A ferry is how you get a car across water if you don't have a bridge. Usually it's a matter-of-fact process: drive your car onto a boat, move across the water, drive your car off the boat. Putting a turntable onto a boat to move cars seems like more trouble than it's worth, but in one place it's a genius solution to a specific set of conditions. That's why Glenelg, Scotland, has the last turntable ferry in the world. -via TYWKIWDBI
Hey, now that’s a worthy venture to look into! Gizmogo is an online used electronic product recycling platform that buys broken phones,tablets, or computers. The Chino, California-based platform is part of a larger recycling company that aims to keep old electronics out of landfills. The question now is what do they do with the old gadgets they buy? Well, Gizmogo actually either refurbishes them or recovers the precious metals inside to be reused:
The company accepts phones, tablets, laptops, computers, gaming consoles, cameras, lenses, drones, smartwatches and even iPods if you still have one. The website will walk you through a short evaluation process and then give you an estimate for your item. If you accept the estimate, it’s time to send in your gadget. Depending on its size, the website will either generate an instant label you can stick on your box or send you a small box to ship your smartphone in.
I tried the entire service – without informing Gizmogo – with my son’s old iPad Mini. It has a cracked screen and has been sitting unused in my garage for several months. Gizmogo said they would pay me $80.55. I sent the tablet in and about a week later, the cash was in my PayPal account.
Competitors include Gazelle, Swappa and Gylde. Of course, with these instant trade in sites, you will certainly get less for your gadget than you would doing all the hard work yourself and listing it on eBay, but that takes a lot more time and effort. You have to decide what’s best for your situation.
Gizmogo says they typically pay within 24 hours of receipt and evaluation. Keep in mind the initial number is only an estimate and could change based on the condition of your gadget.
Image credit: Rich DeMuro
The wonders of filmmaking! Photographer and filmmaker Mrinal Bahukhandi used a 35mm analog camera to snap the photos used in the music video for Better Man. The music video is composed of clips that were made of a shutter burst of 8 frames per second. This particular composition is what tricks the viewer to believe that the video is in full motion, really. The Mumbai-based artist details his experience in creating the film:
Tech nowadays is excellent and contemporary digital cameras can shoot up to 22 fps and there are ample plugins and filters to simulate the vintage look, but that simulation would have been no fun at all as compared to a workflow of exposing 600 feet of fresh Kentmere 400 ISO, 35mm film stock, that was hand-rolled using a bulk loader into 100 reusable film canisters. Using the Nikon F5 SLR, these cans were exposed and 8 frames per second — that translates to approximately 5 seconds of real-time footage per film roll.
This video is not only a tribute to the founders of the first motion picture cameras but also to early 20th-century cinema as well. One of the earliest practitioners of motion-picture was a French stage magician named Georges Méliès who innovated “special effects” in cinema. His stories were often inspired by the science fiction novels of Jules Verne, like in the case of his most popular film “A Trip to the Moon” (“Le Voyage dans la Lune”). The iconic moon landing shot from this film stirred the concept for the Better Man music video.
Image credit Mrinal Bahukhandi
(Image credit: Flickr user Bob Larrick)
The Hobbits of the Shire had charming homes. They were small, to match their inhabitants' dimensions, with round doors and windows, as well as round roofs. They were environmentally-friendly, often built partially underground with grass on top. Kuriositas puts forth the theory that the Hobbits all left the Shire at some point and settled elsewhere around the world, recreating their traditional architecture.
(Image credit: Flickr user William Bereza)
To be sure, many of these homes predate Tolkien's saga, and are presumed to be the inspiration for Hobbit houses. Others are relatively new, inspired by The Lord of the Rings. See a variety of Hobbit houses that stand in countries far and wide at Kuriositas.
Meet Henricus Antonius “Han” van Meegeren, a Dutch art dealer who was so good at forging artworks that he even managed to trick art critics and high-ranking officials into buying his art pieces! When he was put on trial for supplying artworks to the Nazi party, he had to painstakingly prove that he committed art forgery to save his life. But how did this story begin, anyway? The Collector has the details:
Hoping to prove his artistic talent, Han van Meegeren began copying paintings from several famous artists, including Pieter de Hooch, Gerard ter Borch, Frans Hals, and even Johannes Vermeer himself. Forging Vermeer paintings was especially lucrative because of how scarce they were– only about thirty-five Vermeer artworks were in a decent condition by the twentieth century when his work was popularized. This “copying” quickly turned to complete and total art forgery after art experts examined van Meegeren’s work and acknowledged it as genuine.
Despite the fact that his paintings were forgeries, van Meegeren was very technically proficient. Van Meegeren studied the lives and techniques of the Old Masters and he secretly worked for years, perfecting the craft of art forgery ever so slowly. He went as far as to mix his own paints, using only the pigments and oils in use during the time of each artist.
However, Han van Meegeren’s meticulous dedication to his art forgery didn’t stop there– he researched the canvases used by each artist and carefully applied resin, then baked the paintings, to give them a “cracked” look so they seemed appropriately aged. He even went through the painstaking process of creating his own period-accurate brushes, using badger hair to replicate Vermeer’s style perfectly.
Image credit: 100 Voorwerpen
Sir Patrick Stewart as vacuum cleaners.
— Amanda (@Pandamoanimum) June 7, 2021
A thread. pic.twitter.com/o0nkYjoLxQ
When Patrick Stewart rises to begin his day, he goes to his closet with one question in mind: "Which vacuum cleaner should I look like today?" There are many, many options compiled by Twitter user Amanda. And, yes, one of them is a regulation Starfleet uniform.
-via Laughing Squid
You’ve heard of the darkest black paint in existence, get ready for the whitest paint yet! Researchers from Purdue University have created the newest shade to help curb global warming. Hopefully, coating buildings with this paint may cool them off enough to reduce the need for air conditioning. The Brighter Side has more details:
“If you were to use this paint to cover a roof area of about 1,000 square feet, we estimate that you could get a cooling power of 10 kilowatts. That’s more powerful than the central air conditioners used by most houses,” said Xiulin Ruan, a Purdue professor of mechanical engineering.
The researchers believe that this white may be the closest equivalent of the blackest black, “Vantablack,” which absorbs up to 99.9% of visible light. The new whitest paint formulation reflects up to 98.1% of sunlight – compared with the 95.5% of sunlight reflected by the researchers’ previous ultra-white paint – and sends infrared heat away from a surface at the same time.
Typical commercial white paint gets warmer rather than cooler. Paints on the market that are designed to reject heat reflect only 80%-90% of sunlight and can’t make surfaces cooler than their surroundings.
The team’s research paper showing how the paint works publishes Thursday (April 15) as the cover of the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.
Two features give the paint its extreme whiteness. One is the paint’s very high concentration of a chemical compound called barium sulfate, which is also used to make photo paper and cosmetics white.
Image the Brighter Side
Our closet primate relatives -and most mammals, for that matter- are covered with fur. How did humans go hairless? And why do we have hair in the few places we do? This TED Ed lesson from Nina G. Jablonski fills us in on what we know and don't know about the way human hair evolved. -via Digg
Did you know that there’s a stark difference between the velociraptors we see in movies and the ones that actually lived millions of years ago? Well, Jurassic Park portrays this species as smug, stealthy, and big hunters with a good brain. Velociraptors in real life, however, were different. Yes, they were carnivores, but they were small, fast, and feathery. Science Focus’ Ian Taylor details some facts about this species. Check the full piece here to learn more!
Image via wikimedia commons
It’s in Australia. Are we surprised? In Mallacoota, Australia, kangaroos hop down the main street every day. Seeing kangaroos in the area is normal, and a delight for tourists, of course. Nadine Cresswell-Myatt shares her experience in her visit to the the isolated city:
Mallacoota has just over 1,000 residents, nearly half aged over 60. Many holidayed here through their working lives and chose to retire here. The township is in the heart of the Croajingolong National Park — 338 square miles of coastal wilderness. Recognized as a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, there are over 1,500 plant species and diverse wildlife, including kangaroos, wallabies, echidnas, koalas, platypuses, and possums. Challenges include a 3-day Wilderness Coast Walk, scrambling over boulders, crossing river estuaries (which may require swimming), and trekking isolated beaches.
Fortunately for the less gung-ho, namely me, Mallacoota also offers short scenic walks close to town. Kangaroos on the local golf course often outnumber players. Short coastal walks mean spotting penguins, dolphins, and seals. Or whales from April to October during their migration. Twitchers — dedicated birdwatchers — can tick off over 300 species, including Crimson Rosellas, orange and black Eastern Spinebills, Black-faced Monarchs, green and red Olive-backed Orioles, and even elusive lyrebirds.
Image credit: Scott Kingman
When you think about flower arrangement, do you think about scaffoldings? I sure don’t. Personally, when someone mentions flower arrangements to me, I personally think of huge vases for bouquets. For floral designer Julius Værnes Iversen, however, it’s more than that. Iversen is the founder of Tableau, a design studio that uses flowers and contrasting materials for their installations. Tableau’s floral arrangements are unique and eccentric:
The floral arrangements are equally eccentric: soon after its establishment, the studio found viral success with a series of monumental gypsophila clouds; other installations have featured bundles of exotic blooms interspersed with humbler varieties such as reindeer moss and asparagus fern, often in bright block colours, and arranged on scaffolding. Bouquets are an exuberant juxtaposition of natural and dyed flowers.
Considering Tableau’s innovative spirit, it may come as a surprise that Iversen’s background in flowers is as traditional as it gets. He joined his family’s more conventional chain of flower shops, Blomster Bjarne, two decades ago, at the age of 12. He later became its accountant, before taking over the reins alongside his brother Magnus in 2015, following the death of their father. But Iversen yearned for an additional creative outlet, a platform that would allow him to reconcile his passion for art and design with his floral expertise. Already he was gaining recognition for ‘odd-looking flower installations’ created under his own name for Danish fashion houses. With Tableau, he could push the boundaries of what can be done with flowers.
Image credit: Tableau via Wallpaper
Svend the Viking doesn't want to wear a helmet as he loots and pillages England. It makes his scalp itch and messes up his braids. But Hjalmar knows better. This delicious vignette is from the Danish Road Safety Council. -via Digg
The Concert is a 1956 ballet by Jerome Robbins. It's a spoof of the orchestral performance experience. The Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre summarizes it:
The setting is an all-Chopin recital where the attendees allow their decidedly imaginative minds to wander. When the resulting images are danced, human foibles and recognizable insecurities are revealed as Robbins brings each fantasy comically and vividly to life.
The ballet includes this piece titled "Mistake Waltz" in which some of the dancers are a bit out of sync. The above video shows a performance by the Pacific Northwest Ballet. Every error is completely intentional.
-via Nag on the Lake
Say goodbye to the old triangular design! Actually, you can still buy classic triangle tents at your local camping shop, but there are now new and modern designs that are still comfy, cozy, and good for outdoor camping. Yanko Design curates a list of modern tents that fit both your Instagram feed and your outdoor camping needs! One of the examples are Belgium’s tree tents. Designed by Dutch artist Dre Wapenaar, these ‘Tranendreef’ tree tents are suspended above the ground and basically hang on the tree like fruit:
The tent is suspended above the ground and basically hangs on the tree like fruit. The guests use a ladder to get inside/outside. It can host two adults and two small children. Originally installed as part of a public art project called ‘Pit’ (hence the avocado shape we assume) organized by Z33, it brought art into the public space of Borgloon. The designer also created ‘field furniture’ – seating, washing, toilet, and BBQ units to complete the camping site with the tents.
Check more designs here!
Image credit: via Yanko Design
The Ford F-150 Lightning is a game-changer for the automobile industry. The company's signature pickup truck can now be powered by electricity, but not only that, you can power your home during emergencies with the truck battery, and you can plug your power tools into it. Ford's chief engineer for this project is Lunda Zhang, who immigrated to the US from China as an eight-year-old who spoke no English.
Outside of the terminal, her father had borrowed a car to drive the three hours from O'Hare to Indiana. The back door opened and Zhang plopped herself down into the seat of an automobile for the very first time.
"That was the first time I was ever in a car and it was just beautiful," Zhang says during an interview with The Drive. "I remember it was dark outside but there were lots of lights from the streets. Everything looked so new and so fascinating. And just to be in a car—it wasn’t even our car, it was a car my dad borrowed to come get us—it was just awesome. I felt like I was riding in a carriage, like the princess story almost."
She quickly became fluent in English, bolstered by popular TV shows like Reading Rainbow and Sesame Street, according to the Detroit Free Press. Soon, Zhang became indoctrinated in American culture. She learned about Coca-Cola and chocolate milk, as well as how the culture iconized automobiles. Specifically, she remembered being drawn to the Batmobile and the Mystery Machine from Scooby-Doo.
Read how Zhang became an automotive engineer and rose through the ranks to head Ford's electric truck project at The Drive. -via Metafilter
