Archive for June, 2014

Japan Unveils Disturbing Future of Newscasters

Wednesday, June 25th, 2014

Meet Otonoroid (the more stately female android on the right) and Kodomoroid (the awkward android on the left).

Unveiled in Japan as part of a future museum exhibit asking, “What is human?”, these two androids are accessing news stories in real time and delivering them to the audience. Not only can Kodomoroid ‘read’ the incoming news reports, she can translate them from various languages and read them aloud in other languages.

Who needs live human newscasters who require bathroom breaks, hair and make-up and can only work for a measly few hours before they get tired and need rest? Networks who buy news-reading androids and have a labor budget to swing under…that’s who.

As awkward as this demonstration is, it’s an interesting sign as to how robots are slowly becoming more and more integrated into our public lives.

While it all seems innocent and even a ‘cute’ demonstration of some oddly moving animatronics, it’s when Kodomoroid says something that should illicit a little, “Aw, Hell no!” from many of us human folk that we’re reminded of the possibility of a frightening robot-run future:

“My dream, when I grow older, is to have my own TV program. If you hear about a newscaster job, please, let me know.”

[DesignBoom]

Podcast: Goblin Rock

Sunday, June 22nd, 2014

Skitched 20110225 175343Goblins terrorize Africa in the most rockin’ way possible. Anthrax is loose, how could this happen! Chick Pox lollipops are all the rage. Who were the first Americans? Why are we tribal? It’s all explained in a new Weird Things podcast.

 

 

Try out the brand new PODCASTR player, featuring wireless syncing between desktop browsers and iOS devices.

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Episode archive

Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings062214.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings062214.mp3[/podcast]

 

Picks:

Brian:

The Story of the Human Body

Andrew:

Beyond Amazing Science Pop Up Book

Justin:

World Cup / June 17th 1994

Couple Captures Ghost in Photo on Alcatraz

Thursday, June 19th, 2014

A couple from Birmingham, England were visiting the infamous Alcatraz in San Francisco when something strange caught their attention.

“Whilst doing an audio-tour of the place, I casually stopped to take a snap of the empty visitation block window on my iPhone. When I glanced at the photo on my mobile, I saw this dark female figure in the picture. I looked at the window again and there was no-one in the room. I knew straight away that the woman in the photo was a ghost and showed the snap to Paul.”

Paul, the woman’s companion during the visit, was also a little weirded out by the image:

“I have no logical explanation for the girl in the picture – I’m baffled by her! It’s funny because she’s staring right at the camera, with a knowing look. I was really skeptical about ghosts before but I’m a bit more of a believer now. I do think that the woman in the photo is a ghost.”

[SFGate.com]

New Extreme Sport – Full Contact Skydiving

Thursday, June 19th, 2014

Most people won’t ever go skydiving because the idea of tossing yourself from a plan at the ground is terrifying to those people. For those people, the added notion that someone is going to beat them senseless on the way down is even more of an incentive to just scratch it from their bucket list forever.

Urijah Faber, a UFC fight star, has become the main character behind Full Contact Skydiving.

And it’s just like it sounds. Two people jump out of a plane and beat one another as they plummet toward the ground.

Sounds like a good time, right?

Most people seem to think it’s a viral marketing campaign for…um….something. The videos have been around for almost a year but there’s no evidence supporting the fact that it’s an ad campaign of any type.

Everything seems to be just like it claims.

You fly up in a plane, trash talk your opponent on the way, jump out and back up your claims on the way to the ground like a couple of superheroes…or complete idiots.

[Complex]

Podcast: Star Chimps

Monday, June 16th, 2014

Skitched 20110225 175343Did we just invent a warp drive? The boys discover the oldest civilizational site on Earth while contemplating the possibility of a new home for humanity beyond the stars. Also: chimpanzee fossils and much more!

 

 

Try out the brand new PODCASTR player, featuring wireless syncing between desktop browsers and iOS devices.

Subscribe to the Weird Things podcast on iTunes

Podcast RSS feed

Episode archive

Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings061514.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings061514.mp3[/podcast]

 

Picks:

Brian:

The Poisoner’s Handbook and Thunderf00t

Andrew:

The Most Amazing Science Pop Up Book & The Beyond Amazing Science Pop Up Book

Justin:

Game of Thrones

Podcast: Magic Captain Musk and his sweet sweet ride

Monday, June 16th, 2014

Skitched 20110225 175343Elon Musk has a spaceship that he would like to show you and he’s done it like every one does awesome stuff: failing his face off. Learn the tricks of the trade with Brian and Andrew while Justin takes the week off in Hawaii.

 

 

Try out the brand new PODCASTR player, featuring wireless syncing between desktop browsers and iOS devices.

Subscribe to the Weird Things podcast on iTunes

Podcast RSS feed

Episode archive

Download url: http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings060814.mp3

[podcast]http://www.itricks.com/upload/WeirdThings060814.mp3[/podcast]