Epic.

Thanks for the link, Tim!

“Little Boxes”

“Somebody That I Used to Know”

“From Me To You” (Beatles)

Thanks for sharing this, Darren!

30-story Hotel Assembled in Two Weeks

To say this is an incredible feat of engineering approaches understatement. I purposefully used the term “assembled” in the title since the parts of the hotel are prefabricated elsewhere. I’m sure that the prefabrication process will add a significant amount to the total time required for this 30-story hotel to come into existence.

Still, though, imagine living in that area, going on vacation for a few weeks and then returning home to see a 30-story hotel.

via Los Angeles Times

Though this is only a tech demo showing the “emotive capabilities” of a game engine on the PS3, it is an amazingly succinct and poignant narrative on the birth of self-awareness within a “newborn” android.

I also thought that embracing the “uncanny valley” within this context was a smart move. Since the featured character is an android, our expectations are lower for lifelike emotion—we are pleasantly surprised and in awe when we do see emotion. That subtlety drives the power behind this short film.

Enough of my chatter. Watch this film!

via BoingBoing via EuroGamer.net

via Lifehacker via How-To Geek

I’m late to the game on this amazing BBC series called Human Planet. If you have a moment, I highly encourage you to check out this audio slideshow by Timothy Allen. His captures are emotional and breathtaking. I can only aspire to even approach this level of photography.

Thanks for the link, Darren!

via BBC

Human Planet (audio slideshow | wikipedia | website)

“Zombies Are Nuts About Brains”

Sculpture + Photography + Twisted Sense of Humor = Bent Objects

via Wired via Bent Objects

The Drunken Recount of Superman’s Death and Resurrection

From nerdapproved.com:

If you’ve ever wanted to see a film version of death and resurrection of Superman as told by the 1992 DC Comic, this may be the closest you’ll ever get.

Max Landis, son of famed Animal House director John Landis, has created this live-action, drunken short film entitled “The Death and Return of Superman”, which mocks the concept of the story and stars Mandy Moore as Lois Lane, Elijah Wood as Hank Henshaw and Simon Pegg as John Landis (among other surprises).

This had me in tears. Tears! The cameos are awesome.

Head’s up on language and some NSFW-ish scenes.

via Nerd Approved

This is extremely nerdy, but I’d be a liar if I didn’t want to get some friends together and play this simulator.

From the website:

What is Artemis?

Artemis is a multiplayer, multi-computer networked game for Windows computers.

Artemis simulates a spaceship bridge by networking several computers together. One computer runs the simulation and the "main screen", while the others serve as workstations for the normal jobs a bridge officer might do, like Helm, Communication, Engineering, and Weapon Control.

Artemis is a social game where several players are together in one room ("bridge") , and while they all work together, one player plays the Captain, a person who sits in the middle, doesn’t have a workstation, and tells everyone what to do.

Artemis is a software game for Windows XP, Windows Vista, and Windows 7.

My favorite bit from the FAQs:

Q: Why can’t my crew play over the internet, using some voice chat software?

A: I always wanted the players to be in one room together, just like a spaceship bridge. I want the captain to be able to push the helmsman aside and shout "Full power, DAMN you!!!" BUT, as a veteran game developer, I recognize that players play my game the way THEY like, not the way I like. V1.1 optimized the network code, and a server option that lets you adjust the network update speed, so Artemis plays across the internet just fine.

Artemis | Spaceship Bridge Simulator

via @pomorales

I fully support this.

Thanks for the link, Tom!