Best Videos & Documentaries on the web • Discoverology

Videos

The internet is a treasure trove of fantastic and fascinating content, but some videos just stand out above the rest. Discover the best videos, short films and documentaries on the internet. We scour Youtube, Vimeo and the rest of the web every day to find the most inspiring stories and videos for you.

How Leonardo Da Vinci Made A "Satellite" Map In 1502

How Leonardo Da Vinci Made A "Satellite" Map In 1502

Art History Videos

When infamous Italian politician Cesare Borgia brought Leonardo da Vinci — the guy who drew this portrait — to the city of Imola, it was as a military engineer. When Leonardo was installed at Borgia’s newly acquired fort, one of his duties was to help Borgia learn the territory.

America's Cocaine Habit Fueled Its Migrant Crisis

America's Cocaine Habit Fueled Its Migrant Crisis

Crime Politics Videos

During the 90s, traffickers started shipping their drugs through Central America and over land to Mexico. That created a violent and competitive turf war between gangs and organizations in Guatemala and Honduras, and after the governments cracked down, violence only increased, forcing people to flee, often to the US.

Portrait Of A Place: Black Snow

Portrait Of A Place: Black Snow

Videos World

On the last day of sunlight before polar winter descends, British directors James Newton and Edward Edwards visited Norilsk—which is closed to non-Russians—to capture the lives of the locals in Russia’s coldest city. During winter, temperatures can drop to -55 and the Sun does not rise for 40 days.

The Most Extreme Railway In The World

The Most Extreme Railway In The World

Videos World

At 430 miles long, the formidable Mauritania Railway, nicknamed the “backbone of the Sahara,” boasts some of the longest and heaviest trains in the world. Its journey begins in Zouerat, Mauritania, and runs across the searing desert to the port city of Nouadhibou, on Africa’s Atlantic coast.

The Future Of Energy Storage Beyond Lithium-Ion

The Future Of Energy Storage Beyond Lithium-Ion

Innovation Tech Videos

Over the past decade, prices for solar panels and wind farms have reached all-time lows. However, the price for lithium-ion batteries, the leading energy storage technology, has remained too high. So researchers are exploring other alternatives, including flow batteries, thermal batteries, and gravity-based systems.

Why China Is Building The World’s Biggest City

Why China Is Building The World’s Biggest City

Cities Videos World

China plans to integrate all the cities in the Pearl River Delta (Hong Kong, Macau, Guangzhou) into one Greater Bay Area – a megacity 58% bigger than the entire Tokyo Metropolitan Area. It hopes to rival both Silicon Valley and Wall Street – at the same time, with an economy already the size of South Korea or Russia.

Virginia Mori

Inspiration
Virginia Mori
These Death-Defying Human Towers Build On Catalan Tradition

These Death-Defying Human Towers Build On Catalan Tradition

Videos World

Catalonia is ruled by the Spanish government, but its people have been constructing independent kingdoms for centuries. By climbing up backs and balancing on shoulders, Catalonians of all ages stack their bodies on-top each other to build castells, or human towers.

How Norway Designed A More Humane Prison

How Norway Designed A More Humane Prison

Architecture Crime Videos

Halden Prison in Norway looks sort of like a fancy dorm room or a hotel — much different than the barbed wire and cramped cells we often associate with prison design. Its look is all part of a plan to create a more humane prison, one where the architecture isn’t part of the punishment.

It’s Not You. Phones Are Designed To Be Addicting.

It’s Not You. Phones Are Designed To Be Addicting.

Apps Explainers Tech Videos

Today’s phones are hard to put down. Push notifications buzz in your pocket, red bubbles demand attention, and endless distractions sit at your fingertips. It can feel impossible to pull away from. The 3 design elements that make smartphones so hard to put down, explained by Google’s former design ethicist.

Macau: The Story Of China's Golden Child

Macau: The Story Of China's Golden Child

Videos World

On December 20th, 1999 the 25 square kilometer Portuguese colony on China’s southern coast was returned to China becoming the Macau Special Administrative Region. In the 20 years since the handover, Macau has transformed into the gambling capital of the world while some call it the Las Vegas of the East.

The Stranger At My Brother's Grave

The Stranger At My Brother's Grave

Videos

In a pretty Cotswold village, a mystery has been puzzling residents for decades. Following the death of local Boy Scout Karl Smith in 1947, mysterious gifts and messages began appearing on his grave in Prestbury. Despite his sister Ann Kear’s best efforts, the identity of the visitor has never been revealed.

The Remote 'Democratic' Oasis Of Soviet Russia

The Remote 'Democratic' Oasis Of Soviet Russia

History Politics Videos World

The academic town of Akademgorodok in Siberia was created by Russian mathematician Mikhaïl Alekseïevitch Lavrentiev, who wanted to install a safe haven for scientists in the middle of Siberia. Such isolation from Moscow created a fertile scientific and cultural nest away from the influence of the State and its politics.

The Rise And Fall Of Subway

The Rise And Fall Of Subway

Business Food Videos

With thousands of store closures in the last three years and petitions against Subway from its franchise owners, the fast-food chain with the most locations globally seems to be on the rocks. This video unpacks what’s going on and where Subway’s headed from here.

Unearthed Photos Reveal What Happened To Those Who Dared To Flee Through The Berlin Wall

Unearthed Photos Reveal What Happened To Those Who Dared To Flee Through The Berlin Wall

History Videos

The US filmmaker Scott Calonico obtained a cache of photographs from security service records of the former German Democratic Republic (GDR). One sequence in these never-before-seen images shows the arrest of a West German couple and the East German family they were trying to smuggle out in the boot of their car on 3 September 1988.

Matt Rota

Inspiration
Matt Rota
Inside Hong Kong’s Cage Homes

Inside Hong Kong’s Cage Homes

Architecture Cities Videos

Hong Kong is the most expensive housing market in the world. It has been ranked as the least affordable housing market on Earth for eight years in a row. The inflated prices are forcing Hongkongers to squeeze into unconventionally small spaces that can affect their quality of life.

Zaha Hadid Architects' Giant Starfish-Shaped Airport Opens In Beijing

Zaha Hadid Architects' Giant Starfish-Shaped Airport Opens In Beijing

Architecture Cities Videos

Zaha Hadid Architects has completed Beijing Daxing International Airport, a five-pronged building that is one of the largest passenger terminals in the world. Designed by the late Zaha Hadid and current studio principal Patrik Schumacher, the 700,000-square-metre airport to serve Beijing has been designed to be as compact as possible.

The Case For More Silent Meetings

The Case For More Silent Meetings

Business Explainers Videos

Talking meetings have much merit, but can also be subject to a host of problems. Current research supports the benefits of holding a “silent meeting” as one way of better leveraging the ideas, perspectives, and insights of organizational talent.

Building Africa's City In The Sea

Building Africa's City In The Sea

Architecture Cities Videos

Nigeria is reclaiming 10 square kilometres of land from the ocean to create “Eko Atlantic” – a vast new city that is set to become the financial heart of Africa. 10 new city districts will then be constructed on this reclaimed land, providing commercial, residential and recreational amenities and homes to more than 250,000 residents.

The Story Of Freedom Ship

The Story Of Freedom Ship

Videos

Back in the 1990’s a man started a project from a dream he had to build not only the largest ship ever conceived, but to combine a family cruise line, airport and residential community all in one. His dream carried on through decades after and now seemingly stalled, a new CEO is taken the helm.

The Death And Afterlife Of The Mall

The Death And Afterlife Of The Mall

Architecture Cities Videos

Once a cornerstone of American consumerism, shopping malls are now mostly ghost towns. In a new episode of The Atlantic’s Idea File, staff writers Jim and Deb Fallows explore the phenomenon of the dead mall, and its emerging afterlife.

The Celebrity Airport Lost In Time

The Celebrity Airport Lost In Time

Videos World

In the early years of aviation, the Gander Airport in Newfoundland, Canada served as an obligatory stop for refueling between Europe and America. This made the small town of Gander into an unlikely international hub, hosting celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra, and the Queen of England.

"The Jigsaw", Award-Winning Horror Short Film

"The Jigsaw", Award-Winning Horror Short Film

Videos

The purchase of a mystery Jigsaw Puzzle from a strange and unsettling vendor leads a man to an evening of frightening consequences. “The Jigsaw” is a short horror film that won over 30 awards worldwide.

A Trek Through The Mysterious Accursed Mountains

A Trek Through The Mysterious Accursed Mountains

Nature Videos World

Springtime in northern Albania sparks the herding of goats from the lowlands up to the towering mountainsides. Follow Prek Gjoni and his 160 goats on a grueling four-day journey across the spectacular Valbona Valley, a land that seems to exist out of time.

Joseph Ford

Inspiration
Joseph Ford
The People's NSA

The People's NSA

Politics Tech Videos

Meet the hackers who are working with investigative journalists to expose organized crime and corruption by some of the world’s most sinister governments. Those governments are going to great lengths to shut down investigative reporting through cyber attacks and other intimidation tactics.

The Rise Of Nintendo

The Rise Of Nintendo

Business Tech Videos

Nintendo hasn’t always made video games. It was founded over a century ago and at one point sold ramen noodles and operated a taxi service. Today, Nintendo is part of a crowded video game market, up against companies like Sony, Microsoft, Apple and Google. When Nintendo first got into the home console business in the 80s, it dominated.

La Linea, Europe's Narco City

La Linea, Europe's Narco City

Crime Videos

La Linea is a Spanish coastal city built on the drug trade. Smugglers and policemen often come from the same street. Off the Grid met people on both sides of the divide.

"The Paper Boy", An Award-Winning Touching Short Film

"The Paper Boy", An Award-Winning Touching Short Film

Videos

The City of Joy is that melting pot where dreams are served everyday freshly cooked. This is a tale of a little boy whose world revolves around the by-lanes of old Calcutta where he delivers the latest headlines and then spends the rest of his day simmering dreams at a tiny tea stall.

Four Japanese Rules To Live Past 100

Four Japanese Rules To Live Past 100

Life Videos

Okinawa, long known as the island of the immortals, is home to the highest concentration of centenarians in Japan. The village of Kitanakagusuku ranks first in Japanese women’s longevity. What is it about this island that makes its inhabitants live a longer and happier life?

How Ads Follow You Around The Internet

How Ads Follow You Around The Internet

Explainers Tech Videos

You’ve seen the pop-ups: “This site uses cookies to improve your experience. Please accept cookies.” Without cookies, the online world we know today couldn’t exist. But that world relies on advertising, which gives three kinds of companies a strong incentive to track your online behavior.

How A Group Of Citizens Revived A British Era Lake In India

How A Group Of Citizens Revived A British Era Lake In India

Nature Videos

The lake was built by the British for irrigating nearby farmlands. But gradually it became a dumpsite for Salem’s municipal solid waste. In 2010 the Salem Citizen’s Forum (SCF) took over the work of cleaning the lake. Using the silt of the lake, the SCF created 45 small islands.

"Free Will", A Ski Film From Revelstoke, British Colombia

"Free Will", A Ski Film From Revelstoke, British Colombia

Videos

Imaginary Revelstoke’s mountain raven follows the journey of several Czech and Canadian skiers who found more space and inspiration in the mountains of British Columbia. They experienced snow so deep as never before, made new friends and fell in love with a different, more fulfilling type of skiing.

How Drought-Struck Spain Is Becoming a "Desert"

How Drought-Struck Spain Is Becoming a "Desert"

Nature Videos World

Spain is running out of water. It suffered a long ‘mega drought’, lack of rainfall and record temperatures. Now their water reservoirs are depleting. Over-exploitation and climate change are causing it to turn into a desert. 75% of their land is under the process of desertification. Can Spain come out of this?

We use cookies on this website to analyse your use of our products and services, provide content from third parties and assist with our marketing efforts. Learn more about our use of cookies and available controls: cookie policy. Please be aware that your experience may be disrupted until you accept cookies.