Issui Enomoto presents a dreamy take on Tokyo and Yokohama. The 43-year-old taxi driver has taken photos of the two cities for more than a decade from his car during his night shift. To create the dreamlike quality of his photographs, he overlays multiple shots, as CNN details: 

Enomoto takes photographs throughout his night shift, then overlays multiple shots to create a dreamlike effect with varying exposures. The resulting pictures offer ethereal glimpses of individuals before they fade into the night.

The photographer's work has been exhibited as part of a group show at the Tokyo Photographic Art Museum. He has also had solo shows at smaller, independent spaces such as Tokyo's Gallery Kan.

Enomoto's work captures these transient, unspoken encounters with passengers -- or even just passersby.

"I like taking photographs of passengers or commuters -- people who I don't know," said Enomoto. "I capture them when they pass by my vehicle. They are like a reflection of me as I can see something of myself in the person that passes."

image via CNN

Marketing professor Shaheen Borna is suspended from teaching at Ball State University after calling the police on a student who declined to change seats in his class. Borna told the student, Sultan Benson, to move to another seat for no reason. When Benson refused to move seats, Borna called the police. Yahoo News has more details: 

In a series of Twitter messages at the time, Benson told NBC News that he usually sits in the front of the class but that another student was in his seat that day. So the professor told him to sit in the back of the class, "which was no problem for me," Benson said.

Benson said he was using a laptop that was plugged in and charging so he could follow a PowerPoint presentation.

Then, after another student left class, Borna told Benson to move to the student's seat.

"I asked him why [and] he wouldn't give me an answer," Benson said, adding that the professor gave him two options — move or have the police called.

In a video of the incident posted on Twitter, a responding officer can be heard telling Benson that he could either move or leave class. When the student asked why he had to switch seats, another officer asked whether he was being disruptive.

Other students can be heard saying "no" and "he hasn't done anything wrong."

Benson eventually left the classroom rather than move seats.

image via Yahoo News

Researchers from a university in Belgium have suggested that black soldier fly larvae (an insect larvae) is a good butter substitute in baked goods. In their study, Ghent University scientists found that most participants who tasted the baked goods with the insect larvae weren’t put off by the taste. Insect fat is more digestible that butter, and has positive nutritional attributes, as Vice detailed: 

"Insect fat is a different type of fat than butter” researcher Daylan Tzompa-Sosa said in a statement. “Insect fat contains lauric acid, which provides positive nutritional attributes since it is more digestible than butter. Moreover, lauric acid has an antibacterial, antimicrobial and antimycotic effect. This means that it is able, for example, to eliminate harmless various viruses, bacteria or even fungi in the body, allowing it to have a positive effect on health.”

Tzompa-Sosa has been researching the viability of using insects to replace butter, margarine, and other edible fats for several years. In 2016, she was part of a team at Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands that turned mealworm fat into an oil that was similar to a combination of canola and soybean oils. "We're not allowed to eat it because it's made in a lab,” she told the Washington Post at the time. “It smells very mild ... grassy. It's not bad."

Although the results of the baked good taste tests seem promising, it's still way too soon to add black soldier larvae fat to your Instacart order.

image via Vice

Out of all the compilations and lists of resources the Internet has given us, this has got to be one of the most unnecessary yet funniest things to exist: The Mark Zuckerberg hair archive. Yes, you heard that right. Sam Lavigne shared on Twitter how he was able to process over a hundred images of Mark Zuckerberg to create the most comprehensive archive of Zuckerberg haircuts. Maybe you can find  your next hairstyle from the archive! 

Just discovered an open source hair detector and have used it on hundreds of images of Mark Zuckerberg to build what I believe is the most comprehensive archive of Zuckerberg haircuts in existence. Thank you AI researchers! pic.twitter.com/QJqXLAbqyw

— Sam Lavigne (@sam_lavigne) February 16, 2020

image via Twitter

Photographer Jannelle Lynch wants us to appreciate the beauty in our everyday surroundings by looking slower and more closely. Lynch wants each of her photographs to be viewed as a world in itself, an instance captured by her camera lenses that showcases the beauty created by nature. To put it simply, she wants us to take our time to observe and pay attention to our surroundings, so that we can appreciate nature. Even a tumble of weeds has beauty if we look closer, as NPR details: 

She says she often would shoot from the ground, sitting in the grass, sometimes flanked by her dogs. That gives an animal-eye view to scenes only a foot or two high. Lynch says that this perspective gave her a sense of grounding — to the earth and the plant life she was photographing.

The idea of connection is crucial for Lynch, and it helps explain her photo book's mysterious title, Another Way of Looking at Love. It comes from something she heard on the radio, an interview with the philosopher Alain de Botton; he said: "Another way of looking at love is connection." In this sense, love is not a romantic imperative, but a feeling of belonging with others and with the world.

Visual connections are also created by the many lines and geometries of branches, stalks and twigs, which come alive under Lynch's focused gaze: the way a string of tiny blooms folds back on itself to create the appearance of an eye in Seeing Anew; the way a fallen branch is held parallel to a barberry plant in Orthogonal Reality; the way entwining branches of pokeweed and goldenrod appear to create a Summer Wreath.

"I do innately find beauty in all of nature," she says. "So whether it's a weed or a dead branch, there's surely something beautiful there."

image via NPR

Firat Amara turned a London double-decker bus into a kebab shop. Last Stop Kebab, located in Edmonton, serves Turkish food inside a renovated double decker bus. The shop can seat 40 customers at a time. Amara conceptualized the shop in December, bought a real double-decker bus 20 days later, and spent two months renovating the place. Metro has more details: 

Firat and two colleagues had to remove some seats, remove the engine and the back tyres to allow space for tables, chairs, a kitchen and the all-important doner kebab machine. The gas, electricity and water needed to run the business comes from the supermarket next door that Firat part-owns.

There were a lot of people in the Edmonton area asking for hot food, both residents and visitors and employees of North Middlesex hospital because the nearest restaurant is a 20-minute walk away. Firat was determined to think outside of the box and use his 25 years’ kebab experience to start something revolutionary. He said: ‘I was always going to do it because at the end of the day what you put in is what you get back.’

‘So far, it’s working very well, I’m so happy and they make me so excited each time.’ The kebab bus serves a combination of kebabs, fresh salads and delicious wraps to customers every day from 11 am to 3 am. The original bus has been so successful, Firat is already thinking about buying more buses for restaurants in central London and Stratford.

image via Metro

Due to the coronavirus outbreak, people are staying indoors in China. Some cities in the country placed a ban on dining out in groups to prevent the spread of the virus. Bars in Beijing and Guangzhou are delivering happy hour alcohol deals to the customers’ own home, so that they can have an income. Happy hour deals are where discounted drinks are served in the establishment, as CNBC detailed: 

In Beijing, a brewpub called Jing-A Brewing Co. said it is remaining open but only for takeaway orders, deliveries to peoples’ residences and refills when people bring their own beer containers, known as growlers.

“This change is due to local authorities prohibiting groups of more than 3 from dining or congregating in our brewpub,” the company said in a WeChat post.

The bar, which has a couple of locations in the Chinese capital, said it has extended its delivery hours from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Beijing time. Users can order through delivery platform Meituan. Jing-A is offering deals on its beer delivery.

The coronavirus has spread across the world, claiming the lives of over 1,700 people, mainly in China. Businesses stayed shut longer than usual after the Lunar New Year holiday while many people are still working from home. This has forced them to rely more on deliveries of products from platforms like Meituan or JD.com.

Despite drinking establishments trying to make the best out of a bad situation, it doesn’t appear to be hugely helping their businesses.

“At least (delivery) is better than nothing,” Philip, the owner of Evening Standard in Guangzhou, told CNBC.

image via CNBC

Determining Disney World’s most popular ride is difficult, as there are a lot of different factors you can put into consideration. In addition, “popularity” is also difficult to quantify. It can be the amount of ticket sales per ride, the hype a ride is getting, or the years a ride has endured in the park. Meghan Jones shares her own way of determining Disney World’s most popular ride. They decided to determine it by counting the number of different versions a Disney ride has had, because this criteria was easy to quantify. The park ride that has the most different iterations is Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin, as Reader’s Digest detailed: 

There’s one Disney ride that has (or has had) a version at every major Disney resort, plus an online version, as well as a version (more or less) in the defunct DisneyQuest arcade. Surprisingly, it’s not one of the rides that’s been around since the beginning. It’s a ride that debuted in 1998. The Disney park ride that’s seen the most different iterations is Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin.

You’ll find the original version of this ride in the Magic Kingdom’s Tomorrowland. It’s an interactive dark ride; riders help Buzz Lightyear defend the galaxy from Emperor Zurg and his evil toy-sabotaging army. Each ride vehicle is equipped with a laser blaster for each rider, and guests actually get points based on how many targets they hit. Get the maximum score, 999,999 points—yes, it is possible—and you’ll become the stuff of Disney legend. 

image via wikimedia commons

Reno, Nevada, proclaimed itself to be the “divorce capital of the world”, becoming a haven for people who wish to cut ties with the person to who they once promised forever with. Reno allows divorcees to establish residency in six weeks, and instantly processes the divorce papers no matter the reason for the split. Time magazine shares the history of how Reno built its reputation over the years: 

The practice of seeking divorce in Reno dates back to the early 20th century, when the city shrewdly built lodging and entertainment steps from its courthouse, drawing a steady flow of “divorce tourists” looking to escape the East Coast press. By the 1950s, by which time Reno’s divorce laws had further loosened, a thriving economy had evolved for the sole purpose of meeting divorcees’ needs while they waited — and, indeed, Reno relied on the divorce trade to keep her coffers full.

That the majority of Reno divorce-seekers were women reflects the fact that men had jobs that kept them home, though many women found work in Reno, either by choice or necessity. A steady need for waitresses, laundresses, card dealers, clerks, maids and even ranch hands meant a girl could arrive with next to nothing and earn enough to pay her way. For many women, this was the first time they had money of her own to manage and spend.

image via wikimedia commons

When a country wins a bid to host a big sports event, that country must make sure to show the best version of itself to the world. They should be willing to spend huge amounts of money to host a big sports event. Qatar, who will host the 2022 World Cup, is no exception. Qatar has built 16 new hotels for the upcoming World Cup. These hotels are designed to float on water, will boast 101 rooms each, and remain docked on Qetaifan Island North near Lusail International Stadium. The 236-feet-long by 52-feet wide hotels cost $45 billion to build, as FastCompany detailed: 

“These floating hotels are kind of hybrid buildings as the design solutions are a mix of marine and landside building technologies,” says Mikael Hedberg, CEO of Admares Group. “The structure is made out of steel and is built according to marine regulations.” With the Persian Gulf as the location, these alternative dwellings look like minimalist yachts, equal parts function and luxury. In this sense, the four-story floating developments, which each have a restaurant and lounge bar, are a natural addition to the broader architectural language of Qatar—known for both its historical Islamic limestone structures and futuristic skyscrapers.

image credit: Admares via FastCompany

There is now a new way of creating 3D objects “in record time”. Researchers from Switzerland's Ecole polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed this new method. The method uses the principle of tomography, displaying a representation of a cross section through a solid object via x-rays or ultrasound. An object to be created using this new method would form a solid structure in a photosensitive resin in one go, unlike the traditional 3D printing method, which prints an object segment by segment. Engadget has more details: 

"It's all about the light," explains Paul Delrot, CTO of Readily3D, the company that has been set up to develop and market the system. "The laser hardens the liquid through a process of polymerization. Depending on what we're building, we use algorithms to calculate exactly where we need to aim the beams, from what angles, and at what dose."

The technology could have a wide range of uses, but its advantages over existing methods may assist medical experts. Researchers believe the process could be used, for instance, to make soft objects such as "tissue, organs, hearing aids and mouthguards." What's more, printing can take place inside sealed, sterile containers, preventing contamination.

"The system is currently capable of making two-centimeter structures with a precision of 80 micrometers, about the same as the diameter of a strand of hair," EPFL News adds. However, the team believe that could be increased to 15 centimeters in the future. "The process could also be used to quickly build small silicone or acrylic parts that don't need finishing after printing," says Christophe Moser, head of EPFL's Laboratory of Applied Photonics Devices.

image via Engadget

Dimitris Tsalkanis has recreated ancient Athens in 3D. This project took twelve years, which started when Tsalkanis was still a university student. The Athens-based photographer and animator realised that no one had attempted a complete 3D reconstruction of ancient Athens, so he did one himself. The culmination of the reconstruction of ancient Athens is at Ancient Athens 3D. The website features monuments from seven historical periods, as Hyperallergic detailed: 

 “This whole project continues to be and functions as a personal creation, without any official backing whatsoever,” said Tsalkanis. “Those who have at times contributed with their knowledge or advice, have done it for free and I am really grateful to them.”

Visitors to the site can browse reconstructions that date back as early as 1200 BCE, the Mycenaean period — or Bronze Age — through Classical Athens, featuring the rebuilds made necessary by the Greco-Persian War, and ages of occupation by Romans and Ottomans. Tsalkanis traces the evolution of sites like the Acropolis throughout the ages, the rise and fall of the city walls, the Agora, which served as center of city life, and various temples, libraries, and other fortifications.

image via Hyperallergic

Elodie Antoine creates anatomical forms from felt, lycra, and a lot of zippers. The different tissues in the human body are seen in the textiles she uses. Antoine believes that textiles are sensual and transformable, making them the perfect material for creating anatomical sculptures. Colossal has the details: 

From a young age, Antoine remembers a fondness for textiles, saying, “using it was obvious for me as both my parents were very interested in knitting and sewing—it was all around me.” She familiarized herself with classic sewing techniques, mastering them to create contemporary forms that transcend technique and fiber. Particularly interesting are her felt sculptures that take on the form of teeth, lower limbs, bones, and other peculiar organic forms. Antoine uses a kitchen knife to slice through the unassuming masses to reveal vibrant anatomical-like cross-sections.

image via Colossal

A very heartwarming moment indeed. Astronaut Christina Koch spent 328 days in space, away from her dog. When Koch finally returned, her dog, Sadie Lou lost its mind and welcomed her enthusiastically back home. To quote one of the comments on her Instagram post, the dog does love her to the moon and back. 

View this post on Instagram

Not sure who was more excited. Glad she remembers me after a year! That’s Sadie Lou, our LBD (little brown dog). Best breed for a best friend.

A post shared by Christina Hammock Koch (@astro_christina) on Feb 13, 2020 at 11:25am PST

image via Instagram

Ricky Davis spent fifteen years after being wrongfully convicted in the slaying of his housemate. Thanks to data from publicly available genealogical websites, the authorities were able to use the data to arrest a new suspect in the murder of Davis’ housemate. The technological development improves the terrible justice system, as The Guardian details:  

The El Dorado county district attorney, Vern Pierson, would not go into detail on the newly implicated suspect, who was a juvenile at the time of the slaying and by law must make at least his first appearances in juvenile court even though he is now in his 50s, but said he was one of three young men who had been with the victim’s teenage daughter on the night of the slaying.

Pierson said the developments are “two of the most dramatic extremes that you can experience”.

“On the one hand, we have the system working in the worst possible way. On the other hand, we have the evolution of technology in terms of genetic genealogy” that led to Davis being freed and a new suspect arrested this week, he said. “It is a surreal thing in a sense.”

image via The Guardian