Two new trailers show the magical twists added to 47 Ronin

Check out more footage from Carl Erik Rinsch’s long-delayed feature which reworks the classic Japanese story of the 47 Ronin. Various adaptations of this story are common, however this could be translation with the most artistic liberties, as it’s set in a fantasy world. The visuals are stunning, that’s undeniable. But whether or not this…

Is the “uncanny valley” a myth?

The “uncanny valley” is that creepy Final Fantasy feeling when a robot or CGI character is too dead-eyed to be believable, but too realistic to be cute. Roboticists and animators have long tried to avoid creations that induce this psychological state. But maybe they’ve been worried about nothing. Roboticist Masahiro Mori invented the idea of…

First clip from Terry Gilliam’s new movie The Zero Theorem

The first clip from The Zero Theorem is here, featuring Christoph Waltz wandering a brightly colored, advertising-filled dystopia that announces its director in every frame. A director, by the way, that has also announced his thoughts on that 12 Monkeys TV show Syfy is making… First, the movie: Christoph Waltz plays an angst-ridden computer programmer…

This is not a leaf

It’s shaped like a leaf. It’s colored like a leaf. It even sports the vein-like structures typically found in a leaf’s spongy mesophyll layer. But this is no leaf. It’s a moth. It’s Uropyia meticulodina, to be exact, and it’s one of the finest examples of camouflage the animal kingdom has to offer. As REALMonstrousities’…

Could J.J. Abrams reunite with Benedict Cumberbatch for Star Wars?

At least one of Doctor Who’s most iconic monster races is returning for Matt Smith’s regeneration. Natalie Portman talks all things Jane Foster in anticipation of Thor: The Dark World, while Iron Man 3 writer Drew Pearce offers a status update on the rest of the Marvel universe. Plus we officially have an Oscar-nominated Rocket…

Artist collaborates with her four-year-old daughter, and magic results

Artist Mica Angela Hendricks was drawing in her sketchbook, when her four-year-old daughter insisted on helping out. At first, Hendricks was resistant — but the daughter used her own “mommy words” on her. “If you can’t share, we might have to take it away.” So she let her four-year-old finish some drawings, with surreal, lovely…

China’s brand-new abandoned cities could be dystopian movie sets

China’s building boom has created a ton of abandoned cities and massive ruins — most of which are brand new, and have never had people living in them. Here are the deserted Chinese cities, mostly built in the last 10 years, which could be sets for your next dystopian movie. Kangbashi New Area, a district…

RIP Frederik Pohl, the man who transformed science fiction

One of the leading lights of the science fiction world, editor and author Frederik Pohl, passed away this weekend after a career that defined the genre for decades. His granddaughter Emily Pohl Weary confirmed the news: Pohl was known for his mind-bending, often satirical novels (many co-authored with longtime collaborator C.M. Kornbluth), his editing acumen,…

Damaged ecosystems can repair themselves faster than we thought

In the nineteenth century, farmers in New England completely destroyed the region’s forests. Thick woods were cut down to make way for farms, driving out deer, beavers, owls and bears. But today, just a little over a century later, the forests are back — and the animal populations are recovering too. Above, you can compare…

8 Ruined Cities That Remain a Mystery to This Day

The world is full of ruined cities, but some have such mysterious rises and falls that they haunt our imaginations. Even if we know who built them, certain aspects of the city may simply defy comprehension in the modern age. Here are 8 ancient cities that we may never fully understand. Photo via Franck Goddio…

Where are my damn nanotechnology and mind uploading?

Are you still annoyed that you don’t have your jet pack? That’s quaint. These days, futurists are impatiently demanding things that are a lot weirder than that. Image by Christopher Barnatt On Huffington Post, Betsy Isaacson interviews Lucas Dimoveo, who describes the “scrapheap transhumanism” philosophy espoused by members of Grindhouse Wetware, a group in Pittsburgh:…

First Under the Skin Teaser: Scarlett Johansson as a Seductive Alien

We’ve been obsessed with Jonathan Glazer’s film Under the Skin since we saw the first set photos a couple years ago. Now, at last, here’s the first footage from this movie where Scarlett Johansson plays Isserley, an alien who picks up male hitchhikers using her “voracious sexuality.” Hard to tell from just a one-minute teaser,…

Who’s the greatest movie director of all time?

Science fiction and fantasy movies depend on amazing visuals and canny storytelling to carry you along — and certain directors are just brilliant at pulling you into their strange worlds. But who’s the greatest director, living or dead, of fantastical movies? Please include a film still or clip that illustrates why your chosen director is…

Wax anatomical figures are the stuff of nightmares

Wax has the uncanny ability to mimic flesh — plus, organic materials such as hair, teeth and nails can even be embedded in it. That’s why some of the earliest realistic replicas of the human body were cast in wax. Wax body parts were originally used in Christian church services, where offerings often reproduced parts…

Scifi and fantasy ladies pose as Rosie the Riveter for Labor Day

Labor Day isn’t just an excuse to barbecue or squeeze in one last trip to the beach; it’s also the day we remember the contributions of workers to society. These scifi, fantasy, and superheroines pay tribute to the wartime labor icon Rosie the Riveter—and show off their guns. “Buffy the Riveter” by AJ Paglia “Leia…

This week’s DVDs is full of TV shows you wish you’d had this weekend

You don’t have to celebrate Labor Day to know marathoning a TV series is a pleasantly lazy way to spend the weekend. I don’t know why companies waited until after Labor Day to release this cornucopia of TV DVD sets, but oh well. Plus, there’s a new Ghibli flick, Sharknado and MST3K: The Movie! •…

Marvel at the Brilliance and Creativity of Dragon Con Cosplay!

Nobody does amazing costumes like the 50,000 fans at Dragon Con in Atlanta. Check out some of our favorite cosplay photos from Dragon Con 2013 — including some Star Wars characters like you’ve never seen them before. Top image: deejayqueue/Flickr. Photo by deejayqueue/Flickr. Photo by deejayqueue/Flickr. Photo by deejayqueue/Flickr. Photo by deejayqueue/Flickr. Photo by deejayqueue/Flickr.…

Squirrels are going to end civilization! No, really. They are a major cause of power outages, and are basically on a mission to wreck the grid. Learn more about the rodent menace to our way of life at the New York Times.

How food can change the color of birds, fish, and even humans

The radiant plumage of flamingos wouldn’t be possible without their special diets. Neither would the color of salmon, or koi. The right food can even dye humans – especially babies. At a zoo I visited, I noticed the food trough for the flamingos looked like someone had poured fluorescent pink paint into it. It did…

This Week’s TV: Watch a Clip from Futurama‘s Huge Series Finale!

This week on television, we say a tear-filled farewell to Futurama — watch the first clip from the episode right here. Bubblegum Princess and Flame Princess have an explosive meeting on Adventure Time. Top image: Futurama Today: Adventure Time (7 PM, Cartoon Network): Yay, it’s a Bubblegum Princess-Flame Princess episode! Princess Bubblegum subjects Flame Princess…