Computer-generated images and videos are getting harder to detect, to the point that we can’t tell whether these deepfakes are fake at all! While there isn’t a trick we can use to easily discern if these resources are fake or not, a new AI tool was able to spot the difference between real images and deepfakes. The AI looks at the light reflected in the eyes, as the Next Web details: 

The system was created by computer scientists from the University at Buffalo. In tests on portrait-style photos, the tool was 94% effective at detecting Deepfake images.

The system exposes the fakes by analyzing the corneas, which have a mirror-like surface that generates reflective patterns when illuminated by light.

In a photo of a real face taken by a camera, the reflection on the two eyes will be similar because they’re seeing the same thing. But Deepfake images synthesized by GANs typically fail to accurately capture this resemblance.

Instead, they often exhibit inconsistencies, such as different geometric shapes or mismatched locations of the reflections.

The AI system searches for these discrepancies by mapping out a face and analyzing the light reflected in each eyeball.

It generates a score that serves as a similarity metric. The smaller the score, the more likely the face is a Deepfake.

Image via the Next Web 

Well, I didn't expect this to actually exist, but here we are. Would you buy a scent bottle of your favorite anime girl’s feet? I …honestly wouldn’t, but hey, if there’s a line dedicated to anime girl feet scents, then there must be people out there who would buy them, right? If you’re curious as to what the hell these scents are, watch sydsnap and Shibuya Kaho as they try 50+ of these ‘special scents.’

Creativity has no bounds, regardless of the material used for artistic endeavors. Japanese artist Shiroi proves that sculptures can be made from fragile pencil lead sticks, with his  intricate pencil-lead sculptures of things like buildings, logos, weapons, tools, cartoon characters, household items, and more. His talent in creating these sculptures from graphite has attracted fans on Twitter and Instagram, where he posts his creations: 

According to Oddity Central, Shiroi took his first steps into pencil carving after getting inspired by celebrity Japanese pencil carver Toshiyuki Yamazaki as he was featured on a television segment.

Since catching a glimpse of the master's talent on screen around seven years ago, Shiroi has tried his best to emulate the same level of intricacy and craftsmanship in his own carvings – an incredibly challenging task considering the brittle nature of pencil lead and the extremely limited surface area afforded to the artist.

Clearly, Shiroi's perseverance has paid off. Taking a look at some of his creations will show just how much care and attention the artist has put into his work. From Cloud Strife's Buster Sword and Sora's Keyblade to imitations of Big Ben and miniature versions of household items like cutlery and furniture, all of his work features a significant level of accuracy and detail.

Image via Mashable 

Rumors are now circulating on the Internet that Nintendo is set to reveal a new model of their successful console, the Nintendo Switch, with improvements. Bloomberg reports that the company plans to unveil the new model in hopes that the "larger touchscreen can prop up demand in time for the holidays." The new model will have a bigger OLED display and will be able to output 4K ultra-high definition graphics when in docked mode, as IGN details: 

For reference, the current Nintendo Switch model features a 6.2-inch, 720p-resolution screen. This new screen would look as if you extended the current Switch's screen that replaced most of the black bezel around it.

“The OLED panel will consume less battery, offer higher contrast and possibly faster response time when compared to the Switch’s current liquid-crystal display,” said Yoshio Tamura, co-founder of display consultancy DSCC.

The report also claims that Nintendo has decided to go with rigid OLED panels for this new model, a "cheaper but less flexible alternative to the type commonly used for high-end smartphones."

Image via wikimedia commons

Out of all the new and advanced camera models on the market, these photographers are going old school and taking their photos with Nintendo’s Game Boy Camera. That’s right, the low-res, pixelated, black and white photos you take from the device made for the game console. The Game Boy Camera was released in 1998, and now, people are enhancing its capabilities with mods. Input Magazine features five photographers who still use the camera today. Check the full piece here.  

Image via Input Magazine 

A new study published in Science Advances suggests that the ancient memorization technique called “method of Loci” is good for both short and long-term memory. Led by neuroscientist Isabella Wagner from Radboud University Medical Center in the Netherlands, the study discovered that the method also rewires the brain, allowing for improved storage and retrieval of long-term memories. But what is the “method of Loci?” Gizmodo has the details: 

Imagine the route you typically take to the grocery store. Now imagine the many identifiable landmarks that exist between your home and the store—like a specific garden, stop sign, or gas station.

Take these landmarks and associate them with things you’re trying to remember, such as the items on your grocery list. So for the garden, let’s assign mustard. For the stop sign, we’ll add ketchup, and for the gas station, we’ll use relish. Once at the grocery store, you’ll be able to recall these items simply by re-imagining your trip to the grocery store and the associated landmarks.

Image via Gizmodo 

Archaeologists have discovered a tiled floor that belonged in an ancient Roman villa. Estimated to date back to 1-2 A.D., the flooring is composed of marble from multiple empirical provinces that’s inlaid to the foundation. The design of the marble floor is called opus sectile, which was common during ancient times, as the Colossal details: 

During their dig, archaeologists also uncovered plaster sheets that had caved in on the impeccably preserved tiles featuring classic frescoes on red and black panels. Lines score the back of the decorative pieces, which would have helped them adhere to the earthen walls. Other findings indicate that this domu, along with another nearby, were particularly lavish and featured a private bath, a concrete floor speckled with decorative gemstones, and a large central fountain made from Carrara white marble. One room even had remains of hypocaust heating, an inventive system that sent hot air underneath the flooring to warm the home. 

Image via the Colossal 

Hey, animals are smart too! This cuttlefish proves the intelligence of non-human species by passing a new version of a cognitive test. The marshmallow test, a cognitive test designed for children, was adjusted to test a cuttlefish’s intelligence, as ScienceAlert details: 

A child is placed in a room with a marshmallow. They are told if they can manage not to eat the marshmallow for 15 minutes, they'll get a second marshmallow, and be allowed to eat both.

This ability to delay gratification demonstrates cognitive abilities such as future planning, and it was originally conducted to study how human cognition develops; specifically, at what age a human is smart enough to delay gratification if it means a better outcome later.

However, the cuttlefish isn’t the first animal to pass the test of delayed gratification! Other animals have also been trained and were able to pass the test: 

Because it's so simple, it can be adjusted for animals. Obviously you can't tell an animal they'll get a better reward if they wait, but you can train them to understand that better food is coming if they don't eat the food in front of them straight away.

Some primates can delay gratification, along with dogs, albeit inconsistently. Corvids, too, have passed the marshmallow test.

Image via ScienceAlert 

This Australian octopus was caught  trying on a discarded cap on camera by diver Jules Casey. Casey’s footage shows the octopus trying to fit its whole body inside the cap, and then giving up and scuttling away on the seafloor. I suggest watching the entire footage, because it’s both fascinating and adorable. Check the video here. 

Image screenshot via Flipboard 

A Connecticut man’s yard sale purchase turned out to be a grand bargain of a lifetime. The unnamed man bought a small blue and white porcelain bowl with floral motifs for just $35. Thinking that it could be an antique piece, he had the bowl examined, and it turns out the bowl was a Ming dynasty porcelain bowl from the early 15th-century Yongle period. The bowl is estimated to be worth around $300,000 to $500,000!

To an untrained eye, the porcelain bowl may appear like a relatively modern product. However, by examining the quality of the porcelain, glaze, and floral motifs, experts were able to pinpoint its creation to the rule of the Yongle Emperor. This period from 1403 to 1424 is considered one of the finest periods of Chinese Imperial porcelain production. This small bowl (about six inches in diameter) was likely made for use in the courts of this Ming dynasty ruler. The brilliant blue designs were created during a period of experimentation in cobalt techniques with rigid quality control. Hence, the small “lotus bowl” (named for its shape) is an almost-unparalleled example of craftsmanship.

The floral designs on the bowl bear resemblance to motifs depicted in the Islamic Middle East. In cobalt, lotus, peony, chrysanthemum, and pomegranate blossoms surround the vessel. The porcelain of the Yongle period was traded throughout the world, reaching lands in the Middle East and East Africa. However, according to experts at Sotheby's, it would have been rare to find such a small piece outside of China, as mostly larger pieces were sent abroad. Despite the broad reach of trade routes, Chinese porcelain was a rare luxury in Europe. The first piece is though to have arrived in the 14th century. It would not be until the 18th century that European manufacturers managed to create their own porcelain vessels.

Image via My Modern Met 

Thanks a lot, climate change. The iconic Pacific Coast Highway in California is at risk of collapsing entirely as parts of the road have been falling into the ocean after intense rainstorms. Erosion expert Gary Griggs says that the road’s days are numbered, as another 150-foot piece of the highway broke off, according to the state’s Department of Transportation:

Repairs are scheduled to be complete in early summer. For now, travelers must turn around when they reach the gaping hole – there's no bypass in that remote stretch of road.

As global temperatures warm because of human-caused climate change, Griggs says the conditions that lead to this kind of damage will only increase. 

The PCH's days are numbered, Griggs said. It's "inevitable” one day the fixes and repairs won't be enough or will be too costly to save the highway.

Image via USA Today 

Dance show enthusiasts in Japan can now watch performances live with the necessary precautions and adjustments made. Japanese dance company Moonlight Mobile Theater was able to come up with a way to bring its live audience back to their shows while maintaining the proper health protocols. The viewers sit in separate cubicles surrounding the stage, where they can watch the dancers perform via the letter-drop slots provided on their seats: 

“We intentionally created small holes and slots resembling mailbox slots,” said Nobuyoshi Asai, the theatre’s artistic director and choreographer, explaining how limiting the scope of viewing allows the audience to become more absorbed in the performance.

The theatre company began this peephole viewing in December after cancelling most of its shows last year because of the pandemic. Since December, all 12 of the peephole performances have sold out.

Though this response has been encouraging, only 30 people are allowed in the audience at each show. This does not cover the cost of the performance, including additional safety measures such as disinfecting the venue. Government subsidies barely help the company make ends meet.

While acknowledging the difficulties, Asai is steadfast in the advantages of this idea.

“If we don’t do it, artists will lose opportunities to dance and act,” he said. “We want to propose this as a model to bring audiences back to theatres.”

Image via Reuters 

It’s like the moving images in Harry Potter. Deep Nostalgia is an artificial intelligence (AI)-powered service that animates still photos. Offered by genealogy company MyHeritage, the software uses AI licensed from D-ID to create the effect that a still photo is moving. The application has taken over Twitter, with people using the service to create the creepiest fake videos.’ But how does Deep Nostalgia work  their magic? The Verge has the details: 

The program uses pre-recorded driver videos of facial movements and applies the one that works best for the still photo in question. Its intended purpose is to allow you to upload photos of deceased loved ones and see them in “action,” which seems like a lovely idea.

Users have to sign up for a free account on MyHeritage and then upload a photo. From there the process is automated; the site enhances the image before animating it and creating a gif. The site’s FAQ says it does not provide the photos to any third parties, and on its main page a message reads “photos uploaded without completing signup are automatically deleted to protect your privacy.”

Image via The Verge 

Yikes, we’re going full The Matrix now! Well, I’d be really scared if it was true that we’re living a simulation as robots use us for batteries. Physicist Hong Qin from the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) has created a computer algorithm to predict the orbits of planets in the solar system. From the data of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Ceres, and Jupiter orbits, the algorithm can predict other planetary orbits. But what does that have to do with proving that our reality is a simulation? Big Think details on Qin’s work: 

Qin's work takes the approach of using "discrete field theory," which he thinks is particularly well suited for machine learning, while somewhat difficult for "a current human" to understand. He explained that "a discrete field theory can be viewed as an algorithmic framework with adjustable parameters that can be trained using observational data." He added that "once trained, the discrete field theory becomes an algorithm of nature that computers can run to predict new observations."

According to Qin, discrete field theories go against the most popular method of studying physics today, which looks at spacetime as continuous. This approach was started with Isaac Newton, who invented three approaches to describing continuous spacetime, including Newton's law of motion, Newton's law of gravitation, and calculus.

Qin believes there are serious issues in modern research that stem from the laws of physics in continuous spacetime being expressed through differential equations and continuous field theories. If laws of physics were based on discrete spacetime, as Qin proposes, "many of the difficulties can be overcome."

If the world works according to discrete field theory, it would look like something out "The Matrix," made of pixels and data points.

Image via Big Think 

A ‘long, cylindrical object’ was spotted by an American Airlines flight crew over New Mexico during their flight from Cincinnati to Phoenix. The crew saw the unidentified flying object, which almost looked like a cruise missile as it zipped over their airplane. The FBI issued a statement after TMZ reached out to the organization  concerning the incident: 

When TMZ reached out to the FBI, spokesperson Frank Fisher said the Bureau is “aware of the reported incident.” He continued: “While our policy is to neither confirm nor deny investigations, the FBI works continuously with our federal, state, local, and tribal partners to share intelligence and protect the public.”

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) also released a short statement confirming the encounter:

A pilot reported seeing an object over New Mexico shortly after noon local time on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021. FAA air traffic controllers did not see any object in the area on their radarscopes.

Image via TMZ