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

[Fuzz]

2 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

Japanese Company Debuts Holographic AI “Wife”

 

MIKA: The Japanese have it all wrong! What's up with the school girl fetish?

I would much rather the below, if someone can muster this one, I'm in

 

A hologram? Pass. Now the Love-bot from Firefly/Serenity, that might be worth it!

[MIKA27]

NEIL PATRICK HARRIS' HOME

Get to know more about Tony ward-winner Neil Patrick Harris during this 11-minute interview with Vogue.

Throughout the 73 questions, NPH takes you on a tour of his New York City home, featuring a private movie theater, fully stocked bar, and the actual booth from How I met Your Mother, while revealing his worst habit, Doogie Howser's current status, and his favorite ice cream. As an added bonus, he gives a flawless performance of Hamilton's "My Shot".

[MIKA27]

BEYERDYNAMIC XELENTO REMOTE EARPHONES

Borrowing the Tesla technology of the company's flagship headphones, the Beyerdynamic Xelento Remote Earphones pack incredible sound into a tiny package. With magnets 16 times smaller than the headphones' and micrometer air gaps, the drivers have outstanding range, with a frequency response of 8 - 48,000 Hz that ensures powerful bass and clear highs. They're packed inside robust housings and connect via silver-plated, Kevlar-coated cables with gold-plated plugs and seven sizes of eartips so they'll create a tight seal no matter what your ears' size or shape.

[MIKA27]

PRYNT IPHONE CASE

The iPhone is the most popular camera in the world. The Prynt iPhone Case makes it even better. With an interchangeable adapter system lets it work with a variety of iPhone models, it adds a built-in grip and dedicated shutter button to the phone, but most importantly, a built-in Zink printer. That means you can print off any photo you take, right where you are, and with the companion app, see a video that's tied to the moment just by pointing your phone at the print.

[MIKA27]

SNEAKY PETE

Bryan Cranston makes his long-awaited return to TV, well streaming TV, and he's just as ruthless as before. In this Amazon series, Giovanni Ribisi is the ultimate con-man, the only problem is he's been trying to con Heisenberg himself — a savage gangster who happens to have his brother. This leads him to take on the identity of his former cellmate Pete and steal $100,000, while his brother still has a few fingers left. Lead by Justified creator Graham Yost and Cranston, Sneaky Pete will be ready for streaming January 13, 2017.

[MIKA27]

LUCID AIR

While Tesla has its eyes on the lower end of the market with the Model 3, the Lucid Air is ramping up to give them some competition on the high-end. This all-electric luxury vehicle has a motor and transmission that were developed in house, with a battery pack capable of outputting 1,000 horsepower, pushing the car from 0-60 in just 2.5 seconds while providing 400 miles of range. Autonomous driving systems and OTA software updates are also in the mix, and the interior promises to be extremely comfortable, with executive seats in the rear, high-end materials throughout, and a 29-speaker audio system that uses active noise cancellation to keep the cabin as quiet as possible. Production starts in late 2018 with deliveries expected to start soon thereafter.

[MIKA27]

MOD LAPTOP 3 BRIEFCASE

In this day and age there are literally dozens of different ways to haul around your everyday carry gear. But they’re not necessarily appropriate for every occasion. You might have tactical, technical, and rugged bags in spades, but what will you do when you need something a little more formal? If you need a stellar comprehensive bag that’s appropriate for an office environment, you might want to pick up This Is Ground’s Mod Laptop 3 briefcase.

With an exterior made from Italian vegetable tanned leather, this microfiber-lined bag offers plenty of compartmentalized space for all your gear. Meaning it has room and dedicated space for a laptop, tablet, phone, credit cards, cables, office supplies, and more. And it comes in three sizes – 11/12 inch, 13-inch, or 15-inch – so you can cater it to the size of your laptop. It also has a custom pocket for a Tile brand item-finder insert – which is also included with purchase. And it comes with a removable 100% leather strap for messenger-bag style carry. This incredibly good looking bag retails for $499. [Purchase]

[MIKA27]

Serious Whiskey Brands You Had No Idea Were Australian

Australia’s craft beer game may be pretty strong right now, but the rise of boutique spirits have taken barflies and bar managers alike by storm.

A far cry from your standard bottle of Wild Turkey, Australia’s new breed of Whiskey distilleries are at the very forefront of this, making cutting-edge whiskeys that challenge the nose, the palette and of course, the liver.

This isn’t going unnoticed either, and some of Australia’s best Whiskey is starting to make waves overseas.

So pull up a leather-backed armchair, put on your best Roger Sterling impression, and let’s celebrate the finest tipple Australia has to offer.

This story was originally published on D’Marge.

How Good Whiskey Is Made

Whiskey, in case you didn’t know, is essentially beer that’s been rapidly heated, evaporated and condensed into a more potent liquid. This is what’s known as distillation.

This liquid is then aged for a period of years in Oak Barrels which have been charred (and in some cases used to make things like wine) in the hope of infusing unique flavours into a particular batch. This also gives the whiskey its deep brown colour.

“Single-malt” whiskeys are often favoured for their quality, and this means that they have been distilled as a single batch at a single distillery (like an estate wine) whereas many mass-produced whiskeys are often blends.

The better the barrels, the better the initial brew and the more care put into the production, the better the whiskey will inevitably taste. Australia’s master distillers have this down to a tee.

Starward is one of the rising stars of the whiskey world, starting to fill the ad pages of magazines and the cabinets of whiskey enthusiasts alike.

The reason for this is its maturation process. Aged in locally sourced barrels that were previously used to make wine, it boasts an incredibly balanced, complex flavour that goes from red berries to cinnamon and spice in a single mouthful.

It also won a Double Gold Medal at the World Spirit Awards in San Francisco last year, and you can’t argue with that.

Voted THE WORLD’S BEST Single Malt Whiskey in 2014, Sullivan’s Cove French Oak is aged using the absolute best French Oak barrels available anywhere, as the name implies.

It was the first single malt to win the award that wasn’t made in either Japan or Scotland, and if you’re lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle, it’ll cost you about $450 just to get it into your drink cabinet. Truly one for the most avid enthusiast.

Just like it says on the label, Hellyers Road Pinot Noir finish is aged once in American Oak barrels that were once used to make bourbon, and then finished off in French oak barrels previously used to make fine Tasmanian Pinot Noir.

In true Tassie fashion, it’s also made using the finest Tasmanian-grown barley and pure rainwater. Expect a pretty high alcohol content, and an intense taste of citrus, along with pepper and spice that comes from the wine.

A craft Australian whiskey if we ever saw one.

The slightly less expensive (let’s be real though: it’s still expensive) but nonetheless outstanding little brother of Sullivan’s Cove French Oak, American Oak Cask is aged in fine American Oak Barrels, giving it a more bourbon-like, balanced finish.

The first Australian Whiskey to be Rated as “Liquid Gold” in Jim Murray’s whiskey bible, it boasts rounded flavours of sweet Tasmanian barley, fruit, citrus and vanilla.

It’s won just as many awards as its French counterpart, twice named the Best Whiskey in the Rest of the World at the World Whiskey Awards, and also won Double Gold at the 2015 World Spirits Competition.

Whereas many Whiskeys have their alcohol content altered after being taken out of their casks to make them more palatable, Bakery Hill don’t mess with a thing.

Every bottle of Cask Strength is taken from a single brew in a single barrel at cask strength, meaning a single 500ml bottle is also about 60% ABV.

Despite packing the same punch as many Absinthes, add a splash of water and you’re left with a flavourful, rich, smokey whiskey.

 

[MIKA27]

The Seafloor Under Antarctica Is Shockingly Beautiful

A remotely operated sub has captured stunning images of the Antarctic seafloor, revealing a surprisingly dynamic and colourful world filled with spidery starfish, coconut-shaped sponges, and dandelion-like worms.

It may be stark and barren on the surface, but the seafloor below Antarctica is bursting with life, filled with sponges, sea spiders, urchins, sea cucumbers, and sea stars. This colourful, alien-like seascape was recorded by a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) dispatched by Australian government scientists exploring the seafloor at O'Brien Bay, near Casey research station in East Antarctica.

"These communities live in water that is -1.5 degrees C [29 degrees F] year round and are covered in 1.5 metre thick sea ice for 10 months of the year," said Australian Antarctic Division biologist Glenn Johnstone in a statement. "Occasionally an iceberg may move around and wipe out an unlucky community, but mostly the sea ice provides protection from the storms that rage above, making it a relatively stable environment in which biodiversity can flourish."

The researchers are studying the acidity, oxygen, salinity, and temperatures of these waters, and this footage came as a bonus. Sadly, Antarctica may be one of the first places where we'll get see the detrimental effects of ocean acidification in action.

"Carbon dioxide is more soluble in cold water. Polar waters are acidifying at twice the rate of tropical or temperate regions, so we expect these ecosystems to be among the first impacted from ocean acidification," said project leader Johnny Stark. "Research shows the pink encrusting algae, known as crustose coralline algae, may decrease in extent in a more acidic future ocean, as it incorporates calcium into its structure, and this becomes harder for organisms to obtain as the acidity of the seawater increases."

Ocean acidification, which is partly influenced by human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, could greatly diminish this glorious marine diversity.

Fascinatingly, life can also be found clinging to the Antarctic sea ice itself. Back in 2014, researchers with the NSF's ANDRILL Antarctic drilling program stumbled upon an undiscovered species of sea anemone living upside down on the ice. The ocean in-and-around Antarctica, like so much of the world's oceans, are still revealing their many secrets.

 

[MIKA27]

INCREDIBLE PLACES YOU CAN ONLY REACH BY BOAT

As the world becomes increasingly connected, it can feel like our planet is shrinking. Fewer and fewer places are safe from tourists wielding selfie sticks and digital nomads seeking their next remote offices.

But there are still some destinations off the beaten path (or just barely on it) that entice visitors simply because they’re so difficult to reach. These far-flung havens boast abundant natural beauty and the bare minimum in fellow humanity. To get there, you’ll need a steady set of sea legs.

The best way to get away from it all is to leave land behind and set sail. Below you’ll find seven unforgettable places you can only reach by boat. Eye patch and shoulder parrot not included.

RAJA AMPAT ISLANDS | INDONESIA

The Raja Ampat archipelago is home to the richest marine biodiversity on earth. Its native species include whale sharks, manta rays, and the endangered Pacific Leatherback turtle, plus a variety of reef fish, corals, and crustaceans found nowhere else on the planet. Unsurprisingly, the Indonesian islands are a bucket list destination for divers around the world. Visitors have several accommodation options on land, accessible by boat from the Sorong airport, or may book a cabin on one of the luxury ships that tour the area.

SVALBARD ARCHIPELAGO | NORWAY

Halfway between Norway and the North Pole is Svalbard, a fascinating and untouched stretch of island wilderness that must be navigated by polar expedition ship. Beluga whales, walrus, seals, reindeer, polar bears, Arctic foxes, seabirds, and a few thousand human inhabits miraculously co-exist in this harsh landscape. Svalbard is so remote that it hosts the Global Seed Vault, a secure bank designed to preserve an assortment of plant seeds in case of a major regional or global catastrophe. The stark, eerie beauty of the islands is worth seeing at least once.

VICTORIA ISLAND | PATAGONIA, ARGENTINA

The spectacular natural scenery of Patagonia is no secret, and some of its finest is found on Victoria Island in Nahuel Huapi National Park. The park’s namesake lake is the largest and deepest in Argentina‘s Lake District, and at its centre is the natural reserve of Victoria Island. Once on the island, visitors can explore its magnificent giant trees and hope for a sighting of the wild boar, red deer, pheasants, and pudú (the world’s smallest deer) that call it home. The island was also once home to native populations who left their mark in the form of cave paintings.

DECEPTION ISLAND | ANTARCTICA

Despite its ominous name, Deception Island has long offered a safe harbour to sailors in need. Today the island, which sits above an active volcano, is a tourist attraction and a scientific outpost. Visitors can explore the dilapidated remains of a whaling station and an aircraft carrier, as well as the largest cemetery in Antarctica. The highlight of a trek to this ultra-remote locale is a dip in one of its natural hot springs. It’s not everyday you can relax comfortably in your trunks in the midst of a frigid martian landscape.

PAK OU CAVES | LAOS

Near the meeting of the Ou and Mekong Rivers in Laos are the two Pak Ou Caves. The Tham Ting (lower cave) and the Tham Theung (upper cave) have been places of Buddhist worship for hundreds of years. More than 4,000 sculptures of Buddha in varying poses line the caves, lit only by a few candles and the torch beams of curious visitors. The local boatmen who ferry tourists back and forth to the caves often make a second stop at Ban Xang Hay (aka ‘Whiskey Village’) so their passengers can refresh themselves with a stiff drink after their explorations.

NAVAGIO BEACH | ZAKYNTHOS, GREECE

This hidden pocket in the Ionian Islands is one of Greece‘s most Instagrammable sights. Navagio Beach, also known as Shipwreck Beach or Smugglers Cove, has it all: vanilla sand, sheer limestone cliffs, clear turquoise water, and yes, an actual shipwreck. To reach this particular slice of heaven, visitors must take a boat and pack in everything they’ll need as there are no facilities on the beach. Don’t forget to take in the panorama from the viewing platform at the top of the cliff.

MARBLE CATHEDRAL | PATAGONIA, CHILE

Mother Nature has spent millennia carving out this monumental wonder: a network of swirled marble caverns arched over the azure waters of South America’s second largest freshwater lake. The mineral impurities in the marble form graceful calligraphy swirls that reflect the colours of the lake below. When the waters are at a suitably low level, it’s possible to slip through the stunning passages in a small boat or kayak. Though the Marble Cathedral is relatively under-the-radar as a tourist destination, it never fails to leave those who find it speechless.

[Oscar300]

11 hours ago, MIKA27 said:

MARK ZUCKERBERG BUILDS JARVIS

Having Morgan Freeman as your in-home assistant, whipping you t-shirts and playing your favorite movies, sounds like a dream. We'll leave it to Mark Zuckerberg to make it a reality. The Facebook founder created his own AI to run his home through an app on his phone and computer. As well as controlling your lights, thermostat, appliances, and security, Jarvis even begins to pick up on your tastes and patterns, keeping your ears safe from unbearable music choices. Unfortunately, Zuckerberg is keeping this all to himself for the time being, but hopes to eventually make it available to the world.

@1.34  That, is a dog!??!?!?!?!

[MIKA27]

9 hours ago, Oscar300 said:

@1.34  That, is a dog!??!?!?!?!

Hahahaha!! I only just realised that, I'm always fixated on Zuckerbergs hair

[polarbear]

10 hours ago, Oscar300 said:

@1.34  That, is a dog!??!?!?!?!

Ha!

What the hell was that!?

[MIKA27]

Speaking of Zukerberg: Neglected Cat Freed From Pounds Of Matted Fur After Rescue

A Pittsburgh man discovered a neglected cat with two pounds of matted fur when he paid a visit to his 82-year-old relative last week. The man brought the poor creature — who he named Hidey because she like to hide — to the Animal Rescue League Shelter & Wildlife Center.

In a Facebook post, the shelter wrote, "She suffered from severe matting (dreadlocks, really), the likes of which had been neglected for years. Our Medical team shaved off the pounds of intertwined fur from her body &, needless to say, this cat is feeling so much better now!"

Hidey is now living with a relative of her previous owner, who told the Western PA Humane Society "she was originally hiding under the bed in her new home, but now is snuggled on a warm cat bed on an open floor. She also begins purring while being held."

The man who found Hidey told PEOPLE that his relative has Alzheimer's and "doesn't know anybody anymore," which is why Hidey was neglected for so many years. He believes Hidey's fur became so matted because she's morbidly obese, meaning she can't properly groom herself.

The Animal Rescue League said that Hidey "will be cared for by a distant relative of her previous owner," finally giving her an opportunity for a "a happy & healthy life."

"Please remember to not only check on the elderly in your community, but also check on their animals to prevent instances like this from happening in the future," the shelter emphasised.

2017 is looking pretty sweet for Hidey. Bless.

[MIKA27]

Huge Fire Torches 140 Buildings In Japanese City

 

A large fire has engulfed scores of houses, shops, and other buildings in the Japanese coastal city of Itoigawa. The blaze, which started mid-morning local time, shows no sign of slowing, and fire crews are frantically working to put out the flames.

Evacuation orders have been issued for hundreds of nearby houses, and the military has been called in to help. Incredibly, there are only two reports of injuries. The blaze, which is being fuelled by 55 mph (90 km) winds coming in from the Sea of Japan, went through a shopping area before spreading to nearby homes.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, but early reports suggest it started in a Chinese restaurant. Dramatic aerial footage showed large flames and thick smoke spewing out of the buildings. A total of 17 fire trucks have been deployed in the area.

Itoigawa has a population of 44,680 and is located on Japan's west coast. "Sparks of fire flew around," a witness told NHK. "That's why far away buildings unexpectedly caught fire and it became large-scale. I've never seen something like this before."

 

 

[MIKA27]

Time Travel Is The Key To Saving Humanity In The Trailer For Netflix's Travellers

Netflix's Travellers features a team of people who send their consciousness through time and into other people's bodies — and they're using that ability to prevent the dwindling down of humanity into nearly nothing.

There are a lot of interesting questions posed by this premise and I'm not sure if the show gets as much into the ethics of highjacking other people's lives against their will, even though it's for a good cause, as I'd like to see. Granted, that's just based on this trailer. But I am very curious.

Here's the synopsis from the original Netflix press release back when this show was picked up:

Quote

Hundreds of years from now, the last surviving humans discover the means of sending consciousness back through time, directly into people in the 21st century. These "travellers" assume the lives of seemingly random people, while secretly working as teams to perform missions in order to save humanity from a terrible future. These travellers are: FBI Special Agent Grant MacLaren (Eric McCormack), the team's leader; Marcy (Mackenzie Porter), a young, intellectually disabled woman in the care of her social worker, David (Patrick Gilmore); Trevor (Jared Paul Abrahamson), a high school quarterback; Carly (Nesta Marlee Cooper), a single mum in an abusive relationship; and Philip (Reilly Dolman), a heroin-addicted college student. Armed only with their knowledge of history and an archive of social media profiles, the travellers discover that 21st century lives and relationships are as much a challenge as their high-stakes missions.

Travellers is already several episodes in on the Canadian Showcase channel, but it comes to Netflix on this Friday, December 23.

[MIKA27]

ANCHO REYES VERDE POBLANO LIQUEUR

The team at Ancho Reyes have done it again with Ancho Reyes Verde Poblano Liqueur. The limited edition release is sure to be a favorite amongst bartenders and is a great companion in cocktails and blended with other spirits like tequila and mezcal. Made using hand-picked poblanos, each bottle of Verde employs flavors of tomatoes, pineapple, mirabelles, fresh ginger, green tea, and just enough spicy notes to perk up any mixed drink.

[MIKA27]

COMEDIANS IN CARS GETTING COFFEE / SEASON 9

Jerry Seinfeld is returning with more cars, more comedians, and more coffee. For the ninth season, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, and Cedric The Entertainer will ride shotgun in a new set of classic cars, which includes a Porsche 356, BMW 507, Volvo Amazon, and a Cadillac El Dorado. If you're thinking one of the cars looks a little out of place, it's because Jerry got his hands on the brand new Acura NSX, which we're sure is one of the perks of having an Acura sponsorship. The web series about nothing begins January 5, 2017 on Crackle, with new episodes airing every Thursday.

 

[Ethernut]

Best photography backpack ever made (for most people). I have a 20L and find it to be incredible with fit, finish and flexibility second to none..

https://www.peakdesign.com/everyday-backpack

 

 

 

[Fuzz]

12 minutes ago, Ethernut said:

Best photography backpack ever made (for most people). I have a 20L and find it to be incredible with fit, finish and flexibility second to none..

https://www.peakdesign.com/everyday-backpack

 

I have a Manfrotto 3N1-35 (previously Kata brand) that I took on my US/Cuba trip. Absolutely love it. Holds a huge amount of stuff, but is comfortable to carry all day long.

[MIKA27]

These Texas Chain Saw Massacre Bloopers Are Delightfully Awkward

The least scary thing about horror movies is making one. If you don't believe it, watch these bloopers from the set of the original Texas Chain Saw Massacre.

Discovered by Bloody Disgusting (though they have obviously been around for a while, and online since 2009), this short video compiles outtakes of flubbed lines and scenes while Tobe Hooper was shooting his 1974 horror masterpiece. It's pretty blurry and not all that "funny", but seeing scenes that most of us regard with sheer terror in such an awkward light is really enjoyable.

No one was scared of the crazy stuff on that set. But once you put some music and editing on it, wow, did it transform.

[MIKA27]

Watch Daredevils With Jetpacks Fly Next To People Standing On Top Of Aeroplanes

If you're going to be flying in the air with a jetpack attached to your back, you might as well do it with folks who have strapped themselves standing to the wings of an aeroplane. Why not, right?

One, because they're probably the only people crazy enough to fly with you like that. And two, well, it just looks dope as hell to see Jetman flying next to wingwalkers over Dubai.

[MIKA27]

The Intriguing Backstory Of Darth Vader's Castle In Rogue One

The idea that Darth Vader had a home somewhere in a galaxy far, far away isn't a new one. Star Wars concept designer Ralph McQuarrie came up with the idea decades ago, but no filmmaker has been able to fit the idea into the franchise yet. Until Rogue One.

In Rogue One, we finally get to see Vader's Castle. It's on the planet Mustafar, the same place a younger, better-looking Darth Vader battled Obi-Wan Kenobi, lost some limbs and was forced to start wearing the suit we all know and love.

In an interview on StarWars.com, longtime Lucasfilm concept artist and Rogue One co-production designer Doug Chiang talks at length about Vader's Castle, and it's well worth a read. First up, he talks about why it's in the film, what purpose it serves and its design.

Here's Chiang:

Quote

 

Vader's castle was really fun. When I knew that we were going to possibly go back to Vader's castle, I loved that idea of, "OK, let's establish Vader's home." The initial idea was, "Why would Vader live here?" In our minds, we started to come up with a little bit of a backstory. That perhaps this place had special meaning for him, and that this is where he comes to meditate and to heal himself. We started with the idea that maybe it should be built around his bacta tank chamber, and he comes back here to rejuvenate himself and also to meditate. So from there, the structure itself grew out from the bacta tank, and there were certain ideas that we tried. We were trying to go for a very iconic shape, and we always love tall towers. Ralph McQuarrie actually drew quite a few small thumbnail sketches [of Vader's castle] that were very intriguing. They were kind of angular versions of a tower, and I saw the potential of where he was going, and I just exaggerated that quite a bit.

One of things we landed on early was this idea of a tuning fork — a twin tower kind of look. And it was really interesting, because then that started to give Gareth a lot of ideas like, "Well, maybe the structure is built this way because it is like a tuning fork. It's tuning the dark side in terms of the energy." And then we actually carried that even further to Jedha. The Jedha temple, the tower there, mirrors this but on the good side. So when you see the film, you can start to see, "OK, Jedha had its own tower, which was configured like a tuning tower. Vader's tower, Vader's castle, had the same thing but it was made in black, whereas Jedha was white." You kind of start to see the good and the bad. You may not really notice it on a first take, but hopefully it's that foundation of design subtleties that then the audiences, on second viewing, will appreciate. And I always like to build those elements in there because it makes the design more coherent, it makes the film more coherent, and overall it makes the design language very authentic and real.

 

The interviewer then pivots to a quote from Chiang in The Art of Rogue One book where he suggests that, maybe, there is a Sith cave underneath the castle. Here's where things get really interesting.

Quote

It went back to the original idea of, "Well, why would Vader be here?" and there was a series of paintings and sketches that Ralph McQuarrie did, where Luke actually visits Vader in this underground lava cave. I always thought that was such a compelling image, because you have this lava lake inside this cave and there was Vader's throne. So we took that idea and thought, "OK, well, maybe on the lower levels of Vader's castle, there's a more ancient part. That he actually built this castle on a foundation of an ancient structure." If you look at the finished design, it has this very strong element of a structure that was there for a purpose, and that purpose was to draw energy from the lava lake. If you look at the design of the base, it feels very much like a dam, and how the lava flows through it, possibly getting energy. And so we thought, "OK, well, that's the foundation. Maybe even deeper, or underneath that, is an even more ancient part, which is a natural cave where Vader goes to meditate." Visually, we're trying to create a sort of history for the tower. The bottom is the most ancient, the lava lake dam part was perhaps what Vader built his foundation on, and then the tower was Vader's addition.

Now, obviously, you don't get much of this watching the movie. The castle is kind of a huge mystery. But the level of thought that went into it, and this elaborate backstory, strongly suggest we haven't seen the last of Vader's castle. Maybe it plays a role on Rebels. Or maybe Kylo Ren visits it in the new trilogy. If there truly is a Sith cave underneath (or even if there isn't), the castle seems like a place Kylo, or maybe even Luke or Rey, could gain some important knowledge.

Head over to StarWars.com for much more from Chiang. It's a great interview.

[MIKA27]

New Cancer Therapy Shows Promise In Treating Aggressive Brain Tumours

By boosting the power of a patient's immune cells, researchers from the City of Hope Beckman Research Institute have demonstrated the potential for a revolutionary new therapy to treat a particularly aggressive form of brain cancer. But given the limited results, many questions remain.

Things were starting to look bleak for a 50-year-old patient being treated for a deadly form of brain cancer known as recurrent multifocal glioblastoma, an often fatal condition in which cancer spreads to multiple parts of the brain and spinal column. The patient was not responding to the usual battery of treatments, including radiation, surgery and anti-tumour medications, so the doctors decided to enrol him a clinical trial designed to test the safety of a new cancer treatment called CAR-T cell therapy.

Seven-and-a-half months later, the patient's tumour had shrunk to virtually nothing, and he went into remission. Had the patient not received the experimental treatment, his doctors say he would have likely died by now. The tumours have since returned, but importantly, not in the areas of the brain that were treated. It's a limited result, but an important precedent for an immunotherapy that had previously only been shown to work with blood cancers.

These results, now published in the New England Journal of Medicine, couldn't have come at a better time. CAR-T immunotherapy, in which white blood cells are reprogrammed to attack cancer cells — took a hit recently following the deaths of four cancer patients enrolled in a Juno Therapeutics Phase II clinical trial. It isn't clear if the deaths were due to a reaction between a chemotherapy drug and CAR-T, or if they were caused by CAR-T alone. It's simply too early to know, leading to criticisms that the experimental therapy is being overhyped and oversold.

These concerns notwithstanding, the early enthusiasm is understandable. In a study conducted earlier this year, 94 per cent of terminally ill patients who were treated with CAR-T went into remission. This immunotherapy has shown promise in treating blood cancers like lymphomas and leukaemias, and it's become an indelible part of President Obama's ambitious "Moonshot" to accelerate cancer research. And now, as the first results from an application of CAR-T directly to a cancer site show, this therapy may be used to combat solid tumours as well.

To get things started, a research team led by Benham Badie extracted immune cells, specifically T cells, from the patient, and then added a receptor that helps the cells target specific tumours. Unlike unmodified T cells, which attack and then die, these jacked cells stick around in a patient's immune system for a long period of time (possibly a decade or more, the researchers say), and grow a new batch of cancer-killing cells that can attack and destroy future tumour cells.

Following surgery to remove most of the patient's brain tumour, surgeons injected the site with the CAR-T cells. This was repeated five more times, and after four months, the tumour stopped growing. Ten more doses of the modified immune cells were added to stop a number of other smaller growths in the patient's brain. Importantly, the low dosages of CAR-T cells did not cause any serious complications or damage the patient's brain any further. After 7.5 months, almost all tumours had disappeared.

"I believe these recent results show we have a potential breakthrough treatment that may have a remarkable impact on patients with malignant brain tumours," noted Badie in a release.

Encouragingly, there are nine other patients enrolled in this study, and they're all responding similarly. And because the modified cells were injected directly to the tumour site, and not intravenously as has been done in other CAR-T treatments, this technique could be used to target other solid tumour cancers, such as paediatric brain cancers and even breast and prostate cancers.

Here's the bad news: Tumours have re-emerged in the patient's brain, though in areas not treated with the CAR-T cells. Badie says these tumours are comprised of receptor proteins that aren't recognised by the modified immune cells, implying that future treatments will likely have to include an array of CAR-T cells, each designed to target a specific brand of tumour. That presents an immediate and obvious challenge to the researchers.

So is CAR-T the cancer breakthrough we're looking for? Speaking to STAT News, cancer specialist Vinay Prasad from the Oregon Health and Sciences University put it best:

Quote

Even though this was a provocative case, even in this one case the cancer has already returned. Will CAR-T work for other patients? Will it help most patients? Will it be better than alternatives? And will patients live longer or live better? We don't know.

 

[MIKA27]

Ryan Gosling Will Play Neil Armstrong In An Upcoming Biopic

For almost anyone else on the planet Earth, having Ryan Gosling play them in a movie would be the coolest thing to ever happen to them. But that's not the case when your list of achievements includes "First Human to Walk on the Moon".

As previously rumoured, Ryan Gosling will be playing Neil Armstrong in an upcoming biopic called First Man, directed by his La La Land director Damien Chazelle. Spotlight co-writer Josh Singer is adapting the screenplay from the authorised biography First Man: A Life Of Neil A. Armstrong by James Hansen.

The film will, of course, tell the story of Armstrong's Apollo 11 trip to the Moon. Beyond that, it will explore his achievements beforehand and how his instant celebrity changed his life considerably. All of it is based on hours of interviews the book's author did with Armstrong himself.

First Man is set up at Universal Pictures and they're hoping to start production in early 2017, making at 2018 release likely. It will mark Chazelle's first feature as a director with a script he didn't write. His first, Whiplash, won three Oscars and his latest, La La Land, will likely win more than that. It's a strong team for what sounds like a potentially amazing movie.