Photo: Jean_Nelson/Depositphotos

Sir Anthony Hopkins is a screen legend who has earned two Oscars for his acting skills. But he is also no stranger to performing on the fly either. A couple of months ago, the Welsh actor posted a video of himself surprising hotel staff with a stunning piano composition. Recently, Hopkins was captured filling another hotel lobby—this time an empty one in Vancouver—with more beautiful music.

The short video was shared on Reddit, showing Hopkins confidently playing a piano without an audience. While most know the star for his iconic roles in films like The Silence of the Lambs, not many are aware of his love for music. In fact, Hopkins' Instagram has many clips of his piano-playing, including one where his cat sits on his lap while he plays.

Knowledgeable piano-lovers were quick to point out in the comments that the instrument Hopkins plays in Vancouver is from a well-known brand—Fazioli. “That's a very famous and expensive piano,” Reddit user @Clay_Statue writes. “A talented pianist would absolutely jump at the chance to play that. He saw it unattended so he went for it.” Although there appears to be no audience to hear Hopkin play, he seems perfectly content to fill the lobby with his compositions.

You can watch the video of his impromptu performance, below.

Welsh actor Sir Anthony Hopkins was captured filling an empty hotel lobby in Vancouver with an impromptu piano performance.

Anthony Hopkins plays an empty hotel lobby in Vancouver: ‘Something about a piano in an empty lobby… PERFECT venue'
byu/solateor inDamnthatsinteresting

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READ: Sir Anthony Hopkins Delivers Impromptu Piano Performance in Empty Hotel Lobby

The holiday season can inspire creatives to go all out, and sometimes that can lead to breaking records. Sky Elements, a Texas-based drone show company celebrated Christmas by achieving two Guinness World Records with their festive display over North Richland Hills, in the greater Dallas area. The show featured 1,499 drones for a retelling of The Nutcracker.

The company was aiming for two Guinness World Records, which they bagged successfully. The first was “Largest Fictional Character made with multi-rotors or drones,” which they got for their towering 700-foot nutcracker. The second was “Largest Aerial Image made with multi-rotors or drones” which came in the form of a massive Christmas tree surrounded by gifts that lit up the Texas night sky. These are the company's fourth and fifth records, as they had also gotten a distinction for their Fourth of July show in 2023.

Taking place at Birdville FAAC football stadium, the drone show followed a drive-in movie format. People gathered in their cars and tuned in to a radio station to follow the music and the story as the drones depicted key scenes from the tale. The audience got to see little Clara getting the nutcracker as a present, the clash between the nutcracker and the mouse king, as well as the dreamy “Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”

Leaning in even further into the holiday spirit, the Christmas drone show benefitted North Richland Hills’ Toy Drive for the Community Enrichment Center. You can watch the light show in the video below, and stay up to date with Sky Elements by following them on Instagram.

Sky Elements, a Texas-based drone show company celebrated Christmas with a monumental retelling of  The Nutcracker over North Richland Hills.

Sky Elements: Website | Instagram
h/t: [PetaPixel]

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READ: Holiday Drone Show Recreates ‘The Nutcracker’ and Sets Two New Guinness World Records

Photo: matfron/Depositphotos

Ever since its inception in 19th-century China, the game of mahjong has grown in popularity around the world. While finding a game set is relatively easy, there is a unique beauty to the traditional tiles handcrafted by Chinese artisans. A now-viral video captures the intricate process of bringing each tile to life—something impressive given the level of detail each tile possesses and how small they usually are.

The clip begins with the craftsman deep cleaning the cattle bones he will later polish and transform into 144 tiles. Given the nature of the material, it's hard to believe they will look as the perfectly flat and uniform pieces we know—yet they do. The cutting and shaping is painstakingly done with analog tools, down to the rounded corners. Each of the pieces features a block of bamboo, traced and cut to perfectly fit the bone layer atop of it.

One would think that the process is about to come to an end when the artisan varnishes and carefully draws the motifs on the tiles, but he is only marking them before painstakingly carving them out. After tracing all the different suites, he gives them their signature color in shades of green, red, and blue. Once the paint has dried up, the artisan gives them a final polish to remove any excess color outside the rims and remove any other imperfections. As he goes through the tiles, he gingerly sets them down in an elegant wooden box for its future owner to enjoy.

While it's hard to pinpoint how much these artisanal mahjong sets retail for—especially considering they are likely made to order—an estimate has them at around ¥5,000 to ¥8,000 ($705 to $1130). Considering the level of craftsmanship that goes into making each tile, these artistic sets surely become treasured heirlooms.

A now-viral video captures the intricate process behind handcrafted mahjong sets—something impressive given the level of detail in each tile.

Photo: niphon/Depositphotos

Watch the video below:

Making traditional Mahjong tiles
byu/bluedogmilano intoptalent

h/t: [Reddit]

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Photo: studio023/Depositphotos

Earth is estimated to be 4.5 billion years old. But even though scientists have closed in on our planet's age, it can be difficult to fully grasp such an astronomical number. To help us understand Earth's history, YouTube channel Kurzgesagt has released an animated video chronicling how everything has evolved since our planet was first formed.

At 60 minutes-long, each second of the video represents about 1 million years. Rather than being action packed or filled with facts, the pace stays true to its illustrative mission, showcasing how long it took for our planet to look like it does today. This also emphasizes life as we know it has been around for such a short amount of time. Dinosaurs appear around the 58 minute mark, while mankind is only featured in a blink-and-you'll-miss-it moment at the very end.

But that doesn't make it a tedious video whatsoever. The vibrant colors and upbeat music enhance the detailed animations that tell the story. While its creators have described it as the “perfect background for your next party, a great way to take a break from studying, or a fascinating companion while you’re on the go,” the amount of work put into the video deserves one's attention. The hypnotizing visuals alone are worth a watch at least once and, should you do it, you'll walk away with a lesson in the history of the place we all call home.

You can watch the video below, and visit Kurzgesagt's YouTube channel to watch more insightful animations.

Kurzgesagt has released an animated video chronicling Earth's history. At 60 minutes-long, each second of the video represents about 1 million years.

Kurzgesagt: Instagram | YouTube
h/t: [Kottke]

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READ: Insightful Animated Video Sums up 4.5 Billion Years of Earth’s History in 60 Minutes

 

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Una publicación compartida por Zaidalbeiruti (@zaidalbeiruti)

School recitals are often full of adorable moments. Kids not only get to go onstage for the first time to sing or dance, but they also get very excited about the material they are performing. Just ask a little boy named Zaid Albeiruti. During his school's Mother's Day recital, Zaid was so happy to hear one of his favorite songs, that he simply got carried away and started busting his own moves.

The charming moment was captured on video, which has raked in 4 million likes so far. In the clip, little Zaid sits among a group of classmates, who clap along to the music. Upon realizing it's “Calm Down” by Rema, one of his favorite songs, the boy can't help but groove to the music. At first he swings his arms in the air, and in no time, stands up and does a whole dance.

Zaid's cheerfulness even inspires his classmates to get up and dance, turning what began as a more straight-laced event into a merry party. One of the other kids even looks out into the audience as he claps, inviting them to join in on the fun.

While Zaid's moves look spontaneous, they actually come from having perfected the choreography months before the presentation, by dancing alone in his room. He may only be 7 years old, but if these clips are any proof, he definitely has star power. Who knows? This may be the oldest clip in a future star's highlight reel.

To stay up to date with Zaid, you can follow him on Instagram.

A little boy named Zaid Albeiruti melted hearts by getting carried away with the music and busting his own moves at his school's Mother's Day recital.

 

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Una publicación compartida por Zaidalbeiruti (@zaidalbeiruti)

h/t: [Upworthy]

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READ: Adorable 7-Year-Old Transforms Mother’s Day Recital Into a Spontaneous Dance Party

Photo: Merrillie/Depositphotos

Marine bioluminescence enhances beautiful nature scenes with its blue glow. And while it has mostly been photographed as a blue light that sways with the waves, it is natural phenomenon that also moves along with the creatures that call the ocean home. A video by Newport Coastal Adventure shows a group of dolphins in bioluminescent water, lighting up the dark ocean as they swim.

First shot in 2020 by photographer Patrick Coyne, the clip begins aboard the whale watching company's boat. Rocking the waters as they sail, bioluminescence marks their path. In a moment, they are joined by a couple of dolphins that, despite swimming below the surface, can clearly be seen by the sailors. Engulfed in a blue glow, the dolphins happily tread water. “We were out for a few hours and on our final stretch back we finally had two dolphins pop up to start the incredible glowing show,” wrote Coyne on Instagram. “A few minutes later and we were greeted by a few more which was insane. ”

Despite their brightness, dolphins do not themselves glow. This can be noticed when the dolphins jump out of the water. Instead, the credit goes to the microorganisms found in the water. Bioluminescence is a natural chemical process that allows living things to produce light in their body, to either lure prey, confuse predators, or even as a form of communication. As for bioluminescent water, it can be attributed to algae bloom of plankton, aided by calm and warm sea conditions.

For all the beauty of the scene, capturing this phenomenon isn't an easy feat. “For starters the bioluminescence has sweet spots to where it shows up and then fades away so while on the water it’s impossible to just find it,” Coyne explains. “Not only that, but actually finding any type of animal in pitch black is just so ridiculously hard. Conditions have to be absolutely perfect for the bioluminescence to show up and to have an animal swim through it so we can film it.” Ultimately, the effort paid off, as his footage documents a stunning moment where all stars aligned for nature to put on a show.

Photographer Patrick Coyne captured footage of a group of dolphins in bioluminescent water, lighting up the dark ocean as they swim.

h/t: [Reddit]

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@aaronthehusky_ Ai commenti negativi “ ma che vuo?”#tiktoklover #tiktok #huskysiberianotiktok #husky #siberianhusky #husky #myhusky #viralvideo #tiktok ♬ suono originale – Antonia

Huskies are well known for their chattiness. Whether it's through howls or barks, it definitely seems like these intelligent canines are trying to communicate with their humans. Apparently, some of them even try to mimic their owners' accents when they “use their words.” A husky in Italy has gone viral on TikTok for his hilarious videos in which he “talks” back to his humans with a distinctly Italian accent.

The account, called @aaronthehusky_, features short clips of the blue-and-brown eyed pup copying the rhythm of his human's voice through doggy sounds. While the husky doesn't make any discernible words through his vocalizations, it definitely appears as though he is trying to emulate his masters' way of speaking—perhaps in hopes that he will be better understood.

According to a study conducted in the UK, dogs copying their humans' regional accents is a relatively common occurrence. People from across the country were asked to record their dogs' barks and growls and submit them to a panel, and researches found variations from area to area. Dog behaviorist Tracey Gudgeon proposes that canines mimic the tone and pitch of their owners' voices as a way of bonding. For instance, Scottish dogs were found to have a “rolling” bark, similar to the regional accent.

So if the Italian husky has picked up his humans' musical accent, it is very likely that your pup sounds like you too.

A vocal husky (@aaronthehusky_) “talks” to his Italian humans with a similar Italian accent.

@aaronthehusky_ Risposta a @SIMONA Stiamo lavorando sui suoni A voi i commenti e altre idee #tiktoklover #siberianhusky #huskysiberianotiktok #meandyou #viralvideo #funnydog #perteee #tiktok ♬ suono originale – Antonia

According to a study, it is common for dogs to pick up on their owner's regional accent.

@aaronthehusky_Quante volte mi ha mandato a quel paese?♬ suono originale – Antonia

Copying their human’s way of speaking is a way of bonding.

@aaronthehusky_Pur di uscire dice qualsiasi parola♬ suono originale – Antonia

@aaronthehusky_: TikTok
h/t: [Laughing Squid]

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Building a pressure sensitive coffee table
byu/Boojibs inoddlysatisfying

Technology has certainly made our life easier at home—just think of all the appliances and devices that help you and bring you comfort. But as one designer has proved, technology can make our spaces more beautiful as well. An inventor known as Döuyin or dazhongdexiaowowo, has gained some success online thanks to his building talents. Whether making his own designs or cleverly recreating ones he has seen online, he shares the DIY process of bringing intricate and gorgeous technological home goods to life.

In a recent video shared on Reddit, Döuyin presents a black pressure-sensitive coffee table. When he slides his hands around it, the table lights up, as if a trail of twinkling stars were left on the places he touched. However, Döuyin does not keep his process a secret. He shows every single detail of how the table was made, from cutting the wood to the painting and polishing.

While he speaks in Mandarin, the way Döuyin documents his process is so illustrative that it transcends the language barrier. The final product is truly mesmerizing. Not only does it look great and work perfectly, but the man also shows it in action, as it lights up with both his touch, the pressure applied by a bottle, and under the weight of his cat.

Döuyin also worked on a similar project and shared the process on Instagram; but this time, rather than a black canvas covered in stars, he replicated a design featuring blue tiles made out of resin. The result is just as entrancing, with the blue joints connecting a pattern of wood hexagon lights up. But what makes these projects even more captivating is seeing just how much effort Döuyin puts into building these magical pieces.

To stay up to date with his latest creations, follow him on Instagram.

An inventor known as Döuyin, or dazhongdexiaowowo on Instagram, recently built this table that lights up when it is touched.

 

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Una publicación compartida por 大众的小窝窝 (@dazhongdexiaowowo)

Döuyinshares the DIY process of bringing intricate technological home goods to life.

 

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Una publicación compartida por 大众的小窝窝 (@dazhongdexiaowowo)

dazhongdexiaowowo: Instagram
h/t: [Reddit]

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A new generation of photographers and videographers is set to make Super 8 film their own. While art filmmaking has never forsaken the medium, its allure is perfectly tailored for a resurgence in a nostalgic climate. From Super 8 wedding videographers to film students, its fans are multiplying. Kodak—the iconic camera company who made many vintage movie cameras back in the day—is getting back in the game with a new Super 8 camera fusing modern and vintage technology. Their new Super 8 model will retail for $5,495, and is available on a “wait and request” basis.

The camera is the product of years of innovation by Kodak. It combines many of the features beloved in older cameras, including the iconic hand-held shape and varying crank speeds. However, these are fused with modern amenities, such as an LCD screen to view as you shoot and digital audio-recording technology. Those who purchase the camera will receive the kit in a Pelican hard case. The camera boasts a 6 mm f1.2 lens which provides wide angles. It is also interchangeable with other c-mount lenses. A pistol grip and trigger are just like the cameras of old, but the micro-USB charger is a modern addition.

One can load the camera with the included KODAK TRI-X Black & White Reversal Film 7266. Other Super 8 cartridges are available on the market, including Kodak's own Vision3 Color Negative stocks. The camera also offers an extended gate to maximize the film area. The 16:9 widescreen extended gate produces an 11% larger image than usual, while the 14:9 matches other forms of modern media and fits today's screens well. Preview what the film is capturing as the camera rolls on the LCD screen—a combination which truly melds the analog and digital approaches to filmmaking.

Though it may seem pricey for beginners at $5,495, the camera is sure to be popular with professional filmmakers across industries as well as lucky hobbyists. Kodak will be producing the cameras incrementally based on interest. Those who are interested can sign up online. “Kodak will contact customers in sign-up order when a camera is available for purchase in your region,” the website states. Meanwhile, for those interested in exploring the world of Super 8, vintage cameras are currently available and more affordable on eBay.

This Kodak Super 8 camera fuses modern LCD and audio technology with the nostalgic charm of Super 8 movie film for an exciting new camera product.

h/t: [PetaPixel]

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READ: Kodak’s New $5K Super 8 Camera Fuses Vintage and Modern Technology

 

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A post shared by Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

Greenland is the largest island in the world. Yet, despite its prominent presence on the world map, most people know very little about its culture and the people who call this remote place home. This inspired a Greenlandic woman named Qupanuk to share and teach the world about life in Greenland through a series of insightful videos. Her channel, Q's Greenland, is a one-stop-shop to know everything about the country, from its traditional food to its unique language.

While many associate Greenland with remoteness and frigid temperatures, Qupanuk—or Q, as she is known—always takes the time to note that “life is amazing” there in her videos. On top of posting every day about what makes Greenland such a unique place, she is the country's first and only mining engineer and mother of four. Originally from Qaqortoq, in Southern Greenland, she currently lives Nuuk, the capital city of Greenland, which has a population of under 20,000.

Her channel's name, Q's Greenland, is a reference to the fact that we're only seeing Greenland through her eyes. Even so, Q's deep understanding of the country and her charming personality make her the perfect teacher of this lesser-known place. She addresses all kinds of topics through her content, ranging from how hot summers get, to how much it costs to go grocery shopping there.

Although Greenland appears very remote, Q also highlights the ways it is connected to the rest of the world.  For example, she addresses what it means for her to hold Danish citizenship–as Greenland is an autonomous territory of the Kingdom of Denmark. Additionally, she explains what it is like to have a front-row seat to the effects of climate change, as global warming has made the weather of Greenland much more unpredictable.

Whether it is a tour around Nuuk's tallest buildings—which are only 12 stories tall!— or a quick Greenlandic lesson, Q has painted a compelling picture of the most fascinating aspects of her home, becoming almost like an ambassador of the country to the rest of the world. To stay up to date with her videos and learn even more about this interesting country, follow Q's Greenland on Instagram and TikTok.

This is Qupanuk, a woman who teaches the world about life in Greenland through a series of short, insightful videos.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

Her channel, Q's Greenland, is a one-stop-shop to know everything about Greenland, from its traditional food to its unique language.

Photo: mady70/Depositphotos

Q addresses all kinds of topics, like how hot summers get in the country, how much it costs to go grocery shopping there, and how the Greenlandic flag came to be.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

Her channel's name, Q's Greenland, is a reference to the fact that we're only seeing Greenland through her eyes.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

However, her deep understanding of the country and her charming personality make her the perfect teacher of this lesser-known place.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

On top of posting every day about what makes Greenland such a unique place, she is Greenland's first and only mining engineer and mother of four.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

While many associate Greenland with remoteness and frigid temperatures, Q always takes the time to note that “life is amazing” there in her videos.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

Q paints a fascinating picture of her home, becoming almost like an ambassador of Greenland to the rest of the world.

 

Ver esta publicación en Instagram

 

Una publicación compartida por Q’s Greenland (@qsgreenland)

Q's Greenland: Instagram | YouTube | TikTok
h/t: [Reddit]

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READ: Greenlandic YouTuber Teaches the World About Greenland’s Culture and People in Insightful Series of Videos