Travel: ‘Chasing Mexica’ – The Color, Beauty And Passion Of Central Mexico

Filmed and Directed by: Louis Lam

This has been the most wonderful film production road trip from the western Jalisco to central Mexico of Guanajuarto, not only for it’s Spanish colonial history and architecture, but also through my experience with many humble local families and over 20 talented artists who participated in this film production. I like to show my audience the color, beauty, passion of the heart of Mexico. This is by far the most exciting travel film production ever. I am forever grateful to the Villafranco family, Stephi my location manager, and Edrei Arvad my production assistant for making it happen! Please enjoy!

Classic Cars: The ‘1929 Bentley Blower’ (Video)

One of the most iconic cars from Bentley’s history – Sir Tim Birkin’s 1929 supercharged 4½-litre “Blower” – is to be reborn with a new build of 12 matching cars, each individually handcrafted by a team of specialists from Bentley’s bespoking and coachwork division, Mulliner. Together, the new cars will form the world’s first pre-war race car continuation series.

Only four original ‘Team Blowers’ were built for racing by Birkin, in the late 1920s. All were campaigned on the racetracks of Europe, with the most famous car – Birkin’s own Team Car No. 2, registration UU 5872 – racing at Le Mans and playing a pivotal role in the factory Bentley Speed Six victory in 1930.

Now, using a combination of generations of handcraftsmanship skills and the very latest digital technology, the 1929 Team Blower will be the master example for 12 continuations – one for each race that the original fleet of four Team Blowers competed in.

Website

Aerial Views: ‘Copenhagen’ In Denmark’ (Video)

Denmark is a Scandinavian country comprising the Jutland Peninsula and numerous islands. It’s linked to nearby Sweden via the Öresund bridge. Copenhagen, its capital, is home to royal palaces and colorful Nyhavn harbor, plus the Tivoli amusement park and the iconic “Little Mermaid” statue. Odense is writer Hans Christian Andersen’s hometown, with a medieval core of cobbled streets and half-timbered houses. 

Copenhagen, Denmark – Famed for Vikings and fairytales, Denmark’s capital city is starting to draw the crowds for entirely new and modern reasons. Copenhagen’s contemporary architecture, fluid, innovative design and Michelin-starred restaurants make this Scandinavian city a favourite with the European jet-set. International events like climate change conferences and cycling tours have placed this Danish city firmly on the global map.

Sights – One of the oldest amusement parks in the world, Tivoli Gardens comes into its own after the sun goes down and the fairy lights switch on. This rambling park offers flower gardens, boat rides, beer gardens, dreamy architecture, carnival rides and nightly firework displays. The park is a little bit kitsch, but a whole lot of fun, especially for travelers with children.

Explore the twisting, cobble-stoned medieval streets of Old Copenhagen and marvel at the architecture. If you want to know how the other half lives, take a tour of examples from royal Danish culture, including the Crown Jewels, at Rosenborg Slot, a17th century Renaissance castle located in the centre of the city. The castle was built by King Christian lV, and is surrounded by blooming gardens in the summer time.

For a dose of an alternative way of life, visit Christiania, Copenhagen’s commune of like-minded individuals who have their own law and lifestyle. Christiania is a sanctuary for pensioners, immigrants, artists, the homeless, the unemployed, students, intellectuals and musicians. Christiana is not governed by Copenhagen’s municipality, and there exists a liberal and progressive mindset within its borders. Christiana is relatively safe — there are rules within the community that forbid stealing, violence and firearms — but you should still go with a friend during the day.

Travel Guide: ‘Rocky Mountain National Park’ In Colorado (Video)

Rocky Mountain National Park – from trails to treetops to tundra, we explore the sprawling beauty of Colorado’s wilderness.

Rocky Mountain National Park in northern Colorado spans the Continental Divide and encompasses protected mountains, forests and alpine tundra. It’s known for the Trail Ridge Road and the Old Fall River Road, drives that pass aspen trees and rivers. The Keyhole Route, a climb crossing vertical rock faces, leads up Longs Peak, the park’s tallest mountain. A trail surrounding Bear Lake offers views of the peaks.

Travel Video: The ‘Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest’ In Northern California

This year’s backpacking trip to the California High Sierra got hijacked by forest fires. When I arrived in late October the sky was thick with smoke from a fire on the Western slopes. As a result, the entire Inyo national forest was closed, so this trip morphed into five days of driving up and down the Sierras. I spent one day exploring the White Mountains east of the Sierras where the sky was a little less hazy. Here is home to the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest. These rare trees grow between 9,800 and 11,000 feet in very harsh conditions. In one grove a tree named Methuselah, at 4,852 years old, is considered the world’s oldest known living organism. This video reveals some of the brute beauty of these ancient trees, and introduces the austere high country of the White Mountains. 

The Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest is a protected area high in the White Mountains in Inyo County in eastern California. The Great Basin bristlecone pine trees grow between 9,800 and 11,000 feet above sea level, in xeric alpine conditions, protected within the Inyo National Forest.

Autumn In Japan: ‘Eikando Temple, Kyoto’ (Video)

Eikan-dō Zenrin-ji is the head temple for the Seizan branch of Japan’s Jōdo-shū Buddhist sect, located in Kyoto, Sakyō-ku. It was founded by Shinshō, a pupil of Kūkai, and is famous for its fall foliage and for its prominence in the past as a center of learning.

Science Podcast: Shallow Pool Origins For Life On Earth, ‘Covidization’

How water chemistry is shifting researchers’ thoughts on where life might have arisen, and a new model to tackle climate change equitably and economically.

In this episode:

00:46 A shallow start to life on Earth?

It’s long been thought that life on Earth first appeared in the oceans. However, the chemical complexities involved in creating biopolymers in water has led some scientists to speculate that shallow pools on land were actually the most likely location for early life.

News Feature: How the first life on Earth survived its biggest threat — water

07:44 Coronapod

The COVID-19 pandemic has massively shifted the scientific landscape, changing research and funding priorities across the world. While this shift was necessary for the development of things like vaccines, there are concerns that the ‘covidization’ of research could have long-term impacts on other areas of research.

News: Scientists fear that ‘covidization’ is distorting research

20:45 Research Highlights

The Hayabusa2 mission successfully delivers a tiny cargo of asteroid material back to Earth, and a team in China claims to have made the first definitive demonstration of computational ‘quantum advantage’.

Nature News: Physicists in China challenge Google’s ‘quantum advantage’

22:38 Calculating carbon

Limiting carbon emissions is essential to tackling climate change. However, working out how to do this in a way that is fair to nations worldwide is notoriously difficult. Now, researchers have developed a model that gives some surprising insights in how to equitably limit carbon.

Research Article: Bauer et al.

News and Views: Trade-offs for equitable climate policy assessed

29:08 Briefing Chat

We discuss some highlights from the Nature Briefing. This time, bioluminescent Australian animals, and the collapse of the Arecibo telescope.

Health: How ‘Statins’ Prevent Heart Attacks And Strokes’ (CDC Video)

Statins are a type of medication used to lower the level of bad cholesterol in the blood and reduce build-up in arteries that can cause a heart attack or stroke. This short animated video explains the importance of statins, how they work, and why your doctor may prescribe them.

Aerial Travel: ‘Santa Monica, California’ (Video)

Aerial footage of Santa Monica. Featuring: Santa Monica Pier, Santa Monica Ferris Wheel, the boardwalk, and downtown Santa Monica.

Santa Monica is a coastal city west of downtown Los Angeles. Santa Monica Beach is fringed by Palisades Park, with views over the Pacific Ocean. Santa Monica Pier is home to the Pacific Park amusement park, historic Looff Hippodrome Carousel and Santa Monica Pier Aquarium. Next to the pier is Muscle Beach, an outdoor gym established in the 1930s. In the city center, Bergamot Station houses several art galleries.

News, Views and Reviews For The Intellectually Curious