Thursday, May 15, 2014

Movies that critics hate and audiences love (and vice versa)

It is no surprise that critics and viewers alike agree that The Godfather is the "best film" among the ~2600 films considered on Rotten Tomatoes, with a 100% score among professional reviewers and a 98% score from the audience. It is perhaps somewhat more surprising to learn which films divide those two groups; thanks to Benjamin Moore, we can contemplate that...
Movies that critics hate and audiences love (and vice versa)

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Compilation Of Aircraft Crashes Avoided At The Last Second

I knew that all the aeroplanes and helicopters in this compilation of fatal accidents avoided at the last second weren’t going to crash. I knew nobody got injured or died. I knew all these things and yet I was curling my toes and found of myself saying “ffffffuuuuu” with every one of them.
Compilation Of Aircraft Crashes Avoided At The Last Second

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Rare Conjoined Twins With Two Faces Born In Australia

In all of human history, there have only been 35 cases of a birth condition known as Diprosopus. Basically, it means that a baby is born with duplicated features on its head, resembling conjoined twins. That count went up to 36 last week when conjoined twins were born in Australia with Diprosopus.
Rare Conjoined Twins With Two Faces Born In Australia | Gizmodo Australia

You are a Gmail user

For years, Benjamin Mako Hill has paid to host his own mail, as a measure to enhance his privacy and independence from big companies. But a bit of clever analysis of his stored mail reveals that despite this expense and effort, he is a Gmail user, because so many of his correspondents are Gmail users and store copies of his messages with Google. And thanks to an archaic US law, any message left on Gmail for more than six months can be requested by police without a warrant, as it is considered "abandoned."
You are a Gmail user - Boing Boing

What Irreversible Antarctic Ice Melt Could Mean for Some U.S. Cities

New studies released on Monday show that a large portion of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet may have begun a slow but "unstoppable" collapse, with the demise of these glaciers taking place sometime during the next few centuries to as many as 1,000 years from now.
What Irreversible Antarctic Ice Melt Could Mean for Some U.S. Cities

Thursday, May 08, 2014

A Street View Mashup Shows Your Suburb After Sea Levels Rise

Ever wondered what New York, London, Paris, Sydney or even your home town might look like when sea levels rise? World Under Water by Carbon Story uses Google’s Street View to do just that.
A Street View Mashup Shows Your Suburb After Sea Levels Rise

Tuesday, May 06, 2014

Top 8 Best Airfare Price Predictor Tools and Apps

If you’re a traveler as I am, you sure know how important it is to know the fair value of your trip, and be able to save money while flying. But it takes a long time to check so many different websites for deals, and then go back to Google and check your favorite airline’s website once again. This is why tools have been created in order to help us make traveling easier, and cheaper.
Top 8 Best Airfare Price Predictor Tools and Apps

Saturday, May 03, 2014

Science Has Finally Figured Out How To Win Rock-Paper-Scissors

Turns out that all you rock-paper-scissors champions who chalk it up to skill over luck may be on to something. Because, according to science, there might actually be a winning strategy to this greatest of metacarpal match-ups.
Science Has Finally Figured Out How To Win Rock-Paper-Scissors

Friday, May 02, 2014

Tornadoes, Dust Storms and Floods: What the Hell Happened This Week?

The United States had its most unusual weather week of the year to date, with a massive, slow-moving storm system spawning dozens of killer tornadoes, generating widespread flooding and even whipping up hurricane force winds amid blinding dust in the Great Plains.
Tornadoes, Dust Storms and Floods: What the Hell Happened This Week?

Thursday, May 01, 2014

Malaysia Releases First Report on Flight 370

Malaysian authorities released its first preliminary report on the missing Flight 370 on Thursday.
The five-page report, below, details the history of the flight and the search and rescue efforts. It also recommends study into introducing real-time tracking of commercial aircraft.
Malaysia Releases First Report on Flight 370

Monday, April 28, 2014

Sleep Test Will Tell You If You Need to Catch More Zs [VIDEO]

Everyone can probably benefit from a few extra Zs at night, but is your lack of sleep at the level of sleep deprivation? In a new video from YouTube channel In 59 Seconds, Richard Wiseman explains the main indicators of sleep deprivation, including needing several cups of coffee a day, or needing an alarm clock to wake up.
Sleep Test Will Tell You If You Need to Catch More Zs [VIDEO]

Saturday, April 26, 2014

Editors say these are the 'Ten Best Sentences' in literature. Do you agree?

Editors at The American Scholar have published a list of what they believe to be the “Ten Best Sentences” from literature. There are more suggestions sent in from their readers.
Editors say these are the 'Ten Best Sentences' in literature. Do you agree?

Friday, April 25, 2014

This Busy Street Intersection With No Traffic Lights Is Just Pure Chaos

Anarchy. That’s what it’s like to drive on the streets of Ethiopia. There are no traffic lights, no painted lanes, no rules on who has the right of way, no fear of hitting the car in front of you, and basically no driver has any idea what the other driver is going to do until they do it. It’s chaos and probably inefficient — but, hey, it seems to work.
This Busy Street Intersection With No Traffic Lights Is Just Pure Chaos

Newspapers newly digitised to Trove

The National Library of Australia is pleased to announce the following newspapers which have issues that have been newly added to Digitised newspapers and more on Trove. Many of these newspapers are currently being added to Trove and further issues will become available shortly.
Newspapers newly digitised to Trove

Thursday, April 24, 2014

These Daredevils BASE Jumped From the World's Tallest Building

A daredevil duo set the the Guinness World Record for highest base jump from the tallest building by leaping off the Burj Khalifa. The 4K YouTube video shows Soul Flyers World Champions Vince Reffet and Fred Fugen jumping from a custom-made platform at the very top of the spire.
These Daredevils BASE Jumped From the World's Tallest Building

Debris Washed Ashore in Australia Could Be From Missing Flight 370

More than a month after Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared, authorities say possible airplane debris has surfaced in Australia. According to reports, Australian police have collected "material that has washed ashore" on the southwest coast of Australia. Officials in Australia and Malaysia are looking closely at images of the wreckage to determine whether it is related to the missing jetliner.
Debris Washed Ashore in Australia Could Be From Missing Flight 370

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Spotters' guide to UFOs, 1967

Found in Bruce Sterling's tumblr.
Spotters' guide to UFOs, 1967

Saturday, April 19, 2014

What Went Wrong Aboard the Sunken South Korean Ferry

Nearly 30 people are dead with hundreds still missing after a ferry listed and sunk off the southern coast of South Korea on Wednesday. While the cause has yet to be identified, prosecutors have asked a South Korean court to issue an arrest warrant for the captain, who was seen escaping the ship before his passengers.
What Went Wrong Aboard the Sunken South Korean Ferry

Awkward Moment Seal Is the Meme for All Your Slippery Situations

In case you tried to forget all those embarrassing moments when you just wanted to crawl out of your own skin, never fear: Awkward Moment Seal is here. The newest meme-ber of the advice animal kingdom is an adorable baby seal whose awkward captions match his nervous face.
Awkward Moment Seal Is the Meme for All Your Slippery Situations

Friday, April 18, 2014

Mathematicians' New App May Have the Answer for Jet Lag

Jet lag is a discomfort many of us will have experienced in the days following a long-haul flight across time zones. Mathematicians in the US may have a jet-lag cure in the form a new app called Entrain. But does it work?
Mathematicians' New App May Have the Answer for Jet Lag