New Media Consortium
The New Media Consortium (NMC) is an international not-for-profit consortium of learning-focused organizations dedicated to the exploration and use of new media and new technologies for learning, research, and creative inquiry. The majority of the NMC site is public and open, and licensed under the Creative Commons. However, a number of tools, services, and resources are available only to those affiliated with NMC Member organizations.The Consortium’s Horizon Reports (available free in pdf format) are regarded worldwide as timely and authoritative sources of information on new and emerging technologies. Three of the current areas of NMC research are: how to keep abreast of emerging technologies; how the processes and products of scholarship are changing; how the growth and acceptance of new media are opening new opportunities for learning, scholarship and creative expression.  The site contains an extensive archive of audio and video podcasts from NMC events and activities, and links to details of  ‘cool technology’.

Quirkology
This website includes articles, videos, animations, fun tests, and online experiments that complement the book Quirkology by Professor Richard Wiseman on unusual aspects of human behaviour. A page on the website links to six short videos on the popular Quirkology YouTube Channel that illustrate some of the psychological phenomena discussed in the book. The videos cover the colour-changing card trick (illustrating a phenomenon known as change blindness); the psychological card trick; mathematical prediction; the missing piece; a disappearing trick involving a mirror; changing frames of reference. A DVD is available that contains high resolution versions of the videos for use in teaching.

Sciencehack
ScienceHack is a search engine for science videos.  The site does not itself host videos but indexes them from sources such as YouTube and Metacafe.  All videos included in the database have been approved by a panel of scientists for accuracy and quality. At the moment there are relatively few videos listed under each topic heading, but a section on the home page lists latest additions to the database.

Ubuweb
This self-styled ‘Robin Hood of the avant-garde’ was established 15 years ago as an archive and distributor of art films and is now partially based in Mexico. The disclaimer tells us: ‘All materials are for non-commercial and / or educational use only.’ There is some fascinating and rare work here as well as some genuine obscurities. Along with Tweets and podcasts, the site hosts dozens of films, shorts and features, ranging from early works by the likes of Brian de Palma and Joseph Cornell to more widely-known experimental filmmakers by such renowned practitioners as Andy Warhol, Jean Cocteau and Norman McLaren. Part of the site is now devoted to electronic music and sound. The website is large and cleanly laid out though the lack of any guided search tools is unfortunate – the legal aspects behind the hosting of much of the content is at best questionable, but its intentions are seemingly honourable.

After Lumiere - L'Arroseur Arrose (1974)