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Rejected Saul Bass Posters For The Shining—With Stanley Kubrick’s Notes

Saul Bass is a legend of film design; he storyboarded segments of Spartacus and West Side Story, and created some of the most famous credit sequences every to grace the silver screen. He also designed numerous classic movie posters—although director Stanley Kubrick didn’t love all of his designs for The Shining. Thanks to Bobby Solomon…

A Wheelchair That Gives the Rider Even More Mobility Than Walking

The world’s already got its fair share of tank-treaded wheelchairs that can traverse any terrain, but a personal mobility device that looks as fun to ride as an ATV? There’s definitely still room for the HexHog in our hearts, on our hilly fields and mountains, and even in shallow water, apparently. With a price tag…

So What Ever Happened to Post-PC?

The saying “Post-PC” by now is overused and tired, much like bemoaning Windows 8 or fawning over Apple products. We’re stuck in a hopeless Groundhog Day loop where we’re constantly entering, exiting, and reentering the Post-PC era. It’s all bullshit. Everyone is obsessed with pinpointing the exact moment we crossed over into this brave, new…

This Is Why You Constantly Diagnose Yourself Over The Internet

How many times have you reviewed symptoms of psychological disorder on the internet and thought, “I have that!” You’re not alone, and there’s a reason for it. It’s also why psychic readings and the DSM can be very much alike. Rainbow Statements and the Forer Effect In 1948, Bertram Forer walked into the room of…

The Supermoon Brought On A Plague of Astrozombification

Astrozombification is a serious condition of involuntary astronomy education in the face of supermoon hype. Maki Naro has a case study on the condition and its spread in the Sci-ənce Super Woo series. Read it, feel grateful you survived last night’s peak-hype, and prepare for the next inevitable outbreak. What is astrozombification? It’s the undeniable,…

Disney Developed Software To Revolutionize Macy’s Parade Balloons

The reason your favorite cartoon or movie character hasn’t appeared in Macy’s annual Thanksgiving Day Parade isn’t necessarily because they’re not popular, it might be that crafting an inflatable likeness has just been too difficult. But to ensure no fad gets left out, the folks at Disney Research have developed special software making it easy…

​Everybody’s Got Vampire Issues On The Strain (This Is A Good Thing)

See this man? Well, on last night’s episode of The Strain — despite having starred in several scenes of two previous episodes — this man finally met a goddamn vampire. Let me explain why this is such a big deal. The main problem with The Strain — well, besides a plethora of tiny but nevertheless…

Wild Concept Art For The Trippy Final Moments Of Luc Besson’s Lucy

Luc Besson’s “superpowered drug mule” movie Lucy went to some pretty intense places in its final act. And concept artist Ben Mauro did a lot to shape the look of those scenes. Check out more of Mauro’s Lucy concept art below — plus Mauro’s attempts to reinvent alien invasions, and create a live-action movie of…

“Atheist TV adheres to nasty stereotypes about atheism—smugness, gleeful disregard for others’ beliefs—to a degree that’s close to unwatchable,” writes Daniel D’Addario in Salon. The network could learn a lot from Cosmos, which “inspired awe by presenting something in which to believe—the majesty of the universe.”

12 Insane Facts About He-Man And The Masters Of The Universe

It probably shouldn’t shock anyone to realize that any franchise whose main character was named “He-Man” was, in fact, kind of ridiculous. But somehow the Masters of the Universe toys, cartoons and movie managed to exceed all expectation of weirdness. Here are a dozen bizarre He-facts that you’ve probably forgotten (or repressed). 1) He-Man Is…

How to Hide a Nuclear Missile

After its Cuban Missile Crisis experience, Kremlin leaders wanted to ensure the USSR would never again be outgunned: one might call it ‘Cuban Missile Syndrome.’ The result were new missile systems, including schemes to cache nuclear warheads in the deep ocean and outer space. But before the strange logic of nuclear warfare could move off-world…

Leaked Galaxy Note 4 Images Show Off Metal and Pleather

We already know a lot of rumors and speculation surrounding Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Note 4, but we had yet to see any leaked images of the thing. These photos provide that last piece to this phablet puzzle. Originally posted by GSMArena, these pics display some expected details—the S Pen’s location, fake leather-plastic backing, capacitive buttons,…

Why Being A LEGO Superhero Is Actually A Pain In The Ass

Being a LEGO minifig superhero may look like fun in The LEGO Movie and the LEGO videogames, but a series of comics from Pictures in Boxes reveals that it’s actually pretty tough. This is just one of a series of LEGO DC-themed comics from Pictures in Boxes; head over to the comic’s Tumblr to see…

Use Flickr To Preview the Picture Quality of Your Next Phone or Camera

Whether you’re in the market for a new DSLR or a new smartphone, image quality is probably pretty high on your list of considerations. From Instagrammed selfies to sweeping landscape shots, you want to find a camera lens that’s capable of producing pictures you can be proud of, and Flickr can help you. Thanks to…

Colossal Groot Cosplay Will Stomp Into Your Heart

I Am GROOT! This gigantic Groot created by Calen Hoffman is both adorable and massively impressive. I would wait in line to have this giant hand me a flower. Well done! Created by Calen Hoffman of Propcustomz, the step-by-step process was documented anduploaded in a separate gallery showcasing the growing of Groot.He’s really real! [via…

These Fish Keep People Awake With Their Weird Mating Calls

If you live by the sea, have you ever heard an annoying humming that keeps you awake? Before you bang indignantly on your neighbors’ doors, consider that it might be horny fish making the noise. One fish in particular is an international phenomenon. The midshipman fish has, all things considered, one of the more pleasant…

A Farmer’s Terrifying DIY Guard-Bot Scares Off Bears with 25,000 Volts

Turkish farmer and amateur inventor Mustafa Karasungur cares more about protecting his crops from bears than basic safety. So using parts he could scrounge around his local town, he built a robotic sentry for his farm that terrifies bears and even shocks them with 25,000 volts of electricity. From this day on his pic-a-nic baskets…

This Week’s TV: Adventure Time Reveals Finn And Jake’s Parents’ Past

This week, Discovery hosts its celebration of all things shark, but which specials are worth watching? We’ve got you covered. Plus, we’re nearing the end of True Blood; mini golf gets serious on Gravity Falls, and we get to see the mystery-solving past of Finn and Jake’s parents on Adventure Time. Top image from the…

18 High-Tech Warships From the Future That Rule the Seas Today

War. War never changes. Mankind has fought naval battles for thousands of years. And in the 21st century, the navy is still the most important branch of any maritime nation’s combat forces. But technology does change, and if you don’t live near a navy harbor, there’s a chance you’ve missed all the newest ships being…

Alien acid dreams probably look like this

When I picture myself scuba diving in an alien ocean—yeah, that thought pops into my mind sometimes—I imagine an underwater world full of neon lights, kaleidoscopic corals, and water plants unfolding in slow motion like the ones in this video. SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us on Facebook