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

[MIKA27]

DANNY BOYLE WILL DIRECT DANIEL CRAIG’S FINAL JAMES BOND FILM

Trainspotting, Slumdog Millionaire and now Bond 25. Danny Boyle’s talents have roped him countless prestigious film awards and now he’s the man confirmed to direct Daniel Craig’s last ever outing as the iconic spy.

The news comes after months of speculation over who would get the honour (and pressure) to direct the 25th Bond movie and it was Boyle himself who made the announcement via an interview.

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“We are working on a script right now. And it all depends on that really. I am working on a Richard Curtis script at the moment. We hope to start shooting that in 6 or 7 weeks. Then Bond would be right at the end of the year. But we are working on them both right now.

We’ve got an idea, John Hodge, the screenwriter, and I have got this idea, and John is writing it at the moment. And it all depends on how it turns out. It would be foolish of me to give any of it away.”

 

No details of the script have been leaked yet but Boyle is aiming to wrap up shooting by the end of 2018.

Hopefully Craig gets the big fat pay check he’s always wanted since he’s pretty much done with the character.

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New ‘Sicario: Day of the Soldado’ Trailer Starts a War with Everyone

Benicio Del Toro and Josh Brolin go to war in the Sicario: Day of the Soldado. The sequel to Denis Villeneuve‘s celebrated crime drama sees Stefano Sollima (Gomorrah) stepping behind the camera as director with original screenwriter Taylor Sheridan — who also wrote Hell or High Water and helmed last year’s Wind River – returning to pen the script.

USA Today debuted a new trailer and revealed new plot details for the sequel, which finds the drug war on the US-Mexico border escalated when the cartels start sending terrorists over the border, The film picks up with Del Toro’s revenge-fuelled Alejandro when he’s “hired again by CIA operative Matt Graver (Brolin) to start a war between dueling cartels by kidnapping Isabela Reyes (Isabela Moner), the teenage daughter of infamous kingpin Carlos Reyes. When the mission is exposed, and Graver orders Alejandro to terminate Isabela, the killer’s cold façade cracks.”

Despite being an action-oriented crime thriller, Sicario was very much an intimate film and when we previously spoke with Sheridan, the writer assured us that the sequel will maintain that emotional throughline while delivering bigger, “more severe” stakes.

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“I think it’s just more severe, man. All the way around. I think the characters are more severe. I think the movie is more severe. I think it’s just much bigger. It’s just a bigger scope film. Like I said, when I saw it it was like Sicario felt like a small movie to me, even though it was a very intimate movie. I’ve always said I don’t understand why bigger movies can’t be just as intimate, if not more intimate. Why do they have to be less emotional? I think Soldado‘s a perfect example of that. I think it’s extremely emotional. I think it’s extremely tense and it deals with similar subject matters.”

Sicario: Day of the Soldado opens in theaters on June 29, 2018.

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‘God of War': 15 Minutes of Gameplay Show off New Setting, Same Brutality

Next month, God of War returns as the series moves from Greek mythology to Norse mythology, but with Kratos still in the lead role. This time out, he’s accompanied by his son, and he’s got a whole new litany of moves while still retaining the brutality fans have come to expect from the series. PlayStation has released a new 15-minute gameplay video that shows how the developers have pretty much hit it out of the park with the new installment. It looks like the true follow-up to God of War III.

The big take away from this video is that while there are significant differences, both in terms of gameplay and setting, this is unmistakably God of War, and I expect that the combat should be pretty rewarding, especially when you pair it with the kind of leveling up and new skills we’ve come to expect. The video also shows progression like upgrading your axe and more.

The other major takeaway here is that the kid is not annoying. I was worried that God of War had morphed into a series of escort missions (where you basically have to protect your AI companion and get them from A to B), but it turns out the kid, Atreus, is pretty useful. He can shoot arrows at your enemies, read Norse text, and serve as more of a helper than someone who constantly needs your protection lest he die horribly.

God of War will be available on PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 4 Pro on April 20th.

[MIKA27]

KARLMANN KING GROUND STEALTH FIGHTER

For some people, the best is never good enough, and the must always have something new, fresh, or odd that sets them apart from the mainstream. Karlmann King is a high end auto manufacturer that serves the needs of the never satisfied, and their luxury sports utility vehicle (unofficially dubbed “Ground Stealth Fighter”), sets the bar high for those looking to be different.

Developed by a worldwide team of 1,800 designers, developers, and engineers, the Karlmann King is based on the Ford F-550 chassis, but takes over 30,000 man hours of custom hand building to complete a single unit. Powered by a 6.8-Liter V10 gasoline engine, the massive 4×4 lumbers along to find a max speed of 87 mph, making the near 20-foot long SUV a crawler more than a sprinter. The exterior of the behemoth is clad in carbon fiber and sheet steel, though a bulletproof finish is optional for those in need of extra armor for their family wagon. Inside the Karlmann King passengers have access to a 4K entertainment systems with PS4, satellite phones and television, and even private safes for those that need extra security from their thieving little brothers. With each unit being custom made to order it might be quite a bit of time before you see a Karlmann King waiting in line to pick up the kids from school.

 

[MIKA27]

TIMMERMANS FIETSEN SCRAMBLER EBIKE

Inspired by the Scrambler motorcycle, Timmerman's latest eBike combines vintage design with modern tech. The new Scrambler is once again electric, giving riders an integrated LCD display and an engine that can be adjusted from 250 to 750 watts. The upgraded e-bike boasts a smooth and reliable Marzocchi Downhill fork, saddle suspension with an adjustable air damper for added control, and a set of Schwalbe G-One tires with an open tread design and strong outer blocks perfect for off-road use. $6,125.00

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WOODFORD RESERVE BATCH PROOF BOURBON

For Woodford Reserve fans looking for a little more heat, the distillery is releasing a limited run of barrel-strength bourbon. Part of their Master's Collection line of limited and at times experimental releases, the Versailles, Kentucky based distillery bottled their famous bourbon between 121 and 126 proof — a significant jump from the 90 proofer you typically enjoy. It's the same Woodford recipe, but unfiltered, uncut, and straight from the barrel.

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20TH CENTURY ALCOHOL & TOBACCO ADS

When it says the 20th Century, it mostly means "Early" 20th Century, but nevertheless, 20th Century Alcohol & Tobacco Ads is a mind-bending look at the history of selling vice. From doctors recommending cigs to calm your nerves to ads recommending liquor as a success elixir, it documents all the humorous — and often unsavory — ways we've been pitched a slow death over the years. It weighs in at nearly 400 pages of sin and is required reading for anyone who's ever smoked, drank, or lived. $38.00

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The Karate Kid Sequel Series Cobra Kai Debuts A Giant, Face-Kicking New Trailer

The best around is back on May 2. That's the date Cobra Kai, the new Karate Kid sequel series, will debut on YouTube Red. The news came along with the release of the brand new, full trailer for the show, which takes places several decades after the original movies.

In the show, a down-and-out Johnny Lawrence (Billy Zabka) decides to resurrect Cobra Kai, which instantly throws the perfect world of Daniel LaRusso (Ralph Macchio) into disarray.

The show isn't just about a couple of 50-year-olds reliving their high school feuds, though. It brings a new generation of kids into the mix, including Daniel's family, as well a young boy who just moved into an old apartment complex where he seeks training from the super. But this time, that super is... Johnny Lawrence.

Cobra Kai, which is written and executive produced by Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, will have its world premiere April 24 at the Tribeca Film Festival before going coming to YouTube Red on May 2.

[MIKA27]

Sam Worthington Evolves Into Something Interesting In The First Trailer For Netflix's The Titan

Netflix's latest original movie is heading to the stars, and to do so it's turning Sam Worthington into an alien. So it's like Avatar, but with less tree sex and more body horror.

The first trailer for The Titan paints a dire picture for humanity in the near future: Nuclear war has left swathes of Earth unhabitable, and resources are at such a shortage that in a decade, half of humankind will be gone. So an off-the-grid military base has decided to find Earth a new home: Titan. Hopefully, they don't bump into any purple dudes with fancy gloves.

From there, though, things take a turn for the worse when it's revealed said military base is also transforming soldiers to better survive on Titan, only for Worthington's character to grow beyond humanity's next evolutionary step and into something that... well, kinda looks like one of the Engineers from Alien?

It certainly looks weird, although it's a shame it seems as though it sharply veers into monster horror shenanigans instead of the "Earth is doomed" setup, but we actually won't have long to find out if The Titan succeeds in building itself a better Sam Worthington: It's dropping on Netflix in just over a week, on March 30.

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Did A Poem About A Horrific Volcanic Eruption Destroy The Norse Gods Of Iceland?

New research connects a powerful volcanic eruption - and a medieval poem that conjured memories of the dreaded event - to Iceland's conversion to Christianity.

At the turn of the 11th century, Iceland's settlers formally replaced Odin, Thor and Freya with Jesus, Mary and Joseph. A new paper published in Climatic Change suggests memories of the Eldgjá lava flood - the largest volcanic eruption to hit Iceland in the past 2000 years - convinced Icelanders to turn away from their Norse gods and embrace Christianity. This conclusion, reached by scientists from the University of Cambridge, was made possible by establishing a firm date for the eruption, and a reinterpretation of a grim poem called Vǫluspá, meaning "the prophecy of the seeress".

This is Codex Regius, an Icelandic codex which contains the Vǫluspá.

Prior to the new study, scientists knew about the terrible Eldgjá lava flood, but they couldn't figure out when it actually happened. Estimates placed the eruption anywhere from 932 through to 939, with a best guess at 934 based on scattered evidence. To finally get it right, a research team, led by Clive Oppenheimer, collected data from ice cores and tree rings, showing that the eruption started in the spring of 939, and continued until autumn 940.

Indeed, the Eldgjá lava flood, as its name and duration suggests, wasn't any ordinary eruption. It happened in the southern region of Iceland along a 75km-long fissure linked to the Katla volcano. The eruption threw massive amounts of lava onto the land, while spewing sulphurous gases into the atmosphere. An estimated 20 cubic kilometres of magma poured from the cracks.

The eruption had an impact on Iceland's inhabitants, who began to settle the island around 874.

"This places the eruption squarely within the experience of the first two or three generations of Iceland's settlers," said Oppenheimer in a statement. "Some of the first wave of migrants to Iceland, brought over as children, may well have witnessed the eruption."

The settlers likely abandoned much of the island, or relocated elsewhere, as famine was probably severe, but no texts survived to tell us exactly what happened. But that's where the poem could help, the researchers claim. A certain reading of Vǫluspá, dated to around 961, seems to paint an apocalyptic scene of the conditions both during and after the eruption - and even the onset of a cold volcanic winter (which was felt around the globe).

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[The wolf] is filled with the life-blood of doomed men, reddens the powers' dwellings with ruddy gore; the sun-beams turn black the following summers, weather all woeful: do you know yet, or what?

The sun starts to turn black, land sinks into sea; the bright stars scatter from the sky. Steam spurts up with what nourishes life, flame flies high against heaven itself.

 

The poem also predicts the end of Iceland's Norse gods, and the rise of a new, singular deity. Could this be construed as the conversion of Iceland to Christianity? The researchers think it's a distinct possibility.

"With a firm date for the eruption, many entries in medieval chronicles snap into place as likely consequences - sightings in Europe of an extraordinary atmospheric haze; severe winters; and cold summers, poor harvests; and food shortages," said Oppenheimer. "But most striking is the almost eyewitness style in which the eruption is depicted in Voluspá. The poem's interpretation as a prophecy of the end of the pagan gods and their replacement by the one, singular god, suggests that memories of this terrible volcanic eruption were purposefully provoked to stimulate the Christianisation of Iceland."

That accounts of a severe volcanic eruption - one still seared in memory - were used to fuel theological debate and proselytise Icelanders in the 10th century is not as outlandish as it may appear. The arguments may have sounded quite compelling, and the new religion may have offered some solace and reassurance. Oppenheimer and his colleagues present a good case, but like anything, there's likely more to it than a scary poem. The reasons for Iceland's conversion to Christianity are complex and multifaceted - the story of a horrible volcano quite possibly being among the many reasons why the Norse gods were abandoned.

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9 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

The Karate Kid Sequel Series Cobra Kai Debuts A Giant, Face-Kicking New Trailer

 

 

Daniel Russo was the villain in The Karate Kid.

 

[MIKA27]

3 minutes ago, Fuzz said:

Daniel Russo was the villain in The Karate Kid.

 

It makes me laugh to this day the original Karate Kid, nostalgic for sure, but I studied karate 17 years and seeing Daniels stances and moves always makes me cringe at how cheap his technique looks. So campy.

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George R.R. Martin's New Show Looks More Like 'Psycho in Space' Than Game of Thrones

The new George R.R. Martin-based TV series couldn't be further from Westeros, but the latest trailer for Nightflyers has a few things in common with Martin's Games of Thrones, namely blood and dead bodies.

Syfy has shared the first look at the new series, which is based off Martin's 1980 sci-fi horror book that follows eight scientists and a telepath on a mission to contact alien life in the far reaches of the solar system. But the crew members on their ship, the Nightflyer, start to mysteriously die one by one (that part, at least, is extremely Thrones).

The novella's path to television is a little confusing. Martin sold the Nightflyers film and TV rights to writer and producer Robert Jaffe in 1984. Jaffe wrote the screenplay for a film version of Nightflyers, which he also helped produce. The movie, directed by Robert Collector, came out in 1987. Jaffe is now a producer on the TV show—which will be Syfy's most expensive original series of all time—with Netflix acting as a co-producer. While Martin is on an exclusive contract with HBO and can't contribute writing (he will be credited as an executive producer), this TV series is intended to follow his original novella closer than the movie. As Martin himself describes in this teaser, it's like "Psycho in space."

And hey, even though there aren't any dragons, there's still the possibility of some light incest to appease those real George R.R. Martin fans. Nightflyers is set to premiere this fall.

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This Asteroid Might Not Wipe Out Earth, But NASA's Not Taking Any Chances

Don't freak out, but an asteroid may or may not be headed for Earth. On the plus side, the folks at NASA are already working on a plan to stop it.

As reported by the Washington Post, Bennu, an asteroid comparable in size to the Empire State Building, has a 1 in 2,700 chance of smacking into our pale blue dot sometime in the year 2135. Sounds like a bit of a long shot, but consider your odds of dying in a bike accident are 4,900 to 1, and you'll understand why NASA's taking this thing seriously. 

So what's the plan? That would be HAMMER, or the "Hypervelocity Asteroid Mitigation Mission for Emergency Response." Rather than destroy the asteroid, Armageddon-style, it's more likely that they would try to gently nudge Bennu off-course with a blunt object or adjacent nuclear blast—the cosmic equivalent of dumping your leaves into your neighbor's yard.

It doesn't seem like anything to worry about. 2135 is a long way away, and if we don't destroy ourselves first (global warming, nuclear war, trend diets), we're confident our future robot overlords will know what to do.

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The X-Force Awakens In This Great New Deadpool 2 Trailer

 

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Sunken US Warship Found 76 Years After Infamous WWII Tragedy

A team of civilian explorers led by Microsoft cofounder Paul Allen has located the wreck of the USS Juneau, an American light-cruiser that went down during the Battle of Guadalcanal in November 1942. Nearly 700 sailors were killed in the incident - including five brothers, in what turned out to be the largest loss incurred by a single American family during the Second World War.

The Juneau was discovered 4200m deep, off the coast of the Solomon Islands, as reported in a press release from Allen. A remotely operated sub deployed by the Vulcan Inc. crew captured video of the wreck, showing a remarkably well-preserved propeller, a badly torn hull, and an inscription of the ship's name revealing its identity.

The Juneau was discovered on St Patrick's Day - a bizarre coincidence considering the ship is best known for the legendary Irish-American Sullivan brothers, all five of whom were lost, along with 682 others, when the ship sunk on 13 November 1942 after being torn in half by a Japanese torpedo.

Normally during times of war, siblings are assigned to different units to prevent this sort of thing from happening, but the Sullivans steadfastly refused to serve in the Navy unless they were on the same ship. The brothers, George, Francis, Joseph, Madison and Albert, lived in Waterloo, Iowa prior to joining the Navy, and their family is remembered for having to endure one of the greatest sacrifices of World War II. A year after the tragedy, a USS destroyer was named in their honour.

The five Sullivan brothers.

"We certainly didn't plan to find the Juneau on St Patrick's Day," said Robert Kraft, director of subsea operations for Paul Allen, in a statement. "The variables of these searches are just too great."

The Atlanta-class light cruiser was less than a year old when it sank, a short tenure that came to an end less than several hours after it fought in one of the most pivotal engagements of the Second World War, the naval battle of Guadalcanal. After being struck by a Japanese torpedo, the badly damaged Juneau rejoined a small fleet of surviving American warships heading in a south-easterly direction. In an account documented by the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier, a second Japanese Torpedo struck the ship around 11:00AM, hitting very close to where the first torpedo hit, splitting the Juneau in half. The entire ship vanished about a half-minute later, plummeting to the bottom of the Pacific Ocean.

"I saw the spot where the Juneau had been. The only thing visible was tremendous clouds of grey and black smoke," recounted Lt Roger O'Neil, a medical officer who was on the deck of the USS San Francisco when it happened. "The men told me that the Juneau appeared to explode instantaneously and appeared to break in two, both segments of which sunk in 20 seconds... The signalman on the bridge of the Helena was in the process of taking a message from the Juneau and had his glass trained on the signalman of that ship and reports that the signalman was blown at least 30 feet [9m] in the air."

The USS Juneau In New York Harbour, 11 February 1942

The Juneau went down with 687 men on board, but 115 crewmembers managed to escape. The captain of the USS Helena, who was now in charge of the surviving ships, decided to leave, believing a search and rescue operation wasn't feasible, and because he feared more Japanese attacks. Tragically, the Helena transmitted the coordinates of the Juneau's last known location to a nearby B-17 search plane, but the message never reached command headquarters. As a result, no search and rescue operation was dispatched for several days. The men were left in the water, staving off exposure and exhaustion - and having to fend off sharks, as survivors reported. By the time rescuers arrived eight days later, only 10 men had survived.

To protect the wreck, Venture Inc. did not disclose the exact location of the Juneau. Which is just as well - this is a sacred war grave if there ever was one.

 

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Chris Evans Has Confirmed the Fate of Captain America After Avengers 4

Marvel fans have long anticipated the end of the great era of modern superhero movies. When would these high-budget character arcs come to an end and when would these actors playing them eventually hang up their capes?

We've known for a few weeks that the upcoming Avengers: Infinity War and Avengers 4 would mark the end of a number of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's most famous heroes. But who would die? The latest trailer showed Captain America, Iron Man, and Thor all in some sketchy situations.

All of these actors—Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., and Chris Hemsworth—have contracts that are up after the next Avengers films. Now, we finally know at least one who will go: Evans as Captain America.

A profile of Evans in the New York Times posits that he is heading toward retirement as Captain America:

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Last year, he filmed back-to-back the final two Marvel movies for which he is under contract — “Avengers: Infinity War,” due in April, and a sequel planned for next year. For now, he has no plans to return to the franchise (“You want to get off the train before they push you off,” he said), and expects that planned reshoots in the fall will mark the end of his tenure in the familiar red, white and blue super suit.

Of course, this doesn't mean the end of the Captain America franchise. In the comic books, there are other heroes who step in as Captain America. And many fans believe that Sebastian Stan's Bucky Barnes and Anthony Mackie's Falcon would both be worthy of picking up the shield.

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There's A New Netflix Show About Killer Rain And Here's The Trailer

It's called... The Rain.

And on The Rain, a deadly virus spread by precipitation has wiped out civilisation. Now, two siblings who were protected in a bunker emerge to discover what they can only hope will be a very dry, post-apocalyptic world.

The first Danish original series on Netflix, The Rain will premiere May 4. Here's the first look.

 

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WORLD WHISKY AWARDS CROWNS SOUTH AFRICAN WHISKY AS THE WORLD’S BEST

Accolades are nothing new when it comes to award-winning whisky hailing from places like Scotland or Japan.

When it comes from unlikely locations like South Africa though, people tend to take a little more notice. That was the case at this year’s World Whisky Awards where Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky, a South African whisky, was given top honours as the World’s Best Grain Whisky for 2018.

If that wasn’t enough to put the lesser-known name on the map, Andy Watts, the founder and Master Distiller of Bain’s was also awarded the title of Global Icon of Whisky Master Distiller/Master Blender for 2018.

“We have overcome the odds against the perceived perception that only traditional whisky producing countries can be taken seriously,” said Watts.

“Our industry in SA is only 40 years old and although we’ve had many hurdles along the way, we have become innovative in our approach to manage our unique warmer climate, found creative ways to use home-grown raw material to our best advantage and constantly strive for crafting exceptional whiskies.”

This wouldn’t be the first time Watt’s had tasted gold. 2013 was also his year which saw him take out the World’s Best Grain Whisky award in 2013 before taking home a slew of other gold medals from other competitions. For his latest major haul, Watts said that it was “the most humbling experience of my 34-year career in the whisky industry”.

What makes Bain’s special is the fact that it’s the only commercial whisky distillery on the African continent that’s made entirely from the region’s own grown corn. The process then involves a double maturation stage in used ex-bourbon casks which lasts for 5 years. Thanks to South Africa’s warmer climate an accelerated ageing process can be achieved to result in an exceptionally smooth whisky for its age.

What’s more important? It retails for about US$35 ($AU45) which makes it ridiculously accessible for whisky lovers around the world.

The World Whisky Awards is a well-respected event in the industry that’s sponsored by the UK’s Whisky Magazine – think TIME but for liquid gold. This year saw the winers announced at a gala dinner at the Waldorf Hilton Hotel in London.

The list of other winners include:

World’s Best Grain – Bain’s Cape Mountain Whisky
World’s Best Bourbon – 1792 Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
World’s Best Blended Malt – Taketsuru 17 Year-Old
World’s Best Blended Limited Release – Ichiro’s Malt & Grain Limited Edition
World’s Best Blended – Johnnie Walker Gold Reserve
World’s Best Single Cask Single Malt – Sullivan’s Cove American Oak Single Cask
World’s Best Single Malt – Hakushu 25 Year-Old

[MIKA27]

ROGUE RIDGE WARRIOR RB1000 E-BIKE

The Ridge Warrior electric fat bike was made with law enforcement and tactical professionals in mind. It features a carbon belt drive system that is comprised of a 1,000-watt motor and a Panasonic 48V13AH Lithium Ion battery. The carbon fiber belt lasts for more than 10,000 miles while the bike's hand-welded aluminum alloy frame can handle up to 330 pounds of weight. The battery gives riders a range of nearly 30 miles without pedaling, it maxes out at 30mph, and includes a full-color display that shows your speed, average speed, trip distance, and remaining battery power.

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PLANTATION GUYANA 1999 EXTRÊME N°2 RUM

Plantation's Extrême series of limited release rums are the result of special barrels the distillery comes across that are unblended and bottled to celebrate their unique flavors. The most recent Extrême bottling was distilled at the now-closed Uitvlugt Distillery in 1999. It was aged in Guyana for 15 years in bourbon barrels and then sent to France for three additional years of aging in cognac casks. It weighs in at Full Proof (119.4), and only 1,000 bottles were produced. $199.00

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55 minutes ago, MIKA27 said:

There's A New Netflix Show About Killer Rain And Here's The Trailer

It's called... The Rain.

And on The Rain, a deadly virus spread by precipitation has wiped out civilisation. Now, two siblings who were protected in a bunker emerge to discover what they can only hope will be a very dry, post-apocalyptic world.

The first Danish original series on Netflix, The Rain will premiere May 4. Here's the first look.

 

Killer Rain? You sure it's not Chubby Rain?

 

[MIKA27]

The House With A Clock In Its Walls Trailer Features A Whole Different Kind Of Haunted House

The latest film from the director of Hostel and Cabin Fever features a house so haunted, it has its own heart. However, despite Eli Roth's reputation, this isn't a gory horror movie. It's produced by Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment, which means the scares are fun for the whole family!

Starring Jack Black and Cate Blanchett, The House With a Clock in Its Walls is based on a children's book by John Bellairs and illustrated by Edward Gorey. The film is about a young boy who moves to his uncle's house and unleashes an ancient evil. 

The first thing I thought after watching that trailer is, "That's an Eli Roth movie?" Yes. Yes, it is. But it obviously doesn't have Roth's signature gore. Instead, it looks more like a Guillermo del Toro movie, with sumptuous production design and creepy creatures walking about.

Though the boy, played by Owen Vaccaro, is obviously the star, Black and Blanchett lead an impressive cast that also includes Twin Peaks' Kyle MacLachlan, Clue's Colleen Camp and Hamilton's Renée Elise Goldsberry. This movie feels like it came out of nowhere but has some serious cachet.

The House With a Clock in Its Walls opens September 20.

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SCIENTISTS MAY HAVE FOUND A WAY TO PRESERVE YOUR MEMORIES AFTER DEATH

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“Our mission is to preserve your brain well enough to keep all its memories intact”

The start-up Nectome recently unveiled their controversial plan to create a mind-uploading service, which is, according to the MIT Technology Review, “100% fatal”. The idea being, for $10, 000, they preserve your brain, you die—then you watch on from beyond the grave, hoping  they one day develop the technology to make use of your cerebral matter…

There’s no proof memories can be retrieved from an embalmed-brain; but that hasn’t stopped 25 people from joining the waitlist. The procedure proposed is similar to that of existing euthanasia practices, with added aim of preserving their brain. As reported by The MIT Technology Review:

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“The Nectome team demonstrated the seriousness of its intentions starting this January, when McIntyre, McCanna, and a pathologist they’d hired spent several weeks camped out at an Airbnb in Portland, Oregon, waiting to purchase a freshly deceased body”

The reason they’ve received so much attention (apart from the topic lending itself to click-bait headlines), is because in 2017 they won the Brain Preservation Foundation’s Small Mammal prize, for preserving every synaptic structure in a rabbit brain. This means people are taking them seriously when they talk about their next goal, which is to, “(Develop) a robust preservation protocol for human use, and demonstrate(s) perfect connectome preservation in a human brain in a research context”.

They talk big game about connectomes, synapses and unlocking a new era of neuroscience. However, the problem, according to Jens Foell (a neuroscientist at Florida State University), is that an embalmed brain would not contain, “The whole story,” of the information it processed whilst alive (reported by Live Science).

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“Cell firing behaviour is determined by other things, including processes within the cells that are determined by proteins that are much smaller than synapses (and some of them are short-lived)”

This means that even if Nectome manage to perfectly map and preserve the human brain, the idea that this would enable us to recreate its memories or access the information it once held, is tenuous at best and a morbid-waste-of-money at worst.

Tellingly, as computational neuroscientist Sam Gershmn points out, if we can’t recreate the memories of a simple creature like the C Elegans (a type of roundworm), whose connectome we’ve known for more than 10 years, it’s unlikely such information will help us achieve this particular goal in humans.

That’s not to say the technology isn’t useful—just that expecting it to produce memories is a bit far fetched.

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OMEGA SEAMASTER 1948 LIMITED EDITION

70 years. That is how long Omega’s Seamaster has been around. Originally released in 1948, it was inspired by waterproof military watches that had been worn by G.I.’s during WW2. Now, thanks to Omega, that original design is making a brief return. Introducing Omega’s Seamaster 1948 Limited Edition.

The watch will come in two different models – one with a subdial at 6 o’clock for tracking seconds, and another central seconds model. The two will feature a brown and blue leather strap respectively. The back of both watches will boast a clear commemorative caseback (featuring a Chris-Craft boat and Gloster Meteor plane, the latter being the first jet ever used by the R.A.F.) for displaying the Co-Axial Master Chronometer movement that sits inside the 38mm case. Both models, the sub-dial and the center-second, are limited to just 1,948 pieces.