In 2013, Rhythm ‘N Hues Studios won the Oscar for Best Visual Effects for Life of Pi just 11 days after declaring bankruptcy. This is the story of where they—and nearly two dozen other studios that have closed in the last decade—went wrong. Where is that exactly? The answer is dozens of places: changing technology, […]
Month: February 2014
Ever since a single Bitcoin became worth a small fortune, there have been people trying to steal them. Sure, there have some small-time thieves who’ve stolen a few hundred pounds worth of Bitcoin here and there. But there have also been heists. Massive, highly orchestrated attacks that lead to millions of dollars worth of cryptocurrency […]
The thing about mad scientists is that they’re both mad and good at science. It seems obvious, but the outcomes are always unexpected. Case and point: this team of Hungarian physicists who created a bunch of autonomous drones that flock like birds. The invasion begins now. For now, the flying drone army is comprised of […]
Check out this video of a Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber landing at Roger Dry Lake, at Edwards Air Force Base, California. After discovering a failure in their front gear, the crew was directed to land in this location because its clay surface minimises airplane damage. I love how it keeps a steady level for many […]
Remember when Jean-Claude Van Damme pulled off that impossible stunt by doing the splits with two moving trucks? And then we all laughed when Chuck Norris hilariously beat him with airplanes and CGI? Now, Van Damme shuts the competition down by taking this digital wang whipping contest to space. This amusing parody clip by Linh […]
It’s a while since IBM’s Watson was put to work inventing recipes, but now the fruits of its labours are being cooked up and served out of IBM’s new food truck. And the results are… interesting. Having teamed up with the Institute of Culinary Education, IBM is taking a food truck on the road around […]
Last time we checked in with Peter Jellitsch, the Austrian artist was using modern alchemy (aka a radio-wave-measuring device) to turn Wi-Fi’s invisible peak-and-valley signals into physical objects. Now he’s gone 2D, creating a series of diagrams that depict Wi-Fi bandwidth. The prints are massive; Jellitsch collected data in Paris and Vienna, and then produced […]
Trapped under rubble, unable to move following a natural disaster, it would be easy to assume there’s no hope. But soon the Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone may be able to help raise alarm—acting as an SOS beacon to guide rescuers your way. At least, that’s if Amro Al-Akkad, an engineer with the Fraunhofer Institute […]
AtomCentral shows us some amazingly clear HD footage restored from 1953 of the Atomic Cannon test from Upshot-Knothole Grable in Nevada. In the video, you can see cars, jeeps, buses and tanks against the backdrop of the massive blast’s initial burst and shockwave. The blast eventually swallows everything. I’d suggest you watch the video in […]
We’re pretty sure that Mark “Luke Skywalker” Hamill, Harrison “Han Solo” Ford and Carrie “Princess Leia” Fisher are reprising their most-loved roles for J. J. Abrams Star Wars: Episode VII. Will Adam Driver of Girls fame be the villain wielding the Dark Side of the Force against them? That’s the latest casting rumour to come […]