Month: October 2016

If you’re one of those people that spends a lot of time crafting the perfect Halloween costume, you’re going to want to properly document the finished product—or have the finished product document things for you. The costume-centric holiday is a day-long photo-op, and a few years ago, Instructables user tylercard discovered that instead of lugging his camera around, he could just wear it. In 2011, he created a fantastic camera costume that actually takes pictures. 

The giant DSLR camera was crafted out of simple products like Plexiglas, duct tape, and cardboard, and the resulting design sits comfortably over the torso, with the shutter button on the shoulder for easy access. Surprisingly, the whole project only cost $35 to make. If you want to create your own functional costume, you can see the whole tutorial here.

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The Case for Duck Soup and the Greatest Monologue in Movie History. Much funnier than Hamlet talking to a skull.
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22 Tips For Finding A College Where You’ll Actually Thrive. Do your homework now, so you won’t stress out later.
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The 10 Best Vacations You’ll Never Get to Take. These landmarks are just no longer there.
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How We Describe Books When We Can’t Remember the Title or Author. Artist Marina Luz has been in that situation, and created a series of images she calls IF I DON’T FIND THIS BOOK I WILL DIE.
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Here’s What Goodwill Actually Does With Your Donated Clothes. Only a fraction is sold at your local thrift store.
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How a Big Mac Can Teach You About the World Economy. The burger’s price varies, but not as much as its affordability around the world.
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How to survive a special needs marriage. An essay on what “for better or worse” really means.
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5 Scary Places and the Legends Behind Them. Would you dare to visit?

Writers love to read, so it’s no surprise that their fictional characters often have a book in hand. myprint247, a UK-based commercial printing business, culled an assortment of imaginary tomes referenced in books, movies, TV shows, and video games, and listed them all in the infographic below.

As Co.Create points out, the infographic’s title is a tad misleading. All of these books are fictional to us, but within the confines of a make-believe universe, many of them would be viewed as non-fiction (take, for example, Hogwarts: A History). Technicalities aside, the titles provide a fascinating insight into their owners’ worlds and lives. Browse the fictional works and see which ones might catch your eye at a real-life bookstore or library.

[h/t Adweek]

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Martin Riese doesn’t have to worry about not drinking enough water. He’s a certified water sommelier, spending his days tasting different kinds of H2O. He attends international water-tasting competitions, and can tell you all about the composition of different tap waters—because no water is “pure,” per se, and every kind has different levels of dissolved solids.

“It’s not just about taste; it’s even about my eyes and my nose,” he says in this short movie from MEL Films. He takes at least two sips when he’s tasting, one “as a normal person would do it” and one swishing it around his mouth to add oxygen and really evaluate the taste. He’s looking for distinctive water, like one “literally insane” variety, which he says tastes fruity and tropical. Again, these aren’t flavored beverages, just water.

Still don’t get how anyone could make their life as an expert water drinker? Let Riese and his fellow water sommeliers explain the profession in the video above.

[h/t Digg]

All images via YouTube

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Whether they’re said to trod through snow or skulk in swamps, stories of mysterious ape men are a common theme throughout the world. Hairy humanoid cryptids go by dozens of monikers—many have remained local legends (Skunk Ape, Yowie, Moehau aren’t exactly household names) while others have incited curiosity far beyond their supposed territories. A few mythical creatures that should sound familiar to skeptics and believers alike are the Yeti, Bigfoot, and the Abominable Snowman. While these beasts share plenty of similarities, each has a unique origin story.

Let’s start with the Yeti, the oldest legend of the bunch. Lore of a man-like beast in the Himalayas has its roots in pre-Buddhist religion. The Lepcha people recognized a supernatural “Glacier Being” as one of their hunting gods and the ruler of all the forest’s creatures. It wasn’t until later that an early version of the term “Yeti” emerged. Most experts believe it derives from a Sherpa word, possibly yeh-teh meaning “small, man-like animal” or meti meaning “bear.” The Yeti starred as the antagonist of many cautionary folk tales shared by the Sherpa people. In their legends, the creature was depicted as an apelike man who left large tracks in the snow.

The phrase Abominable Snowman appeared relatively recently, and was born out of a messy mistranslation. In 1921, a contributor to an Indian English-language newspaper interviewed explorers returning from the British Mount Everest Reconnaissance Expedition. They spoke of seeing large footprints on the mountain their guides attributed to Metoh-Kangmi. Kangmi translates to “Snowman” and Metoh to “Man-Bear”— the writer got the half of that equation right but misinterpreted metoh as “filthy.” Instead of writing “Filthy Snowman” he decided he liked the sound of “Abominable” better and the nickname stuck

“Abominable Snowman” and “Yeti” are basically different names for the same legend, but Bigfoot is a different beast altogether. Like the Yeti, Sasquatch, later dubbed “Bigfoot,” is believed to be a large, shaggy primate that walks upright like a man. The main difference between the two mythical animals is their location. While the Yeti belongs to Asia, Bigfoot is thought to be native to North America, specifically the Pacific Northwest. Tales of ape-like wild men inhabiting that region can be traced back to indigenous communities—“Sasquatch” is derived from sésquac, a Halkomelem word meaning “wild man”—but the name “Bigfoot” is a 20th century original invention.

Once again we have a creative journalist to thank for the popular title. In 1958, a man discovered large, unidentifiable footprints left near his bulldozer in Bluff Creek, California. He made a cast of the prints and got himself featured in the local paper. By this time people in the community were referring to the mysterious owner of the massive tracks as “Big Foot.” The writer of the article spelled it “Bigfoot” and the rest was history.

Despite originating thousands of miles apart, some modern-day believers suspect that the creatures belong to one species. One popular theory is that Bigfoot and the Abominable Snowman/Yeti are both Gigantopithecus, a polar bear-sized ape native to southern Asia believed to have gone extinct 300,000 years ago. While chances are slim that the species migrated to North America with its homo sapiens relatives, that hasn’t stopped many cryptozoology enthusiasts from wanting to believe.

Join the search for the Yeti with host Josh Gates on Expedition Unknown: Hunt for the Yeti, this Wednesday at 9/8c only on Travel Channel.

Just watch this video first, then read the words. Seriously. Follow the instructions and count how many times a player wearing white passes the ball:

Daniel Simons and Christopher Chabris study how the human mind works. In a series of test videos, they ask participants to perform a task, then at the end you’ll learn how you stacked up.

First is their most famous video, involving basketball passing. As the video explains, you’ll need to watch the players wearing white and count how many times they pass the ball (and note that there are two balls in play!). It takes a surprising amount of concentration. Concentrate and count. It only takes a minute:

How did you do?

Perhaps more importantly, would you like to try out more videos like this? Good, because Simons and Chabris have tons of them. One of my favorites is the movie perception test. Give it a shot:

If you’re into this stuff, check out the authors’ website, and their book about what these tests reveal.

Artists struggling to find inspiration might benefit from a session with Gravity Sketch. Instead of making computer animations by punching buttons on a keyboard, the technology allows users to fill the space around them with 3D designs.

The “paintbrushes” used by artists in this case are a pair of handheld controllers. When users wear a VR headset, they can use the devices to manipulate life-sized creations before their eyes. Their finished products can then be uploaded to a computer’s design program or sent to a 3D printer.

Ambitious doodlers aren’t the only people who might be interested in the tool—outside of the animation world, the program shows promise in the fields of fashion and automobile design. Gravity Sketch launched as a mobile app for iOS in March, and now the team behind it is turning to Kickstarter to develop versions for Windows, Mac, HTC Vive, and Oculus Rift. The project seeks to raise $64,814 in funding by October 29. If the campaign is successful, backers who pledge $32 or more can expect to receive full access to Gravity Sketch Desktop and VR by December.

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The first Rosh Hashanah supposedly occurred in the Garden of Eden. But what does this important Jewish holiday involve today?

1. IT LITERALLY TRANSLATES AS “HEAD OF THE YEAR.”

Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, can fall any time between the fifth of September and the fifth of October on the Gregorian Calendar. On the Jewish calendar, it is the first day of the month of Tishrei and marks the start of the High Holy Days (Yom Kippur occurs 10 days later). These days are also known as the days of awe, ushering in the final phase of atonement. The holiday celebrates the anniversary of the creation of the world, which according to Jewish tradition was 4777 years ago.

2. FOR THE MONTH BEFORE, JEWS ASK FOR FORGIVENESS FROM FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

In order to have a clean slate going into the New Year, Jews ask for forgiveness from those close to them. The idea here is that God cannot forgive transgressions against people until those wronged have forgiven.

3. TRADITIONALLY, ROSH HASHANAH HAPPENS OVER TWO DAYS.

These days are combined into the yoma arichta, or “long day.” At sunset on the first evening, candles are lit by the lady of the house. Then blessings are recited: a traditional holiday blessing over the candles, followed by the shehecheyanu, a thanksgiving prayer for special occasions. Both evenings also feature a festive meal.

4. UNLIKE DECEMBER 31, THE JEWISH NEW YEAR IS A TIME OF SERIOUS REFLECTION AND REPENTANCE.

Even Jews who go to synagogue at no other time of year will often go on the high holidays, which include Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Religious poems called piyyutim are recited and a special high holy day prayer book called the machzor is used. The service is often longer than Sabbath services, and centers around the theme of God’s sovereignty, remembrance, and blasts of the shofar (see below).

5. DESPITE NOT BEING A HUGE PARTY, JEWS ARE EXPECTED TO ENJOY THE YOM TOV, OR HOLIDAY.

People often get fresh haircuts and new clothes in order to celebrate. The tradition is to wear white clothing as a sign of purity and renewal. Some avoid wearing red, since it’s the color of blood.

6. ACCORDING TO THE TALMUD, ON ROSH HASHANAH, GOD INSCRIBES EVERYONE’S NAMES INTO ONE OF THREE BOOKS.

The metaphorical understanding is that good people go into the Book of Life, and evil ones into the Book of Death; those who are in the middle are put in an intermediate one and have judgment put off until Yom Kippur. Since virtually no one is all good or all evil, you’re supposed to assume you fall somewhere in the middle, and in order to be inscribed in the Book of Life for the coming year, it is important to do everything possible to atone before Yom Kippur.

7. THE SOUNDING OF THE SHOFAR IS THE MOST ICONIC IMAGE OF THIS HOLIDAY.

The shofar is a ram’s horn that is curved and bent. It is hollowed out and blown during religious ceremonies to make three different sounds. Hearing it is meant to call you to repent.

8. WHILE SOME JEWISH HOLIDAYS INVOLVE FASTING, ROSH HASHANAH INVOLVES A FEAST.

It is traditional to eat apples dipped in honey to represent having a sweet year ahead. A round challah bread symbolizes the cycle of the year (another interpretation is that it represents a crown and thus God’s sovereignty). Sometimes a fish, or just its head, is included, possibly to represent that as fish cannot survive without water, Jews cannot survive without the Torah. Pomegranates contain many seeds, which have long been associated with the commandments that Jews follow, so by eating them they remind themselves to be good in the coming year. Other common foods include dates, leeks, gourds, and black-eyed peas, all of which are mentioned in the Talmud as foods to eat on New Year’s.

9. SOME BRANCHES OF JUDAISM PARTICIPATE IN THE RITUAL OF TASHLIKH, OR “CASTING OFF.”

The ritual involves standing near water, like a river, and reciting prayers. Then participants symbolically cast away their sins by throwing bread crumbs or stones into the water. This is supposedly derived from the Biblical passage “You will cast all their sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:19), although most Jewish sources trace it back to 15th century Germany. In New York City, large groups gather on the Brooklyn Bridge, while in Israel—where there is much less open water—people might use something as small as a fish pond.

10. THERE ARE VARIOUS TRADITIONAL GREETINGS FOR ROSH HASHANAH.

L’Shana Tova Tea-ka-tayvu is Hebrew for “May you be inscribed for a good year,” referring to that person’s name being put in the Book of Life. This is often shortened to Shana Tova, which just means “Good Year.” This isn’t to be confused with wishing each other a “Happy New Year.” Happy implies a level of superficiality, while the Jewish wish for a good year hopes the person will achieve their purpose.

11. THE HAVDALAH PRAYER IS PERFORMED AS NIGHT FALLS ON THE SECOND AND LAST DAY.

It involves saying blessings over a full cup of kosher wine or grape juice, although other drinks can be used in a pinch. After this, Rosh Hashanah is over.

We’ve all seen photos of astronauts wearing those big bulky white space suits on spacewalks. Technically they’re called Extravehicular Mobility Units. What we don’t often see is how astronauts put those things on.

The process involves a lot of layers. You start with a diaper (yes, really), then cotton long-johns, then a liquid cooling suit, then the “Snoopy Cap” with dual microphones, then cotton gloves, onward to miscellaneous pads (including shoulder pads), then finally the actual big white suit (which goes on legs first, then the top part, then the helmet, then the gloves).

It’s a heck of a lot of work.

In this video, Norm from Tested visits NASA’s Neutral Buoyancy Lab to check out the whole process. For bonus points, he checks out a bunch of space tools used to work in zero-G—safely tethered to the astronaut, of course. This is dozens of small steps for men. And women. Behold:

Further viewing: the Tested image gallery featuring NASA’s EMU.