A timelapse filmed by Sean Goebel filmed over three nights at the summit of Mauna Kea in Hawaii – the Northern Hemisphere’s premier astronomy location due its low light pollution and14,000ft (4267m) elevation.
The beams are laser guide stars, shot into the atmosphere by the observatories to correct for atmospheric light distortion and create artificial ‘stars’ that act as reference points.
Music: All is Violent, All is Bright by God is an Astronaut.
John Green of Mental Floss sheds the light of science on thirty of the so-called ‘life hacks’ doing the rounds on the Interwebs of late.
Previously: Strange Deaths From History
A 3D illusion by Benjamin Muzzin of the University of Art and Design in Lausanne who sez:
I wanted to explore the notion of the third dimension, with the desire to try to get out of the usual frame of a flat screen. For this, my work mainly consisted in exploring and experimenting a different device for displaying images, trying to give animations volume in space. The resulting machine works with the rotation of two screens placed back to back, creating a three-dimensional animated sequence that can be seen at 360 degrees. Due to the persistence of vision, the shapes that appear on the screen turn into kinetic light sculptures.
Mmm. Rotasty.
Music: Murder! by Montgomery Clunk
A strange, innovative, miniature monster-filled CG short by Paris-based special effects technical director and filmmaker Omar Meradi.
The utterly hatstand sport of tether car racing dates back to the 1930s. AMRCA which oversees the three existing US tracks in California, Indianapolis and Long Island explainz:
The classes are 1.5cc (.09 cu in), 2.5cc (.15 cu in), 5cc (.29 cu in), and 10cc (.61 cu in). Running on an alcohol-oil fuel and using tuned exhaust pipes the engines peak out at over 44,000 rpm in the smallest class. The cars run on a special circular track held to the center post by a wire tether. The person running the car stays on the outside of the track and the helper in the center assists the car off the line and stabilizes it until it reaches about 80 mph and then steps onto a small platform on the center pole until the car is shut off at the end of the run.
In the clip above, filmed at Whittier Narrows in California back in 2011, an especially nippy model accelerates to a squealy, supercar-bothering 205mph (330km/h).
Of this seven and a half minute compilation of pyromaniacal GTA V gameplay spawnanigans, Youtuber Fyshokid of SubParButInHD sez:
I used to do this all the time in GTA San Andreas, however it wasn’t possible in IV, since you couldn’t spawn multiple cars using cheats. Luckily, it’s possible again in V, which makes for a ton of hardware punishing fun…it’s just all out car pile-up chain reactions!
…Tish!
The second instalment of cdza’s Instrumentals Series features jazz drummer Allan Mednard’s effortless transition through the modern history of the beat.
Previously: 50 Years Of The Guitar Solo
Doc Sweets on Herman Melville’s tale of the monomaniacal Ahab and his all-consuming quest to find the White Whale and straight-up OJ that bitch.
Previously: Animal Farm
Using a clever pulley system and counterweight, Ethan Schlussler has converted an old bicycle into a lift that allows him to pedal his way over 9 meters up to his treehouse.
Yes. He also has a treehouse.
For the week that’s in it, Eclectic Method brings you the ultimate cat video.
If you like lots of cat video samples cleverly synched with a funky tune.
Which we do.
Previously: Anthony Bourdain Remixed
