The nervous system is fundamentally electric. When we move our arm, it moves because a electric signal has been sent to the muscle that controls it. Now, because the brain is electric, we could also use electricity to record what the brain is doing or bypass it entirely, and control a body. That means that we could restore movement to people who are paralyzed, feel through an artificial hand as if it was our own, and even read people's minds. Michael Stevens explores how electricity can be used to move cockroaches, control other peoples' limbs and even read peoples' thoughts.
Cursed Films is a five part documentary series which explores the myths and legends behind some of Hollywood's notoriously cursed horror film productions. Filmmaker Jay Cheel explores the facts, myths and mysterious surrounding iconic films and franchises whose casts and crews have been struck by misfortune and tragedy. The release of The Exorcist was surrounded by controversy, as reports of fainting theatre-goers and mysterious on-set accidents raised questions as to whether or not the film itself was evil.
Nick Yarris, a convicted murderer who has spent 23 years on Death Row and was released in 2004 when DNA evidence proved he was innocent of the crime, tells his story. In a non-linear structure, he reveals his early life, youthful transgressions, arrest, and time on death row, with several twists and turns. This gripping documentary reels you in, closer and closer, finally playing its hand in the closing moments.
To recruit actors for his rehearsals, Nathan opens an acting studio in Los Angeles, teaching 'the Fielder Method', which involves covertly observing and imitating unaware subjects. Feeling insecure about his own performance, Nathan reenacts the class with actors and a fake Nathan as the teacher while the real Nathan plays the role of Thomas, a student. Nathan makes his students immerse themselves in other people's lives while he immerses himself in Thomas's life, even living in Thomas's home. Nathan returns to Oregon, where his 'son', Adam, is now a teenager. Nathan and Joshua, the actor playing Adam, decide that Adam should lash out due to resentment of his absentee father and develop a drug problem, a situation that mirrors Angela's own past. Adam suffers an overdose and is tended to by emergency responders played by Thomas and another Fielder Method graduate. After he runs away from home, the 15-year-old Adam reverts to a 6-year-old since Nathan plans to relive his son's earlier years.
In the Youtube video galaxy a new star has been born: the ASMR videos. It stands for Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response, and refers to the pleasant feeling that users associate with this type of digital content. The physical reaction also changes significantly from individual to individual and people reportedly experience a pleasant feeling of tingling in the scalp, which can spread to the shoulders and back, and usually be accompanied by a feeling of relaxation and generalised well-being. The intensity of the response can also be very strong, so much so that some have used the word 'braingasm', literally 'brain orgasm' to express the feeling. It's likely that you've already heard about it, but if not, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about it. Especially because, for the first time, it seems that the benefits of ASMR videos have been scientifically proven.
The film explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is catching up to us in ways once thought to be uniquely human: empathy, emotional intelligence and creativity. AI has the potential to reshape every aspect of our world – but most of us are unaware of what looms on the horizon. This documentary shows viewers what they need to know about a field that is advancing at a dizzying pace, often away from the public eye. Have AI the power to disconnect us from fellow humans? What does it mean when AI makes art? Can really AI interpret and understand human emotions? How is it possible that AI creates sophisticated neural networks that mimic the human brain? The documentary includes interviews with global leaders, commentators and innovators from the AI field, including Geoff Hinton, Yoshua Bengio, Ray Kurzweil and Douglas Coupland, who highlight some of the innovative and cutting-edge AI technologies that are changing our world.
Michael Stevens explores how electricity can be used to move cockroaches, control other peoples' limbs and even read peoples' thoughts.