Author Archives: Chompsky

A very pleasing experimental 4k CGI short by Maxim Zhestkov exploring the nature of the Universe formed by coalescing matter thrown out by exploding stars. To wit:

Everything around and inside us was conceived in a huge explosion of a star billions of years ago… and, probably, recycled from other matrices myriad times. In this eternal carousel of matter, particles gather, form complicated structures and then burst into all directions fusing atoms together and producing new elements and points of view, new colours and patterns of perception.

awesomer

Behold: the 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C Super Sport coupe – the marque’s first post-war motor, equipped with a 2.5l inline six engine capable of 193km/h – staggeringly fast for its day.

This vehicle – immaculate following a two year full Concours restoration – still has its original engine, gearbox and aluminium coachwork by Touring of Milan.

One of only 383 made and already Best In Show at last year’s Zoute Concours d’Elegance, it can be yours for around €750,000.

uncrate

Behold: the smoky allure of the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) in deep and detailed telescopic view. To wit:

Spanning over 5 degrees or 10 full moons, the 4×4 panel mosaic was constructed from 3900 frames with a total of 1,060 hours of exposure time in both broadband and narrowband filters. The narrowband filters are designed to transmit only light emitted by sulfur, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. Ionized by energetic starlight, the atoms emit their characteristic light as electrons are recaptured and the atoms transition to a lower energy state. As a result, in this image the LMC seems covered with its own clouds of ionized gas surrounding its massive, young stars. Sculpted by the strong stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation, the glowing clouds, dominated by emission from hydrogen, are known as H II(ionized hydrogen) regions. Itself composed of many overlapping H II regions, the Tarantula Nebula is the large star forming region at the left. The largest satellite of our Milky Way Galaxy, the LMC is about 15,000 light-years across and lies a mere 160,000 light-years away toward the constellation Dorado.

(Image: Team Ciel Austral – J. C. Canonne, N. Outters, P. Bernhard, D. Chaplain, L. Bourgon)

apod

Not all chalk is the same. But you knew that. 

As it turns out, the chalk that leading mathematicians, theoretical physicists and other blackboard monkeys put their faith in is Hagoromo Fulltouch Chalk – a Japanese brand that, some claim, not only delivers a smooth and elegant line but possesses ‘mystical’ qualities.

awesomer

Behold: the 1962 Ferrari 250GTE 2+2 Series II Coupe – the company’s first large volume four seater road car – a 3.0l V12 that would eventually become Ferrari’s biggest seller.

This particular vehicle has an illustrious list of former owners (mainly singers), including French performers Richard Anthony, Claude ‘Cloclo’ François and France Gall and, more recently, British Ferrari aficionado Jay Kay.

Yours for €320,000-€400,000.

uncrate