My last post here came just before I shlepped my family across the world to our new home in Israel. Now that the dust is settling after the move (literally, too), I'm back. And you can now keep updated by signing up for my newsletter.
In this edition, best enjoyed over a cup of your favourite freshly brewed coffee: a film of a book, a parking-free future, a stunning video for my current favourite song, Mortal Kombat with scientists, and L.A.'s ghost streets.
Video: The Martian film, better than the book
I enjoyed the book of The Martian, but found some of the narration and exposition awkward and clumsy. Luckily, film turns out to be a much medium for Andy Weir's tale of a stranded astronaut's battle to survive on Mars, doing a great job with the already captivating story, and cutting down on the bits I didn't like.
Article: Self-driving cars and the future of parking
Self-driving cars are more interesting than many technological advances, just because of the huge impact they could have on so many aspects of the modern world — environmental, economic, social, and more. This lengthy but fascinating article by smarter-than-you-think Clive Thompson explains how parking space could become unnecessary, and the implications of that.)
Music: Video for Wide Open by The Chemical Brothers
Wide Open, The Chemical Brothers' collaboration with Beck off their latest album, is my favourite song of the last few months. That aside, the video for the track, directed by Dom&Nic, features a beautifully choreographed dance in one take, combined with impressive 3D work by The Mill.
Animation: Famous scientists fight to the death in Science Kombat
Brazilian illustrator Diego Sanches has created the animated characters for a retro-styled fighting game featuring scientists, whose famous discoveries are their weapons. Fun project, great animations.
Article: L.A. neighbourhoods shaped by ghost streets
I love this. Many blocks in Los Angeles seem to be divided in unusual ways, with diagonal alleyways cutting across them. Zoom out, and you'll see that these traces of former streets and railways run through multiple blocks, and all that remains of them is the ghosts of those former thoroughfares that lend their shape to newer neighbourhoods.