LotR Film

Ok, there is a lot of list journalism at this time of year, but this effort is actually interesting: Things You Didn't Know About... The Fellowship of the Ring.  Perhaps half of these things you actually do know, particularly if you are a Peter Jackson fan, but there are some good quotes like this one from Sir Ian:

If you are suddenly dropped by a helicopter on top of a mountain on which no man has ever walked before, which I was, and you're trudging in Gandalf's gear through two feet of snow, feeling like that Kiwi, Edmund Hillary, going up Everest, no acting is required...

Also, ponder this without your brain hurting - The Beatles apparently wanted to star in a version of Fellowship. Directed by Kubrick. o_O

Lightning

Artificial lightning can be created in the lab with tesla coils, but apparently a much higher voltage than natural lightning is required. These guys think this is because existing tesla coils are not big enough, so they are going to build two 10-story high coils and send arcs across a football field. If you think this is great, then you can contribute to the project. They have also built a wirelessly-powered vehicle (a chair on wheels), which thankfully runs during "arc free" mode. True steampunk-style Mad Science!