STUFF: News, Technology, the cool and the plain weird

[MIKA27]

The Quest for Immortality: Would You Want to Live Forever?

A big part of our culture, the global culture that is, lies in the process of aging, of growing old. It’s difficult to edify, just how much of our lives are dedicated to understanding, worrying about, coping with and trying to defeat the aging process. The sands of time, as they say, never stop flowing. And far be it for me to start a discussion on the direction and essence of time. No, I’ve something much more complicated to talk about today.

Senescence.

No, that’s not some new anti-ageing cream. That’s the very contrived and scientific word for growing old. More specifically it describes the gradual biological deterioration of cellular function, which in most living things means that after maturation, the entity in question experiences increased mortality in step with the passage of time.

It is senescence that causes your wrinkles and grey hairs and your stubborn spare tire, indirectly that is. It is the unavoidable process that allows the direct causes of those maladies to come about. And it is that unavoidable process that some people wish to…avoid.

Since the beginning of time, it seems, mankind has sought the key to immortality. Whether that be through the fountain of youth – one of Sir Isaac Newton’s favourite musings – or, more recently, through the efforts of the transhumanist society, who see things in a slight bit more realistic terms, but we’ll get to that.

Senescence doesn’t apply to all living creatures though, amazingly enough. There are certain taxa, mostly plants, but some animals as well, who do not suffer from an increased mortality as they age. In fact there are some forms of life that undergo a defined decrease in mortality the older they get. These rare creatures, as they mature from whatever prepubescent or larval form they initially hold, retain the ability to revert back into a pre-mature state of being, which by-passes the process of senescence altogether.

Some species of crab and lobster have this ability, as do a few others in the genus arthropoda, and there are several species of tree, fungus and shrubbery that exhibit an impressive resistance to time’s assault.

The reason for this highly coveted ability isn’t well understood. In fact, the reason for the reason for this ability is something of a mystery too. How it works, senescence that is – or biogerontology, if you prefer – is somewhat understood, in that there are many highly complex and hotly debated theories of senescence on the books at the moment, from Gene Regulation Theory to Chemical and/or DNA Damage theories. It’s generally accepted that there is something inherent to biology that affects the efficiency of cellular replication throughout the lifecycle of any creature, it’s just, what that something is, isn’t readily agreed upon.

Here’s where it gets really interesting.

Medical science has studied this process and its attendant features for decades, in pursuit of both cosmetic cure-alls and more humane means of improving the length and quality of life. Human life that is. Some have taken that effort up as a sort of mantra, and have labelled their cause transhumanism. That is, whatever your preconceived understanding of the term may be, a concerted effort to defeat the sands of time and the effect they have on the human body. In short, they – transhumanists that is – wish to find a way to achieve immortality.

That’s a loaded word though, among a loaded sentence for that matter.

We aren’t talking about the science fiction, romanticised notion of immortality. We aren’t talking about the Q from Star Trek, much as they might appreciate the sentiment. We’re talking about extending the lifespan of humans to an indefinite degree, through various technological and scientific means.

Quite often the goals of transhumanism are thought of in terms of cybernetics, a merging of technology and biology in an effort to find some permanence of life, though there are other means on the table. A new documentary film making rounds through the film festival circuit, The Immortalists, chronicles the quest of two transhumanist advocates and scientists as they seek out answers to the problem of senescence and ways to achieve immortality.

These men, William H. Andrews and Aubrey de Grey, whom are showcased in the film, approach the problem from drastically different positions. Andrews has studied biological methods of achieving a similar reversing of increased mortality, in much the same way as the species mentioned above. He believes that an artificial extension of telomeres in our DNA are the answer.

In the simplest terms, telomeres, which are the caps on the ends of DNA strands, appear to shorten as we age. Some researchers believe there is a direct correlation between this telomere shortening and senescence, and it follows, at least according to Andrews, that halting and/or reversing this shortening process will inherently alter or stop the aging process. He is currently seeking means to develop chemical medications that will reinforce telomeres, in effect making the patient immortal, of a fashion.

De Grey however, is taking a more space-age approach to the issue. He is calling for funding to further his research into medical nanotechnology. More specifically, he believes the answer is to develop and deploy microrobots that will work in the patient’s blood stream to repair and even replace damaged or aged cells, effectively, though artificially, sidestepping the aging process.

This research is already being done, but not for the purpose of achieving immortality. Several scientists at various universities and even pharmaceutical companies are attempting to use nanotechnology to combat cancer and even AIDS/HIV. It seems a natural extension of the research, and de Grey is appealing to the interests of Silicon Valley elites in an attempt to fund his research with specific transhumanist goals in mind.

In keeping with the title of this post, however…would you want to live forever?

Notwithstanding the fear we all have regarding death, are there valid reasons to want to extend the human lifespan to such artificially great heights?

There are certainly lots of reasons why we shouldn’t do this. Overpopulation is already an incredibly huge problem, do we really want to exacerbate that by eliminating the one part of life that mitigates our impact on this planet? (Death, I mean.) There’s also the issue of quality of life. Whether poverty, war, strife, or mental illness are symptoms of the overpopulation issue or not, they will certainly not be solved by prolonging the suffering of people over centuries, or even millennia. An eternity in squalor isn’t exactly an attractive idea, but this gives way to another issue, one you may not have considered yourself.

Who would be given the privilege of eternal life? Would this be a luxury afforded only to the elites of our society? If history is any indication, the answer to that question is a resounding yes, but what effect would that have on the already egregious divide between the so-called social classes? Would we end up with a ruling class of immortals, lording over a lower class of slaves? This line of reasoning becomes frightening fairly quickly, and though I’m not given to fear mongering, I can’t help but see this as a likely outcome.

Transhumanism is, or is supposed to be, a movement of equality. It’s supposed to be the pursuit of immortality for the benefit of all mankind, but, and even now, the movement is slowly becoming something of a shadow of the earlier notion of eugenics. Some have said that eugenics was a pragmatic effort to shore up the genetic potential of humanity in the face of what, at the time, was perceived as genetic flaws in our population. The real flaw, however, was always in thinking that those who are different are somehow less worthy of survival. This same flaw seems to be present in certain aspects of transhumanism.

It is said that this is an exciting time to be alive, and I couldn’t agree more. I’m not sure, though, that we’ve overcome the baser inequalities that are inherent to our species, and until we do, efforts such as the quest for immortality will always be marred by the pursuit of power and money and flawed ideology. We seem to be headed in the right direction, but we still have a long way to go.

[MIKA27]

What to Expect From the World’s Greatest Endurance Race This Year

If you thought this year’s new Formula 1 rules were complex, the World Endurance Championship regulations, including those that govern the 24 Hours of Le Mans, are enough to fry your remaining brain cells.

It’s not about the fastest car anymore. Like F1, it’s about efficiency. But unlike F1, the winner will be crowned based on how many miles they cover and how efficiently they use a precise allocation of energy during each lap. And that completely changes the game for Porsche’s return, Toyota’s redux, and Audi’s attempt to sit at the top of the podium for a 13th time.

When the governing bodies of endurance racing–the WEC and the Automobile Club de l’Ouest–set out to create the new rules, overall efficiency was at the top of their list. But so was innovation.

So rather than cutting cylinder counts, adding air restrictors, and requiring teams to top up their tanks with organic, locally sourced veggie oil, they actually removed restrictions. Teams can run massive engines with huge turbos. They can use gas or diesel.

However, this isn’t simply giving each team a set amount of fuel and saying, “go at it!” until the tank is empty. They’re required to use between 25 to 30 percent less fuel than last year, and to make up for that, the WEC gave them loads more energy storage in the form of either batteries or a hybrid flywheel.

Each team gets a set amount of energy per lap based on the engine/hybrid combination good for two, four, six, or eight megajoules of energy. So teams have a choice: go with a big engine and a tiny hybrid system or reverse it and have a tiny engine with a massive amount of hybrid assist.

That’s what Porsche is doing, with a small 2.0-liter V4 and an 8MJ hybrid setup, which means it has less fuel to use but more electric power. Toyota is going with a 6MJ system with a 3.7-liter V8, coming close to splitting the difference. And then there’s Audi’s R18 e-tron quattro which will only use 2MJ.

“From the calculations we have done, we think the combination of the diesel engine and the 2MJ system is a better combination,” says Audi Sport head Wolfgang Ullrich.

Using Audi’s turbocharged diesel V6–punched out from 3.7 to 4.0-liters–and a flywheel energy recovery system that stores braking energy from the front axle and then puts that juice down through the front wheels, Ullrich thinks they’ve found that balance.

It’s telling that Audi, 12-time Le Mans winners, are going with a more conservative approach than its competitors at Toyota and Porsche. In addition to the lower MJ system, it’s also nixed the energy recovery system that sucks in power from the exhaust gases, all in an effort to keep the R18′s weight distribution correct and below the 1,918-pound maximum imposed by the WEC.

All this adds up to three teams, with three different power plants and three different hybrid systems, all vying for the top spot at Le Mans. It’s likely nothing we’ve ever seen before, and it’s going to make this year’s endurance racing season one of the most interesting in years.

[MIKA27]

Earthquake at Yellowstone Caldera is No Need for Concern

Over the weekend, the Yellowstone National Park felt its strongest earthquake since 1980 — a M4.7 event located just north of the Norris Geyser Basin at a depth of ~7 km. As you can guess, with such an earthquake, the Yellowstone-fearing throngs got a little nervous. However, this earthquake is nothing out of the ordinary for Yellowstone, even if it is larger than your average seismic event in or near the caldera. Over the past few hundred years, the caldera has felt numerous large earthquakes, including a M7.3 earthquake in 1959 … and none of them have led to an eruption at Yellowstone (even a small one). In fact, if you really want to be worried about hazards from Yellowstones, earthquakes might be the bigger danger.

Now, why might that be? Well, some of it has to do with whether Yellowstone has much eruptible magma beneath the surface. Most suggestions, both looking at Yellowstone through a seismic or petrologic lens, suggests that no, the caldera doesn’t have a huge volume of magma that is in a state that can easily erupt. In fact, some research suggests that Yellowstone is bordering on moribund — that is, it might be a “dying” caldera. Now, I’m not really ready to carve the caldera’s tombstone, but most research about large earthquakes triggering volcanic eruptions suggest that you likely need a volcano that is ready to erupt (i.e., lots of eruptible, gas-charged magma sitting below the surface) and is just looking for a trigger. That really doesn’t describe Yellowstone.

Sunday’s earthquake did not have the right focal mechanism to be directly related to magma moving below the surface either. You would expect if an earthquake was being caused by magma working its way upwards and making room for itself in the crust that any earthquake that were to occur would be one caused by extension. However, the recent M4.7 earthquake had a focal mechanism that suggests it was mainly reverse (compressional) with a smidge of strike-slip (side-by-side) motion — not what you would expect for magma moving upwards leading to an eruption.

The area that the earthquake occurred is a region of uplift in the caldera and exactly why this uplift is occurring is still being researched. This uplift is occurring in one of the most hydrothermally-active areas in/around the caldera, so maybe some of the uplift could be related to changes in the hydrothermal system rather than anything magmatic. There is some research that suggests that the uplift is related to a small sill of magma being emplaced at depth under the region — and this sort of event should be expected to be common at a caldera. Petrologically speaking, we see that the exposed innards of volcanoes — plutons and batholiths — are constructed incrementally by lots of small intrusions of magma. This means that we might expect small intrusions to be common at Yellowstone. More importantly, most of these intrusions likely don’t produce any eruption (possibly because they don’t add enough heat to the system to generate sufficient eruptible magma), so uplift and earthquakes related to intrusions of magma at depth as the roots of the magmatic system grows should be expect at any active caldera. This is the “breathing” that people like to discuss at Yellowstone: cycles of inflation and deflation over years to decades.

This doesn’t mean that USGS geologists aren’t checking out what effects the earthquake might have had on the region — maybe there was some surface motion or maybe the hydrothermal system at Norris Geyser Basin has changed. However, there are no indications that any eruption is on the way at Yellowstone after this weekend’s earthquake.

[MIKA27]

George Lucas Lost a $40 Million Bet to Steven Spielberg Over Star Wars

Of course, when you're talking about Star Wars and Close Encounters of the Third Kind, there are no losers

It’s no secret that Steven Spielberg and George Lucas are good pals, but perhaps the best demonstration of their friendship is the fact that not even a $40 million bet has been able to come between them.

Back in the late 1970s, Lucas was reportedly nervous that his upcoming sci-fi film Star Wars wouldn’t be a big hit. At the time, Spielberg was in the midst of making his own sci-fi epic, Close Encounters of the Third Kind. With Jaws already under his belt, Spielberg was the better-established director. During a break from filming on Star Wars, Lucas visited to the Close Encounters set.

According to an interview with Spielberg for Turner Classic Movies, the visit did little to allay Lucas’ concerns:

“He said, ‘Oh my God, your movie is going to be so much more successful than Star Wars! This is gonna be the biggest hit of all time. I can’t believe this set. I can’t believe what you’re getting, and oh my goodness.’ He said, ‘All right, I’ll tell you what. I’ll trade some points with you. You want to trade some points? I’ll give you 2.5% of Star Wars if you give me 2.5% of Close Encounters.’ So I said, ‘Sure, I’ll gamble with that. Great.’”

Lucas was right that Close Encounters would be a hit, but it was Star Wars that would become the standard-bearer for the genre. The film made $775 million at the global box office compared with $304 million for Close Encounters. Adjusted for inflation, Spielberg’s edge could come out to as much as $40 million.

What’s perhaps most remarkable is that Lucas supposedly actually made good on his bet with Spielberg — and the two have remained friends, teaming up for four Indiana Jones films in the years since the lopsided bet. Of course, the fact that they’re both billionaires may have made the wager a slightly less bitter pill to swallow.

[MIKA27]

Evil Friday 13th Prank Scares The Hell Out Of The Public

What would you do if you were innocently minding your own business, only for Jason from Friday 13th to appear out of the shadows and lunge at you with his blood soaked chainsaw?

You'd probably recoil in utter horror wouldn't you?

That was the fate that awaited these unsuspecting members of the public. It's not everyday you're chasing around your local neighborhood by a chainsaw wielding madman.

Whomever is playing Jason in this elaborate prank has some serious balls, anyone could have pulled a gun out on him or decided to stand their ground and fight.

Thankfully they didn't. Instead his terrified and shocked victims were last seen fleeing into the depths of the night screaming their heads off.

The local neighbourhood will never be the same again.

MIKA: Funny aas hell but I somehow fear Vitaly will not have a long career....

[MIKA27]

Japan accepts court ban on Antarctic whaling

The UN's International Court of Justice (ICJ) has ruled that the Japanese government must halt its whaling programme in the Antarctic.

It agreed with Australia, which brought the case in May 2010, that the programme was not for scientific research as claimed by Tokyo.

Japan said it would abide by the decision but added it "regrets and is deeply disappointed by the decision".

Australia argued that the programme was commercial whaling in disguise.

The court's decision is considered legally binding.

Japan had argued that the suit brought by Australia was an attempt to impose its cultural norms on Japan.

Science 'myth'

Reading out the judgement on Monday, Presiding Judge Peter Tomka said the court had decided, by 12 votes to four, that Japan should withdraw all permits and licenses for whaling in the Antarctic and refrain from issuing any new ones.

It said Japan had caught some 3,600 minke whales since its current programme began in 2005, but the scientific output was limited.

Japan signed up to a moratorium on whaling in 1986, but continued whaling in the north and south Pacific under provisions that allowed for scientific research. Norway and Iceland rejected the provision and continued commercial whaling.

The meat from the slaughtered whales is sold commercially in Japan.

Japan has clashed repeatedly with Australia and some other western countries, which strongly oppose whaling on conservation grounds.

Japan has argued that minke whales and a number of other species are plentiful and that its whaling activities are sustainable.

A spokesman for Greenpeace UK, Willie MacKenzie, welcomed the ICJ's decision.

"The myth that this hunt was in any way scientific can now be dismissed once and for all," he said.

[MIKA27]

WATER DISCUS UNDERWATER HOTEL IN DUBAI

Dubai continues to be a leader when it comes to innovative, luxury resorts, and if their Water Discus Underwater Hotel is any indication, Dubai shows no signs of slowing down.

The hotel gains its name from the building construction, which sees one disc above water, and one below. The top structure is connected to the bottom half with five solid legs, and includes a vertical shaft that has been outfitted with a lift and stairways for guests to explore the underwater portion of the hotel. The project was designed by the team at Deep Ocean Technology (DOT), and has won the group multiple technology and innovation awards. Before you get too excited, it’s worth noting that the hotel is just a concept at this point in time. But, judging from some of the existing structures in the area, we would count on seeing something similar to this in the coming years.

[MIKA27]

SHWOOD LOUISVILLE SLUGGER WOOD SUNGLASSES

It’s that time of year again. The unofficial start of the U.S summer – opening day. What better way to celebrate the baseball season than this awesome set of Shwood Louisville Slugger Sunglasses?

That’s right, these Shwood frames are made from wood, but not just any wood. Each set of glasses is hand crafted from Louisville Slugger Ash wood, and the details are dialed in perfectly. There are 2 different silhouettes to choose from, each of which comes in 2 different styles. You’ve got the two-tone painted dipped Select shades or the flame-tempered natural woodgrain Original option. If you ask us, you can’t go wrong with either choice. Each and every pair will come in a hand-made wooden display box alongside a branded display bat, and even a custom trading card. We can’t think of a batter way to celebrate America’s pastime. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

THE WALKING DEAD DISNEY CHARACTERS

After the season 4 finale of The Walking Dead last night, artist Kasami-Sensei decided to pay homage to one of our all time favorite shows with his series imagining what Disney characters would look like if they were zombie survivors from the show.

While we can’t imagine Disney ever making a gruesome zombie flick, it is cool to see what characters from the current lineup of Disney films would look like in the show. The collection features all kinds of familiar faces including Toy Story’s Buzz Lightyear, Woody and Jessie, Hercules and Phil, The Little Mermaid’s Airiel and Eric along with many more. Our favorite would have to be Pocahontas and John Smith though, who were modeled after Michonne and her armless walkers.

[MIKA27]

BMW E30 TM CONCEPT30

The E30 has long been one of our favorite body styles from BMW. The German auto maker used the body style to introduce the first ever M3, which has of course gone on to become an icon in the automotive world. To celebrate the 30th anniversary since its inception, the team at TMCars has decided to give the beloved E30 a modern remodel with their TM Concept30 kit.

Just over a year ago, the Hungarian crew teased us with some concept photos, and now they have put the renderings into production. The kit keeps much of the styling characteristics we love so much from the 80s E30, but infuses it with some modern day technology, like the LED daytime running lights. The rear end could use a bit of work, but for the most part, this is a nice concept. This is the only one on the road, but the brand is looking to sell the kit in the $4,000 price range to interested buyers.

[MIKA27]

RECYCLED SKATEBOARD BOTTLE OPENERS BY SCENE3

When Whitney Houston sang “Where do Broken Hearts Go,” we answered with a collective shoulder shrug. Actually, a shoulder shrug and a little wrist twist of the radio dial. But when the question asked is “Where do broken skateboards go?” well, damn, we’re up all night, pacing the floors, bottling jars of our nervous sweat. Now, finally, we have an answer.

Virginia skate shop Scene3 has come up with a fresh and creative use for old skateboard decks: turning them into bottle openers. It’s all about recycling here, as broken boards are piled on top of each other, cut, glued, and pressed. The addition of an industrial-strength screw seals the deal for cracking open your favorite beverage of choice, and each piece is hand-crafted and unique from all the others. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

The Human Heart May Not Be Able To Handle The Trip To Mars

Anyone dreaming of casting off the shackles of Earth for the microgravity wasteland of Mars is in for some (more) bad news. In addition to a host of other problems, the necessary 18-month spaceflight would, apparently, lead to one very unhealthy (and spherical) astronaut heart.

The new findings come from a recent NASA study in which 12 astronauts aboard the ISS took ultrasound images of their hearts before, during, and after their six-month stint in space. What they found confirmed scientists’ previous prediction: In microgravity, the human heart becomes more spherical by a factor of nearly 10 per cent. According to James Tomas, M.C., Moore Chair of Cardiovascular Imaging and Lead Scientist for Ultrasound at NASA:

The heart doesn’t work as hard in space, which can cause a loss of muscle mass.

That can have serious consequences after the return to Earth, so we’re looking into whether there are measures that can be taken to prevent or counteract that loss.

At least for the short amount of time ISS astronauts are in space, the heart condition seems to be only temporary; the participants’ hearts returned to their longer, typical shape not long after returning to Earth. And though scientists know a more spherical heart likely means it’s performing less efficiently, the long term cardiovascular effects of the change in shape have yet to be determined.

Still, it’s probably safe to assume that a circular heart doesn’t mean anything great for the long run. That’s not to say that Mars colonization is out of the question, but if we’re ever going to get there in one piece, we’re only just scratching the surface of what we’ll be up against.

[MIKA27]

Dead Body Discovered During Avengers Filming In South Korea

This weekend, filming began in Seoul for The Avengers: Age of Ultron. Mapo Bridge was closed to traffic for the production. Below the bridge, a body was discovered floating in the water.

Naver (via tipster Sang) has photos of the bridge during the filming on March 30. As previously mentioned, the bridge was closed to traffic from 6:00am to 5:30pm. This was the first time Mapo Bridge has ever been shut down for a movie.

Here is a photo of the filming, which used over a hundred cars as props on the bridge.

Hankooki (also via Sang) reports that a security guard for the production discovered the body at 2:15pm. As mentioned above, this was while the shoot was still going on. The South Korean police retrieved the corpse, which was apparently around two weeks old (note that shooting only began on March 30.)

Security was tight on set. According to News 1, there were well over a hundred private security guards, 160 South Korean police officers, and numerous volunteers. The set was locked down so tight that it was hard to get a close-up glimpse.

Mapo Bridge is an infamous suicide spot in Seoul. As Real Time Korea reports, the government even installed anti-suicide LED lighting to draw attention as well as slogans on the bridge, such a “The most shining moment of your life has yet to come” or “Your worries will feel like nothing when you get older.” The renovations did little to deter suicides, with the number of attempted suicides actually increasing.

If you ever contemplate suicide, please know that there are those at organisations like Suicide.org who are ready to listen and help along with your fellow BOTL.

[MIKA27]

George Lucas Explains The Birth Of Lightsabres

http://youtu.be/6YdBvWauNwA

The lightsabre is perhaps the best ever sci-fi weapon — but how did it come to appear in the Star Wars movies? In this short documentary, George Lucas, actor Mark Hamill and sound designer Ben Burtt discuss how the lightsabre was born.

Originally created for a 2004 boxset, this 15-minute documentary has now been made freely available online for the first time. It’s packed with gems — from George Lucas recalling that Star Wars fights were influenced by swashbuckling films of the ’40s, through Hamill admitting that set designs were created to provide cues for the actors to make the fights as realistic as possible, to Burtt revealing that the sound of the saber comes from an old film projector idling. Watch it; you won’t be disappointed.

[MIKA27]

South Korean Marines Storm The Beach As Smoke Screens Explode Above Them During A Military Exercise

South Korean marines storm the beach as smoke screens explode above them during a military exercise with the United States in Pohang on Monday. The same day, South Korea exchanged fire with North Korea, who is threatening a fourth nuclear test, in the Yellow Sea, a violent sign of increased tension between two countries that are still technically at war. Meanwhile, North Korea says it will conduct live fire drills near the border.

[MIKA27]

You Can Finally Fulfil Your Fantasy Of Sleeping Inside A 747 Engine

It won’t quite give you access to the mile high club, but if you’re harboring deep down fantasies involving a romance with an aeroplane mechanic, MotoArt’s new Jumbo 747 Sleeper should scratch that itch.

As is probably obvious from the bed’s curved stainless steel finish, it’s made from the nacelle of a GE 747 engine that’s been split in half to create a head and footboard. And since it’s designed to fit a rectangular king-sized mattress, the curved pieces are filled with padded leather shelves for anything you need to stow.

And if that’s not enough to woo someone into spending a redeye with you, the permanently grounded sleeper is accented with programmable lighting on the sides and underneath letting you set a specific mood — or not trip on something when you roll out of bed. The bed will cost you a whopping $US27,500, but if you’ve priced GE’s jet engines recently, you’ll realise that’s a bargain.

[MIKA27]

Victorinox Tested This Durable Watch By Driving A 58-Tonne Tank Over It

For years now, if you wanted a watch that could survive almost everything up to a nuclear war, Casio’s G-Shock line was your goto timepiece. But Victorinox, maker of the venerable Swiss Army Knife, wants a piece of that market. So it’s just unveiled its Inox line of ‘Tonka-tough’ watches that can seemingly survive any hardship.

And to make sure it could survive the worst, it sounds like Victorinox sent the Inox watches to hell and back during the testing phase. Made from a solid block of stainless steel, the watch looks like it’s ready to complement your suit at a dinner party. But with the addition of an included nylon and silicone bumper, it can survive anything from a 33-foot drop onto concrete, temperatures ranging from -60 to 160 degrees fahrenheit, and even being run over by one of the Swiss Army’s 58-tonne tanks.

It probably goes without saying that the Inox is waterproof too, to a depth of 656 feet. And that if you happen to get caught in a brutal sand storm, at least you’ll know what time it while the sun is being blocked out. All-in-all the Inox was subjected to 130 different tests, so it can probably survive your less than harrowing daily commute when it’s available sometime in September in a small assortment of colour options.

[MIKA27]

How Mexico's Drug Cartels Are Driving Up The Price Of Limes In The U.S.

A lime shortage is threatening the U.S. food and beverage industry, with some bars and restaurants jacking up drink prices, charging extra for a slice — or refusing to serve the citrus at all. But there’s another reason to rethink that margarita: The pricey limes you’re buying from Mexico might be supporting drug violence.

Bad winter weather and severe drought has obliterated many crops this year, but the lime is a victim of several special circumstances. Most limes consumed by the U.S are grown in Mexico, where a bacterial disease called huanglongbing (HLB) has already taken out a large number of trees. Then in December, cold and rain knocked blossoms off the trees, reducing the total number of fruits that matured.

Now, in the state of Michoácan, where most of Mexico’s limes are grown, a kilogram of the citrus is worth more than a day’s pay. Because limes have become so valuable, the trucks that transport them have become a target for drug cartels, which block the roads and hijack shipments, requiring money from the farmers to pass. Those extra costs are then passed along to consumers. This kind of agricultural extortion isn’t limited to limes: Cartels can exert control over any type of valuable export. “Blood avocados” are also an issue in Michoácan, with the Knights Templar cartel terrorizing local farmers. And when the gangs get involved, farmers become too afraid to grow the crop, which reduces supply even more.

The price of limes is about $US100 per 40-pound box today, up from the usual price of around $US25 a box this time of year. The cost has been devastating to not only American buyers, but also to Mexico’s economy, which may have to import limes from outside its borders for the first time in history. And sadly, the issue is causing farmers to strip their trees prematurely simply to cash in on the high prices — which will only cause more problems down the line.

Here in the U.S., where a lime garnish is usually as ubiquitous as an ice cube, the shortage has forced bartenders to get creative. According to the cocktail site Alcademics, San Francisco’s Tacolicious is offering a new version of their margarita that uses pasteurized lime and lemon juice, as well as a more expensive “Margarita del Cartel” with all fresh lime juice to pass along awareness of the issue. Other bars are using replacements like acid phosphate to mimic the sour flavours necessary for a proper gimlet.

Some suppliers are looking to buy fruit from Brazil, and we do grow a fair share of limes in California, although the crop doesn’t come in until the summer. It’s likely that prices will go down in the next few weeks, but still, this might be a good reason to switch to beer this Cinco de Mayo.

[MIKA27]

DEVIL’S POOL: THE WORLD’S MOST DANGEROUS POOL

There’s no better way to beat the heat than taking a dip in the swimming pool. Hopping the fence to swim in your neighbor’s pool just doesn’t get the adrenaline pumping quite like it used to. When you’re really looking to get your heart racing, take a trip to Devil’s Pool.

Crowned the most dangerous pool in the world, the Devil’s Pool has become a hot spot for tourists all around the globe. The naturally formed body of water is located at the edge of Victoria Falls on Livingstone Island, Zambia. While there have been a few deaths at this hidden gem, it hasn’t slowed the popularity of the pool. It’s worth noting that the best time to visit is during September and December, when the rock barrier forms an eddy with minimal current for swimmers to enjoy the body of water.

[MIKA27]

SKYPAK AIRPLANE TROLLEY WINE & WHISKEY BARS

We imagine that once the kinks get worked out on this whole utopia thing, among the perks we’ll see will be commercial flights offering nothing but complementary top-shelf wine and liquor. Until that day comes, we’ll settle for Skypak’s La Barrique Collection, which turns standard airplane trolleys into sophisticated coolers for the home.

Each piece is handcrafted in Germany using up-cycled wood from reclaimed barrels, while two temperature zones for both red and white wine offer an excellent bit of versatility. Each unit comes with sliding wooden shelves, a locking handle, and a stainless steel door with a glass window so you can gaze lovingly at your collection of spirits. Until flight attendants start bringing the free booze our way, this may be the best alternative. [Purchase | Via]

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KOLARBYN ECO-LODGE MOSS HUTS IN SWEDEN

You can play out a real life episode of Lord of the Flies, or, if you’d rather leave animalistic descents into savagery to reality TV shows, just enjoy the back-to-nature vibe of these moss-covered huts at the Kolarbyn Eco-lodge in Sweden’s Berslagen Forest.

The 12 huts are based on the shelters that loggers used in the winter centuries ago, and the amenities totally reflect that. You’ll be living by candlelight, cooking food over an open fire, and sleeping in sheepskin. We imagine long hikes, wildlife encounters, ghost stories, and getting your OFF! on will be in effect during your $60 per night stay. If you can’t find yourself after a weekend out here, you may very well not be lost.

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PEUGEOT ONYX SOFA

It might be called a sofa, but we doubt you'll be "plopping down" on the Peugeot Onyx Sofa. For one, it's made out of lacquered black carbon fiber that's been fused to a hand-cut portion of Volvic volcanic lava stone from France's Auvergne region, none of which sounds very springy. It also weighs 800 pounds, most of which is centered on one side of its 10-foot body — so depending on where you've put it, you probably won't want to put any extra stress on your floor. Then again, considering the price, we're sure you've already thought of that.

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SONY DIGITAL PAPER

Tablets are great for multi-use situations, Kindles are great for reading — but what if you're constantly dealing with documents, and want the readability of a Kindle with the power of a pen-based tablet? Take a gander at the Sony Digital Paper. This unique gadget is designed to replace reams of paper, using a 13.3-inch, 1200 x 1600 high-contrast reflective black and white touchscreen to display PDF documents, a stylus for annotation and note-taking, built-in Wi-Fi, and 4GB of on-board plus expandable SD storage for document storage and transfer. It's like having a whole filing cabinet in a gadget the size of a notebook.

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Jewel-encrusted goblet found gathering dust in tiny Spanish museum 'touched the lips of Jesus and is in fact the HOLY GRAIL' say two historians with evidence to prove it

The Holy Grail? There is no doubt this chalice, which once belonged to Queen Urraca of Spain, contains the onyx goblet Jesus Christ drank from at the Last Supper, two Spanish historians have claimed

It is a mystery dating back millennia.

But apparently, the long-lost Holy Grail has finally been found - on display in a Spanish museum.

The onyx chalice has been sat in the Basilica of San Isidoro in Leon, north Spain, for 1000 years - touted to visitors as a goblet belonging to 11th century Queen Urraca.

On show: It has sat in the Basilica of San Isidoro in Leon, north Spain, for 1000 years and went on display when the church opened its museum in the 1950s

But in fact, there is 'no doubt' it contains the cup which touched the lips of Jesus Christ, two historians claim.

In an explosive book charting three years of 'scientific research', Margarita Torres and Jose Ortiza del Rio reveal there is conclusive evidence from scrolls in Egypt that confirm their theory.

The onyx vessel made between 200 BC and 100 AD, they claim, is trapped inside a bejewelled medieval chalice.

According to two medieval documents written in Arabic, it was stolen from Jerusalem by Muslims, who gave it to the Christian community in Egypt.

On show: The onyx chalice is in the Basilica of San Isidoro in Leon, north Spain touted as a goblet belonging to 11th century Queen Urraca

The cup was used by Jesus then centuries later gifted to Spain by Egyptian royalty as a thank you for sending aid during a famine, they claim

Margarita Torres and Jose Miguel Ortega del Rio claim Arabic manuscripts prove Christ's onyx chalice was stolen from Jerusalem by Muslims and disguised with jewels

Centuries later, in around 1050 AD, it was sent as a gift to King Fernando I of Castile to thank him for sending aid during a famine, they say.

By that point, it had been concealed with opulent decorations.

Gold inside, with patterns etched around the edges, the revered ornament is covered with pearls, emeralds, amethysts and sapphires, which the Egyptian kings will have designed to honour the well-liked Fernando.

It was given to Queen Urraca, daughter of Fernando I, king from 1037 to 1065

It was housed and used in the Basilica of San Isidoro, where it remained in storage until it was put on display in the museum which opened in the 1950s.

Ms Torres, a history professor at the University of Leon, said: 'The only chalice that could be considered the chalice of Christ is one which went via Cairo to León, and this chalice did so.

'This is a very important discovery because it helps solve a big puzzle.

'We believe this could be start of a wonderful stage of research.'

IS THIS REALLY IT? THEORY IS ONE OF COUNTLESS OVER THE YEARS

Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade charts one of the most famous theories: SS chief Heinrich Himmler travelled to Spain during WWII believing the grail was at the Montserrat Abbey near Barcelona

This is hardly the first time a church or museum has laid claim on the historical phenomenon.

The Saint Mary of Valencia Cathedral houses the Valencia Chalice, a top contender for the title.

Having been used as the official chalice for many popes, it is a popular theory amongst Catholics.

Many believe it was taken from Jerusalem to Rome by Saint Peter before 100 AD.

Saint Lawrence, the story continues, then took it to Huesca in Spain in the third century, where it was protected by monks from Islamic invaders, before making its way to its current home.

An emerald chalice at Genoa was hotly tipped during the 1700s - until it, being transported from one holding place to another, it was dropped and restorers discovered it was merely green glass.

Last year, it emerged S.S. chief Heinrich Himmler allegedly visited Spain during the war because he believed the grail was at the Montserrat Abbey near Barcelona.

It was a failed expedition, but one that inspired the blockbuster hit Indiana Jones And The Last Crusade, in which Harrison Ford treks to find the revered vessel.

[MIKA27]

The Xbox One Is Turning Your Phone Into The Only Remote You Need

If you have pay TV, the Xbox One’s TV-controlling powers are a great feature; having a list of just the channels you watch is how all cable-surfing should be. But you probably also have a DVR, and the Xbox One has been useless at controlling it. Until now.

With updates rolling out to Xbox One users in the near future, Microsoft is adding DVR control to Smartglass by way of emulating a touchscreen version of the cable box remote you love to hate on your phone or tablet. That’s great — no more fumbling around the couch cushions — but unfortunately there’s no One Guide-esque menu to freshen up your list of recorded shows; you just have a new way to browse it. Still, it’s a step in the right direction.

And speaking of One Guide, the cable-channel menu you want and deserve is also coming to Smartglass, effectively turning any and all of your touchscreen devices into supersmart remotes, and giving the Xbox One more TV-powers that you don’t have to open your mouth and say “Xbox!” to use. That is always welcome.

These minor-but-awesome updates will definitely help the Xbox One solidify its position as the most powerful (if also the most expensive) set-top box out there. With DVR control, your phone should become the only remote you need unless you have to change inputs or do some weird picture calibration or something.

The continued rollout of more features means that hopefully the Xbox One’s media powers will only get better. Now if only folks making those god-awful cable boxes would take a hint and start working on this stuff themselves.