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

[MIKA27]

School Assignment Leads To Discovery Of WWII Plane With Pilot's Body Still Inside

When 14-year-old Daniel Kristiansen was assigned a World War II project for history class, his father jokingly suggested he look for a German plane that had allegedly crashed at the family farm. Well wouldn't you know it, he actually found the damned thing — along with the dead airman's remains. It's being called one of the most sensational discoveries in recent times.

Armed with metal detectors, father and son descended on the farm near Arabybro in northern Denmark. Years before, the father, Klaus, remembered his grandfather telling him that a plane had crashed there during the war, but that the plane was removed soon afterwards. The pair thought it might be fun if they could find a small bit of metal or two left over from the crash. Well, they found a lot more than that, uncovering thousands of pieces, as well as the remains of the pilot.

The metal detectors began to beep when they surveyed a patch of boggy ground, so they started to dig. Realising they needed to dig a bit deeper, they borrowed a neighbour's excavator. And that's when bits of the plane began to reveal themselves.

Debris from the wreck of a ME 109 found by 14-year-old Daniel Rom Kristensen and his father. In the wreck there was also the body of the plane's pilot and some ammunition

"In the first moment it was not a plane," said Klaus Kristiansen to the BBC. "It was maybe 2,000 to 5,000 pieces of a plane. And we found a motor... then suddenly we found parts of bones, and parts from [the pilot's] clothes."

Add to that a ME 109 Messershmitt engine, munitions, and some personal items, like the pilot's wallet with some money still inside and a booklet suspected of being either the Bible or a copy of Mein Kampf. "We didn't touch it, we just put it in some bags," said Kristiansen. "A museum is now taking care of it. I think there's a lot of information in those papers."

"It was pretty wild to find bones and spine from the dead pilot," said Daniel in an interview with DRP4.

Smartly, Klaus contacted a pair of WWII historians and the Danish authorities. Local police closed the crash site for the investigation and bomb disposal units were called in to safely remove the munitions. Forensic police are still working to recover the pilot's remains. There's hope the dead airman might be identified and given a proper burial in Germany.

Image: Luftartsmuseum

The ME 109 Messerschmitt fighter was considered the "backbone" of the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. The plane was highly adaptable, able to to perform tasks such as bomber escort, combined fighter-bomber, ground-attack and reconnaissance. From 1936 to 1945, the Germans produced 33,984 of these planes, making it the most produced fighter aircraft in history.

No word yet on how Daniel's project was received at school. It'd be a real shame if he got anything less than a stellar grade.

[MIKA27]

Jeff Goldblum Looks Just As Weird As You Hoped In More New Thor: Ragnarok Photos

So it looks like Marvel has decided it's Thor: Ragnarok Thursday. Earlier, Entertainment Weekly posted our first look at the film, and now they have revealed even more photos, including the much, much anticipated first look at Jeff Goldblum's cosmic lover of competition, the Grandmaster.

There are also better images of Hela, played by Cate Blanchett; Valkyrie, played by Tessa Thompson; and even a new look of Tom Hiddleston's Loki. Check 'em:

But the obvious thing in all of this is just director Taika Waititi's aesthetic. Bright colours, crazy space outfits, weird background characters. It looks more like Flash Gordon than a Marvel movie, which works perfectly for the more sci-fi vibe of the film. That is, with the exception of Blanchett's Hela, who is brooding and ominous. All of this is very, very OK with us.

These new photos might mean there's a trailer coming, especially as we get closer to the premiere of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 on April 25. After that, we have to wait nine long months to see Thor: Ragnarok, which opens October 26.

[MIKA27]

Watch: How Weta Workshop Made Ghost In The Shell's Thermoptic Suit

When Major goes invisible, this is what she wears. IRL, the whole thing is made from silicone, and it may just be the first of it's kind.
Incredible.

 

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Disaster Thriller Geostorm Will Have The Most Terrifying Climate Change Ever

Forget the car-sized hail. It looks like it might actually start raining cheese in the climate-controlled near-future of Geostorm.

Set during a time when a network of satellites help stave off extinction-level natural disasters, Geostorm shows what happens when that technology malfunctions. It's going to be a disaster flick centred on mankind enduring the worst weather ever, all because we were foolish enough to think we could play Thor.

Geostorm will star Gerard Butler and Ed Harris and is directed by Dean Devlin, the writer/producer behind Independence Day. It's due out in October.

 

[MIKA27]

James Mangold Upgrades Black And White Logan Cut From “Working On It” To “Something We Are Doing”

Last week, Bleeding Cool reported on James Mangold’s tweets indicating that the director was “working on” a black and white version of Logan to be released when Logan hits home video later this year. We understand that sometimes it can be difficult to understand the complex Hollywood lingo bandied about on entertainment websites, so we should explain that “working on it” is a phrase that Hollywood elites often use to describe something they’re working on. Following up on this exciting news, Mangold appeared on insider gossip blog Deadline to reveal the the status of the black and white cut of Logan has been upgraded from “working on it” to “it is something we are doing,” a phrase which in Hollywood means that it is something that they (Mangold and Fox) are doing.

Mangold elaborated on the plans, saying of the positive response to black and white photographs from the film posted during the buildup to its release:

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I think it even surprised everyone to the degree that there is a kind of a running assumption that black and white is a turnoff for most people. It caused such an extreme reaction, and so much appreciation for these pictures, and then people immediately wondering if the film itself was going to be in black and white, and so we are giving it a whirl, and I think the Blu-ray will come out with a pass on it. I think it will be a very handsome black and white version of the picture.

So there you have it, folks. Fox is “giving it a whirl,” an industry term that means they are trying it out, and we can expect the “handsome,” or attractive, black and white version of Logan as a special feature on the DVD. That’s cool and all, but if they really wanted it to feel like a Shane-era Western, they’d release a version in Technicolor.

Logan is in theaters now.

MIKA: I watched Logan already and it truly is a brilliant movie "As is". Will B&W make it better? I don't think it will as the movie as it is is pretty gritty and appealing. Just my two cents.

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Venice Could Vanish Underwater Within a Century

While cheap-as-chips Ryanair flights have made it a hotbed for lobster-faced tourists posting Snapchat stories from gondolas, visiting Venice might require a snorkel if we carry on polluting the air with shite. According to a new climate change report, Venice will be underwater within a century if the acceleration of global warming is not curbed and flood defences installed.

The floating city will become like Atlantis (if Atlantis was real and full of beautiful architecture, discarded selfie-sticks and people not mermaids), because the Mediterranean Sea is forecasted to rise by up to 140cm before 2100, according to research.

The same rise in sea level is expected to swamp a 176-mile long coastline in the north Adriatic and parts of the west coast of Italy, due to greenhouse gas emissions. The report, published in Quartenary International, also claimed that up to 5,500km2 of coastal plains will be flooded before 2100.

"The subsequent loss of land will impact the environment and local infrastructures, suggesting land planners and decision makers [should] take into account these scenarios for cognisant coastal management," said lead author, Fabrizio Antonioli. "Our method developed for the Italian coast can be applied worldwide in other coastal areas expected to be affected by marine ingression due to global climate change."

The team also believes that 33 areas across Italy in total are particularly at risk from the predicted rise. The research also said that sea levels rose by just 32cm over the past millennium, which makes the predicted rise over the next 100 years look pretty terrifying – despite it not actually making up even one Danny DeVito in height.

If the prospect of being able to get less pissed because of the weakening pound hasn't tempted you to head for the bright lights of Skegness instead of an iconic European city, perhaps the prospect of your carbon footprint making it look like a scene out of Waterworld might.

 

[MIKA27]

HOW TO EXPERIENCE THE GREAT BARRIER REEF (EVEN IF YOU HATE GETTING WET)

The Great Barrier Reef is a place built for superlatives. It’s the world’s largest coral reef system and its largest living organism. It’s been called one of the seven wonders of the natural world and was named a World Heritage Site in 1981. It can be seen from outer space.

The numbers are equally impressive. The system is composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It stretches for over 2,300 kilometres (1,400 mi) over an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 sq mi). The ecosystem supports a colossal array of life forms, including 5,000 species of mollusks, six species of turtles, 17 species of sea snakes, 215 species of birds, more than 1,500 species of fish, and 30 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

The Great Barrier Reef is immense, ancient, and awe-inspiring – a destination that graces countless bucket lists around the world and leaves millions of visitors enchanted each year. If you’re planning a pilgrimage, Great Barrier Reef tours are in ample supply to please all types of traveller.

As for our favourite ways to experience the reef – even if you can’t stand swimming – you’ll find a few of them below.

SWIM

We’ll start with the obvious: the Great Barrier Reef is one of the world’s most magical places to snorkel or scuba dive. Most diving and snorkeling on the reef is boat-based, though some of the islands also boast excellent reefs. Professional tours typically include the use of equipment to maximise accessibility. Cape Tribulation, Port Douglas, Cairns, Townsville, and Airlie Beach are popular starting points for reef explorations.

If you’re just looking to get your toes wet (so to speak), a day trip will suffice. For a more immersive experience, many operators offer multi-day liveaboards that include accommodations and meals on a boat.

SAIL

Though nothing rivals the up-close experience of diving, the sheer enormity of the Great Barrier Reef makes it worth experiencing from any angle. A boat tour may or may not include snorkeling time, depending on your preference, but is guaranteed to offer an impeccable view of Queensland’s coastline. Spring for a multi-day cruise if you want a longer experience, or an excursion in a glass bottom boat if you want a view without getting wet.

SUBMERGE

It’s not quite Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea, but a semi-submersible should satisfy some of your submarine fantasies. These underwater vessels offer a diver’s view with no special skills needed. Book a guided tour to glide by coral gardens, colourful fish, reef sharks, sea turtles and more, all while listening to expert commentary and keeping your clothes dry.

If you’re feeling more adventurous, try a Seawalker experience or explore aboard a Scuba-Doo.

 

FLY

Instagram is rife with envy-inducing photos of scenic flights over the reef and the Whitsunday Islands. Though you won’t come home with any fish selfies, Great Barrier Reef tours by air are a memorable way to get acquainted with the area (and a staggering reminder of just how vast it really is). Tours are available via helicopter or seaplane, and may also include an island beach picnic or a flight over the Daintree Rainforest.

HOP

A spot of island hopping, anyone? The Whitsunday archipelago’s 74 jungle-clad islands range from ritzy to uninhabited, with opportunities for both day-trippers and visitors booking longer stays. Whitehaven Beach is a must-see for anyone who loves surf and sand. Farther north, Magnetic Island and Hinchinbrook Island are worthy visits for fans of national parks. Even farther north, try Fitzroy Island, a 45-minute catamaran ride from Cairns.

[MIKA27]

 

Charlize Theron Is a Cold War Combatant in the First Look at ‘Atomic Blonde’

Charlize Theron is going from shaved-headed, post-apocalyptic warrior in Mad Max: Fury Road; to a high-octane, leather-clad villain in The Fate of the Furious; to a Cold War-era killer in her latest effort, Atomic Blonde. This adaptation of the graphic novel “The Coldest City”, helmed by stunt choreographer-turned-director David Leitch (John Wick), sees Theron as “Lorraine Broughton, a top-level spy for MI6, who is dispatched to Berlin to take down a ruthless espionage ring that has just killed an undercover agent for reasons unknown.”

The first images of Theron in action–and alongside co-star James McAvoy–have appeared today, showing off an early look at the 80s-era spy thriller. Here’s why Theron purchased the rights to the story a few years back:

Quote

“I hadn’t seen another character like her out there,” Theron says. “She doesn’t apologize for anything. We made her strong and feisty. She’s cheeky. These were
all things I responded to.”

Neither Leitch nor Theron are strangers to action movies, though the star did have to go through some tough training to play the part:

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“It’s refreshing to find an actor who can do these long, long takes, memorize the choreography, maintain the character, and deliver a performance,” Leitch says. “She’s extraordinary.”

Theron’s take on the training:

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“Let’s be honest, I got my ass handed to me every day. I cracked through two of my teeth in the back of my mouth from clenching so much that I had to have massive dental surgery right before we left for Budapest to shoot the film.”

Sounds intense! Also starring John Goodman, Toby Jones, Sofia Boutella and Eddie Marsan, Atomic Blonde will debut at SXSW this weekend before opening in theaters on July 28th.

 

Here’s the official synopsis for Atomic Blonde:

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Oscar® winner Charlize Theron explodes into summer in Atomic Blonde, a breakneck action-thriller that follows MI6’s most lethal assassin through a ticking time bomb of a city simmering with revolution and double-crossing hives of traitors.
 
The crown jewel of Her Majesty’s Secret Intelligence Service, Agent Lorraine Broughton (Theron) is equal parts spycraft, sensuality and savagery, willing to deploy any of her skills to stay alive on her impossible mission.  Sent alone into Berlin to deliver a priceless dossier out of the destabilized city, she partners with embedded station chief David Percival (James McAvoy) to navigate her way through the deadliest game of spies.
 
A blistering blend of sleek action, gritty sexuality and dazzling style, Atomic Blonde is directed by David Leitch (John Wick, upcoming Deadpool 2).  Also starring John Goodman, Til Schweiger, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella and Toby Jones, the film is based on the Oni Press graphic novel “The Coldest City,” by Antony Johnston & illustrator Sam Hart.  Kurt Johnstad (300) wrote the screenplay.

[MIKA27]

LAND ROVER PROJECT HERO

Considering the amount of time and energy spent on personal drone use it’s about time mankind harnesses this technology for the greater good. Such is the case with the Land Rover Project Hero, built out by the company’s Special Vehicle Operations unit for the Austrian Red Cross with a roof-mounted drone deployment and landing system.

In addition to this potential lifesaving setup, the system features self-centering and magnetic tech that helps the drone land safely while the SUV is in motion, a first of its kind feature that allows the rescue team to assess the environment as they drive. The floor of the Land Rover Discovery also slides out creating a work space while storing any rescue gear safely underneath. It’ll even remain connected in the most remote locations thanks to sufficient radio equipment as well. The project is based at the Red Cross training center in Erszberg, Austria where it is currently being tested for rescue missions during natural disasters. However, Project Hero could very well be approved in the coming year marking this as a significant step forward for worldwide rescue operations.

[MIKA27]

Sonos Playbase Is a Speaker System You Set Your TV On

Inspired by research that found that 70% of all TVs sit on furniture, Sonos created a multi-speaker sound system called Playbase that your TV sits on. Ten amplified internal drivers consisting of six mids, three tweeters and one woofer replace the otherwise garbage sound from your TV’s built-in speakers with deeper thumps, clearer vocals and bigger waves of sound—without having to have a multi-piece setup that requires running cables or painful installation. That meant developing a product that didn’t compromise in any aspect while also requiring over 40,000 precision drilled holes of different sizes, a subwoofer port channel longer than the product itself, clean lines and a setup that would be easy for anyone. Playbase is a complete sound setup that can be configured with only two cords that will give you full-theater sound for your TV while also being able to stream your music. Sonos Playbase will be available in April of this year in black or white options.

[MIKA27]

This Floating Hotel Room Will Take You to a Deserted Island

Located in Kyushu Nagasaki Sasebo city, Huis Ten Bosch is a “Dutch-themed park” in Japan that’s developing an all new attraction unlike anything we’ve ever seen, because this floating hotel room takes you to a deserted island. Less than 4 miles outside of the park, Huis Ten Bosch owns an uninhabited island with close to 40,000 square meters of, well, nothing, which they’re going to develop in the future. How do you get across the water to the future home of what we can only hope is a real life version of Jurassic Park? You hop in a floating capsule that divides all the amenities of a hotel room across two floors. As you fall asleep in the glass capped upper floor bedroom, the floating capsule will transport you slowly to the island overnight. The rooms should be able to accommodate up to four guests with a price ranging upwards from $260. Service could start as early as the end of this year.

[MIKA27]

Ninja Coffee Bar

Bring out the Barista in you with the Ninja Coffee Bar! The sleek coffee system comes complete with a variety of brew types and sizes, a built-in frother, and tons of delicious coffee recipes you can create and enjoy, such as bold, decadent coffeehouse-style drinks, hot or cold, layered or blended, all from the comfort of home.  Use with your favorite freshly ground coffee beans and enjoy a hot, great-tasting brew with variable levels of richness. The pod-free single serve and carafe brewing allows you to achieve unlimited variety and personal customization of your coffee drinks.    

[MIKA27]

CEMENT FACTORY CONVERSION

Renovated from the ruins of a 19th century Catalan plant, the Cement Factory Conversion is a place of both work and leisure for Spanish architect Ricardo Bofill. Spread throughout the former silos, smoke stacks, underground tunnels, and machine rooms, the estate is made up of four parts — the studio, La Cathedral, the gardens, and the residence. Each space has been transformed to host a new function, while its massive form and towering concrete walls were left virtually untouched to keep the structure's industrial identity intact. Externally, the cold facade of the existing volumes is softened by lush plants, climbing vines, and rooftop gardens, turning the rigid fortress into a whimsical abode.

[MIKA27]

Fantagraphics' Pulpy New Superheroes Are Ready to Bust Some Heads

Fantagraphics is getting ready to launch All-Time Comics, its own dark, weird take on classic silver and golden age superhero comics. To celebrate, it got music director Samuel Bayer—who kicked off his career with the video to Nirvana’s “Smells Like Teen Spirit”—to make a short teaser for the line that’s sort of Sin City-meets-classic Detective Comics.

The short features Bullwhip, one of All Time Comics’ four heroes alongside Atlas, Blind Justice, and Crime Destroyer. The line, which involves writer Josh Bayer, Sam’s brother and All Time Comics co-creator, is a weird and certainly wild love letter to pulp fiction—clashing the clipped and reserved world of classic superhero books of the ‘40s and ‘60s with grit, gore, and over-the-top violence. Think lots of BIFF, BOFF, and KAPOW noises but over brutal, violent fisticuffs.

It’s definitely one hell of a way to introduce your comic book universe to the world. The first comic in the series, Crime Destroyer #1, is out now.

 

[MIKA27]

A Safety Inspector Begins to Realize How Unsafe She Is in the New Thriller Atomica 

An isolated, run-down, maybe-haunted nuclear facility is not where you want to be trapped with anyone who might be going insane—but that’s what happens to safety inspector Abby (Sarah Habel) in Atomica. In this exclusive clip, Abby starts to have a bad feeling about the place soon after she arrives.

As a rule, anytime someone (in this case, a jittery character played by Dominic Monaghan) feels the need to handcuff a comatose person (played by Tom Sizemore, who specializes in loose cannons) for vague reasons, there’s immediate cause for concern. 

Atomica, directed by Dagen Merrill, is in theaters March 17 and on VOD and Digital HD on March 21.

[MIKA27]

Meet The Electric Man Of India

We've seen a lot of awesome superheroes on our screens over the past few years. They have unbelievable, superhuman powers that we would never expect to see in the real world.

But there are some people out there who possess powers and skills that can't really be explained. Over the next few weeks we're going to introduce you to some of them. And our first is Raj Mohan Nair, a man supposedly immune to electricity.

Also known as Electro-Man and Currant Mohan, Nair has been shown to withstand multiple amps running through his body without coming to any harm. In comparison, most humans can be killed by as little as a tenth of an amp — their organs would fail and their hearts would stop.

Permanent muscle damage can even occur when a person is exposed to less than a second of electricity.

Nair can power light bulbs and small appliances by allowing the electrical current to run through his body. He can place two live wires anywhere on his body, but he usually does this by holding one and placing the other in his mouth for better conductivity. He has used this method to power the likes of a 3 amp blender in Stan Lee's Superhumans.

He can also take it to the next level by wrapping his stomach and neck in a long copper wire to power a high voltage hot plate.

He isn't entirely lacking when it comes to a reaction though. This much electricity makes his eyes glaze over and he goes temporarily blind.

Nair says that he discovered his power when he was a small child. His mother had passed away and decided that he no longer wanted to live. He attempted to take his own life by grabbing the high tension wire of an active transformer. But nothing happened. He believes that his immunity to electricity is a gift from God.

In Superhumans, contortionist and host Daniel Browning Smith tried to discover why Nair was so immune to electricity.

He tested him with a multimeter, which can measure a material's resistant to electricity. Where most people have a resistance of around 0.15 million Ohms (the SI derived unit of electrical resistance), Nair hit over 1.3 million. It seemed to continue rising the longer the multimeter was attached.

His physiological difference may mean that electrical currants move through him more slowly, or perhaps that they're redirected around his body, avoiding his heart.

But these are just theories. What we do know is that Nair's seeming aversion to electricity is incredible to watch and just a little bit nerve inducing. It's made him both a local and international legend.

You can watch his incredible real-life power below.

But is Nair's power actually real? Some think not. In fact, ElectroBOOM on YouTube created a savage response video to debunk the alleged powers. You can watch it right here:

 

 

[MIKA27]

Darth Vader Awakens, Dubbed By Japanese Google Translate

Hilarious!

Bonus:

 

[MIKA27]

Baby Driver Looks Fantastic

It's been ages since we've watched a Edgar Wright movie — which sucks. But if this new trailer is anything to go by Baby Driver, his upcoming project, looks incredible. Which is good.

I'm already certain that Jon Hamm is going to steal the show in this movie, but so much of it looks fantastic. And I say this as someone who though Scott Pilgrim was trash-town.

Can't wait to see more of this.

[MIKA27]

New Wonder Woman Trailer Shows How The Girl Became A Legend

The latest Wonder Woman trailer is finally here, and it takes us into Diana's past to show how it shaped her amazing future.

It's still hard to believe we're just three months away from a Wonder Woman solo film. Gal Gadot charmed audiences by being the break-out star in Batman v Superman, and fans have been eager to see the heroine take centre stage.

This latest trailer introduces us to the younger version of Diana, watching her grow in her strength and abilities over the years. The trailer's definitely more focused on her personal journey, showing how she overcame the doubt imposed by others and learned to embrace her true destiny.

[MIKA27]

Matt Damon Might Have Been Right About Potatoes On Mars

In 2015, Matt Damon reprised his role of "confused Boston actor" in the sci-fi film The Martian. The We Bought a Zoo star was able to survive for months on the Red Planet thanks to his ingenious decision to grow potatoes for food. Now, a NASA-backed project wants to see if Matt Damon's potato scheme could actually work on Mars. And the early results are promising.

In February 2016, the International Potato Center (CIP) — which is a real place — began its second phase of a project to grow potatoes using the driest soils from the Peruvian desert. The team surmised that if the project was successful, the findings could help astronauts master the art of growing potatoes on Mars. After all, the soil used was imported back to the CIP's lab in Lima, Peru precisely for its Mars-like aridity and high salt content. The project was aptly named "Potatoes on Mars".

Now, the CIP has released video footage showing that the team has indeed grown potatoes using this Mars-like soil. By planting a tuber in a CubeSat designed by engineers from University of Engineering and Technology (UTEC) in Lima, the team was able to create a hermetically sealed environment for the potatoes to grow in — and they did.

"Growing crops under Mars-like conditions is an important phase of this experiment," Julio Valdivia-Silva, a research associate with the SETI Institute involved with the project, said in a statement. "If the crops can tolerate the extreme conditions that we are exposing them to in our CubeSat, they have a good chance to grow on Mars. We will do several rounds of experiments to find out which potato varieties do best."

It's important to note that the experiment spiked the dry desert soil with fertilised soil, similar to how Matt Damon used his own faeces to add nutrients to his Martian soil. The experiment claims to have emulated Mars's atmosphere, by creating a low pressure environment with high CO2 levels within the CubeSat. That said, the actual air pressure on Mars is roughly 0.6 per cent that found at mean sea level on Earth, and it's hard to imagine plants evolved to our atmospheric pressure growing under such conditions. Obviously, the experiment did not try to simulate Mars' surface temperatures. Gizmodo reached out to the International Potato Center for more information on growing conditions inside the simulated Mars environment, but had not heard back at time of writing.

Whether or not the experiment was truly able to replicate farming conditions on Mars, these results are certainly exciting. Potatoes have been a staple of the human diet for thousands of years, and with all this talk of a human colony on Mars, they might be more critical than ever. The question now is, is Elon Musk prepared to become a potato farmer?

He (and you) can check out the potato growing live stream here.

 

 

[MIKA27]

Riding A Kayak Down A Mountain In A Ditch Is Scarier Than A Roller Coaster

Watching brave kayakers navigating tumultuous whitewater rapids is terrifying enough, but Rush Sturges and Ben Marr decided they needed a more exciting way to risk their lives. So they dragged a tandem kayak up to the top of a drainage ditch in the bush, and then hopped in for a ride back down that looks more thrilling than any roller coaster.

Not only did they have to strategically use their paddles to keep their kayak upright through the entire ride, there's a heart-stopping moment in the video where they both have to duck their heads down as they pass beneath an overhead wire that could have easily cut their trip — or their lives — short.

[MIKA27]

This Maniac Just Crossed The Atlantic On A Damn Paddleboard

When it comes to pushing oneself towards greatness, some of us vow to read more books or sign up for a 5K run. Others try to learn a new skill, like woodworking. Chris Bertish, however, decided to become the first person to cross the Atlantic Ocean on a paddleboard because he is a crazy man.

This was no ordinary paddleboard. Bertish, a big-wave surfer and sailing enthusiast, worked with naval architect Phil Morrison to create a custom-built 6m vessel with a tiny cabin and an even tinier sleeping berth. That's where he stashed GPS equipment, a satellite weather system, radios, a satellite phone, and an autopilot system. On top of the craft they installed solar panels to keep all those gadgets charged, and Bertish also kept an emergency kit — complete with a life raft and flares — nearby just in case. He also had shark repellent handy, because, well, sharks are scary. The whole getup cost over $US120,000 ($159,800) to build.

Miraculously, the 42-year-old South African paddled his way from Morocco to Antigua, alone, in just 94 days. That's 4500 nautical miles, or 8334km, of unassisted and unsupported ocean-faring, although Bertish did encounter some yachts and cargo ships along the way. He also weathered some storms by strapping himself into a harness that connected to the paddleboard, which looks utterly terrifying.

Again, this is not the same kind of raft you might try to ride at the beach. The dashboard alone shows that it's a highly sophisticated vessel. It's even capable of righting itself if it flips over.

Bertish didn't just pull off this world record for fun. He's also raised nearly half a million dollars for kids in South Africa, while keeping his fans updated through a "captain's log" posted to Facebook from his satellite phone. So at least the trip wasn't totally lonely. It was definitely crazy, though.
 

 

 

[MIKA27]

Wild New Theory Suggests Radio Bursts Beyond Our Galaxy Are Powering Alien Starships

Since their discovery 10 years ago, fast radio bursts have confounded astronomers. These intergalactic pulses of radio energy have defied explanation, but a new theory suggests a technological origin, whereby aliens use these beams to propel their ships through space. Extremely speculative stuff, to be sure, but it's an idea worth pursuing given just how weird these pulses are.

The idea that Fast Radio Bursts are produced by advanced alien civilisations in order to drive spacecraft through interstellar space sounds like something a UFO conspiracy site might cook up — but it's actually the serious suggestion of a new paper published by Avi Loeb and Manasvi Lingam from the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. Of course, much more evidence is needed before we can attribute this unexplained phenomenon to artificial sources versus a natural astrophysical process.

Fast Radio Bursts (FRBs) were first detected in 2007 at the Parkes radio dish in Australia. To date, only 17 episodes of these millisecond-long flashes of radio energy have ever been recorded by astronomers. The cause of this enigma isn't known, but scientists have implicated various cosmological phenomena, including supermassive neutron stars, gamma-ray bursts, and stellar flares. Astronomers are fairly certain FRBs are coming from well beyond our galaxy, travelling billions of light years to reach our telescopes.

With no good theory to go by, Loeb and Lingam wondered if extraterrestrials might be involved — and not without good reason. In a word, FRBs are weird. Like really weird.

First of all, they're insanely hot, featuring a brightness temperature of 10³⁷  degrees (brightness temperature isn't temperature in the conventional sense, but rather a measure of the strength of microwave radiation that pours out of a stellar object, such as a pulsar).

A composite image of FRB 121102, an FRB located in a dim and distant host galaxy.

"This means that a hot surface would need to have that temperature in order to radiate at the observed level," Loeb told Gizmodo. "There is no known astronomical object that generates radio bursts at such a high brightness, which is tens of billions of times brighter than the known population of pulsars, for example."

Another puzzling aspect of FRBs is that they repeat, but not in any kind of predictable way. The researchers say this is contrary to what might be expected from a cataclysmic event like the collapse of a star, which could energise an explosion with a high brightness temperature. Also, the observed spectrum of the FRBs appear to be concentrated around a particular frequency, and not what would be expected from something like a pulsar.

"These clues are consistent with an artificial origin," Loeb said.

For their study, the researchers considered the possibility that these long-range pulses might be coming from a powerful alien transmitting device. To that end, Loeb and Lingam explored the technological feasibility of building such a device, while also considering its potential use. They found that, if the device were solar-powered, the sunlight falling on an area about twice the size of Earth would be sufficient to generate the observed energy. This surface area could come in the form of a large terrestrial planet, or a massive spaced-based solar collecting megastructure, such as a Dyson sphere.

To prevent the system from melting under the tremendous temperatures involved, a massive water-based cooling system could be put into place. A transmitter like this is well beyond our current technological know-how, but the authors say it adheres to the known laws of physics, so at least that's something.

As to why an extraterrestrial civilisation would bother with such a device, the researchers say it could be used as an interstellar — or even an intergalactic — signalling system, alerting other intelligent lifeforms to their presence. Or more likely, the transmitter could be used to drive probes or ships on long journeys through interstellar space.

"We envision a beamer that emits the radio waves as a method of launching a light sail," says Loeb. "In the same way that a sailboat is pushed by wind, a lightsail is pushed by light and can reach up to the speed of light."

To power the light sail, the transmitter would have to focus its beam on the device long enough to generate the required propulsion. The amount of power involved would be enough to drive a payload of a million tonnes, roughly the weight of 20 large cruise ships. As study co-author Manasvi Lingam pointed out, "That's big enough to carry living passengers across interstellar or even intergalactic distances."

Interestingly enough, our civilisation is contemplating the use of light sails for interstellar travel — on a much smaller scale. Stephen Hawking and Russian billionaire Yuri Milner think it's a great idea, which is why they launched the $US100 million ($133 million) Breakthrough Starshot project in 2016. And earlier this year, a research team from the Max Planck Institute explored the possibility of using a light sail-based system to explore the Alpha Centauri system — the closest star system to Earth.

As to why we see the FRB flashes here on Earth, that's just leakage from the alien propulsion system. "The radio beam sweeps across the sky like a radar, because the source is changing its orientation relative to us," explains Loeb. "This could be due to the spin of the host planet or the motion of the host star or galaxy." Every once in a while, this beam just happens to point directly at Earth, confusing our astronomers in the process. The new study has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Assuming of course, that, the researchers are correct about the artificial nature of FRBs. More work clearly needs to be done, and more evidence gathered, but as Berkeley SETI Research Director Andrew Siemion explained to Gizmodo, FRBs are unlike like anything we've ever see before, and they're forcing scientists to consider many different options. Siemion, who wasn't involved in the study, lauds the Harvard astronomers for their work, even if it is a bit unconventional in its approach.

"We cannot... exclude the possibility that anomalous signals like fast radio bursts are produced by an advanced extraterrestrial technology, and even though it is undoubtedly an unlikely possibility, it must remain a possibility until we can rule it out," said Siemion. "The Lingam and Loeb paper presents an intriguing idea for a specific technology beyond traditional communication or radar systems that might produce intermittent radio bursts: Directed energy propulsion systems. Although admittedly speculative, this is a wonderful example of the thoughtful and open-minded approach we must bring to all aspects of astronomy when searching for potential signals from extraterrestrial intelligence."

Siemion's comments notwithstanding, the new theory represents one possibility among many, so we need to be careful about jumping to conclusions. As evidenced by the recent excitement over a potential megastructure around a strange star called KIC 8462852, there's a tendency, both among the public and the media, to gravitate towards theories involving aliens rather than something mundane like natural causes.

Loeb admits that his theory is a bit out there, but he says we can't just dismiss his theory just because it sounds weird.

"The exciting aspect of doing science is that one rules out possibilities with better data," he says. "The history of science shows that it would be unwise to rule out possibilities just based on prejudice. This often leads to stagnation rather than progress. Having worked out a set of parameters for the artificial origin of fast radio burst, I would have no problem accepting a different explanation, as soon as it is validated by future data. Science is a learning experience; we figure out the way nature by culling down possible explanations through observations and not prejudice."

 

 

 

 

[MIKA27]

FALCON NEST

Towering 124 feet off the ground in Prescott, Arizona, the Falcon Nest gives you the benefits of high-rise living in the Sierra Prieta mountains. The ten-story home offers 6,200 square feet of living space accessed by a hydraulic elevator. A glass-encased solarium — housing two bedrooms, two baths, kitchen, and great room — expands out from the foundation in four directions, offering views expanding out 120 miles to include glimpses of San Francisco Peaks, Humphrey's Peak, Bill Williams Mountain, and your friendly neighbor Thumb Butte. The home also comes with another bedroom, two more bathrooms, and bragging rights for owning North America's tallest single-family house.

 

[MIKA27]

Warner Bros. Is Considering A Return To The Matrix

Warner Bros. is apparently considering plugging back into its blockbuster science fiction franchise The Matrix.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, nothing is set in stone just yet. Everything is in very early talks, but screenwriter Zak Penn (Ready Player One, Last Action Hero, X-Men: The Last Stand) is on board to write. Michael B. Jordan is being considered to star, but the involvement of the Wachowskis, who created the universe, is not certain.

Also, this might not be a straight reboot. It may follow what Lucasfilm has done with Star Wars, which is take a well-known universe and mine it for side stories. But again, that's just one of many early possibilities. For example, The Hollywood Reporter suggested a plot that focuses on Morpheus first finding out about the Matrix himself could be a movie. You could also do the same thing for Trinity.

We reached out to Warner Bros. and the studio had no comment.

A few weeks ago, Keanu Reeves, who played the star of the films, Neo, commented to several outlets that he'd be open to returning to the franchise, but under specific conditions.

"The Wachowskis would have to be involved," Reeves told Yahoo Movies. "They would have to write it and direct it. And then we'd see what the story is, but yeah, I dunno, that would be weird, but why not? People die, stories don't. People in stories don't."

The three Matrix films, 1999's The Matrix, 2003's The Matrix Reloaded, and 2003's The Matrix Revolutions, grossed over $US1.6 billion ($2.1 billion) worldwide.