Here’s a little glimpse of something I came across during my recent visit to the California Academy of Sciences. A Foucault pendulum is used to demonstrate the Earth’s rotation. Basically, the pendulum swings evenly, but the trajectory changes as the planet rotates. It may take a while, but eventually all those little blocks in the circle will be knocked down.
Hey, remember how you had to blow on your NES carts to make them work? Lies, all LIES! It’s Okay To Be Smart explains cognitive biases with some old school gaming goodness.
Legolas may be a ridiculously pretty fellow with insane archery skills, but his vision isn’t quite as good as he lets on. MinutePhysics breaks it down.
Much like Nintendo and Sega, the rivalry between Capcom and SNK was one of the defining aspects of 90’s video gaming. Both companies had immensely popular fighting games; it’d be impossible to find an arcade that didn’t have at least a couple of their cabinets. They had no qualms about taking little jabs at the other, either. Dan Hibiki, one of Street Fighter’s most iconic characters, was a parody of Art of Fighting’s main protagonists. After nearly a decade of mounting tension, someone finally had a bright idea: turn the rivalry into a game! Capcom VS SNK came out in 2000, but it was quickly overshadowed by sequel, Capcom VS SNK 2: Mark of the Millennium 2001. It had 48 characters spanning almost all of both companies’ libraries, intricate combat mechanics, a deliciously hammy announcer, slick animation, flashy special effects, and a metric ton of fanservice. It also had an absolutely killer soundtrack, as demonstrated by the London stage theme, This Is True Love Makin’. Few fighting game themes can get you to stand up and dance. Turn it up!
If you want more Capcom VS SNK 2, you can find the full OST here.
Good gaming, good music.
SciShow cracks the case.
Things would be…interesting. SciShow Space breaks it down.
Castlevania: Symphony of the Night is one of the most popular video games ever made, and for good reason. It whisked you away into a gothic spectacle that was both beautiful and nightmare-inducing. The sheer amount of customization, weapons, and tiny details were mind-boggling. It had everything: zombies, ghosts, succubi, skeletons, werewolves, demonic possession, Death itself, culminating in a final showdown against Dracula. You’d think the hero of the game would be some kind of whip and cross-slinging badass, like in previous Castlevanias. However, Alucard was anything but. As the half-human son of the big bad himself, he was subdued, thoughtful, and distant from his allies. You’d be too, if you were tasked with killing your own father! His bittersweet attitude is reflected in I Am The Wind, the ending credits song exclusive to the Playstation version of the game. With a soundtrack that covers everything from classic and rock to jazz and heavy metal, Cynthia Harrell’s soulful tune is the perfect sendoff.
If you want more Symphony of the Night (and trust me, you do), you can find the full OST here.
Because even scientific discourse deserves parodying. Especially when it involves Weird Al Yankovic as Sir Isaac Newton!
“The Aurora Borealis? At this time of year? At this time of day? In this part of the country? Localized entirely within your kitchen?!”
…Not quite, but SciShow explains how it works.
It’d be…messy. VSauce breaks it down.
Polymathically 