Link About It: This Week’s Picks
An iPhone-controlled Batmobile, the Sun’s strange behavior, mesmerizing GIFs and more in our weekly look at the web
1. Peter Kogler’s Mind-Bending Spaces
Now on display at the Zagreb Museum of Contemporary Art, artist Peter Kogler’s interactive and innovative spacial pieces are truly mind-bending. Kogler’s curiosity into computer-generated media allowed the Austrian artist to break through the physical limitations of traditional art, making it possible to bring the virtual world straight to gallery-goers. Stepping into one of his pieces seems like standing on the space-time continuum itself, with wobbly gridlines distorting viewers’ perception between what’s real and what’s art.
2. Detroit Man Walks 21 Miles to Work
The story of James Robertson, a 56-year-old Detroit resident, quickly went viral after it was revealed that he walks 21 miles each day just to get to work. An outpouring of support from compassionate strangers helped a GoFundMe page (which was initially aimed at getting him a car) reached $280,000 in just three days—over 55 times its $5000 goal. Mic points out that, while generous, it misses the larger picture: “Americans would rather give to a single man’s donation page instead of donating a higher portion of their taxes to help the less fortunate among us.”
3. The Sun Flares Up
Compared to its solar counterparts, the Sun has remained incredibly stable throughout its life, only varying its output by a tenth of a percent. While periodic solar flares and other cosmic outbursts are commonplace for these hot balls of gas, a storm too severe could cause catastrophic damage to Earth. Signs of these temperamental solar flares peaked in 2014, and while all we can do is watch, scientists are keeping a closer eye on our beloved Sun.
4. Google Glass Put on Hold
The newest twist in this ever-unfolding story, Google Glass temporarily shuts down the device as Google searches for a new direction to take the project. Ever since its unveiling, the development of Glass has been hindered by drama—including office politics, media speculation, a secret lab and even a love triangle involving a Google co-founder. If we’ve gained anything from the once-hailed revolutionary gadget, it’s material for what will be a very interesting future biopic.
5. Mesmerizing Animated GIFs
Nicolas Fong’s animated GIFs have to be some of the weirdest we’ve seen in a while. In one, microbes morph into humans and in another purple eels swim through a sea of skulls and skeletons, all while rotating in a zoetrope-like effect—making it difficult to distinguish where the GIF starts and ends. Booooooom calls out a few of their favorites, but make sure to check out Fong’s Tumblr for a full line-up of his wacky creations.
6. Open-Source Dildos
A new DIY open-source sex toy company, Comingle, is developing the next generation of dildos through thoughtful design and superior engineering. After being challenged to create a vibrator that fit a specific set of needs, co-founder Andy Quitmeyer realized the potential of customizable, programmable sex-toys that could adapt to each different user. Comingle is currently seeking funding for The Mod (The Multi-vibrating Open-source Dildo) on Indiegogo.
7. iPhone-Controlled Batmobile
Creative design company Soap Studio is bringing Batman’s Tumbler Batmobile to life with a miniature, multi-functional remote-controlled car. The 1:12 scale replica comes equipped with 16 LEDs, a night-vision camera for photo and video, a voice intercom, special engine sounds and visual effects and even adjustable spoilers, which are all controllable through a WiFi-enabled iPhone or iPad. Batman buffs can pick up the Dark Knight-inspired RC through Soap Studio’s website for $569.
8. Emoji-Users Get Laid More
People who use emoji are having more sex than people who don’t. At least that’s what a recent survey conducted by online dating website Match.com has declared. The survey, which polled more than 5,600 singles, found that 54% of emoji-users had sex in 2014 while only 31% of non-users did. Emoji is known to more effectively communicate sentiment, and with the top three most-used emoji being flirtatious, it’s no surprise that these smiley-face-sending singles are getting more action in the sack.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on Twitter, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
