Got half an hour to spare this weekend? Don’t switch on the TV or read a magazine. Instead, learn something useful with this collection of how-to videos that ranges from Morse Code and the International Phonetic Alphabet to performing CPR and solving a Rubik’s Cube.
Pick a Lock
There are plenty of legitimate reasons why you might want to pick a lock. Perhaps you’ve lost the key for something, or inherited a locked item without a key. This quick tutorial from Von Malegowski shows you how it’s done.
Tie Your Shoes Right
Hate to break it to you, but you’re tying your shoes wrong. In this three-minute TED talk, Terry Moore shows you a better way. Once you’ve absorbed that, go poke around Ian’s Shoelace Site for all kinds of fancy alternative knots.
Calculate the Day of the Week
There’s a nifty math trick called the Doomsday Algorithm that allows you to work out what day of the week any date will be until 2099. This video, from MindYourDecisions, explains how it works.
Perform CPR
In an emergency, having someone around who can perform CPR can save lives. Make that person you, with this (slightly ridiculous) video from CPRCertified.com. It covers proper hand placement, the correct compression ratio, and other safety measures.
Use Morse Code
Morse Code, invented by Samuel Morse, is a handy way of sending messages in all kinds of situations. Luckily, it has a reasonably sensible structure. Learn how it works with this documentary, shared on YouTube by Documentary Tube.
Solve a Rubik’s Cube
Solving a Rubik’s Cube is easy, you just need to understand how it works. TheSergsB has a 15-minute tutorial that explains everything you need to know about this physical puzzle.
How to Pronounce Anything Correctly
The International Phonetic Alphabet is a vital tool for learning how to pronounce words in a foreign language, and, occasionally, in your own. This video explains how it works, and how you can use it to be understood in any situation.
Write HTML
Almost every website on the internet uses some form of HTML, and it’s not very hard to learn the basics. This 12-minute video from Jake Wright goes over the basic structure of an HTML page, as well as some of the most important tags.
How We Get To Next was a magazine that explored the future of science, technology, and culture from 2014 to 2019. This article is part of our How We Learn section, on the future of education. Click the logo to read more.
