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

[MIKA27]

Bang & Olufsen’s New Speaker System Looks Like a Piece of Art

Bang & Olufsen is known for its consistent ability to produce sound systems with both great sound quality and outstanding design. Now, the BeoSound Shape system solves a problem you didn’t even know they had. If you’ve ever had the privilege of listening to one of their systems, undoubtedly you noticed how good the system looked and that every note, high and low, was faithfully replicated.

But the BeoSound Shape removes your ability to recognize the speakers in the room. With a chain of wireless, three dimensional hexagons, you can design your own arrangement of speakers, amplifiers, and dampeners, ensuring you get the best sound quality for your particular room. The product truly is modular, so if you want to make a honeycomb of sound on one wall, you can do that. If you’d rather line the entire room with a zigzagging surround system, you can do that too. And the speakers’ color(s) can be customized to blend in with your existing room. Or they can clash like 90’s pastels. Everything’s completely up to you.

 

[MIKA27]

Michael Bay Says There Are 14 Transformers Movies Already Written And My Eyes Are Not Ready

At CinemaCon last week, Michael Bay was asked if he was actually going to be leaving the Transformers franchise this time. He not only said that he'd like to do one more, but that there were already 14 stories ready to go in that universe.

Speaking with MTV's Josh Horowitz, Bay answered the question about whether or not he was leaving by waffling a bit. He then said that there would be Easter eggs in The Last Knight that would connect to "different things to come".

Bay's most alarming response was to questions about the spinoffs planned to turn Transformers into a bona fide cinematic universe. The director said, "There are 14 stories written. And there's good stuff. So, I would like to do one of them, though."

That is, to put it mildly, a lot of Transformers. It does make a little bit of sense, though. Transformers put together a writers room in order to churn out a bunch of new ideas. Presumably, they are going to pick the "best" ones to go forward and not just make, oh holy God, all 14. But who knows? They could all be gold! Or, at least, as good as the rest of this franchise.

Plus, at least one of them seems to be tempting Bay to stick around. Not that anyone believes he's leaving for real any more. Not since he goes around before every single movie saying it's his last before jumping right back into the director's chair.

Fourteen Transformers movies. My retinas won't be able to handle that many explosions.

[MIKA27]

Another Twist In The Saga Of Daniel Craig's Bond Future

After saying he’d rather “slash my wrists” than do a final Bond movie, sources say Daniel Craig is ready to sign on to return as 007 after Bond bosses decided Tom Hiddleston is “too smug and not tough enough” for the role.

Multiple sources tell Page Six that Bond franchise producer Barbara Broccoli has “just about persuaded Daniel Craig to do one more Bond movie.” This comes after Broccoli produced his hit off-Broadway production of “Othello” with David Oyelowo, which won Craig the serious acting plaudits he craved.

A Hollywood source said, “Daniel was very pleased with how ‘Othello’ went and the great reviews. Now Daniel’s talks with Barbara are going in the right direction. They have a script — screenwriting duo Neal Purvis and Robert Wade [who’ve penned several Bond movies] are writing and they’ll go into production as soon as Daniel is ready to commit.”

The source added, “Plus, Barbara Broccoli doesn’t like Tom Hiddleston, he’s a bit too smug and not tough enough to play James Bond.”

British actor Hiddleston’s cringe-making romance with Taylor Swift sealed his fate with Bond producers, we’re told, followed by his self-righteous Golden Globes speech, pontificating about his trip to South Sudan, and how Doctors Without Borders “binge-watched” his series.

In 2015, Craig was asked if he’d be back again after finishing a difficult “Spectre” shoot, and replied, “I’d rather . . . slash my wrists . . . I’m over it at the moment.” When asked who should take over the role, he added, “Look, I don’t give a f – – k.”

But apparently now he does. Another source added, “Daniel had such a good time in ‘Othello,’ produced by Barbara, that he’s ready to do a final Bond.” Wade recently said the new film would be different from “Spectre.” “You’ve got to say something about Bond’s place in the world, which is Britain’s place in the world. But things are moving so quickly now, that becomes tricky. With people like [Donald] Trump, the Bond villain has become a reality.”

[MIKA27]

The 8 Best Wild Ales You Can Drink in a Decade

Some beer fans stop at their local grocery store, grab a six-pack of their favorite beer, drive home and crack a bottle as soon as they get there. But there are other beer fans who are willing to wait a little longer to sample the goodness within those bottles. For these people, wild ales are the perfect answer. They can buy a few bottles, place them in their cellar and wait years before opening them, because, unlike other beer styles, wild ales only get better with age. They can drink an IPA or stout while they wait. Want to hold onto some wild ales for future imbibing? Want a couple beers to save for when your son is old enough to drink? Here are 8 wild ales you can enjoy in a decade.

Russian River Supplication

This 7% ABV wild ale isn’t for everyone. While wild ales are tart, this is not for the sour beer novice. This brown ale is matured for a year in Pinot Noir casks from wineries in Northern California and conditioned on cherries. Brettanomyces, pediococcus and lactobacillus all give it a sour, funky, wild flavor that can be intense for a first-timer. It’s like taking a bite out of some tart cherries. Link

New Belgium Le Terroir

If you only know Colorado’s New Belgium for Fat Tire, then you are definitely missing out on some amazing beer experiments. Their Lips of Faith series has given the world a few amazing, unique offerings. Le Terroir, with its 7.5% ABV, is aged in foeders (wooden vats) before being dry-hopped to give it a well-rounded tart and hoppy flavor. It’s a good stepping-stone into the world of sour beers. Link

Almanac Dogpatch Sour

This wild ale gets its name from the San Francisco neighborhood Almanac is located in. It’s a subtly tart ale brewed with cherries, various house yeasts, sourdough yeast, and bacteria, before being aged in wine barrels for over eight months. The base is a Belgian-style red ale that undergoes a metamorphosis, of sorts, with the addition of the various yeasts and bacteria. It’s tart, but also oaky with notes of caramel and vanilla from the barrel-aging process. Link

Goose Island Lolita

This 8.7% Belgian-style wild ale is different than most wild ales on the market. Instead of the usual red or brown ale, this beer’s base is a pale ale. It’s fermented with various wild yeasts and loaded with raspberries before maturing in wine barrels. It’s tart, crisp and perfectly suited for fans of wild ales with a sweet tooth. Link

The Lost Abbey Cuvee De Tomme

If you’re going to buy a wild ale to leave to age in your basement for years, this is a great choice. This 11% brown ale was fermented with Candi sugar, raisins, sour cherries and malted barley. After fermentation, it’s matured for a year in bourbon barrels with more sour cherries and wild Brettanomyces yeast. If you can get your hands on this beer you’ll really have to use self-control to not drink it immediately. Link

Surly Pentagram

This wild ale is fermented in stainless steel before being aged in red wine barrels. The yeasts used to make it “wild” are Brettanomyces, Claussenii and Bruxellensis—which, in English, means it’s going to be tart and funky. According to the Surly site, “Brett is a unique yeast strain that produces flavors that would be offensive if they weren’t intentional.” That’s a pretty good summary of the entire wild ale category, and this beer in particular. Link

Troegs Wild Elf

If you can find Wild Elf don’t drink it right now. You should put it down in your basement and set it aside for holiday consumption next year or the year after. Troegs took their famous Mad Elf brew and fermented it a second time in barrels with cherries from a local farm. They also introduced Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus and Pediococcus yeasts into the mix for that tart funk. Link

Odell Friek

There’s a reason this beer is called “Friek.” It’s definitely a different kind of ale. This 6.9% wild ale is a combination of a kriek (hence the name) and framboise. Wild yeast was added to the mixture along with cherries before everything was aged in oak barrels. To top it off, the brewers added fresh raspberries right at the end of the maturation process to give the beer a serious dose of fruit flavor. Link

[MIKA27]

Geckota C1 Racing Chronograph

Geckota are a UK based watch brand that craft high-quality, affordable watches. Their new Geckota C1 Racing Chronograph is a sleek timepiece inspired by classic watches of the 1960s and 1970s. With an impressive hybrid mecha-quartz Seiko V64 movement, this superb timepiece is as accurate as they come with the look and feel of an expensive mechanical chronograph movement. The dial is protected by a flat sapphire crystal with anti-reflective (AR) coating, and the beautiful watch face has a vintage appeal which any motoring enthusiast will immediately fall for. An affordable, stylish and robust racing chronograph, available in three styles. $285

   

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKElJbrNBs4

[MIKA27]

FuelBox

FuelBox is a dynamic combination of a docking station and mobile battery pack designed for those of us who are intensive tech users and are always on the go, commuting or outdoors, and often need that extra power boost to stay connected and be able to use our portable gadgets. This item has 2 built in lightning chords especially for Apple items – it´s even Apple certified- such as the iPhone 5 and up, but you may also use it for Android or other devices that use micro USB connectors, it is also equipped with 2 of them plus a standard size USB. The way it’s designed is to keep your power sockets free while its charging. FuelBox also gives you up to 25 hours of extra power on-the-go for your gizmos which translates into 2-4 full charges. Another super cool and useful feature is that its proprietary technology enables it to charge your devices twice as fast as the conventional/standard charger. A techie must have if you’re always on the lookout for an extra power boost.

 

[MIKA27]

MONTANA SALOON RANCH

Located on 255 acres of untouched wilderness, the Montana Saloon Ranch gives you resort amenities in a private residence. The main house offers four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three fireplaces, while additional housing can be found in the guest house, bunk house, and manager's home. Four-legged guests have their own accommodations on the property's horse barn, arena, tack room, and indoor kennel. Although it's just 50 minutes from Missoula, there's plenty to keep you occupied with a swimming pond, fishing pond, theater, Finnish sauna cabin, and western-style saloon.

[MIKA27]

Real-Life Clowns Aren't Smiling About The It Movie

The latest trailer for It, based on Stephen King's novel, has made several clowns forget to turn their frowns upside-down. You'd think clowns would be better at laughing things like this off.

MEL Magazine interviewed several real-life clowns after news that the It trailer had broken records to become the most-viewed trailer ever, and they were none too happy. They said the upcoming movie is taking a toll on their business by encouraging kids to fear clowns instead of enjoy them. They even have proof! Roger Fojas, a 48-year-old clown, claimed there was a "considerable drop in traffic" on his Yelp page after the trailer came out.

However, that pales in comparison to their biggest claim: They say it's more proof that there's anti-clown sentiment in the United States. They say there's a growing fear and hatred of clowns, along with the belief that they're "not cool", largely perpetuated by the media. For example, you have movies like the original It miniseries, Poltergeist and Killer Klowns From Outer Space. The Clowns of America International condemned the character of Twisty in American Horror Story: Freak Show. Then, of course, there was the 2016 trend of pranksters dressing as creepy clowns and scaring kids in the bush. One clown said he had the cops called on him during that time, even though he was walking to a gig.

"We just experienced a nice break from the scary clown meme from last October," professional clown Nick Kane says. "And just when things are starting to normalize, the It trailer comes and it's like, 'Here we go again.'"

The thing that doesn't make sense about all of this, or perhaps it's something these clowns are choosing to ignore, is the main reason scary clowns exist in the first place. It isn't just to crap all over people trying to make a living, it's because people like being scared by things that used to make them feel safe. Clowns represent childlike innocence, so of course having a gross, icky or demonic clown is going to scare the crap out of us. It takes us out of our comfort zone. Hell, part of the reason King wrote It is because he likes taking innocent objects or ideas and turning them on their heads. Hotels, clowns, high school, fandom. He even tried to make a toilet scary.

Of course, it must suck when something you love is turned into something to be feared — journalists definitely have their versions, that is, Stephen King's The Night Flier or 2014's Nightcrawler. But it isn't killing the industry. We simply live in a different world now, and kids want to be entertained by different things. Professional clown guild memberships are plummeting, but it seems a little harsh to blame it on people wanting a good scare over anything else. Then again, clowns aren't always the most understanding bunch. They once claimed that a London sign saying "No Clowns" was racist.

[MIKA27]

The Newest Injustice 2 Trailer Sets Up Something Really Bad Happening To A Major DC Superhero

Things aren't looking so good for one member of the Justice League in this teaser for the DC Comics-based fighting game. The hero in question is someone who's died in the comics but later came back. Really narrows it down, huh?

The latest promo clip for Injustice 2 spotlights Grodd and the team of bad guys he's assembled to try and take over the world. It's a re-imagining of the old-school Secret Society of Supervillains collective, with Deadshot, Captain Cold, Cheetah and a bunch of others in the mix.

Moments in the trailer tease a very painful, if not fatal, fate for the Flash. Some of his dialogue in a previous trailer also sets up the framework for a heroic sacrifice.

Of course, someone could swoop in and save the Fastest Man Alive. But this is an alternate-reality video game continuity where major personas have been killed off before so anything could happen. We'll find out when Injustice 2 comes out next month.

BONUS Character videos:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[MIKA27]

Mark Hamill Does A Remarkable Han Solo Impression In This Bad Lip Reading Of The Force Awakens

They're often hit or miss, but the Bad Lip Reading YouTube channel has finally tackled Star Wars: The Force Awakens, enlisting the voice talents of Mark Hamill to put words in Han Solo's mouth, because Harrison Ford was probably busy crashing a plane somewhere.

It isn't quite as amazing as Bad Lip Reading's version of The Empire Strikes Back was, but you might end up enjoying The Force Awakens a little more now that the script is a little more original. As a bonus, we also finally get to understand what Chewbacca's been roaring about all this time.

[MIKA27]

How To Survive The Next Catastrophic Pandemic

Experts say it's not a matter of if, but when a global scale pandemic will wipe out millions of people. And we are grossly unprepared for the next major outbreak. But in the event of a devastating pandemic — whether it be triggered by a mutated strain of an existing virus or a bioengineered terror weapon — there are some practical things you can do, both before and during the outbreak, to increase your odds of survival.

Throughout history, pathogens have wiped out scores of humans. During the 20th century, there were three global-scale influenza outbreaks, the worst of which killed somewhere between 50 and 100 million people, or about three to five per cent of the global population. The HIV virus, which went pandemic in the 1980s, has infected about 70 million people, killing 35 million.

Several new viruses have since emerged, including SARS, MERS, Ebola and, most recently, Zika. There's also the grim potential for someone to bioengineer a deadly pathogen in the lab. Advances in gene sequencing and gene-editing technologies are making such nightmare scenarios increasingly plausible. According to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, this form of bioterrorism could wipe out 30 million people in less than a year.

At the same time, our society is setting itself up for a global-scale disaster. Diseases, particularly those of tropical origin, are spreading faster than ever before, owing to more long-distance travel, urbanisation, lack of sanitation, and ineffective mosquito control — not to mention global warming and the spread of tropical diseases outside of traditional equatorial confines. Accordingly, Oxford's Global Priorities Project has listed a possible future pandemic as one of the worst catastrophic threats currently facing humanity.

Flu, a model for destruction

It's difficult to know the exact form a viral pandemic would take, but for the sake of this exercise we're going to assume it's likely to be a disease similar to influenza. Unlike diseases that spread through bodily fluids or by mosquitoes, influenza is a respiratory disease spread through the air (for example, coughing and sneezing). That makes it much more virulent, and far more dangerous.

What's more, we know it's a strong flu that mutates easily, it's deadly in some cases, it can spread before symptoms appear, and it's is very capable of reaching pandemic levels of infection. It's also a strain for which most people don't have immunity or resistance. By any measure, the flu, whether it be a strain spawned from H5N1, H1N1 or H7N9, is a legitimate candidate for the next global-scale outbreak.

Preparing for the worst

Like any prepper worth their grain of salt, it's important to have the right supplies on hand.

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends that you store a two week supply of water and food, but given that the first wave of a pandemic could last considerably longer than that (some outbreaks last years), it would be wise to stock up for at least four to six weeks, and longer if possible. Make sure you store non-perishable foods that don't need to be refrigerated, prepared,or cooked. Have a two to four week supply of water in clean plastic containers. A good rule of thumb is to store 4L of water per person per day, which would allow for both drinking, food preparation and sanitation.

Dr Stephen Redd, the Director of the Office of Public Health Preparedness and Response (PHPR) at the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), told Gizmodo it's important to consider the season, and stock items like coats and blankets that will keep you warm. He also recommends buying a battery operated radio, along with a month's supply of any prescription medicines you may be taking.

According to epidemiologist Mark Smolinski, a Chief Medical Officer and Director of Global Health Threats at the US NGO Skoll Global Threats, you may want to consider stocking up on antiviral medications — drugs that can be used to treat flu illnesses, though he cautions that these drugs can become less effective over time.

In addition to stocking up on prescription medication, FEMA recommends nonprescription drugs and other health supplies, including a standard first aid kit, pain relievers, stomach remedies and cold medicines. FEMA says you should get copies of your health records from your doctor, hospital, pharmacy and other sources and have them ready for personal reference.

You should also get the latest seasonal vaccine. It may not protect you against the mutated strain, but then again, it just might.

Plan for the unexpected

The CDC says you should plan for the possibility that usual services may be disrupted, including those provided by hospitals, banks, stores, post offices and telephone and mobile phone companies

ATMs will likely be shut down or out of money, so you should keep a small amount of cash on hand. Be prepared for disruptions to bus and train services, along with possible fuel shortages, and stock up on supplies ahead of time. Families should also come up with a plan to take care of children who have to stay home from schools or daycare, as these places will likely be shut down during an outbreak.

Both Smolinski and Redd say it's a good idea to have face masks on hand to prevent the spread of diseases. A standard facemask will do, but an N95 respirator, which blocks upwards of 95 per cent of small particles in the air, is better. If you're going to wear an N95 mask, and you're a guy, you may want to stock up on razors and shaving cream because it doesn't work very well with facial hair. As for biohazard suits, that's probably a bit much. It takes training and a strict adherence to protocol to use these suits properly, and most people won't likely have the patience or know-how to use them during a crisis.

Anticipate societal collapse

OK, so you're all set for the pandemic. But what are you supposed to do when the outbreak strikes?

"This is exactly what we work on at the CDC every day — preparing for an unpredictable event that could overwhelm the healthcare system," Redd told Gizmodo.

Redd explained that a common characteristic of epidemics is that misinformation runs rampant during the first few days, so be wary of information you receive during this time. "At the beginning of [any given] outbreak, many of the things we thought were true turn out not to be true," he said.

The next important thing to do, said Redd, is to learn the specifics of the disease or event and take the required actions to protect yourself. For example, if there was a large anthrax exposure — which isn't communicable — you'd be wise to avoid the area where the exposure took place. And for diseases that are contagious, it's a good idea to learn how it spreads, how to recognise its particular symptoms, and to avoid places where you're likely to be exposed, such as schools, airports and healthcare centres (if you can avoid them). Given the way viruses spread, particularly influenza, Redd proposed that schools and daycare centres would probably be shut down anyway.

But even if individuals take precautions against the pandemic, there's no guarantee that misinformation and fear won't push communities into panic.

"It's the potential for social unrest that really freaks me out," Smolinski told Gizmodo, "I worry that civil unrest will be far worse that the disease itself."

"It really ends up being about the people who are sick and what they do," he added. "It's their behaviour that will ultimately dictate what you can and should do when you're not sick."

Don't be a 'superspreader'

In the event of a pandemic, it's important to think about what we should do to avoid getting sick. But, as both Smolinski and Redd point out, we also need to think about what we should do in the event we are exposed or fall ill.

"Voluntary self-isolation is a very important intervention," said Reed. According to CDC recommendations, family members who have an ill family member will likely be asked to voluntarily self-quarantine. "So that would mean, if my wife becomes ill, I would stay home and take care of her and not put others at risk when I might be incubating the disease," Redd told Gizmodo.

Essentially, you want to avoid becoming a so-called "superspreader". Typically during epidemics, a surprisingly small minority of the population is responsible for infecting people. During the last Ebola outbreak, for example, a mere three per cent of sick people were responsible for about 61 per cent of all infections. Our advice: Do the right thing, don't become a superspreader.

On that point, there may be an overwhelming urge to stay inside for the long haul and dig in. But as Redd told us, barricading oneself and going into total isolation is probably overkill.

"I don't know that there would be a situation where we would advise you to barricade yourself in your house," said Redd. "It doesn't seem like the kind of thing that would be sustainable for a very long period of time"

Smolinski, a technical adviser for the 2011 film Contagion, isn't so sure, saying it may be wise to hunker down and make your home secure.

Soft survival solutions

Regardless of your survival strategy, you should practise what the CDC calls "non-pharmaceutical interventions", or NPIs. These are non-medical, common sense actions that you can take to help slow the spread of pandemic flu before a vaccine becomes available. In addition to staying away from sick people (and staying home if you become ill), FEMA recommends simple actions like washing your hands often and covering your mouth when you sneeze or cough.

For communities, other NPIs can include the temporary closing of schools, making workplace sick-leave policies more flexible to allow workers to stay at home, and postponing or cancelling mass gatherings, such as sporting events, concerts and festivals.

It's difficult to know how long an outbreak will last when it's happening, and depending on the nature of the disease, it could come back in a series of recurrences known as waves. In the best-case scenario, a vaccine or treatment will be developed for the disease, but there's no guarantee. It's entirely possible that the disease will remain on the loose, remaining a threat for years to come. Like HIV/AIDS and so many other diseases, it could become part of the "new normal".

As a final note, Redd noted that severe influenza epidemics are infrequent, but we do have flu epidemics each winter.

"This provides us with a great opportunity to practise many of the things that would be needed in an influenza pandemic, such as getting vaccinated, washing your hands, not having an uncovered cough, and all those other things are part of our annual response to seasonal influenza, and would also be appropriate for a wider scale pandemic."

Let's talk about this now

There's no guarantee that these tips will help you survive a catastrophic pandemic, but they certainly won't hurt. And who knows, you might just make it through — whatever that might look like.

In the meantime, it's important that we acknowledge the plausibility of a global-scale pandemic and plan accordingly. Otherwise, we'll be caught completely off guard.

"We need to have these conversations," said Smolinski, "What would happen, for instance, if half of the community suddenly became sick? And what are you going to do with all those dead bodies when it's 100 degrees outside? You've got to have these conversations ahead of time."

 

 

[MIKA27]

ESSENCE E-RAW ELECTRIC MOTORCYCLE

Mixing exposed raw materials with state-of-the-art technology, the Essence E-Raw Electric Motorcycle is an intriguing two-seater concept. Originally debuted a couple of years ago, it's since been improved with a more refined cover for the battery pack, yet still retains its signature seat made from laminated layers of wood. The exposed tubular steel frame also remains visible and sits atop an Ohlins suspension. An electric propulsion system provides over 100hp, enough to move the 370-pound bike from 0-62 in just 3.5 seconds, and provide over 100 miles of range.

[MIKA27]

NISSAN 370Z COUPE HERITAGE EDITION

The Datsun/Nissan Z-series doesn't celebrate its 50th anniversary until the end of the decade. The Nissan 370Z Coupe Heritage Edition gets the celebration started early. Adorned exclusively in Chicane Yellow or Magnetic Black liveries with special graphics and yellow trim on the interior, it recalls the original without giving up modern convenience. It's powered by a 332 hp 3.7L V6, hooked to either an Exedy high-performance manual or 7-speed automatic, giving it performance worthy of its namesake. Arriving at dealerships this spring.

[GrouchoMarx]

On 4/6/2017 at 0:29 AM, MIKA27 said:

MONTANA SALOON RANCH

Located on 255 acres of untouched wilderness, the Montana Saloon Ranch gives you resort amenities in a private residence. The main house offers four bedrooms, four bathrooms, and three fireplaces, while additional housing can be found in the guest house, bunk house, and manager's home. Four-legged guests have their own accommodations on the property's horse barn, arena, tack room, and indoor kennel. Although it's just 50 minutes from Missoula, there's plenty to keep you occupied with a swimming pond, fishing pond, theater, Finnish sauna cabin, and western-style saloon.

Didn't see a walk-in humidor. I'll pass.

[PlatypusMaximus]

Didn't see a walk-in humidor. I'll pass.

Well there goes my offer on the property!

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk

[Sean3]

On 3/22/2017 at 11:21 PM, MIKA27 said:

Australian Scientists Inject Spider Venom Into The Brain To Protect It From Strokes

Funnel web spiders are a perplexing bunch. The eight-legged Australian creatures can kill with their venom, but are simultaneously required for creating the antidote. Now, it turns out their venom might have another purpose — protecting the brain from the damaging effects of a stroke.

Most strokes are ischemic, meaning they result in a lack of blood and therefore oxygen to the brain, usually from a blood clot. Oxygen deprivation causes the brain to start breaking itself down, leading to permanent damage. But a team of Australian scientists have learned that a chemical in funnel web spider venom seems to block the brain's self-destruct process in rats. We don't know if it will work in humans yet, but it might.

Brain cells usually power themselves the way other cells do — via their mitochondria, which use oxygen to help them create lots of energy. If a blood clot cuts off the oxygen supply, the cells switch to a last-resort energy making method that's a lot less efficient and creates an acidic environment in the brain. This over-activates one of the brain's key sensors, acid-sensing ion channel 1a or ASIC1a, and can lead to permanent damage. Finding something to stop those sensors from freaking out in the acidic environment should prevent some of the long-term damage caused by strokes.

Spider venoms from a Caribbean tarantula species, Psalmopoeus cambridgei, already seem to offer some protection — but they don't work if they're administered to lab rats more than two to four hours after the stroke. Funnel web spider venom seemed like a logical next step, since a few chemicals in it, including a peptide called Hi1a, looked a lot like the brain-protecting chemicals in tarantula venom.

To find out if funnel web venom was as useful as they suspected, researchers induced strokes in some rats, and injected Hi1a directly into the brain. Injected up to eight hours after the stroke, it performed wonders. The rats had fewer negative cognitive effects one to three days afterwards, and a reduced amount of damaged tissue throughout their brains. The researchers published their results in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Sciences.

The study's results are obviously exciting, since the only FDA-approved ischemic stroke drugs just help the blood flow better after the stroke and don't deal with brain damage. That's pretty unsatisfactory, seeing as strokes are the third-leading cause of Australian deaths. But there are a ton of caveats. First of all, these are just rats. There's no guarantee Hi1a will work in humans. And how long-term will the molecule's effects be? The researchers only tested the rats' cognitive performance after a few days.

Finally, where will we get all these spiders? As we've reported recently, Australian zoos already struggle to get enough funnel web spiders to make antidote for spider bites. Would we need to weigh strokes versus bites in terms of how to deploy limited venom supplies?

We've reached out to other researchers to get their thoughts on the study, and to ask whether the chemical could be produced without spiders in the lab. Until Hi1a is demonstrated to help human stroke victims, I'm going to keep spiders in the "scary" camp.

Amazing stuff.

[MIKA27]

Report: Josh Brolin Is Deadpool 2's Cable

After what's felt like ages of speculation, a contender out of nowhere has apparently swooped in to take on the role of Deadpool's time-travelling best bud: Marvel movie alumni Josh Brolin appears to be Deadpool 2's choice for Cable.

The news, first reported by THR, indicates that Brolin — whose name was never mentioned amid the Cable-casting speculation that's been ongoing for the past year — has snagged a four-movie deal to portray Cable in the likes of Deadpool 2, X-Force and other mutant movies in Fox's stable of Marvel heroes. Presumably, this came after a deal with recent frontrunner Michael Shannon fell through.

Brolin is a familiar name to comic book movie fans — aside from starring in the pretty turgid DC comics adaptation Jonah Hex as the titular cowboy hero, Brolin is perhaps better known currently as the voice of Thanos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is due to appear in the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War as the Mad Titan. Aside from menacing the Avengers, it looks like Brolin will be teaming up with the Merc with a Mouth on the big screen too.

[MIKA27]

The New Transformers: The Last Knight Trailer Is Just Goddamn Bonkers

OK, look. I need to ask something: Transformers franchise, are you OK? Because this... thing you've unleashed upon the world feels like you aren't. Are you entering your angsty teen years? Is that what all the swords are about?

Just watch this thing. I have no words for this movie that is apparently about how Transformers were members of King Arthur's Round Table but now are apparently destroying Earth so that everyone from the last movie lives some weird hell that's a combination of Batman v Superman and Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. Which makes it sound much cooler than it actually looks to be. See for yourself:

Also: This thing definitely filmed some Nazi stuff and we still haven't seen it in the trailers. Come on, Transformers. What's going on? You can tell us.
 

[MIKA27]

This Poor B**tard Got Hit In The Face With A Drift Car's Wing

Photographers at motorsports events often seem to take a perverse delight from placing themselves in what looks like eminent car-induced peril. We've seen photographers hit by cars, seen them leap out of the way at he last minute, seen near scrapes, but this is the first time I think I've ever seen a car slap a photographer across the face.

These pictures are courtesy of Yvonne Vazquez, who was on hand to snap these amazing and painful-looking photographs of fellow photographer Sean O’Keefe as he took the side of that 350Z’ wing right to the damn face:

Things can happen pretty fast out on the track, and I’m sure nobody was expecting the 350Z to hit the wall, but there’s probably still something to be learned about staying well clear of the edge of the spectator area when a car’s nearby. I know what it’s like when you’re trying to get just that right shot, so I can’t be too judgmental here.

Of course, the internet being the internet, there are plenty of people having fun with this poor guy’s misfortune. I’m ashamed to say this made me laugh:

Oh, we’re all terrible people.

 

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The First Trailer For The Mist TV Show Expands On Stephen King's Story

When most people think of Stephen King's The Mist, the first thing that comes to mind is the 2007 movie (and its incredibly messed-up ending). But if Spike TV has its way, that will change in June, when The Mist TV show — which just dropped its first trailer — makes its debut.

What you immediately notice is that, unlike King's original short story or the movie, The Mist series isn't relegated to just one setting, which would have been impractical for what the network hopes will be an ongoing series. Instead, several different locations will provide the backdrop for an incident in which a mysterious, sinister mist takes over a quiet little town.

That's a very good trailer, with some super creepy visuals and intriguing characters. However, the reason King's story and the 2007 movie worked so well was the sense of isolation and fear of the unknown. In a series, it will certainly be a challenge to keep the audience engaged while also providing enough information and drama to keep things fresh.

We'll find out how it works on June 22 when The Mist debuts on Spike TV in the US. An Australian broadcaster has not been announced (No surprise)

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The Soviets Made A Real Doomsday Device In The '80s And The Russians Still Have It Today

You've all seen Dr. Strangelove, which means I'm pretty sure you understand the general idea behind a doomsday device: if you destroy us, we destroy you, no matter what. The concept of an automatic system that guarantees nuclear retaliation if a country is subjected to a nuclear attack has been part of the collective nuclear nightmare for decades. It's not just a concept, though. Such a doomsday device exists, and it goes by the chilling name Dead Hand.
Just for fun, or, really, whatever the diametric opposite of 'fun' is, let's go over what such a doomsday device is designed to do. In the event of a nuclear attack on a given country, a doomsday device is designed to launch a vigorous retaliatory nuclear strike on the attacker, regardless of whether or not anyone is left alive in the attacked country to order it.

It's a fully automatic system; it can't be overruled or disabled. It only activates once it's sure everyone in power (those are the key words — everyone in power) is dead. The whole point of such a system is to make the whole business of having a nuclear war at all seem futile.

Even if you launch the first strike, a doomsday device insures that any victories gained from taking the initial act of aggression will be hollow, because you'll be dead, too. It's a way of guaranteeing 'mutually assured destruction,' which is the process by which peace is maintained — everyone with nukes must think 'fuck it, it's not worth it.'

The one true doomsday device that's known to exist has been around since 1985 and is called Система «Периметр», or, in normal people talk, Perimeter System. It's also more evocatively known as Dead Hand.

The reason the Soviets decided to build the Dead Hand system at all had to do with advancements in American missile technology in the 1980s. Before these advancements, the expectation was that a nuclear war would be initially fought with intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Essentially, these are sub-orbital rockets that lob nuclear warheads across the globe at the enemy.

ICBMs typically are detectable, and the target country generally has about 30 minutes of warning, just enough time for them to launch a counter-strike of their own, making the end result a miserable nuclear shitstorm that benefits nobody — the mutually assured destruction deterrent at work.

However, in the 1980s, Americans were getting better and better accuracy with their submarine-based missile launch systems, which meant that they could launch precision nuclear strikes close to the Soviet Union, cutting the warning time from when launch was detected down to about three minutes — not enough time to mount a viable counter-attack.

That meant the balance was upset, and there was now an actual incentive for an American first strike, at least theoretically. The Soviets needed some way to be sure destruction could be assured mutually, which is where the Dead Hand doomsday device comes in.

The Dead Hand/Perimeter system was initially just a backup system for emergency communication, but was expanded to provide a full automatic counterstrike function. The heart of the system is something known as the "commanding rocket."

The commanding rocket was a 15PO11 rocket with a radiation-hardened radio transmitter, instead of a nuclear warhead. The rocket would be launched from a special, very protected silo, and once in flight, the rocket's transmitter would replace all of the presumably destroyed ground-based communications, sending commands to receiving devices on all land-based ballistic missiles, submarine-based launchers, and bomber aircraft.

The rocket's commands to the nuclear weaponry and installations would be to launch a retaliatory strike to pre-determined targets.

Of course, all of this would only happen after it was determined that a first strike against Soviet territory had taken place. An autonomous command and control system was used to determine if the counter-attack should take place, and the entire system is only even activated if a high-ranking human decides to turn it on, ideally long before the actual nuclear strike takes place.

Generally, the system would be activated in times of general tension between the Soviets and Americans. Once activated, the system remains dormant until a set of criteria are met. Those criteria were described to Wired by Valery Yarynich, a former Soviet colonel, and other sources back in 2009:

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... it would begin monitoring a network of seismic, radiation, and air pressure sensors for signs of nuclear explosions. Before launching any retaliatory strike, the system had to check off four if/then propositions: If it was turned on, then it would try to determine that a nuclear weapon had hit Soviet soil.

It's worth describing how Dead Hand would know if a weapon had hit Soviet soil. The system had a network of sensors to check for seismic disturbances consistent with a nuclear strike, it could check radiation levels, it monitored communications and communication intensity on military radio frequencies, and may have been able to determine if people were still alive in various command posts.

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If it seemed that one had, the system would check to see if any communication links to the war room of the Soviet General Staff remained. If they did, and if some amount of time — likely ranging from 15 minutes to an hour — passed without further indications of attack, the machine would assume officials were still living who could order the counterattack and shut down. But if the line to the General Staff went dead, then Perimeter would infer that apocalypse had arrived. It would immediately transfer launch authority to whoever was manning the system at that moment deep inside a protected bunker — bypassing layers and layers of normal command authority.

So, if the separate "if/then" conditionals were met — had a nuke hit Soviet soil, was there a communication link to the Soviet war room, (if yes, then a 15 minute to an hour wait period), and if the communication line to command was or went dead, then one poor bastard stuck down in a spherical underground bunker could launch the full nuclear might of the Soviet state.

It's a complex system, and the picture in your head you may get when you think of a 'doomsday device,' some kind of large metal sphere with pipes and hoses and lights, slowly venting steam, is almost certainly inaccurate. Dead Hand is a large, complicated network of interconnected systems.

Most sources believe the Perimeter system still exists and is still operable. The existence of the system was kept secret for years, and was only widely revealed after the fall of the Soviet Union, in a 1993 New York Times editorial by Bruce Blair:

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In a real nuclear crisis, communications rockets launched automatically by radio command, would relay fire orders to nuclear combat missiles in Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The doomsday machine provides for a massive salvo of these forces without any participation by local crews. Weapons commanders in the field may be completely bypassed.

This may seem counterintuitive to the fear-inspiring purpose of a doomsday device, as so memorably explained in this famous scene from Dr. Strangelove:

If you want a doomsday device to function as a way to frighten would-be attackers into not attacking you, they have to know the device exists. Secrecy renders the whole point moot. That is, unless the purpose of the device is not as clear as it would seem.

Dead Hand, it turns out, may not have been primarily a deterrent against the Americans launching a nuclear attack against the Soviets, but rather was a Soviet-built safeguard to prevent themselves from launching a nuclear attack unnecessarily.

It works like this: the Perimeter system, by providing a guarantee that retribution would be had, allowed the people in charge of deciding to start or not start a nuclear war to, strangely, relax a bit, and take their time with their decisions.

Dead Hand was a safeguard. Once the system was activated, the Soviet leadership knew that if the shit hit the fan, the enemy would get what's coming to them. If a signal was picked up that looked like a nuclear attack, instead of leaping to the worst possible conclusion as fast as possible, Dead Hand let the leaders take their time and evaluate everything, their possible revenge secured.

This way, a signal that looked like missiles but was in fact a flock of geese could be properly evaluated, and, once determined, Dead Hand could be stood down, and the geese could be dealt with using just conventional weaponry. As Yarnich told Wired, "That is why we have the system. To avoid a tragic mistake."

So, strangely, the doomsday device built by the Soviets may actually have been the best thing we could have hoped for. Instead of a doomsday device, Dead Hand really functions more like a strange sort of world-destroying white noise machine, calming down the reactionary people who have the ability to destroy civilisation with one poorly-considered command.

In that context, maybe it's ok the Russians likely still have this scary-sounding thing running. As weird as it is to say, perhaps we should all be thankful for Russia's doomsday device.

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A Freakishly Big Asteroid Is About To Zoom By Earth

Over the years, asteroids have gotten bad rap, probably because of that terrible Michael Bay movie. The truth is, asteroids are just hunks of rock hurling through space that aren't actively seeking to destroy the human race. Later this month, one such non-apocalyptic asteroid will get close enough to Earth for our viewing pleasure. Even though it won't do any damage, this is a damn big slice of space garbage.

On April 20, an asteroid known as 2014 JO25 will whizz by our Pale Blue Dot from a comfortable distance — it will be roughly 1.8 million km away from us at closest approach. What's really remarkable is how enormous this thing is; according to NASA, the asteroid is about 650m in length. That's about the same size as the world's longest slip-n-slide, or like, a billion burritos — the latter is an estimate.

"Although there is no possibility for the asteroid to collide with our planet, this will be a very close approach for an asteroid of this size," NASA said in a statement. The agency added that it isn't uncommon for smaller asteroids fly by Earth at the same distance that 2014 JO25 will, but its size is noteworthy. "This upcoming close approach is the closest by any known asteroid of this size, or larger, since asteroid Toutatis, a 3.1-mile (five-kilometer) asteroid, which approached within about four lunar distances in September 2004."

While this particular asteroid will be very reflective, it will be tough to see it with the naked eye — a good telescope would be best. If you're in a smog den or trapped in a room with no windows, you can watch the asteroid fly by on The Virtual Telescope. For the hard core nerds, Slooh will be doing a live show following the asteroid's close approach, starting at 9:00AM AEST April 20. A spokesperson from Slooh told Gizmodo they have aptly nicknamed the asteroid "The Rock".

It isn't every day you get to see some space garbage zoom past Earth. That's the majesty of the final frontier: In space, even garbage looks spectacular.

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Thor Loses More Than Just His Hammer In The First Trailer For Thor: Ragnarok

Thor's latest villain — Hela, the Goddess of Death — is already proving to be his biggest rival yet in our first look at the next Thor movie. Mjolnir is gone, Asgard is sundered, and most shockingly of all: The God of Thunder's been given a haircut.

OK, so we knew about the haircut already — it's part of Thor's new gladiatorial look — but still, it's kind of shocking to see it in action in and among the madness that is the rest of this trailer.

And there's a lot going on. War in Asgard, Loki flipping throwing knives like a badarse, and of course, that moment between Thor and Hulk in the arena. This looks fun as hell — more like an extension of the Team Thor shorts than either of the past two Thor films — and totally wild.

Thor: Ragnarok swings into theatres October 26.

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Sir David Attenborough Comes To PlayStation VR

There are three new "experiences" available from today for PlayStation Virtual Reality: David Attenborough's First Life VR, Cocos: Shark Island and Atomic Ghost Fleet.

You might have caught First Life VR when it screened at the Australian Museum. It's a 15-minute film narrated by the one and only Sir David Attenborough unearthing the evolution of the first life on Earth. It's our earliest inhabitants, coming face to face with extinct sea creatures - including the fearsome Anomalocaris and the curious looking Opabinia.

Sony says First Life is a "fully rendered 360 CGI environment" created by award winning SFX studio ZooFX - who have created graphics for Hollywood films including Gravity.

Cocos: Shark Island takes you to an island paradise just off the coast of Costa Rica, where you dive deep to discover its incredible wildlife. As night falls, the underwater world transforms as you witness first-hand what a shark feeding frenzy is like in the deep dark of night.

Atomic Ghost Fleet, is described as an "18-minute underwater dive into a World War 2 warship graveyard located in the Bikini Atoll, in the crystal blue waters of the tropical Pacific". You'll go inside the hidden rooms of ships - including the USS Saratoga, the biggest and most impressive ship sunk during Operation Crossroads (enemy forces claimed to have destroyed the ship on numerous occasions during the war).

You can grab all three experiences on the PlayStation Store.

 

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Star Wars Episode IX Will Reportedly Feature Previously Shot Footage Of Carrie Fisher

The loss of Carrie Fisher was a huge blow to those who loved her, both on- and off-screen. Inevitably, it also raised questions about the future of her iconic Star Wars character. We've known for a while that she'd already completed work on The Last Jedi before she died. Now we're hearing that plans may already in place for her to make a posthumous appearance in the upcoming ninth film in the Star Wars saga.

Speaking to the New York Daily News, Todd Fisher, Carrie's brother, said that he and her daughter Billie Lourd "have granted the studio rights to use recent footage" of Fisher for Star Wars Episode IX, which is expected to be out in 2019.

"Both of us were like, 'Yes, how do you take her out of it?' And the answer is you don't," Fisher told the newspaper. "She's as much a part of it as anything and I think her presence now is even more powerful than it was, like Obi-Wan, when the saber cuts him down he becomes more powerful. I feel like that's what's happened with Carrie. I think the legacy should continue."

There's no word when this footage was shot or how it may have to be altered to fit the story. Lucasfilm did not respond for comment by the time we wrote this story, so even though Fisher's family is the source, I'd still consider it a rumour. However, several months ago, the company made a rare comment on rumours that Fisher would be digitally recreated in the ninth film, much like she was for Rogue One.

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We don't normally respond to fan or press speculation, but there is a rumour circulating that we would like to address. We want to assure our fans that Lucasfilm has no plans to digitally recreate Carrie Fisher's performance as Princess or General Leia Organa.

Carrie Fisher was, is, and always will be a part of the Lucasfilm family. She was our princess, our general, and more importantly, our friend. We are still hurting from her loss. We cherish her memory and legacy as Princess Leia, and will always strive to honour everything she gave to Star Wars.

 

That makes it sound like footage that didn't make it into The Last Jedi is what the studio will be working with instead. Directed by Colin Trevorrow, Star Wars Episode IX will likely be in theatres Christmas 2019.