Author: Shaunacy Ferro

During the World’s Fairs of the early 20th century, architects dreamed up what the future of home design could look like with the “House of the Future.” Some of these houses still exist, and in Palm Beach, Florida, you can actually live in one. The first-prize House of the Future from the 1939 World’s Fair (theme: “Building the World of Tomorrow”) is currently up for sale.

The Fore and Aft House was designed by the architect Belford Shoumate and built in 1940. The 5645-square-foot house is designed to look like a boat, and is situated just off the Palm Beach Intracoastal Waterway. In keeping with the ship theme, the long structure has porthole windows and an upper balcony with steamship-style railings.

The house was one of Shoumate’s first projects in Florida, where he lived for over 50 years after relocating from New York City. The designer helped reshape Palm Beach’s architecture to reflect Art Deco and other styles that provided some variety in contrast to the city’s ubiquitous Mediterranean Revival buildings. One of his other Palm Beach houses has been designated a city landmark.

The unique Fore and Aft House is currently priced at just under $8 million. Check out the interiors in the photos below:

All images courtesy TopRenRealEstateDeals.com.

In the grand scheme of things, it really hasn’t taken humans very long to conquer the world. Modern humans didn’t evolve until 200,000 years ago, and didn’t start moving out of Africa until 100,000 years ago. Now, we dominate most regions across the globe, reshaping our environment, and encroaching on the environment of other animals. The American Museum of Natural History visualized just how quickly humanity has spread across the planet in this video spotted by Digg.

Each 1 million people living in a particular area is represented by a yellow dot, and labeled badges show the rise of specific empires, as well as notable population-changing events, like the bubonic plague or world wars. Over the course of just a few minutes, you can watch just how humans spread out of Africa, across Eurasia, and into the Western Hemisphere. Though booming populations and the spread of megacities aren’t always positive developments, the timeline will at least give you an appreciation for humanity’s long-lasting dedication to exploration.

[h/t Digg]

Teaser image by NASA/NOAA/GSFC/Suomi NPP/VIIRS/Norman Kuring

A remarkably well-preserved shipwreck from 132 years ago has been located near the northern shores of Lake Superior, Minnesota’s Pioneer Press and Forum News Service report. In 1884, the 130-foot-long J.S. Seaverns sank near the Ontario harbor of Michipicoten, a dangerous area on the northeast side of the lake that had never been surveyed.

While leaving a stop at the port one May night, the 4-year-old ship struck a rock, and sunk while trying to get to shore. Luckily, the whole group of crew and passengers, 60 in all, survived. In addition to passengers, the Seaverns hauled freight shipments between lumber camps and railroad construction sites, and lost more than $30,000 worth of cargo when it went down.

The long-forgotten ship was located by a group of shipwreck enthusiasts using sonar in July. Their dives and camera footage show that much of the ship is still intact, including the wheel, some of the lower cabins, dishes still stacked in cupboards, and more. Most of the hull seems to be intact, too, and the divers couldn’t find the hole that sank her. Some of the freight the ship was carrying, like equipment for a planing mill, is still in good shape, too.

However, the wreck-probing group won’t be back to the scene anytime soon, because of the difficulty of getting to the remote and still-precarious location. For now, they’re still examining the data they brought back from their first quest.

[h/t Pioneer Press]

The first viable self-driving cars are just starting to hit the road, but the technology has been in the works for longer than you might imagine. Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have been testing self-driving cars since the early 1980s, according to Motherboard.

Computer scientists at Carnegie Mellon’s Navlab were developing autonomous vehicle technology with the hopes that it could be used for a wide variety of applications not necessarily limited to ferrying around commuters. Their 1983 autonomous vehicle, called the Terragator, was designed to operate on rugged terrain and looked kind of like a refrigerator on tractor wheels. The researchers hoped similar technology could be used for underwater exploration, hazardous waste mapping, and research on other planets.

In 1986, however, they debuted a self-driving vehicle that will look a little more familiar—a van. It couldn’t drive very fast, but it did drive, analyzing the environment with video and laser sensors to keep it on the road. It contained its own computing power, so it didn’t have to be controlled from afar and risk connection issues. But, being 1986, it couldn’t have been any smaller than a full-sized van. It had to house several different desktop computers, plus controllers and internal sensors. Inside, it’s basically a mobile computer lab.

[h/t Motherboard]

Teaser image by MARCEL ANTONISSE/AFP/Getty Images

The London Library is getting some long-overdue books back. Several of the library’s historic books dating back to the 18th century or older were recently discovered in a locked wardrobe, The Guardian reports. The 200-year-old London Library doesn’t sell books, so they must have been stolen by whoever squirreled them away.

Taken from the library sometime in the late 1950s, the books were discovered by a dealer who was asked to evaluate the collection of a family’s deceased relative. The stolen books returned last week include texts like A Discourse on Witchcraft (1736); a 1680 book with the long-winded title The most Sacred and Divine Science of Astrology by JBBD, a Protestant Minister of the True, Antient, Catholick and Apostolick Faith of the Church of England; the 1722 text The First Part of the Treatise of the Late Dreadful Plague in France Compared With That Terrible Plague in London, in the Year 1665; The Age of the World Collected in All Its Periods by JS (1707); A Collection of Letters by His Excellency General George Monk Relating to the Restoration of the Monarchy (1714); The True-Born English-man. A Satyr (1708); and The Famous History of the Seven Champions of Christendom (1696).

The library does not impose late fines, and the family of the book thief won’t be charged. Some of the pages were mutilated due to attempts to remove the London Library stamps on them, but at least one text still had a complete stamp, allowing it to be identified as the library’s property.

The London Library is thrilled to have its books back, and really, 50-some-odd years isn’t that long to wait for an overdue book. Some libraries have waited more than a century to get their missing books back.

[h/t The Guardian]

In Milan, the public is getting a chance to weigh in on the authenticity of a disputed painting by a Renaissance master. The Caravaggio painting, called Judith Beheading Holofernes, will be on display at Milan’s public art gallery, the Pinacoteca di Brera, according to The Art Newspaper.

As part of an exhibit called “Caravaggio: A Question of Attribution,” the painting will be placed next to the Caravaggio painting Supper at Emmaus, and a copy of his Magdalen in Ecstasy. Three paintings by Caravaggio’s follower Louis Finson, who some experts hold is the true author of the disputed painting, will also be shown. The exhibit has caused controversy among art experts, some of whom contend that it’s irresponsible for a gallery to display a work of disputed origins, thereby conferring a certain degree of authenticity simply by hanging in an authoritative art institution. However, the painting will have a disclaimer that the owner of the work has declared it a Caravaggio, not the gallery itself.

The painting in question was discovered in a French attic in 2014, and was presented to the public in April after cleaning and analysis. It had been hidden for at least 150 years. Regardless of its origins, France has declared it a national treasure.

The exhibit will run from November 10 to February 5, 2017.

[h/t The Art Newspaper]

In the age of Square payments and online food delivery apps, it’s easier than ever to click a button and tip your barista or delivery guy. But those aren’t the only people you should  give a little extra. Here are a few tips for tipping, lest you start being known around town as a total Scrooge.

1. WAIT STAFF

Tipping 15 percent of the pre-tax bill (20 percent for good service) at restaurants is standard, but depending on where you live, a larger tip might be in order. In some states, tipped workers make less than minimum wage—even in expensive regions like Washington D.C.—so it’s always better to tip on the generous side. The federal tipped minimum wage is a horrifying $2.13 per hour, so keep that in mind before you stiff someone.

Plus, you should keep in mind that tips often don’t go solely to your waiter or waitress—tips are pooled between wait staff and back-of-the-house workers, and usually there are restaurant rules governing who wait staff should be tipping out. Bartenders, bussers, and runners usually get a cut, since they also play a big role in making sure your food and drink gets to the table in a timely manner.

2. BARTENDERS

At least a dollar per drink is the minimum, but if you’re on a tab, you can do the usual 15 to 20 percent. If you’re taking up bar space for hours but not drinking much, or if your bartender comps you a free drink, throw them a little extra. The same goes for complicated cocktails.

3. FAST FOOD AND COFFEE SHOP TIP JARS

The Emily Post Institute’s official policy is that there’s no obligation to put a dollar in the tip jar, but if you’re a regular or you’re asking for a complicated order, please be generous. While baristas generally make minimum wage, chances are they’re not getting paid much more than that. The Washington Post reports that at one D.C. coffee shop, tips account for around an extra $3 per hour for workers, while at a local La Colombe, baristas get about $50 a day from tips. When you’re slinging lattes to pay your bills in an expensive city, that kind of extra money can make a big difference.

4. DELIVERY DRIVERS

According to the food experts at Eater, the minimum tip for any delivery order, no matter how small, should be $5. On a larger order, go with 15 to 20 percent standard. That means if a 15 percent tip is less than $5, don’t default to the cheaper option! The same goes if you get groceries delivered. Remember, drivers don’t get a penny of that delivery fee, so don’t be stingy. And if you’re not sure why you need to pay a little extra for the pleasure of eating restaurant food in your pajamas, Groupon’s interview with a former pizza delivery driver is worth a glance.

5. PARKING ATTENDANTS

If a valet brings your car around for you, you should fork over at least $2 before driving away. That driver is the one keeping your nice car from getting dinged.

6. BATHROOM ATTENDANTS

Yes, you should give someone a buck for handing you paper towels and providing some lotion. But if the attendant is just there to make sure no funny business goes on in the restrooms, the Etiquette Scholar says you don’t need to tip.

7. SALON AND SPA WORKERS

A good rule of thumb is, if someone’s touching your body, tip generously. For one thing, that person has to deal with your gross toenails or back pimples. Give at least 15 to 20 percent to your manicurist, massage therapist, and waxing specialist. Keep in mind that in some salons with especially cheap services, your manicurist could be working for illegally low wages. And in the case of massages, working out those muscle knots for 60 to 90 minutes is hard, physical work. Tip accordingly.

8. HOTEL WORKERS

You need to tip the hotel staff, and the American Hotel and Lodging Association has a helpful tip guide you can consult [PDF] to figure out who gets how much. Tip a dollar or two to your shuttle driver, the bellhops who carry your luggage, and the door staff that hail your taxis. Housekeepers should get between $1 and $5 per night, left daily with a note specifying that it’s for them. Tip a dollar if the staff has to bring you something extra, like a cot or an extra blanket, and tip your concierge $5 to $10 depending on whether you’re getting restaurant recommendations or a hard-to-get theater ticket.

9. TAXI DRIVERS

In addition to the 15 to 20 percent tip, you should give your driver at least $2 for any bags carried. Maybe more if your suitcase is as heavy as a small whale.

Plant growth is heavily dependent on light, but it’s not just leaves and shoots that make use of the Sun’s rays, according to a new study in Science Signaling, and reported by New Scientist.

Using a flowering weed called Arabidopsis thaliana, researchers from Germany and South Korea discovered that the aboveground parts of the plant transmit light to its roots so that the plant can adapt its growth to the light conditions of the environment. Roots, they write, “directly perceive light that is conducted through the plant tissues,” with the stems acting as fiber-optic cables to transmit rays underground.

To confirm this hypothesis, the researchers exposed A. thaliana shoots to light, while keeping the roots from exposure, and vice versa, using an optical detector to record how much light made it underground. Some of the plants were genetically modified to turn off a photoreceptor known to detect light, found in both the aboveground parts of plants and in roots. They found that the stems conducted some wavelengths of light to the roots through the plant’s vascular system, affecting downward root growth. “Photoreception in the roots triggers a signaling chain which influences plant growth, especially the root architecture,” according to a press statement from Ian Baldwin from the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology, who led the study.

Scientists have hypothesized before that roots could sense light, but this is the first experiment to confirm it, according to the Max Planck Society.
 
[h/t New Scientist]

In the future, editing audio might be as easy as opening up Photoshop and cropping a picture. Adobe’s Project VoCo, two years in the making, is designed to make audio editing “really easy for the average person” according to Zeyu Jin, an audio researcher and intern at Adobe’s Creative Technologies Lab. With Project VoCo, you can easily crop out certain words by searching through a transcript—and even generate new words in the speaker’s voice.

The program debuted as one of 11 experimental projects at Adobe Sneaks, an event where the company shows off new technology “that doesn’t have a place in a product yet—or may never,” as Adobe Senior Research Scientist Stephen DiVerdi explains it.

Project VoCo just needs an audio sample and a transcript of the recording, then you can edit the transcript and let the program handle the audio, instead of cropping and stitching together the recording yourself. If you need to edit out curses or misspoken words, it’s just a matter of searching the text of the transcript. More impressively, the program can analyze a person’s voice and create new speech that sounds just like them, by cobbling together syllables and sounds the person used in the initial recording. (Because of this process, you can’t insert words that require sounds that person never used in the audio sample provided.)

For instance, you can change this first sentence below into one with a whole different meaning:

See a live demonstration at the recent Adobe Max conference in the video below. The meat of the demonstration starts just before the one-minute mark.

It doesn’t take much data for the program to be able to synthesize someone’s voice—it can do it with 10 minutes of audio, though for a really good mimic, 30 minutes is better.

In the ideal use case, you could fire up this program to fix speeches or podcasts or voice-overs where there was a mistake in the initial recording, and you need to re-record. Since audio is so sensitive, changes in the sound of the room or in the person’s voice (say, if they’ve developed a cold) make it next to impossible to re-record just a segment of the audio clip in question—to make it sound really good, you need to re-record the whole thing. Here, you can make corrections that sound seamless. That said, the ability to create audio featuring someone’s voice saying words that never came out of their mouth is ripe for serious misuse. But the Adobe researchers say that it’s not unlike the ability to Photoshop misleading images, like the fake viral images that circulate on the web.

Still, Jin says they “are looking for a technological solution to prevent misuse. We are investigating deep learning detectors to find the edited part [of the audio]” and create some sort of watermark for it.

All images courtesy of Adobe

In the event of a car crash, the Mercedes-Benz E-class vehicles have a sound plan to shield you. A technological upgrade in some of the brand’s 2017 models, released earlier this year, is designed to help protect drivers’ hearing in the event of a crash.

The new Mercedes-Benz cars feature sensors that can detect when a crash is unavoidable. In the space of less than two blinks, the sensors will emit a sound that causes those inside the car to brace for the associated loud noise. It debuted in the car manufacturer’s 2017 E-Class W213 models available this year.

According to the company, “If an impending collision is detected that would be expected to produce a loud crash, the vehicle’s sound system plays a short interference signal. This causes the stapedius muscle in the ears to contract, which for a split second changes the link between the eardrum and the inner ear and so better protects it against high acoustic pressures.”

But can Pre-Safe Sound completely protect your hearing in the event of a car crash? Not likely. Crash-related noise isn’t always the cause of the subsequent hearing loss. A 2013 article by an audiologist in The Hearing Journal suggests that there’s more at work than sound—whiplash during a car accident can cause trauma to the neck that sometimes results in tinnitus and hearing loss, even without noise exposure. Still, a little noise protection is probably better than none at all.

[h/t Today I Learned]