An Uncuttable Material Inspired by Abalone Shells

A new material called Proteus made from “ceramic spheres embedded in a cellular structure made of metallic foam” that’s believed to be uncuttable could revolutionize security. Inspired by abalone shells—which are composed of an essentially weak material that’s arranged in a manner that makes the shells super-strong—Proteus may be used in various ways, from bank vault doors to bike locks. After being tested with angle-grinders, …

The 1970s Video Game Inspired By Real-Life Deep Cave Crawls

The 1970s text-based video game Colossal Cave Adventure challenged players to navigate a long tunnel with wealth at its end. An influential coding feat, Adventure—as it’s primarily known—was the first-ever work of interactive fiction, an innovation that led the way for mediums like modern video games, roleplaying games, AR and VR. Adventure isn’t purely a product of imagination, though. Its creator Will Crowther based it …

The Sims Comes to TV With a Creativity-Focused Competition Series

Debuting Friday, 17 July on TBS, The Sims Spark’d is a game show centered around the popular Electronic Arts video game The Sims. Within, human contestants (mostly in their 20s) will be tasked with challenges like “design two rival families from different neighborhoods.” The show is an attempt at offering e-sports-focused content that isn’t terribly “hardcore,” meaning there is an emphasis on life beyond the bounds …