municipalities, a person finder that you can embed on
Google’s response to Japan’s earthquake and tsunami Read More
Super cool technology that lets you know what you’re looking at from 30,000 feet: The idea is that, if you’re online and in the air (and the Mondo Window guys have been blowing my mind with the technical, infrastructural and business models that allow this to happen), you can access the various APIs that track
What’s that you see from your airplane window? Read More
This is brilliant art–visually arresting while intellectually stimulating. Switzerland-based Corinne Vionnet is our guide to the world’s most famous landmarks, monuments millions have visited before. Her art is created not by acrylic, oil, or watercolor, each piece is made by combining hundreds of tourist photos into one. After conducting an online keyword search and sifting
Hundreds of Tourist Photos Woven into One Read More