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

[MIKA27]

'iMom' Will Haunt Your Dreams

“iMom” isn’t a short with a brand new idea or even a totally shocking plot twist. There are many stories about what happens when a piece of technology takes over a quintessentially human function (in this case, mothering). What is great about iMom, though, is the execution.

Matilda Brown plays the robotic iMom better than what most people given that role in big budget projects can manage. And the way Ariel Martin made this film, from the composition of the shots to the music, all give it a very tense, horror vibe.

But the best part are the interstitials, featuring an ad for the iMom. They’re perfectly normal late-night ads at first, full of people talking about how the iMom changed their life. But then things get really revealing. One mum says she “wasn’t going to stop clubbing” most of the week because she had a kid. In my favourite moment, another says that it feels like she has backup for the first time, and the dad sitting next to her does a double-take.

[cosmoker]

Wow just watched iMom vid. That is one thought provoking video.

[MIKA27]

The Latest Ghostbusters Trailer Is A Definite Improvement

The first full trailer released for the Ghostbusters reboot was, well, okay. It certainly wasn’t perfect, and it certainly didn’t meet the expectations that have been put on the film — there’s a big legacy to live up to, after all. Getting the right balance of action and humour had fun proven a little elusive. This fan-cut version was so much better, and pretty much nailed the original feel of the franchise.

It seems the team behind Ghostbusters have taken notice with the latest trailer. Take a look, and tell us what you think.

[MIKA27]

The Latest 10 Cloverfield Lane Trailer Is A Doomsday Survival PSA

Doomsday prepping is a real thing, especially in the US where the survivalist movement is bigger than you think. 10 Cloverfield Lane is — at least partially — a movie about surviving a disaster, and although the reason behind it isn’t clear, it’s worth being prepared.

Flashlight, clothes, first aid kit, diesel generator, a reliable water source, and years of canned food — there’s your bare minimum. Now get on Amazon and start shopping. (Oh, and throw in a LifeStraw while you’re at it.)

10 Cloverfield Lane is out in Aussie cinemas today.

[MIKA27]

BMW's Vision Next 100 Concept: Peek Into The Future

Active, constantly shifting aerodynamics and a seamless shift from autonomous driving to hands-on interaction are how BMW envisions the future of driving. Those ideas are the centrepiece of its Vision Next 100 concept car, built around an in-car Companion AI that alerts the driver to road hazards and driving info with augmented reality and a heads-up display, as well as a dashboard built around 800 ‘alive geometry’ lights that adjust their illumination to point out ideal driving lines or mark potential dangers ahead.

The Vision Next 100 concept car is a one-off vehicle made to celebrate BMW’s 100-year anniversary, and to throw a few ideas out about how the next 100 years might look. Aerodynamic improvement, for example, is a huge part of the Vision’s design — to the point that the car’s wheels and tyres are hidden behind flexible covers that move when the steering wheel is turned and contribute to an extremely low 0.18 coeffient of drag.

There’s a lot of talk around what autonomous cars might look like and how they might work in the future, but BMW seems set on there still being the option for users to take control themselves; the in-car Companion can switch between Boost and Ease modes, where efficiency and hands-off driving is traded for hands-on and full power. In human-oriented Boost mode the steering wheel pops out from the dash and is angled towards the driver, and the virtual HUD displayed on the windscreen shows performance driving stats.

Built for four passengers, the Vision is made primarily out of recycled materials and environmentally-friendly renewable resources — like BMW’s i8 and i3, the Vision Next 100 Concept sees a future where the company uses less wood and less leather in its interiors.

[MIKA27]

If the Mammoth Returns, It Will Have a Place to Live

Jurassic Park was fiction. Pleistocene Park is real.

On the rugged permafrost tundra north of Siberia in Russia, researchers are restoring the entire ecosystem to the way it existed when mammoths roamed the area 11,500 years ago. The non-profit Pleistocene Park Foundation was founded in 1989, primarily funded by government grants. Pleistocene Park covers 4,000 acres, with plans for expansion. A broad area is fenced in for the animals’ safety. In bringing back the steppe system, the area may once again guard against global warming, as the permafrost stores carbon and the grasses reflect sunlight.

The park is part of the Northeast Scientific Station, one of the world’s largest Arctic research stations. Fifty scientists study such disciplines as arctic biology, hydrology and geophysics in three laboratories.

The Pleistocene epoch began 1.8 million years ago and ended when humans dominated the earth. When mammoths roamed, a steppe system with grassland dominated the landscape. It disappeared when man intervened with more efficient hunting practices, invented agriculture and raised cattle.

Sergey Zimov, one of the founders of the park and director of the Northeast Science Station writes,

The vast dust-covered plains and valleys dominated the landscape. Mammoths, woolly rhinoceroses, bison, horses, reindeer, musk-oxen, elk, moose, saiga, yaks grazed on grasslands under the predatory gaze of cave lions and wolves.”

Researchers are bringing back the steppe system, are planting grasses endemic to the time period, are constructing caves to bring back the permafrost and are reintroducing native animals. So far, the animals are bison, moose, reindeer, musk ox, elk, hares, marmots, ground squirrels and predators such as wolves, bears, lynxes and wolverines. Siberian tigers are to be added in the future.

As for mammoths, scientists at Kinki University in Japan, in partnership with scientists from Russia are working on methods to clone them back into existence.The plan is to inject Mammoth DNA (taken from frozen specimens taken from the tundra) into an elephant to create a new species that is 88% mammoth. When this is successfully undertaken, these new mammoths may be introduced into Pleistocene Park. The recreation will, thus be complete.

[MIKA27]

WEISS STANDARD ISSUE FIELD WATCH

For as long as we can remember, there has always been something about American-made products that stands out. Whether it’s their clean design or structural integrity, there is something inherently valuable about products that feature a “made in the USA” etching. The Weiss Standard Issue Field Watch is no exception. Comprised of over 100 Swiss parts that are hand-finished and assembled in Los Angeles, each mechanically wound watch is a true work of art.

In addition to the inner mechanics, the case and caseback are machined from one solid piece of stainless steel, and individually hand-polished before shipment. The dial is machined naval brass featuring a black finish and highly visible white numerals. The hands on this particular model are made up of black oxide treated steel with white Super-Luminova Paint, while the band is a 20mm olive green, waterproof Cordura canvas. Each watch also happens to be water-resistant up to 330 feet, and comes in several different color options. Available now for $950. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

EMPEROR 200 GAMING CHAIR

For those who want to up their gaming status and break away from the newbs of the world, there’s the Emperor 200 gaming chair. With an appearance suited more for a Universal Studios ride, this gaming setup of epic proportions serves as a harbinger into the future of the virtual reality world.

Each Emperor 200 is hand built to your exact requirements and features a touch screen control center, because you know, it is your throne and all. What’s also available is an air filtration system to keep the atmosphere around you as fresh as your gaming skills. And, because comfort is key to any emperor, each gaming chair is composed of fine Italian leather and light therapy, so you don’t feel guilty about not leaving your house for a month. To top all this off, each chair comes equipped with up to three 27-inch LED screens and a Bose sound system, all encompassed in a fluid, scorpion-type design that’ll pierce the soul of all who enter. Available for $49,000. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

MARVEL X STAR WARS ADULT COLORING BOOKS

Who says kids can have all the fun? Now’s your opportunity to bring your favorite characters in the Marvel universe and Star Wars galaxy to life with the next wave of Adult Coloring Books featuring several of their most iconic stories and artwork to excite fans both young and old across the country. The storylines are there, as is the action. Now all they need is your colorful imagination to get them jumping off the page.

The release comes in a trio of coloring books, covering both worlds of Marvel and Star Wars. There are two books paying homage to the classic comics, including one dedicated to the mighty and majestic leading heroines alongside a Dr. Strange tribute. But our favorite offering in the 3-book collection is the book dedicated to the galaxy far, far away. You’ll get the chance to color characters like Chewbacca, Han Solo, C-3PO and a whole lot more – ranging from the light and dark side of the force. According to AIPT, they will be available this fall for $10.

[MIKA27]

CLASSIFIED MOTO CAFE TABLE

Few things resonate with motorcycle riders greater than nostalgia. From vintage rides to reminiscing about that cross-country trek on their prized bone-shaker, bikers have a knack for storytelling. It’s that very nostalgia that motivated the Richmond, Virginia-based Classified Moto to commission a cafe table like no other.

Built from recycled Japanese moto components from the 70s and 80s, each table proudly stands 36 inches high and 34 inches wide. The wooden top is covered in brushed copper, finished with a punched steel bezel that exposes the copper on the sides. Legs of each table are brushed chrome fork tubes that support a trio of springs and shock absorbers attached beneath the wooden table top. Transmission gears act as the feet rounding out this no-wobble design. All parts that make up each table come from actual bikes that spent thousands of miles trekking across America’s highways, each carrying a unique story behind them. Tables are currently sold out but they become available every so often with a price of $1,500. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

VOLKSWAGEN GOLF GTI TRACK CAR

Anniversary’s and birthdays are nice – they’re a great occasion for a nice dinner, an evening out with some friends, or maybe even a trip. If you’re a car company, though, you get to turn out a brand new vehicle. For the 40th anniversary of the Golf, Volkswagen has done just that with the track-specific Golf GTI.

This model of the Golf gets 18 inch racing wheels, a chassis that is 40cm wider, a carbon spoiler, and more aerodynamic splitter up front. The powerplant on this car is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that pumps out 330 horsepower and 302 pound-feet of torque through a six-speed sequential gearbox. With the upgraded engine and aerodynamics, the car’s sprint time is now just 0-62 in 5.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of 142 mph. Unfortunately, this is a limited run with only twenty lucky car enthusiasts getting their hands on this. Maybe we’ll luck out and get one for the 80th anniversary.

[MIKA27]

Garmin Tactix Bravo

Garmin have recently introduced the Tactix Bravo, a rugged GPS sport watch for tactical training and outdoor navigation with fitness training and smart features. Designed to handle the most demanding environments, the sleek and stylish stainless steel timepiece features a sapphire lens and a knurled bezel with a diamond-like carbon coating to prevent nicks and scratches. The smartwatch offers 50 hours of battery life, tracks elevation data, and lets you mark and store up to 1,000 waypoints, guiding you back to your starting point (a feature that anyone who as been turned around in the woods at night will appreciate). It can also track any sport with great accuracy, whether it’s golf, rowing, hiking, climbing, etc… In addition to the standard black silicone band, Tactix Bravo is also available with nylon watchbands in black and olive drab.

Available in Europe here

[MIKA27]

The Final Badarse Civil War Trailer, Starring Your Spectacular New Spider-Man

It’s here — your next major look at Marvel’s big superheroic dust up, Civil War. You’d think someone would be pleased, but no, Teams Cap and Iron Man are far too busy being glum at the thought of fighting each other for what they believe in. Oh, and a certain friendly neighbourhood arachnid, of course.

There is so much new footage in this new trailer, it’s honestly a huge surprise, even with Spider-Man’s inclusion.

There’s a lot more of the idealogical debate between Iron Man and Captain America, and the cost of the destruction superheroes cause. But there’s still a ton of action, including an incredible chase sequence between Black Panther and Winter Soldier, Black Widow beatdowns, and the amazing shot of Ant-Man flying into battle on Hawkeye’s arrow.

Still? Nothing quite tops our spectacular introduction to Spider-Man — making an incredible entrance on Iron Man’s side. Good lord, this looks like a ton of fun.

Captain America: Civil War releases April 29.

[MIKA27]

Watch 130-Year-Old Samurai Armour Get Restored To A Pristine And Fearsome State

Iki-ningyō are life-sized dolls that were primarily used in festivals and exhibitions in Japan. This one, which belongs to the Victoria and Albert Museum, is estimated to have been made around 1880, shortly after the samurai class was outlawed.

The restoration process is a careful and complicated one that seeks to match as many of the original materials and colours as possible: some flecks of paint here, some new pieces of fabric there. The only major change made to the 130-year-old model was the addition of hidden metal supports under the arms, which will hopefully prevent the upper arms from sustaining irreparable damage due to the weight of the armour.

[MIKA27]

2017 JEEP WRANGLER TRAILCAT CONCEPT

Ahead of the Easter Jeep Safari in Moab Utah, the storied American auto maker has released a series of concept vehicles built using Jeep and Mopar parts. The reason for all of these concept releases? This year is both the 50th anniversary of the event and Jeep’s 75th. And while there were some solid off-roaders among the bunch, it’s the 2017 Jeep Wrangler Trailcat that really caught our attention.

The Jeep Trailcat is built to be nimble on the trail sections of the course and fast on the flat and long sections of the course. Powered by a 6.2-liter Hemi Hellcat V-8 that pumps 707 horsepower through the 6-speed manual transmission, this off-road vehicle has a lot of muscle. In addition to the souped up performance, the engineers and designers who worked on this model lengthened the wheelbase an additional 12 inches, chopped the windshield down a few inches, and threw in bucket seats from the Dodge Viper. All of that combined with the lime green details and 39.5 inch BFGoodrich Krawler T/A KX tires are making us wish this was more than just a concept.

[MIKA27]

Balmorhea Bag

Texas Rover Company is a small company that create heirloom pieces to be passed down from one to another, to be a part of adventures for generations to come. They craft each piece with an eye towards quality over quantity, and the intention of lasting a lifetime. Their Balmorhea Bag is the perfect example, a stylish leather duffle made of full-grain oiled leather, rugged enough to withstand exposure to the elements and ready for everywhere. Available in both the Weekender(32L) for short trips and the Traveler(52L) for longer journeys.

[MIKA27]

Lamzac Hangout

Lamzac Hangout is a Dutch product that may very well be the outdoorsman’s new best friend. It´s in fact an inflatable bed that features a special system that allows you to inflate it in seconds and quite easily. You´ll be able to chill, rest or even sleep wherever you wish with Lamzac Hangout. Its super strong and durable synth fabric will allow you to use it many times, ideal for festivals, camping or long walks, its portability sure is a plus because when deflated it becomes a small pack/bag that is also light and easy to carry with you. Chill out wherever whenever with the Lamzac Hangout.

[MIKA27]

1997 PORSCHE 911 GT1 EVOLUTION

You're familiar with the iconic Porsche 911 line, but this 911 is nothing like the Porsche that comes to mind. Instead, this 1997 Porsche 911 GT1 Evolution is a racer, winning three consecutive Candaian GT championships between 1999 and 2001. It's one of only 14 GT1 race cars in private ownership and is the only ex-racing GT1 Evo to be legalized for street use. Available for sale publicly for the first time ever, this racing rarity can be yours from Sotheby's in May.

[MIKA27]

Star Trek Beyond Is Reshooting And Adding An Entirely New Cast Member

Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond is coming in a few shorts months, but news just broke of reshoots as well as the addition of a new cast member. Deadline reports Shohreh Aghdashloo (24, The Expanse) has been added to the cast as the High Command of the Federation.

Several months ago Lin sounded very confident about the direction the film was going. However, this news suggests something was not working when people finally watched the whole thing together. The good news is, if there was a problem, these reshoots are happening to fix it. In theory, they will improve the movie… though it is a bit worrisome for a new actress to come onto a project this late. If Aghdashloo’s character is a wholly new addition, it could be anything from a quick fix to something more radical.

Aghdashloo herself, though, is simply an amazing actress. She first hit with American audiences on 24, was nominated for an Oscar for House of Sand and Fog, won an Emmy for House of Saddam, and has even been in a big genre movie before. She played Dr Kavita Rao in X-Men: The Last Stand. Recently, she was seen on Grimm and is currently on SyFy’s The Expanse.

Star Trek Beyond is still scheduled for release on July 21.

[MIKA27]

Scientists Have Discovered A Bacteria That Has Evolved To Eat Plastic

A team of Japanese scientists has discovered a bacteria that’s evolved to break down and consume PET — one of the world’s most environmentally damaging plastics.

The team discovered the bacteria living on plastic items found in wastewater samples it was collecting. Called Ideonella sakaiensis, it appears to consume a diet made up exclusively of PET, which it breaks down using a pair of enzymes. The bacteria cling to the plastic, then break the plastic down into terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol in a two-step process. They then digest those two substances. PET was only invented about 70 years ago. That means the bacteria must have evolved the ability to consume the plastic over the intervening decades. The results are published in Science.

The team is obviously excited about the prospect of using the bacteria to clean up the planet. There are, after all, millions of tons of waste PET on the surface of our planet — on landfills and in our seas. But right now, the bacteria are inefficient: New Scientist reports that it takes “6 weeks at 30°C to fully degrade a thumb-nail-sized piece of PET”. That’s because the bacteria multiplies relatively slowly, so it may be possible to genetically engineer a bacterium that combines the speed of multiplication of something likeE.coli with the plastic-chomping abilities of Ideonella sakaiensis.

It’s not the first natural organism to consume plastic. In 2012, there were reports of an Amazonian fungus that was able to break down polyurethane. But in terms of cleaning the planet, bacteria could be far more efficient. Let’s see if the team can speed the process up.

[MIKA27]

Nation Makes First Withdrawal from the Global Seed Vault

Syria’s civil war has not only taken its toll on the citizens and infrastructure of this Middle East nation but also on agriculture. By request by the International Center for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, seeds were withdrawn from the Global Seed Vaultto replenish those in a gene bank in the Syrian city of Aleppo. The Aleppo gene bank, though damaged, is partially functioning but unable to grow seeds and distribute them within the country. Thousands of seeds, including wheat, barley, lentils and chickpeas were safely delivered in secret.

Michael Koch, of the Global Crop Diversity Trust, which funded the seed shipments, says,

It just shows that the global system of fail-safe back-up works.

The Svalbard Global Seed Vault opened in 2008 as free, fail-safe storage of seeds from food and crops from around the world in case of nuclear or natural disaster. Located on the remote archipelago of Svalbard, 810 miles from the North Pole in Norway, the vault is located inside the sandstone Plateau Mountain. It offers safe and secure long-term storage in cold and dry rock vaults. The building is secure against external hazards and the effects of climate change.

The vault was established and funded by the Norwegian government and operated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food. It coordinates daily operations with the Nordic Gene Resource Centre and the Global Crop Diversity Trust.

Because government-funded projects exceeding a certain cost must include artwork, artist Dyveke Sanne was commissioned to create the building’s unique entrance façade. Reflective stainless steel triangles of various sizes, mirrors and prisms reflect light and are illuminated at night.

Inside, a tubular entrance tunnel of corrugated steel pipe leads to three separate vaults. A maximum of 400 seed types sealed in four-ply heat-sealed aluminum packets and are stored inside sealed plastic crates stacked on metal shelving racks. Mined coal keeps the seeds cool to -0.4 Fahrenheit (18 Celsius). Even if the power fails, the vault should stay frozen and sealed for at least 200 years. The seeds of over 4,000 (tens of thousands of varieties of food and crops seeds) plant species are recorded and stored, duplicated of seed samples stored in national, regional and international gene banks.

Like any secure, guarded bank it has both withdrawals and deposits. Recently, seven boxes of seeds (430 different vegetable seeds) from the United States and Japan (3,000 different types of barley seeds) were deposited in the seed vault.

If Doomsday occurs, survivors have a place they can bank on to replenish the earth with flora, fauna and food.

[MIKA27]

Putin Withdraws Most Forces From Syria, Saying Russia Has 'Achieved Its Goals'

Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his military on Monday to begin withdrawing the majority of Russia's forces from Syria, saying that Russian military intervention had mostly achieved its goals.

Putin, at a meeting in the Kremlin with his defense and foreign ministers, said the order for withdrawal should become effective on Tuesday.

He also said that Russia would ramp up its role in the peace process to end the conflict in Syria. Putin called Syrian President Bashar al Assad to let him know that Russia was beginning a withdrawal, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

According to an analysis published shortly after the Russian intervention in Syria began last September, the bulk of the Russian expeditionary force in Syria is made up of more than 30 fighter and bomber jets. One of 34 sent from Russia has been shot down by the Turkish Air Force for allegedly violating Turkish airspace.

"The task that was set before our defense ministry and armed forces has as a whole been completed and so I order the defense ministry to, from tomorrow, start the withdrawal of the main part of our military contingents from the Syrian Arab Republic," Putin said in televised comments on Monday.

"The effective work of our military created the conditions for the start of the peace process," Putin said in a statement.

Putin added that Russian involvement had "profoundly reverse[d] the situation" in Assad's favor, and that the Syrian president recognized "the professionalism, courage and heroism" of the Russian military. "In a short period of time," Putin said, " Russian troops disorganized militants' infrastructure and inflicted fundamental damage upon them."

Putin added that Assad has thanked Russia for the military assistance, as well as for providing "humanitarian aid and assistance to Syria's civilian population."

The Kremlin plans to keep its air force base at Hmeynim in Latakia province, close to the Turkish border, and its naval base at Tartus.

Russian involvement in the five-year-long Syrian civil war has been consistently steeped in controversy due to Russia's hitting civilian areas in Syria.

According to a report published in January by the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Russian airstrikes killed almost 4,000 civilians, over 300 of whom were children.

In December, Amnesty International released a report that said Russian airstrikes have indiscriminately killed hundreds of civilians and may constitute a war crime.

"The Russian armed forces appear to have directly attacked civilians or civilian objects by striking residential areas with no evident military objective and even medical facilities, resulting in deaths and injuries to civilians," the report said. "In others, they seem to have attacked military objectives and civilian objects without distinction, or caused disproportionate harm to civilians when striking military targets. Such attacks may constitute war crimes."

[MIKA27]

DUCATI ICE MONSTER BY PAOLO TESSIO

Speed and ice are usually only associated with one another when it relates to how quickly you fall on your ass after slipping on some. If Paolo Tesio has his way with the ‘Monster of Ice’, however, that could change.

A designer and motorcycle mechanic based in Italy, Paolo has a penchant for reworking one of his country’s most famous exports – the Ducati Monster. He has tons of experience – ever since graduating from the school of industrial design in Turin, Italy , he has been working closely with bikes. In the past he has designed custom Yamaha R6s, concept bikes, and he now sells the custom Texdesign body kit for the Ducati M-S4R. This time around, Paolo has decided to push the boundaries of design with the ‘Monster of Ice’. Still just a concept, his design calls for swapping out the rear wheel for a much larger one, and throwing on studded snow tires for extra traction. The end result would be a Testastretta powered, snow ready vehicle producing 160 horsepower. That would be one psychedelic bike with a scary amount of speed – which is why we love it. [H/T: Maxim]

[MIKA27]

IXOOST OTTO EXHAUST SPEAKER DOCK

We’ve all been there. Casually listening to our music, trying to get some work done or hosting some friends, when all of a sudden everybody’s favorite track gets shuffled into the mix. But when it comes time to crank up the volume, that lackluster dock of yours just doesn’t make the cut. Thankfully, there’s the iXOOST music dock to give your tunes that extra blast of volume. And here’s the kicker: each dock pays tribute to the craftsmanship of Modena and its race cars.

Drawing inspiration from the legendary world of racing, the iXOOST amplifies the true heart of the engine – the exhaust pipe. It’s original in concept and the entire package, from tunes to tailpipe, exhumes authenticity. Each 8-cylinder model hosts a dome tweeter, cone midrange, extended range and active sub-woofer speaker inside real tailpipes. You can also choose which racing make and model best fits your style. Available now for about $7,900. [Purchase]

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BAREBONES CANYON LANTERN

Bring some light into your world with the Barebones Canyon Lantern. These vintage-inspired old school designs pay homage to a simpler time, without the heavy burden of an alkaline battery. Built for the campsite, each lantern is ultra-functional, super light and made out of metal so you know it’s durable.

Each Canyon Lantern comes equipped with a 5-watt Cree LED light to provide you with anywhere from 1-200 lumens of light (about 3 hours on high and over 80 on low). There are also two lighting modes, a standard flashlight and a retractable ambient lantern that you can set depending on your desired functionality. Also, the light comes standard with two Lithium Ion batteries that are fully charged in about 2-3 hours through a standard USB port. Available now in both Nickel and Antique Bronze for $78. [Purchase]