How to Freeze Soap Bubbles in Winter Weather

A craze transfixing photographers lately: capturing the freezing process of soap bubbles in winter weather yields orbs with glorious, unexpected patterning. No two bubbles are the same, and footage at Fstoppers reveals as much. They also provide extra insight and include a video from photographer Benjamin Jaworskyj—revealing that photographing these bubbles is the easy part, but landing them on the right type of surface poses …

Luke Skywalker’s Jedi Hideaway aka Earth’s Skellig Michael Island

Even if one has only seen the trailer for The Last Jedi, a glimpse at Luke Skywalker’s verdant, cliffy hideaway leaves an imprint. This remarkable, exotic destination—referred to in the film as Ahch-To—isn’t the product of digital effects. It’s actually the island of Skellig Michael, located west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island, its abandoned monastery and several stone structures were …

Amazon’s Alexa Moves into the Kitchen

First there were lightbulbs, then door locks. But soon, Amazon’s Alexa will have power in the kitchen, too. Amazon has added cooking abilities within Alexa’s Smart Home Skill framework. This means users can operate microwaves (and soon conventional ovens) with their voice. The first partner brand, Whirlpool, has created an Alexa skill for microwaves. Engadget notes, “GE Appliances, Kenmore, LG and Samsung have also committed …