Month: October 2016

Fireworks are meant to be viewed on dry land, which explains why the underwater detonation of an M1000 in the video above amounts to nothing more than a pathetic pop. At least that’s what it looks like in real time. The Slow Mo Guys decided to up the entertainment factor significantly by filming the 0.01004-second process at 120,000 frames per second. The result is an explosion that expands into a glittering ball of light before imploding like a dying star. It should go without saying that setting off explosives in a fish tank shouldn’t be tried at home—Dan and Gavin have plenty of experience handling dangerous situations.

[h/t Nerdist]

All images: The Slow Mo Guys/YouTube

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Halloween is coming up, and you’re going to want to pick the perfect theme for you and your date—your date being your dog, of course. (Last year, it was estimated that Americans would spend around $350 million on their pets’ costumes. We know you were one of those people.) Make sure you and your furry friend have an on-point theme when you start trick-or-treating. We have some ideas that are pretty easy to assemble yourself, but we also included some links to pre-made costumes, since we know your dog is just useless with the sewing machine.

1. POKEMON

My dog Teddy & I cosplay together – here we are at Pop Expo as Ash & Pikachu!!

Name a more iconic duo than Ash and Pikachu… we’ll wait. Dressing like the Pokemon character Ash Ketchum might be a decent costume on its own, but it really comes together if you carry around a tiny Pikachu.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

2. GHOSTBUSTERS

If there’s something strange in the neighborhood, it’s probably your dog. Mischievous pets will look great dressed in a green Slimer costume. Grab your best pair of tan coveralls and try to keep your furry ghost in line.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

3. KATY PERRY AND LEFT SHARK

OK, this reference is a little old, but it’s possibly old enough to be a fun throwback idea. Besides, can you imagine anything better than a dog dressed like Katy Perry? Such a cute pup deserves the right backup dancer to move just out of time with the beat.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

4. FAST FOOD

When you hit the Halloween party, people are going to be like “who is that hot dog?” They might also ask about that intriguingly tall sleeve of French fries. “Calm down, everyone,” you’ll say. “There’s plenty of fries to go around.”

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

5. LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD AND GRANDMOTHER

Grandma, what big teeth you have! Dress your dog up like a grandmother, and they’ll look just like the Big Bad Wolf. With a Red Riding Hood outfit, you two will be a fairytale couple.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume (cap) (sweater)

6. SNOW WHITE AND THE POISON APPLE

Dogs and Snow White actually have a lot in common: They’re both great with other animals, and they’ll eat food from strangers without a second thought. While your dog wears the iconic Disney outfit, you can be the poison apple that does her in.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

7. PILGRIM AND TURKEY

Once Halloween ends, it’s time to get into the Thanksgiving spirit. If you can’t wait even one extra day to jump into Fall, dress your dog like a turkey and gobble up all the treats you get together.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

8. UNICORN AND RAINBOW

Every unicorn needs a rainbow to leap over. You can wear this comically large rainbow on your shoulders while your dog tries not to look too embarrassed in this purple unicorn getup.

Find it: Human costume; Dog costume

9. 1920S DUO

Relive the glitz and glamor (and organized crime) of the ’20s with a flapper and gangster outfit. Your pooch will look dashing in a pinstripe suit that would make even Al Capone envious.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

10. KETCHUP AND MUSTARD

Ketchup and mustard are great together, just like you and your dog. You’ll be the big bottle of ketchup to your dog’s small mustard packet. Now you just need to find that duo dressed like the hot dog and fries …

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

11. TOURISTS

You and your pup can pretend to be heading straight to a tropical vacation after the party. Your dog can wear this fun tourist costume and you can create your own with a Hawaiian shirt, lei, and beachcomber hat.

12. MAGICIAN AND RABBIT

What’s a magician without a beautiful, furry assistant? You can wear a hat and cape to create the look of a magician while your dog begrudgingly dons a pair of floppy ears. Just don’t try to pull Fido out of a hat.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

13. HAMBURGLAR HEIST

The Hamburglar would be just a regular crook if it weren’t for his precious, tasty loot. This time the stolen burger is actually your dog, but the love connection is just as strong.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume 

14. UPS DELIVERY

Get this costume for a reliable child in your life and this costume for a dog to keep them from eating all the candy. If you’re looking for an adult option, try these brown coveralls and sew on a UPS patch.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

15. DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

Every princess needs a fierce dragon around, right? This pink princess outfit and dragon onesie will be the perfect ensemble for parties, trick-or-treating, or Renaissance fairs.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

16. DEVILED EGGS

Get it? OK, it’s a weak pun, but you’ll definitely be a cute duo dressed as a devil and an egg. At least it’s a slight step up from those non-punny bacon and egg couple costumes.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

17. SKELETON CREW

The beauty of this costume is the simplicity—just pick up a couple of skeleton suits, and you and your pup are good to go. You can also include other friends (human, canine, or otherwise) to create a whole boney crew.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

18. JFK AND JACKIE O

You and your dog can emulate this presidential power couple pretty easily: All you need is a canine suit and a pink skirt suit with a pillbox hat.

Find it: Human costume, Dog costume

Since its initial release this summer, a video game called Inside has been getting a lot of buzz. The eerie puzzle-based game by Playdead follows a young boy in a red shirt exploring an eerie, mostly monochromatic world filled with animals, nameless creatures, lifeless-but-mobile bodies. The player must thwart authorities, avoid danger, and move through the dreary world undetected. Inside is mostly silent, with the exception of some heavy breathing, echoes, and well-placed, surreal music. The score is about as hair-raising as the game itself and with good reason: It was all filtered through a human skull.

Composer and sound designer Martin Stig Andersen is responsible for the creepy tunes. After acquiring an actual human skull, he filtered the soundtrack through it to create some music that was initially “quite bad.” After some tinkering, the audio designer was able to create the perfect ambient music to properly match the tone of the video game.

“Early on, as we were working on Inside, I had the idea of working with a human skull because I think it’s very interesting how the sound of your own voice sounds very different in your own head,” Andersen told Gamasutra. “People are often shocked when they hear themselves recorded, because things sound totally different inside your head. Things sound much softer in there, more full, in a way. This is because a large part of what you hear is your voice resonating inside your body, in your jawbone for example.”

While playing creepy music with the help of an actual skull might seem a little on-the-nose, you can’t argue with the results. The music captures the essence of the game perfectly.

“I think because of the game’s aesthetics, I kind of felt it should be associated with ’80s B-movie soundtracks—cheap yet cool soundtracks,” Andersen told Gamasutra.

[h/t Engadget]

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The Work and Family Scale. For women who already have it all. Contains NSFW language.
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How do you remove caffeine from coffee? There are several methods, all very complicated.
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Inside the New York Public Library’s Last, Secret Apartments. There are only 13 left; too bad they are crumbling.
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Whiz Kids. Extremely important research findings about urine.
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A Strange “Cold Earth” Spot in China Stays Frozen Through Scorching Summers. There’s permafrost further south than any should exist.
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How Medieval Agriculture Techniques Saved My Farm. Livestock first, then agriculture.
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Ruth’s Chris Steak House is practically giving away food after Facebook blunder. They didn’t foresee the biggest margin of victory in decades of college football.
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The Bell Witch of Tennessee. Read about the Tennessee farm that was haunted by rumors.

At 19 years old, Rosalee Ramer is the world’s youngest professional female monster truck driver. She began competing in events at age 14, and today the young motorist is a mechanical engineering student at Georgia Tech, where she’s busy creating the monster truck of her dreams. Watch Great Big Story’s video above to see Ramer in action as she conquers both the monster truck arena and the engineering lab.

[h/t Great Big Story]

Banner image: YouTube

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Your baby’s first Halloween is a wonderful introduction to the world of children’s dress-up. You can let your imagination run wild, because an infant is too young to object to the costume you decide on. Enjoy some adorable babies showing off their costumes.

1. DAVID BOWIE

“Hey babe, your hair’s alright Hey babe, let’s go out tonight” Happy Halloween, Rebel, Rebel! Thanks for having fun with Henry through all his “changes” this Halloween season! #henryindiana #henryshalloweencountdown #31daysofhalloween #davidbowie #rebelrebel #thinwhiteduke #diamonddogs #glambaby #babyhalloweencostume #babybowie #rockandroll

A photo posted by Johnny Miller (@johnnydeckermiller) on Oct 31, 2015 at 10:12am PDT

Johnny Miller’s son was David Bowie for his first Halloween last year. This little “Rebel Rebel” has gone through some “Changes” since then.

2. RIPLEY WITH EXOSKELETON

Redditor rdt156’s friend Jason went all out for his daughter’s first Halloween. She is Ripley, from the movie Aliens, and her dad is the Power Loader exoskeleton that she uses to defeat the alien queen.

3. STAY PUFT MARSHMALLOW BABY

My first custom figure – stay puft marshmallow baby #ghostbusters

A photo posted by Dan Milano (@danmilano) on Nov 21, 2012 at 6:07pm PST

Robot Chicken writer/voice actor Dan Milano went all out for his daughter’s first Halloween in 2012. She was just a baby, but as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man, she towered over Manhattan and the entire Ghostbusters cast.

4. THE LITTLEST MERMAID

#HANDMADE Crochet Baby Mermaid Outfit, Baby Mermaid Costume, Baby Mermaid Tail, Mermaid Ph https://t.co/w09l3Zyqal pic.twitter.com/2pgQRirXpz

— hippy girl (@hippygirl20) September 24, 2016

Justine Galbraith knits and crochets adorable baby clothes, which are available for purchase through her Etsy shop YarnForLittles. She made this adorable mermaid costume for an infant that includes a starfish headband, bandeau top, and mermaid tail.

5. CHEWBACCA

Probably the best thing I’ve ever made. #chewbacca #starwars #babychewbacca #babyhalloweencostume #halloween2015

A photo posted by Stephanie Burgess (@tuesdayswithmarshall) on Oct 31, 2015 at 4:41pm PDT

Little Marshall is ready to battle a Sith Lord in his homemade Chewbacca costume. Stephanie Burgess says this is the second best thing she’s ever made. This year, it looks as if he has joined the Dark Side.

6. NECKBEARD

Redditor buterbetterbater said he was going to dress his infant daughter as a neckbeard, the stereotype of redditors that members have humorously embraced, for Halloween this year. He followed through by posting the completed costume: She has the requisite fedora (with hair attached), katana, Anonymous shirt, cape, and quasi-beard. Others in the forum suggested she carry Cheetos and a Mountain Dew.

7. LOBSTER IN A POT

She’s my loooooobster #babyhalloweencostume #firsthalloween #babylobster

A photo posted by Grissel Aguirre (@grisselaguirre) on Nov 1, 2015 at 7:09am PST

Grissel Aguirre created a mother-daughter costume last year to show off her culinary skills. The baby is just delicious! However, she escaped the pot.

8. POPCORN

If your baby will be trick-or-treating in a carrier, you can use that as a starting point for a clever costume. Kate Eckstein made a popcorn bag from felt and hot glue to tote Owen around on his first Halloween in 2010.

9. SLASH

Relax it’s just dax as @slash ? #babydaxel #slash #babyhalloweencostume #gunsNroses #babydaxel

A video posted by ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ DAXΞL VAUGHN FRiΞDMAN (@castledaxel) on Oct 26, 2015 at 2:14pm PDT

We would recognize this little rock star anywhere. Daxel Vaughn Friedman was barely old enough to walk last year, but he pulled off playing the guitarist like a boss. We all wish we had a hat like that.

10. SCUBA DIVER

Looking for #HalloweenCostume this year for your baby? Try this #DIY Scuba Diver Costume. So simple and adorable! https://t.co/R9K7IKGRyh pic.twitter.com/8hoPHObVLy

— Irina David (@lovemykids009) September 23, 2016

Mackenzie at I Love My Kids dressed up her son as a scuba diver for his first Halloween a couple of years ago—with a DIY costume that cost less than $5 altogether. She explained how she did it: The breathing apparatus is a pacifier connected to a painted Pepsi bottle “air tank.” A few other details made it not only recognizable, but adorable, too.

11. HERE COMES THE JUDGE

I just had to share this adorable costume! One of our wonderful customers purchased a cap and gown for her baby’s Halloween costume as a judge! Isn’t it soooo cute!!??? Happy Halloween everyone! Thank you Julie H. for sharing your sweet baby with us! #keepsakekids #babyhalloweencostume #halloweencostume

A photo posted by Kinder Keepsakes (@kinderkeepsakes) on Oct 31, 2015 at 6:13pm PDT

Julie H. shared a picture of her baby dressed as a judge for Halloween last year. She purchased a graduation cap and gown, then substituted a cotton ball wig and lacy tie for the cap. Add a gavel and you have a thoroughly judicious infant.

12. BABY GROOT

S7ar-lord’s son got the Baby Groot treatment last Halloween. His wife is Etsy seller Summer Wood, who knows a thing or two about making costumes and accessories.

13. TINKERBELL

Clap if you believe in fairies!!!!! With halloween fast approaching are you costume ready? Pixie tutus complete with wings available now. Whether it be Tink or one of her pixie hollow pals we can make the perfect fairy tutu just for you. #whenmermaidsdream #etsyshop #etsy #tutudress #tutu #handmadewithlove #customorderswelcome #createyourowntutu #oneofakind #funwithtutus #fairies #disney #birthdaypresents #babyshowergifts #toddlertutus #pixie #pixiepower #dressup #tinkerbell #pixiehollow #peterpan #halloween #halloweencostumes #babyhalloweencostume #fairywings

A photo posted by When Mermaids Dream (@whenmermaidsdream) on Sep 14, 2016 at 11:41pm PDT

Katie O’Hagan makes tutus of all sizes and colors at her Etsy store WhenMermaidsDream, so you can let your imagination run wild. This tiny Tinkerbell dress is just one of the many magical costumes she has for infants and little princesses.

14. MAVERICK AND GOOSE

These twins went trick-or-treating as Maverick and Goose, the Navy pilots from Top Gun, in their very own fighter jet.