Here's a really neat, classic experiment that's always fun to see. When you place uranium inside a cloud chamber, you can see it decay and emit bits of radiation. It's like seeing little alpha particle torpedoes shooting out in every direction, leaving a trail behind.
These buildings by Kenzō Tange (1913-2005) look like matte paintings from futuristic movies — but they're actually some of the most unique megastructures in the world. One of the most famous architects of the 20th century, Tange combined traditional Japanese styles with modern architectural solutions and forms.
When an old buffalo died near Kenya's Maasai Mara National Reserve, camp rangers decided to train a camera trap on the carcass. This is what it saw.
This week, engineer and robot-maker Simone Davalos shares tools that fuel her passions and support her hobbies. Simone recommends tools to enable you to build combat-ready bots for the next RoboGames, as well as tools to help you think deeply about the next thousand years.
Show Notes:
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The Othermill $2200
“The Othermill is at the very top of my list for one of my cool tools, and it’s not because I work with for the company that makes it. It’s because it’s really useful, and really fun. It’s a tiny, tiny desktop CNC mill… You drop the file right into our software, and it does it, and you don’t have to mess with learning machining first, which is a huge hurdle for most people when they’re using machine shop tools, and want to cut out things. It’s also really good for crafts, it’s really good for kids to learn how to make things with machines…”
Gross Anatomy Dissection Kit $14
“I find myself using it all the time for electronics. I build mostly cocktail robots when I’m not doing anything else… I have 2 different sizes of hemostat, I have a scalpel blade, I have a couple of different kinds of forceps, ones got teeth on the end, so it’s really easy to grip stuff really tightly. It’s got a probe so I can push wires out of the way.”
RoboGames Admission: $25-250
“You don’t have to use a certain kind of kit. You don’t have to be from any particular country as long as you can show up, and compete, and having a working robot, everyone’s welcome. There’re about 60 different events. Everything from tiny little sumo robots that push each other out of the ring, to your big standard bog, giant killer robots that shoot fire, and bang each other against the walls of the bullet proof arena. That’s always a crowd pleaser, and it’s always a lot of fun. After 12 years of doing this, it’s built quite an amazing, literally international community around it.”
BoeBot $170
“My all time favorite beginner robot book is, Robotics with the Boe-Bot. It’s made by Parallax. It’s hands down the best written book I have ever read on how to build a robot when you’ve never touched a circuit before, ever.”
“The ‘Manual for Civilization’ was started by the Long Now Foundation, which I am proudly a member, and I used to work for. It is a really splendid, beautifully curated collection of books by thinkers, and writers, and dreamers, and artists, and it’s all about what you would do. If civilization ended what knowledge would you need to restart it?”
“It’s essentially a cocktail bar where you can go and talk about long term thinking, lofty concepts, read these books. It’s a really great all-in-one thing, and it’s to get people to think long term. To think about not the next 5 years, or the next 10 years, but the next hundred years.”
Just a quick note that two of our favorite toys ever featured here on Colossal are now available in the Colossal Shop! Clemens Habicht’s amazing 1,000 Colors Puzzle just arrived from Australia, and Dan Abramson’s hilarious Yoga Joes have been successfully produced after a successful Kickstarter boost. We have tons of other quirky new things too numerous to mention, see more here.
by @just_hank_moody, andreibkn and necessaryaegis
The clever ‘Always lock up your guns’ film I posted a few months ago is back with an eye catching print campaign. If they find it, they’ll play with it
Agency: McCann NY
LMFAO OMGG
PornHub thinks it has a sexier solution for the age old problem of a gadget running out of juice prematurely, and the secret is in the (hairy) palm of your hand. Say hello to the Wankband: a wearable that straps on to your forearm, capturing the ener...
Ever since I blew my mind by cold-brewing ground cacao nibs, I've been experimenting with the process, and have discovered some amazing variations on the formula.
Read the rest
Grantville, a small city in Georgia where a few episodes of AMC‘s hit television series The Walking Dead were filmed, has recently gone up for sale on eBay. According to the listing posted by eBay user k9chabe, “three movies just signed up to film in Grantville that two very well known actors will be staring in the roles.” The historic city is currently listed at $680,000. Unfortunately, it is local pick-up only.
This is an opportunity for someone to own a piece of history. The City of Grantville is a vibrant community just south of Newnan Georgia. This downtown area is always being scouted by the movie industries and has been home to several block busters as well as TV shows like The Walking Dead who have filmed several episodes in the downtown area. This is a money maker for anyone trying to invest in an area that’s about to burst. The downtown area has several tenants occupying a good of the 45% percent of the area for sale, so instant revenue. The area for sale is approximately 34,000 Square feet of usable space. This includes 9 Buildings which include: Retail areas, Loft Apartments, Pizza Restaurant, Bar or Pub, Restaurant, Pharmacy, Office space and many other combinations.
photos via eBay
via Messy Nessy Chic
© Beppe Giardino
A potted forest of trees and branching steel beams disguise this 5-story apartment building in Turin, Italy. Designed by Luciano Pia, 25 Verde brings plants up off the ground in an attempt to evade Turin’s homogeneous urban scene and integrate life into the facade of the residential building.
The undulating structure creates a transition from outdoors to in, holding 150 trees that absorb close to 200,000 liters of carbon dioxide an hour. This natural absorption brings pollution protection to its residents, helping to eliminate harmful gasses caused by cars and harsh sounds from the bustling streets outside. The trees’ seasonal progression also creates the ideal microclimate inside the building, steadying temperature extremes during the cold and warmer months. The plants’ full foliage block rays of sun during the summer while letting in warm light during the winter.
The building holds 63 units, each benefiting from the terraces and vegetation just beyond their windows and walls. Each species of plant has been chosen purposefully from deciduous plant life in Turin to provide the highest variety of color, foliage, and blooming. This innovative design provides a childlike dream while also instilling real world benefits to those who live in this urban treehouse. (via Divisare)
© Beppe Giardino
© Luciano Pia
© Beppe Giardino
© Beppe Giardino
© Beppe Giardino
© Beppe Giardino
© Beppe Giardino
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Évolution inversée
“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”
― Pablo Picasso
