The concept is simple — add ink to water. The results are extraordinary. The Macro Room captures the planets suspended in a tank of water as it's injected with colored ink, creating colors and shapes that mimic the space dust and stars of the Milky Way — the backdrop of our solar system.
It was a love affair, a cultural phenomenon, a shift in how Hollywood made movies — and brought a whole generation of kids to the stars. Football helmets became X-Wing lids, flashlights were lightsabers in darkened rooms, and looking up at the sky and wondering who was saving the galaxy was a legitimate question. 40 years after the release of Star Wars, here's a tribute to all the imaginations that were changed forever.
Mobile device customization is a rarity. Manufacturers might offer a few different colors and there are a plethora of cases, but you're probably carrying the same black or white rectangle in your pocket that everyone else is. But if you have a Samsung Galaxy S8, there's a DIY option that is sure to make you stand out in the crowd — JerryRigEverything's tutorial on making the back of the phone totally clear. Although it voids your warranty, it's also a call back to one of the best handheld gaming systems of all time. If you're brave enough to try it yourself, check ou the full walkthrough here.
Keep your beloved articles of clothing safe and protected on the go with the same care used on Savile Row in Arterton's Signature Garment Bag. It has a double-zipped opening for easy insertion and retrieval and is made from water-resistant, 12-ounce waxed cotton that protects while remaining foldable. Reinforced gussets and sewn button holes allow it to fit three garments at a time, and it can be paired with a travel handle and leather luggage attachment for greater in-transit versatility.
Don't let your tie be an afterthought. Don't go digging for that kitschy hand-me-down your dad not-so-kindly bestowed upon you — stock up on stylish, timeless, Italian-made ties from Aklasu instead. Alaksu's assortment of silk ties come in several finishes: grenadine, six-fold, and shantung. Grenadine, a weave known for its light, gauze-like feel, is a traditional Italian weave long associated with James Bond — stretching all the way back to when Sean Connery assumed the role. Somewhat forgotten by most men nowadays, picking it is an easy way to stand out from the crowd — and for the right reason, too, not because your tie has dogs or tiny beers on it. Whether you want an orange, blue, black, or burgundy tie, Aklasu likely offers it, and with the right proportions and fit.
It's a lesson nearly as old as film itself: Show the audience what you want them to know instead of explicitly telling them. Like the saying "actions speak louder than words", how a character reacts to situations gives a much sharper definition to the role than reeling off chunks of dialogue. In this video essay, Lessons from the Screenplay takes on the touchy subject of critiquing Rogue One and The Force Awakens, contrasting the character of Jin with Rey, and how Rey's far more active role in shaping the story makes her a more engaging character.
Elon Musk hates Los Angeles' infamously terrible traffic as much as anyone. While you might think his electric car company Tesla and his dream of fully autonomous cars might solve that problem, there isn't much that satisfies a supervillain. Now he wants to disrupt the construction industry with The Boring Company and build tunnels underneath cities to transport cars on electric sleds at speeds of up to 124 MPH. This demonstration video shows Elon's idea to relieve congestion in cities once and for all.
Sometimes bigger really is better. With a 24"-wide cooking area, the Ooni Koda 2 Max can easily cook massive 20" New York-style pies, or handle up to three 10" pizzas simultaneously. That size also makes room for two independently controlled gas burners and two 3/4′′ cordierite pizza stones, creating dual cooking zones. A front-mounted digital temperature display and app connectivity make monitoring the oven simple, G2 Gas Technology with tapered flames delivers more consistent heat, and the glass visor is removable to allow for cooking larger dishes. Available in propane and natural gas versions.
Sight is widely recognized as our strongest sense, but the sense of smell might be the most impactful. What is pleasing to the eye can easily be let down by scent — which Contieri wants to prevent with its Dinner Mirth perfume. An initial hit of incense and grapefruit grabs attention, warmed by bergamot and amber. Earthy notes of patchouli and rugged birch are finished with a base of musk, ambergris, ambroxan, and oud — all for an evening not soon to be forgotten.
Close-ups, medium shots, long shots, panning shots, tracking shots, zooms, dolly zooms — there are a million different ways to shoot a scene. That makes trying to categorize and then pick the best of each a monumental task, one which Cinefix is up too. In the first part of their Best Shots of All Time, they work through the close-up, medium, long, extreme close-up, and extreme long shots in their search.
Mathematics and art are two things that aren't usually thought of as going together. The geometric spirals of Stanford professor John Edmark combine the two in animated sculptures that seem to bloom and fade and bloom again — a never-ending cycle of life captured in a time-lapse. SciFri visited John to discuss his process, inspiration and the role of math in his art.