On a little canal off the Elbe river in Germany, sits the McBoat: the world’s only paddle-through McDonalds. It seemed like the sort of thing I should investigate. Camera operator: Richard Bielau Producer: Maximilian Thesseling of Klein Aber https://kleinaber.de/ 🟥 MORE FROM TOM: https://www.tomscott.com/ (you can find contact details and […]
The Brünnlisau shooting range in Switzerland has its targets on the other side of a major road. And it’s safe. Here’s how and why. Thanks to everyone at the Schiessanlage Brünnlisau! Camera: Alicja Pahl Producer: Sebastian Capeda at Viven https://viven.ch Editor: Michelle Martin https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheCrux 🟥 MORE FROM TOM: https://www.tomscott.com/ (you […]
The Lorenbahn, the Lüttmoorsiel-Nordstrandischmoor island railway, is famous for the tiny, private trains that take residents to and from the mainland. But that’s not why it was built: and it’s got a more useful purpose as well. Thanks to everyone from Landesbetrieb für Küstenschutz, Nationalpark und Meeresschutz Schleswig-Holstein, and to […]
The Thames Barrier is a wonder of engineering. If it fails, then London floods. Here’s how the engineers there make sure it doesn’t fail. More about the Thames Barrier: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-thames-barrier Producer/Director: Cambria Bailey-Jones Editor: Michelle Martin Camera Operator: Jamie MacLeod Drone Director: Alex Glynn Drone Team: Ian Hunter, Tim Hubbard […]
I invited Rohin from @MedlifeCrisis, Sophie from @SophsNotes, @MikeBoyd, Sam from @Wendoverproductions, and @MiaMulder to play some games. They’ll be tempted by individual profit over group wealth, in an environment designed to slowly break their team apart. But all they knew is: they’d be sat around a table trying to […]
Predicting the future is a fool’s errand, but I tried it: talking about phones, lifelogging, and social changes. And on top of that: what do I think’s coming in 2032? 2012 photo credits: Andy Davidson, IMG_1790, https://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_d/7906847522/ Andy Davidson, IMG_1791, https://www.flickr.com/photos/andy_d/7906848920/ both licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/ The […]
The 1933 British penny is one of the most famous coins in the world. I’m not saying this is definitely a heist movie waiting to happen… but I do think someone should write it. ■ Thanks to the team at Baldwin’s, and the penny’s owner, for letting me film it! […]
The Hill House, in Helensburgh, Scotland was decades ahead of its time… but that means it’s also experimental. And damp. ■ More about the Hill House and how to visit: https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/the-hill-house Edited by Michelle Martin: https://www.youtube.com/@OnTheCrux Camera by Ben Fitzhugh 🟥 MORE FROM TOM: https://www.tomscott.com/ (you can find contact details […]
Rochester, in the south-east of England, was a city for nearly 800 years. And then, in 1998, an administrative error took that city status away, likely forever. Here’s the story. Research and script assistance from Jess Jewell REFERENCES: BBC article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/england/1991827.stm Kent Online article: https://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/labour-lost-city-status-deliberately-say-tories-191729/ Minutes of the meeting: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/minute_1197_policy_and_resources […]
“Anderson’s Piano” is a set of wires and signals at the Pass of Brander, near Falls of Cruachan in Scotland, that try to detect when there might be a boulder on the track. They’re 140 years old, and so far no-one’s been able to find a better solution — but […]
