Author: Brent Lambert

As the world awaits the release of the most anticipated sequel of the year next Thursday, the man who built the Blade Runner universe reveals to WIRED what he considers to be his favorite scene from the legendary film. To hear Ridley Scott discuss the first time Deckard meets Rachael is even more of treat than one could hope for, because he goes into remarkable detail about the anatomy of the scene — from the clever trick used to make her eyes reflect light, to the fascinating inspiration behind her hair and wardrobe. I’ve also attached VICE’s amazing behind-the-scenes featurette…

Imagine a beach where the waves are made of sand, too. Impossible, right? Well, not after you watch these two videos demonstrating the effect of sand liquefaction created by air injection. The first of the two videos is the most extraordinary in how it demonstrates the buoyancy of the red ball behaving exactly as it would in water. And the second video takes us back to experiments done in the early 60s, giving us more of a scientific explanation of what we’re seeing.

Whales and dolphins are the most intelligent creatures in existence with the highest levels of consciousness. And with that level of evolution has come some extraordinary abilities. The sperm whale, for instance, is the loudest animal on Earth, and can produce sounds at 236 decibels. Their communication is so loud, in fact, that researchers believe sperm whales can communicate with their kind on the opposite side of the planet.

Polish composer and pianist Frédéric Chopin (1810 -1849) was much more than a master of his craft — he was one of the very first superstars in music. He spent the bulk of his final years in Paris, and was as renowned for his music as he was for his politics and his high-profile love live with countless women. In other words, he melted as many hearts as he broke and was a seminal figure of the Romantic era.

Pablo Picasso (1881-1973) was an original in every sense of the word. His body of work was critical in building the foundations of modernity, and his passion for living every day to its fullest is now the stuff of legend. If life itself is an art form, then Picasso built himself a masterpiece on par with his greatest achievements in the visual arts. He defied every rule, questioned every status quo, and created a universe of art, philosophy, and new ideas that changed the world forever. When it comes to the meaning of life, it’s people like Picasso whose wisdom…

If you’re lucky enough to find yourself on the northwestern coast of Norway you will find Lofoten, an archipelago filled with some of the most staggeringly beautiful mountains, bays, beaches, and open sea to be found anywhere in the world. One such lucky duck is Petter Foshaug whose stunning drone video proves why Lofoten is nothing short of a paradise for kayakers, skateboarders, surfers, and adventure seekers alike.

“Your brain doesn’t know how old it is; it just wants to be stimulated,” says Paul Nussbaum, Ph.D., President and founder of the Brain Health Center in an interview with the U.S. Travel Association (which you can watch above). “Travel is a wonderful exercise that helps the brain develop resilience. It’s that resilience that helps delay the onset of diseases. Social isolation increases the risk of dementia; loneliness relates to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. What we’re doing when we travel in new environments — the problem-solving, the meeting new people, creating new memories — it’s all novel, it’s…