If you’re one of those people who’s on an endless quest for
knowledge, you look for reliable sources where you can learn something
new every day. Today, we bring you five websites about learning and
curiosity. These websites aren’t known for their beautiful photography
or their amazing art. Rather, they’re places you go to figure out how to
make life easier or just more fun. Like the website you’re reading
right now, these five sites were created to show people ideas that they
may not have thought of or inspire people to try things that are outside
of their comfort zones. More than anything, these inspiring websites
aim to make your life more fulfilling, giving you a new perspective.
1. Lifehacker
For tricks and tips on how to make your life easier, there’s no better website than
Lifehacker.
Since 2005, the blog has been sharing advice and providing software
downloads that all aim to help you “get things done.” While you’ll find
your fair share of tech-related tips including a recently launched App
Directory that shows the best applications and tools for various
platforms, you’ll also find more general, life-related advice like, “
How Long to Nap for the Biggest Brain Benefits.”
The best part of this website is that you never know what “hack”
they’ll provide you with next, and with an archive that runs eight years
deep, you can easily spend hours learning things you never knew you
wanted to know. One of their most fun series is called
This is How I Work,
where modern-day influencers share their shortcuts, workspaces, and
routines. Published every Wednesday, it features a new guest and the
gadgets and apps that keep them going.
2. HowStuffWorks
Owned by Discovery Communications, the company behind Animal Planet, Discovery Channel and the Oprah Winfrey Network, is
HowStuffWorks,
an award-winning site where you can find out how things in the world
actually work. No subject is too small for this website that covers
topics like Adventure, Entertainment, Science and Technology. You’ll
find list after list including “
Top 10 Training Tips for a 5k and “
Top 10 Retail Markups.”
In addition, with quizzes and games, you can find ways to constantly
challenge your brain to learn more. Of course, if you learn better by
watching than reading, HowStuffWorks has shows like “Stuff to Blow Your
Mind,” which are short, entertaining videos that explore the fascinating
science of the world around us.
3. TED
If you want to be inspired by some of today’s leading minds, and you have a few minutes to spare, head on over to
TED.
The nonprofit, with the mission of spreading ideas, started out as a
conference in 1984 that focuses on Technology, Entertainment and Design.
On Ted.com, you’ll find the best talks and performances from TED, over
1,500 of them, all available for free. A global audience in the millions
have now watched these TED Talks and in November 2012, they’ve
cumulatively been viewed more than one billion times. Explore the full
catalog of talks in subjects ranging from art, technology and
entertainment to design, business, science and global issues. If you’re
short on time, you can even sort by length of show. You can also find
the talks by such interesting adjectives as jaw-dropping, courageous and
inspiring.
4. Brain Pickings
Maria Papova is the woman behind
Brain Pickings,
a daily blog that brings together all that’s interesting in this world.
You can find a little of everything at Brain Pickings. Though started
as a newsletter, as a way for the UPenn graduate to quench her “restless
curiosity,” it later became a blog that found its own “thirsty”
audience. Funded entirely through donations, the well-curated site takes
hundreds of hours a month to research and write. If you’re looking for a
good book, Papova has
Book Pickings,
a visual way to explore all the books she’s written about over the
years. The books are divided up into six topics: Creativity, Design,
Science, History, Psychology and Art. It’s like entering a virtual
library with someone handing you a beautifully written review of each
book.
5. Instructables
Launched in August 2005,
instructables
is a place that lets the community share their DIY creations with the
rest of the world. The idea for instructables came about at the MIT
Media Lab. Fast forward to present day and you’ll now find over 100,000
real life tips on everything from cooking to 3D printing. Learn how to
make delicious dishes like chicken pot pie and
red velvet whoopie pie, or find out what it takes to assemble the
ultimate wilderness survival kit.
There’s even such useful tips like “how to time your cat’s claws” to
“how to power nearly anything off a USB port.” It’s easy, just follow
the step-by-step instructions in each post.
Which of these websites do you visit? Let us know in the comments section, below!
No comments:
Post a Comment