Videos

Up close, they hum like hundreds of bees in a hive and glow like thousands of fireflies against a starry sky. 50 quadcopters will rise into the air several times during the voestalpine Klangwolke on 1 September 2012, amazing many visitors to this open-air show — no one has ever seen a sky spectacle quite like it. To test the choreography, the Ars Electronica Futurelab carried out a few test flights with the drones a few days beforehand.

In a colorful world far removed from the gray everyday, light-filled carousels spin round and round. It’s already dark, but for many children the evening is far from over. Here at the Christmas market at Vienna’s Altes AKH, the gates to cheerful fun have already opened in November.

The same routine every day. Every minute, an ever-changing crowd strolls past Vienna’s St. Stephen’s Cathedral, snapping photos. The city’s landmark is a photographic must for every visitor to Vienna.

It’s quiet in the 2009 Capital of Culture. The waters of the Danube lap gently against Linz, lit up for the night. The city’s lights shine bright, especially those on the cultural buildings.

Sunday evening in July. During this holiday season, the hectic bustle in front of the terminal building easily spreads onto the airfield itself. Planes from all over the world land at Vienna-Schwechat every few minutes. Most of the aircraft carry the AUA logo on their tail fins. But then a sleek private jet appears too — Niki Lauda himself, coming home in his Bombardier Challenger after a Formula 1 visit to the Nürburgring. A few minutes later, a large cargo plane touches down.

The footage is shaky, it’s dark, and it’s just unremarkable shots taken from inside a taxi. And yet it leaves an impression — approaching the middle of Manhattan from JFK Airport after an hours-long long-haul flight.

In recent months, numerous incidents in Austria have taken a sharp turn to the right. Martin Graf was elected Third President of the National Council, his now-former staffers were found to have ordered from far-right online shops, concentration camp walls were defaced, commemorative events for camp victims were attacked, controversial figures were allowed to speak as guests in parliament, and then came the FPÖ’s inflammatory right-wing campaign ahead of the European elections. Two female students launched a counter-initiative.

Glorious spring weather, perfect for getting back on the pedals. Vienna offers plenty of options for cycling trips. From north to south along the Danube Island, past fragrant barbecue spots and welcoming inns, weaving between inline skaters and cyclists, accompanied by refreshing waterways and green oases. After a detour past the OMV oil facilities, the route continues on to the Vienna harbor and back via the Danube Canal straight into the city center.

In the cemetery of the Romanian village of Săpânța, painted images tell the stories of the deceased’s lives and fates. Tragic events such as traffic accidents or murders aren’t pushed into oblivion here either — they’re illustrated in unforgettable detail instead.

The first school-autonomous day, which was cancelled following negotiations between the education ministry and teachers, has already been reclaimed by many students — with a strike.