The technology people use to browse websites has changed dramatically the last few years.  Smartphones and tablets have become ubiquitous.  Desktop monitors are getting bigger.  Connectivity is getting better.  Browsers are getting more sophisticated and powerful.

The approach to building website has evolved along with the technology people use to brose the Internet.  In the last few years Flash has gone from ubiquitous to scarce.  And HTM5 has gone from an experimental technology to a fairly common way to build websites.

The rise of HTM5 and the fall of Flash have had a particularly dramatic impact on Interactive pieces.

I remember seeing this Arcade Fire HTML5 interactive film back in 2010, and being blown away by the possibilities it presented. While it is still pretty great, pieces like this have become more and more common over the last few years.  Following are five HTML5 interactive pieces I’ve come across in the last few months that push the boundaries of what is possible in browser.

(1) Pi’s Epic Journey

This piece uses stunning photography and video to tell the story of the making of Life of Pi.

(2) Every Last Drop

This piece tells the story of how much water the average person in the UK uses in a given day.  All of the animation effects are triggered by users scrolling down the page.

(3) North Pole Exhibition

Uses a combination of text, photos and maps, this interactive from Greenpeace tells the story of an exhibition to the North Pole.

(4) Teacher Test

This online quiz tests you on whether you have the base knowledge required to be a school teacher.  An HTML5 take on the classic online quiz.

(5) Century of the Child

This interactive is an online version of the Museum of Modern Art’s Century of the Child Exhibit. Great photography and extremely easy to use.