Why You’re So Spooked by the Uncanny Valley
We’ve all found ourselves in the uncanny valley before. It’s that uneasy feeling you get when viewing a realistic humanoid or CGI person that’s so close to looking human that it seems almost spooky. The actual “valley” refers to a precipitous drop in “likeability” as onscreen characters and humanoid robots step too far towards being…
How News of the World Hacked Everybody’s Phones
For a while, leaving your cell unattended seemed like the biggest threat to phone security. But this recent business is a reminder that there are savvier ways someone can violate your phone—without even touching it. Details are still emerging as to how, exactly, News of the World reporters got into everybody’s giblets. But here are…
A Homemade, Functional LEGO Computer and More from the Best of Treehugger
This week on TreeHugger, a badass PC made from Legos, a flatpack house built for $720, furniture for the minimalist geek, solar cells that can be printed on paper or fabric, and more! 1. Homemade Computer Crafted with Legos, Crunches Numbers for Medical Research It’s everything you imagine, and then some. 2. Minimalist Table and…
