Considering it made roughly 40 gazillion dollars at the box office, earned rave reviews from critics and viewers alike, and might very well garner multiple Oscar nominations next year, it’s hard to imagine Barbie could have been any better. But there’s at least one way to make it awesome in a different way: add a cat. That always improves any film or show. And if you doubt that, the latest video from the YouTube channel OwlKitty shows why. It edits a black cat into Barbie to serve as the true object of Ken’s affection.

Sorry Stereotypical Barbie, you had your chance. You are no longer Kenough for Barbieland’s lovesick blonde beacher. Not after OwlKitty finally gave Ken what he wanted in life and reciprocated his love.

Well, at least this cat (real name Lizzy) is willing to do that some of the time. Every furry feline owner knows you can never get your cat to appreciate you 100% of the time. Sometimes they just want to be left alone to nap. But this cat’s love is still a huge improvement over the lack of attention Ken got from Barbie in the film. Honestly, it’s a great solution for everyone.

This video is the latest piece of fantastic internet silliness from a channel that has also re-imagined Top Gun: Maverick, Titanic, and Jurassic Park with a cat as the main star. And despite this new entry being so short, it touches on some of the best parts of the movie. From replacing Margot Robbie in the opening sequence to editing the cat into some of Ken’s best moments, this Barbie mashup is among the YouTube channel’s best. Especially since it seamlessly adds OwlKitty into one of 2023’s best movie moments, Ken’s big musical number “I’m Just Ken.”

I’m already on record as having an out-of-body experience the first time I saw that sequence. It is perfect in every way. Now it’s perfect in a second way, the only way anyone possibly could have improved Barbie. It now has a cat.

The post Ken Gets a Cat Who Thinks He’s Kenough in Fun BARBIE Movie Edit appeared first on Nerdist.

He’s only been around for five years; however, the Philadelphia Flyers mascot known as Gritty has quickly become something of a celebrity. Mind you, we’re not exactly sure what kind of creature he actually is. He’s a big, orange, fluffy, googly-eyed being who looks like something that might have fit right in somewhere in ’80s McDonaldland. That’s our best description. But in just a few years, Gritty went viral, with videos of himself playing in the snow and even getting a makeover on Queer Eye. And now, via DesignTaxi, we’ve learned that the hockey mascot will be getting his own wall calendar. And you can see several images from the upcoming calendar, photographed by Pel Productions, down below:

According to the NHL, the Gritty calendar will show the big orange lug in a variety of environments, covering “cute, furry, and sexy” elements. We’re not sure how “sexy” these are but we are a tad concerned about what that means. So far, all we see is Gritty as Santa Claus (wholesome), a leprechaun for St. Patrick’s Day (also wholesome), and Gritty as a Thanksgiving turkey (wholesome and kinda weird). There is one photo where he’s crouched down on the ground and doesn’t seem to have any clothes on. So maybe that’s what qualifies as sexy in the sports team mascot world. We’ll go with it but we like the wholesome images more.

So how do Gritty fans get their hands on this upcoming 2024 calendar? They are going to have to put on their running shoes. Registrants to the Flyers Charities’ Gritty 5K run in October will receive first access to preorder the calendar. Proceeds from this calendar’s sales will go towards to the team’s favored charity.

This charity’s mission is to support local families affected by cancer, as well as helping to make games more inclusive. They haven’t photographed the entire calendar yet, so there’s time to get Gritty in at least one swimsuit shot. July 2024 photo anyone?

The post Gritty Is Getting a Cute and ‘Sexy’ Wall Calendar in 2024 appeared first on Nerdist.

Happy June! It is Pride Month, a time where we celebrate the creative works, societal strides, and overall brilliance of LGBTQ+ activists, artists, collectives, characters, and trailblazers who have shaped our world. Of course, this extends deeply into pop culture entertainment, from the LGBTQ+ icons who changed TV, film, music, and more to fictional characters who resonate deeply with fans, cementing a permanent place in their hearts. When it comes to dissecting and celebrating entertainment, indie podcasts and YouTube vloggers continue to reign supreme.

Both mediums are a way for fans to ensure that their analysis, joy, and thirstiest of thoughts are heard. More importantly, entertainment podcasts and vlogs with LGBTQ+ hosts provide their needed perspectives on representation and thematic choices in media, whether they are tied to their specific identities or not. So, to celebrate Pride Month, we want to show these creatives a lot of love.

LGBTQ+ Led Nerdy and Pop Culture Centric Podcasts

Midnight Mass (Hosted By: Peaches Christ & Michael Varrati)

Brilliant host Peaches and filmmaker Michael are a podcasting match made in heaven with a deep affinity for cult movies. The pair dives into different aspects of a film, focusing on actors, genres, or perhaps a specific creative along with special guests. There’s lots of great analysis and laughter to be had with this biweekly podcast. 

Cerebro (Hosted By: Connor Goldsmith)

Cerebro is a podcast about Marvel’s the Uncanny X-Men. Each episode, Connor focuses on a specific character from the franchise alongside a guest. As we know, there are so, so many X-Men characters that he’s got plenty of material to mine from! 

That S**t We Do Like (Hosted By: Bianca & Niq)

This chaotic delight of a pop culture podcast is all about, well, that s**t that Bianca and Niq like, even if it isn’t popular among the masses. They dig into things they love (or love to hate) and talk about its relevance and impact. 

The Queer Archive (Hosted By: Skye & Brenna)

Doctor Who fans rejoice! Skye and Brenna expertly break down episodes of the famed sci-fi series, examining it from a queer and feminist perspective. Doctor Who is heading in what seems to be an increasingly (and delightfully) queer direction, so we are sure that this duo will have lots of thoughts as we head into this new era.

Gaylords of Darkness (Hosted By: Anthony Hudson & Stacie Ponder)

There’s no doubt that queerness is a big part of horror, for better or worse. The Gaylords of Darkness podcast traverses through the dark world of horror, touching on everything from mainstream hits to indie works that lurk in the recess of fans’ minds. 

The Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Podcast (Hosted By: Talia Franks & Lucia Kelly)

Yes, there are two Doctor Who podcasts on this list because why not? The Doctor does have two hearts, after all, so they deserve a double dose of love. And this podcast has a lot of love (and valid critiques) to give, with two nerds coming together from different time zones to chat about all things Doctor Who.

Podcast Style YouTube Channels with LGBTQ+ Hosts

That Gay Jedi

Would this truly be a Nerdist list without a Star Wars offering? That Gay Jedi is all about covering Star Wars, but they also dig into Marvel and Stranger Things, too. We love their brilliant content, effervescent energy, and insightful roundtables.

Zack Cherry 

When it comes to deep horror analysis, especially for the Scream and Halloween franchises, no one does it quite like Zack Cherry. His insight into everything from a killer’s rationale to glaring narrative holes in a franchise will make you want to watch films ten times for closer inspection. Generally speaking, Zack is a horror whiz 

Rowan Ellis 

Rowan’s video essays about pop culture, history, and representation from a queer viewpoint are well-crafted and extremely thoughtful. There are lots of great recommendations in her shorter vids as well as some wholly unique topics of discussion, like the “tragic potential of queer zombies.” 

The post 9 Queer Podcasts and Vlogs That You Should Support appeared first on Nerdist.

Wednesday is one Netflix’s most popular shows ever. News of its renewal for season two a surprise to no one. There’s a lot to love about it, maybe most of all Wednesday’s awkward dance scene in episode four. It’s one of the most talked about moments of the series, so how did it take us so long to notice that it bears a striking resemblance to another dark dance number? Yes, we’re talking about the infamous Spider-Man 3 jazz club sequence. Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker feels both confident and emo after his brush with Venom. And of course the only way to express himself is to hip-thrust and finger-snap his way around town. The mashup video below imagines Wednesday Addams and Peter Parker dancing together instead of on their own and it’s pitch perfect.

It tracks that an emo Peter Parker and a slightly happier Wednesday Addams have something in common when it comes to their dance moves. Though she would never be caught dead uttering “Now dig on this” while strutting her stuff. Peter, on the other hand, just can’t help himself. While he gets down to the James Brown song “People Get Up and Drive Your Funky Soul,” Wednesday’s rug-cutting is set to “Goo Goo Muck” by The Cramps. The mashup above instead bops to a remix of Lady Gaga’s “Bloody Mary.” The song became a fan favorite for those emulating Wednesday’s dance on social media, including a TikTok of Mother Monster herself trying out the moves.  

We may never rid ourselves of the memory of Spider-Man 3‘s infamous gyrations. And now Wednesday will likely go down in the same history book. Both inspire the masses. There have been many fan edits of the cringey Spidey dance over the years. There’s a dance-off with Matt Smith’s character in Morbius and even a stop-motion version of it. 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post Wednesday Addams and Emo Peter Parker Dance Off in This Ridiculous Video appeared first on Nerdist.

In this dark time when anyone can purchase a verification checkmark on Twitter, one man is pushing back on internet inauthenticity. Brian Moore built a box that, when plugged into a computer, will verify whether someone actually laughed out loud before letting them post “LOL.” It’s a small but mighty step in the fight to say what you mean and mean what you say. But it is also silly. If you don’t actually LOL, the program swaps in a different message. Instead of hyperbole, it inserts a more honest message like “that’s funny” or “ha.” If you have actually chortled audibly, it add a satisfying green check mark and a timestamp following the “LOL.” 

In the TikTok video above, which we saw on The A.V. Club, Moore shows off the programming and machine learning steps involved. It sounds like the hardest part was training it to recognize what is and isn’t considered a laugh. Imagine just laughing and snorting at your computer over and over again for the sake of a good data set. This also brings up the question of what level of laughter constitutes laughing out loud. Does it just have to be audible? What if your laugh sounds like “ha?” Still, this is one of the few non-creepy uses of machine learning.

“LOL” is one of the longest-running internet shorthands. What’s next now that the floodgates are open for honest responses? Do we actually have to squeeze out a tear in order to use the “laughing so hard you cry” emoji? And does anyone actually roll on the floor laughing? Hopefully we don’t have to mean it when we type “brb” or “omw.” Lastly, for those people who use LOL to mean “lots of love,” is there a way to tell if they’re genuinely sending love or if they mean something more along the lines of “bless your heart?” 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Did You Really LOL? This LOL Verifier Can Tell appeared first on Nerdist.

In the ultimate transformation, a model builder and popular YouTuber made an Optimus Primal figure using every part of a foldable smartphone. Too bad it can’t convert back and forth like the Transformers do on-screen. But it’s still really cool. The man behind the Ray Studio account took the phone apart piece by tiny piece. It is an incredible show of patience. He unplugged every wire and cable, unscrewed every screw, and then put it all back together as a robot gorilla.

We saw the montage video above on Geeks Are Sexy. The whole thing is set to calming music that you’d expect to hear in a spa. Instead of the sound of tiny components dropping to the floor, cursing when fingers get glued together, or any of the other noises you’d expect to hear, it’s truly a Zen experience.

He uses the Honor Magic Vs foldable smartphone, which are only just becoming available worldwide. It sells for $1,300, so this build tops the $700 Optimus Prime toy from Hasbro as the most expensive Transformer we know of. The phone’s batteries power the Optimus Primal figure, which lights up in various places, including the gorilla’s eyes.  

The creator references his childhood love for Beast Wars in the video’s description. Other fans of the ’90s TV show are getting excited to see Optimus Primal and the other Maximals on the big screen when Transformers: Rise of the Beasts comes out in June 2023. Ron Perlman will voice Primal, a descendant of Optimus Prime, in the upcoming movie. There’s also a new animated series on Nickelodeon. 

The Ray Studio YouTube channel has other delightful builds. Most of them are mecha robots from properties like Transformers and Gundam. Along with other smartphone rebuilds, Ray has also converted an electric razor into a robot.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post This Foldable Smartphone Turns Into BEAST WARS: TRANSFORMERS’ Optimus Primal appeared first on Nerdist.

We all have skeletons in our closets, but not everyone has one just sitting out on a table for all the world to see. Now you can, thanks to Etsy artist theblackenedteeth. They sell table lamps in the shape of human spines for $163.65 and come in either white or black. There’s even a range of lampshades, as long as you want it to be black. The frightening fixture is something we wouldn’t be surprised to see in Wednesday Addams’s room at Nevermore Academy. Now you too can horrify the Enid trying to bring color and whimsy to your life by adding it to your home or office furnishings.

We learned about the Etsy shop thanks to Technabob. It specializes in Gothic Macabre Home Décor. There’s candles in many morbid shapes, like gravestones, doll heads, and anatomically correct hearts. The spine lamp includes a pelvis, but you can also buy one with a ribcage. Or if skulls are more your thing, you can choose from either human or dinosaur. There’s even wedding decorations for those who consider “til death do us part” as a theme and not just a vow. Nothing says love like skull place card holders and femur wall hangings with a customizable message. 

Any discussion of anatomical lighting fixtures has to include the leg lamp from A Christmas Story, though that definitely falls into the comedy category rather than Gothic horror. This spine lamp fits perfectly with the set decoration on Wednesday. It could probably match the tone of any other Tim Burton project, past or future. If you’re looking to decorate every room with a different creepy light and love a DIY project, we’ve got a few other options to suggest. You can assemble a robotic spider lamp or convert a popular IKEA fixture into the Death Star, complete with explosion. 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post This Spine-Tingling Anatomical Lamp Shines with Gothic Beauty appeared first on Nerdist.

With more and more people working from home, many are on the hunt for ergonomic office furniture. A Japanese company made an amethyst desk chair that doesn’t quite fit the bill for comfort. The large, sharp purple crystals are beautiful and maybe that’s enough for the lucky new owner. To us, it looks less functional and more like something the Doctor might have aboard the TARDIS. Maybe you could pretend you’re sitting on a stash of colorful kyber crystals like the one in Mace Windu’s purple lightsaber. Somehow, we can picture Samuel L. Jackson making this chair work for him.

The chair is up for sale for 450,000 yen, or about $3,400. According to the designer, the crystals were polished down to reduce any sharp edges. But it just doesn’t look like something we’d want to sit on, no matter how gorgeous it is. Based on the photos, one giant amethyst crystal in particular looks like it would make it impossible to sit down comfortably. And forget about any lumbar support. In fact, we’d rather learn to sit on an invisible chair. Or just stand.

Another non-ergonomic feature of the amethyst chair, which we first heard about on Boing Boing, is that it weighs about 220 pounds. The huge L-shaped amethyst chunk itself is nearly 200 pounds. And then there’s the heavy-duty frame needed to hold the crystal and anyone who sits on it. Luckily, it is on wheels. But good luck getting it up any stairs.

If you’re looking for a piece of furniture that makes a statement but also actually looks comfortable, what about chairs made of plush stuffed animals? Regal Robot also makes one that looks like Emperor Palpatine’s throne. He certainly always seemed pleased to sit in it and watch the galaxy burn.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post This Amethyst Chair Looks More Uncomfortable Than the Iron Throne appeared first on Nerdist.

“Yule” is an oft-used word during this festive season. The classic Christmas tune “Deck the Halls” gushes about “yuletide carols.” YouTube Yule logs bring crackling joy to those without fireplaces. And many companies are on the real Yule log train with their own weird twists to the holiday staple. But what does Yule mean? How did it become associated with Christmas? The history behind the word Yule, what it celebrates, and how people enjoy Yule today is a trip worth taking. Let’s dive into Yule’s interesting past.

The Word “Yule” and its Origin Story

Newer idioms (like “LOL”) are easier to trace back to a specific time period; however, Yule has been around for thousands of years. Therefore, its creation and evolution has a murkier background. According to Dictionary.com, Yule derives from the Old English word “gēol,” which itself likely comes from older Germanic languages like Old Norse that predate Christianity. In Old Norse, the word “jól” was used in poetry to refer to a large celebratory feast. These words eventually evolved into Yule (also known as “Juul” or “Jul” in Scandinavian languages) in reference to midwinter pagan festivals near the winter solstice.

The phrase “yuletide” to describe the festive season first became documented around 1475. In this context, the word “tide” means a season or period that includes and follows an anniversary or festival. So yuletide is the season in which people celebrate Yule festivals and traditions.

What Is Yule?

We now know a little bit more about the word’s origins. But what does Yule actually observe? History.com says Yule is the celebration of the winter solstice (midwinter), a.k.a. the longest night of the year. It signifies our joy about literal longer and brighter days ahead. In the distant past (and today for many people), men would bring large logs home (Yule logs) and set them on fire. Women would decorate their homes with evergreens and candles to welcome in more light.

People came together to feast, drink, and make sacrifices until the log burned out, which could take around 12 days. This would often lead to some very happy (and perhaps inebriated) people gallivanting around and signing joyful songs. In the framework of our current calendar, Yule ran from around December 21 or 22 until January 1. Pagan Scandinavian and Germanic people would call the celebration the Feast of Juul and it was their way of having faith that the next season would be fruitful.

“The idea of Yule is to bring a light to dark times,” metaphysical teacher and author Courtney Weber tells Nerdist. The Portland-based tarot adviser and Wiccan priestess stresses that her expertise and breakdown of Yule practices come from a European framework. So her statements may not encompass the past nor present experience of people from other parts of the world.

“Three thousand years, or more, ago, it’s a very scary and cold time [near the Winter Solstice],” Weber continues. “The days are short and the harvest is pretty much over. So you have to hang on until springtime when the sheep and cows start producing more or you can grow fresh crops. Because of that, a lot of different practices came about to chase darkness away or bring some joy and merriment…Yule would have taken place over several weeks in order for people to have something to hold onto during these dark and scary times. And, to be truthful, winter solstice celebrations have been a part of human existence since the beginning of time. Our earliest ancestors around the world would notice that there was one specific day when days would start to grow longer again.”

Ancient Romans had the festival of Saturnalia, which honored the agricultural god Saturn. They would exchange gifts, eat, and make sacrifices to various gods during the winter’s sowing season. School and work would stop, even for enslaved people. Romans would decorate their homes with wreaths and other greenery, much like a Yule celebration.

The Inca Empire celebrated their sun god Inti by fasting for three days before the solstice, which takes place in June for the Southern hemisphere. Then, they would make offerings to Inti at sunrise. Some people also believe that Stonehenge may have been the site of ancient winter solstice festivals; celebrations happen there today. So, the concept of festivals at this time of year is indeed global with some similarities.

There’s undoubtedly a correlation between Yule and Christmas. Many Christmas traditions like trees, Yule logs, caroling (which stems from wassailing), and mistletoe were from earlier pagan practices. This isn’t surprising considering how people began to spread out, explore, and colonize different areas. Locations that were not predominately Christian adapted the religion by either choice or force.

As Christianity began to spread in the 1st century AD, many pagan traditions were often seen as gluttonous and ungodly. However, Roman Catholic Church leaders aligned the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ on December 25 in 336—the same date as Saturnalia. Interestingly, many Biblical scholars believe that Jesus’ actual birth would have been in the springtime. So why did they choose a winter date?

It’s speculated that choosing December 25 was a strategic political move by Roman emperor Constantine to weaken pagan celebrations and push people towards the Christian faith. Christmas “borrowed” from established winter solstice celebrations and traditions like Saturnalia and Yule and combined them with the commemoration of Jesus birth. Many people feel like Christmas is the Grinch who stole from paganism; however, Weber offers a different perspective.

“So, I don’t really feel like Christmas is stolen from paganism,” she affirms. “If you look at Christmas celebrations around the world, you’ll see pre-Christian customs kind of folded in. And this is where I say Yule is cultural and Christmas is much more of a cultural thing than most Christians would admit.”

Modern Yule Observances

Despite their blended practices, some people may see Christmas and Yule as two mutually exclusive celebrations. They might see Christmas as a Christian holiday and Yule for those who are pagan, polytheistic, or atheist/agnostic. In reality, a Christian person can celebrate both because Yule isn’t “anti-Christian,” but rather a celebration of nature and seasonal change.

Many pagans, like writer Talia Franks, celebrate Yule and Christmas culturally and not religiously. They grew up celebrating Christmas without being raised under a specific religious structure. Talia’s natural attraction to witchy things and Greek mythology shaped their spiritual path towards paganism and witchcraft. They speak further about how they have previously celebrated Yule with friends.

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“Almost every year I have a general holiday party for the solstice,” Talia says. “It’s a party where friends who celebrate other holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa would come together and have fun. Last year we did a small ritual where everyone would take a slip of paper and write down things they wanted to release from the past year. Then we put those papers in a bowl and light them on fire. Everyone had the opportunity to say this specific phrase, ‘I release these to the return of the light.’ It was really a great time to process the year…For me, Yule is very much a time of renewal, letting things go, and moving into brighter days.”

On a more personal level, Talia has their own set of personal rituals to commune with spirit and the gods. They also use this time to craft a plan for the upcoming year, go deep within themselves, and recharge their energy. The Massachusetts native views Christmas as more of a general fun American holiday complete with time off work, fun songs, quirky clothes, and a chance to spend time with family.

“I don’t have any problems celebrating Christmas and Yule because Christmas is an excuse to hang out with my family,” says Talia. “We exchange meaningful gifts and it’s nice to pick out things for them. I also give out solstice presents too.”

Weber and her husband, who is also pagan, combine Yule and other cultural and regional traditions for a weeks’ long celebration. Even in the initial year of COVID, they started cranking up the Christmas tunes in mid-November and will continue to honor the refreshing spirit of the season through the New Year. The North Carolina native and Portland transplant blends Southern New Year’s cooking traditions—like black eyed peas and collards for luck and money, respectively—along with her husband’s Italian roots. They also dine on Christmas Eve seafood and pork on Christmas Day.

“It is weeks of celebration for me,” Weber says. “So, on a more secular level, we do a lot of winter-themed Christmas lights and put up a tree. We don’t put up a nativity scene or cross but we do have a giant, glowing snowflake. We basically celebrate the beautiful things about winter. I have also started embracing more cultural things related to this time of year. We’ve been putting up a lot of La Befana [decorations] in our house. She is the Christmas witch in Italy who is kind of like Santa Claus in that she shows up and brings presents, but also cleans the house, which is why I love her. I will normally get up before dawn on the day of the winter solstice for the sunrise and honor it through rituals as well as encouraging the light to come and purge our home of anything that is negative, harmful, or hurtful. To purge us of any sorrows that we’ve had over the past year.”

In terms of wider events, some places may do public celebrations. For example, Virginia-based university William & Mary holds an annual Yule Log event where attendees cast their cares into a fire and look towards a hopeful future. Unlike other years, the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic threw a wrench into Talia and Courtney’s celebration plans. Talia spent that year going within for self-care.

They were admittedly upset about not gathering with others, but thankful for maintaining connections online. Weber and her husband leaned deeper into their rituals as well and set their sights on a smaller family gathering with those who were strictly quarantining.

A Yule Celebration Guide

Some people may be curious about Yule and perhaps want to start a celebration of their own. Google is always an option but the information can often be overwhelming. So, what should you do? Weber suggests looking into the simple things that your parents or grandparents do that are rooted in mysterious tradition. She gives an example about an Appalachian custom that was passed down in her home.

“I learned recently that in Appalachia you never leave a candlewick unburned,” Weber says. “So, if you get a new candle, you burn the wick right away a little bit, even if you don’t plan on fully burning the candle. My mom used to say she did it because ‘white wicks are tacky,’ but it’s actually an old Appalachian custom of keeping good luck in the house. My mom didn’t know that; she just did it because her mom taught her to do it. It’s those little pieces that may have lore behind it.”

She also encourages people to dig into their culture, if possible, and discover traditions there. Weber says the focus should be on doing fun and intentional activities. For those who may no longer go to a church, she suggests creating something like their own sunrise service on the winter solstice or staying up all night if they are a night owl. Taking time to enjoy the long night could be a spark of restorative and thoughtful joy. And, again, Yule isn’t just for people who are pagan or witches.

“The term Yule is much older than the term witch,” Weber affirms. “Yule and the idea of celebrating the return of lighter days is as old as human history. You may have to modify past traditions a bit for your modern life but there is something beautiful about embracing older practices.”

Talia, an avid bibliophile, shares a few recommendations that are both insightful and inclusive. “There’s a good series about all the Sabbats. Llewellyn has these cute books that aren’t expensive and sometimes go on sale for the holidays. There is one for Yule that talks about the old and new ways that Yule is celebrated, spells, divinations, recipes, crafts, and prayers. It’s a good primer book.”

Ultimately, your Yule celebration is what you make it. It can involve watching holiday movies that aren’t super religious or traditional (The Long Kiss Goodnight, anyone?). You can make a decorative Yule log or simply spend solstice in nature. No matter what, it’s never a bad time to start a new tradition, especially with a new understanding of Yule.

Originally published December 21, 2020.

The post The Curious Past and Lasting Importance of Yule appeared first on Nerdist.

I had a pair of red sunglasses back when colored lenses were cool (or at least back when I thought they were). But I couldn’t wear them when driving because they make traffic lights look broken. The green light appears burned out and it’s very distracting, so I saved them for the beach or indoor poetry readings instead. That same optical illusion is on display in the TikTok video below and it’s blowing people’s minds and dividing the internet. Does the red light still look red to you, or do you believe it’s actually gray?

Instead of a straight green filter, the traffic light is covered with cyan, which is blue-green. Cyan is nearly, but not completely, opposite from red on the color wheel. That means it blocks out the red but leaves behind a gray that still looks reddish to many people. That’s because of the context, our eyes and brains know that top light is red, so it still looks red. The illusion works whether you call them traffic lights, stoplights, or even robots, as they do in some parts of the world.

We saw this brain teaser thanks to Boing Boing. The article also shows a plate of strawberries with a cyan filter, but they still look quite red as well. If you want to put your brain through the ringer, Dean Jackson, a BBC host, shares many other optical illusions on his TikTok channel.

We love a good optical illusion, especially when cute animals like otters get in on the mind-bending fun as well. There are even scientists who study color in optical illusions to explore the connection between our eyes and the areas of the brain that process what we see. Whether or not you understand the science behind it, tricking our eyes into seeing things that aren’t there—like motion in works of art like The Starry Night—is undoubtedly fun.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post This Optical Illusion Makes You See Red, But It’s Actually Gray  appeared first on Nerdist.

There are many things in life that are considered essential to our souls. Love. Friendship. Peace. And while those tenets of our existence are cornerstones for many people, I believe that creative art falls into this category. Witnessing the expression of artwork, whether it be through painting/drawing or crafting apparel, is an open window to a person’s mind and heart.

Oftentimes, that window reflects their heritage, crafting beauty from generational pain, maintaining their familial and cultural legacies, and cultivating purposeful joy. This is certainly true for Native American, First Nations, and Indigenous creatives as they construct stunning regalia, symbolic art, jewelry, and so much more. And, there’s no time like the present to celebrate a few wonderful creatives by highlighting and supporting their work. 

Paige Pettibon (Plain to Sea Jewelry)

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Paige Pettibon of Plain to Sea Jewelry designs and crafts handmade pieces and fine artwork. She is of mixed heritage and a member of the Bitteroot Salish Nation. Pettibon told Nerdist that she’s built a strong community of supporters and clients through Instagram and her work respects the Earth. “With my jewelry it is a priority for me to use high quality metals mixed with natural materials,” Pettibon affirms. “I try to avoid plastic as much as possible.” Plain to Sea Jewelry can be purchased directly through Instagram or at select markets where Pettibon travels. 

Marlena Myles 

A self-trained digital artist and member of the Spirit Lake Dakota tribe, Marlena Myles infuses the heart and soul of her people into all of her work. While it certainly showcases Indigenous beauty, it is also deeply informative and enlightening. For example, the St. Paul-based creative made a complete Dakota land map of the Twin Cities (Minneapolis and St. Paul) area with villages, burial mounds, and more. Her brilliant skills caught the eyes of Google, who sought her out to create one of their infamous Google Doodles in honor of National Native Heritage Month 2022. Check out her work on Instagram and purchase it here. 

Traci Rabbit 

Traci Rabbit is a Cherokee artist whose work honors not only her heritage, but her special bond she had with her father. In 2020, she gained recognition as a Cherokee national treasure for her accomplishments. Rabbit says she feels a great responsibility to share her people’s history and encourage future generations.

“Cherokees are a matrilineal society,” Rabbit states. “Being a Cherokee woman is who I am and along with that comes a great responsibility to the next generation. I believe it is important for me to tell a story through my art of my heritage and to encourage the next generation of matriarchs. Cherokee history is important in certain works I do. It has given me an opportunity to share my heritage with many collectors from all over the world. I would say my work reflects my experiences while growing up and following my dad around the country to different art events.”

Support Traci’s work through her online shop.

Kameron White (SpaceJamKam)

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Kameron White of SpaceJamKam is an Afro-Native (Choctaw and Cherokee) illustrator and comic artist, who enjoys creating and designing characters, as well as experimenting with fashion and color. His work puts Black and Brown subjects into sceneries that are not common in history, including mythological and religious imagery. 

Kameron can be found on Instagram and Twitter and his work can be purchased directly through his website.

Ursala Hudson (Kadusné)

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Ursala Hudson, whose creative name is Kadusné, is desiger of regalia/fashion and a member of the Tlingnit tribe. Her work honors her heritage through Chilkat and Ravenstal weaving. As she notes on her webpage, crafting regalia and weaving gives her a sense of peace and higher purpose, allowing her to honor the generations of creatives in her lineage. Check out her online shop for more information on how to purchase her creations. 

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Even if beauty is in the eye of the beholder, these sculptures that fit in the eye of a needle and on the head of a pin are nothing short of amazing. The artist, Willard Wigan, uses a microscope to craft his creations. He even makes his own tiny tools, including a paintbrush out of an eyelash. In the video below, he describes the time-consuming process involved and how he uses breathing techniques to be able to work in such a small medium. Wigan even shares a story of how that one backfired and he accidentally inhaled an Alice in Wonderland sculpture. He literally lives and breathes his art.

Wigan has two Guinness World Records. One is for the smallest hand-made sculpture ever. (He won this one by beating his own previous record.) The other is for the smallest Statue of Liberty. Exhibitions of his work come with microscopes in every gallery so everyone can appreciate the miniscule details. At the London premiere of 2015’s Ant-Man, Wigan displayed a tiny Ant-Man sculpture, along with some of his other appropriately-sized artwork. He also met the queen and presented her with a tiny replica crown on the head of a pin.

Wigan also does collaborations and fundraisers. His most recent sculpture, of the world’s tiniest guide dog, is raising money for the training of seeing eye dog companions. Some of his microscopic art pieces are for sale on Wigan’s online shop. Currently, there’s everything from a tiny version of the famous painting Girl with a Pearl Earring for about $175,000 to a golden dragon priced at just over one million dollars. 

If you’re looking for something a little more affordable, but still quite small, check out these coffee bean sculptures. And if you just really don’t have the space, one artist sold an invisible sculpture—but that went for a whopping $18,000.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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If anyone was taking bets on what Daniel Craig’s next project would be after James Bond, there probably wasn’t a lot of money on dancing in a vodka TV ad. But here we are, and what a pleasant surprise this is for the holiday season. While we’ve seen Craig solve crimes, ride horses, and even play a stormtrooper, we’ve never seen him quite like this. In either all black or all white outfits, he struts the streets, gets down on a helipad, and splashes around in a pool. Even if it doesn’t end up selling a lot of Belvedere vodka, it’s certainly making people thirsty.

Now that he’s done with 007, Craig gyrates and simpers his way through a Rita Ora song. The video is directed by her reported husband, Taika Waititi, who you may know from Our Flag Means Death and Thor: Love and Thunder. The director’s cut above comes with a few outtakes at the end, which is really the cherry on top of this already-delicious Shirley Temple vodka cocktail.  

Highlights include a gold chain, some unexpected hip movements, and Craig’s novel (and badass) way of opening the bottle of Belvedere. He also sports some bling with his initials on it. We certainly never expected to see that smile from the usually serious actor.

Time will tell if Craig’s dancing skills will overtake his popularity as a meme introducing the weekend. The much anticipated Knives Out sequel is also coming out soon. Here’s hoping Rian Johnson found a way to work famed private investigator Benoit Blanc’s dance moves into the movie.

After enjoying the Belvedere ad as many times as necessary, we also recommend taking a trip down memory lane to Christopher Walken’s remarkable dancing. Spike Jonze directed Fatboy Slim’s “Weapon of Choice” music video way back in 2000 and it shares the same vibe.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Chinese artist Li Hongbo takes the 2,000-year-old tradition of paper lanterns to an entirely new artistic level. What looks like a white marble bust stretches the imagination as it pulls apart to reveal that it is in fact made of thousands of pieces of paper. The videos of the honeycombed paper flexing in and out of place certainly confuses the brain’s expectations. Li’s more recent work involves weapons and challenges people to think about what their shape means in our societies. In the video below, thousands of handguns and rifles fold out into colorful lanterns and towers in a beautiful display.

There’s also a time lapse video of the setup of Li’s colorful exhibit, a process that takes many hours of unfolding his creations in just the right configuration. He also shares more about the sculpting process in this video. Li sometimes spends months gluing up to 26,000 pieces of paper together for his larger pieces. Then he cuts and sands it down into shape. He also shows off a hyper-realistic log also made of the honeycombed paper. It’s a wild illusion to watch wood suddenly pull apart and stretch many times its original length.

It’s really the busts that boggle the mind. While these paper creations won’t last through the ages the way marble statues can, they are beautiful and thought provoking. Just imagine looking at a marble bust and then having someone pull it apart and stretch it out across the exhibit room. The facial features get lost and the neck morphs into a 10-foot-long monstrosity like some sort of Inspector Gadget gimmick.

Other beautiful paper artwork we’ve seen includes three dimensional Disney cards with stunning details. There’s also an artist who turns stock market reports into gorgeous landscapes. That’s certainly one way to make bad news more palatable.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post These Marble Busts Are Actually Made From Paper appeared first on Nerdist.

Ohhhh the weather outside is…well, depending on where you live it might be frightful, delightful, or somewhere in-between. But that doesn’t matter, because soon we’ll all be experiencing the same season: the holiday season. And as the days get shorter we’ll need more time to shop for our loved ones. If you’re already dreading those long lines and crowded parking lots, though, don’t worry. We’ve put together a list to guide you towards some great gifts for the pop culture lover in your life. (Or you can buy them for yourself if you like. We won’t judge. We’re doing the same thing.) This wide array of items celebrate the best in TV, film, and literature, with—most importantly—something for every price range.

Beowulf Luxury Playing Cards With Custom Art ($14/$30)

We love artist Jackson Robinson’s custom playing cards, and he has an incredible selection of options at his company Kings Wild Project. But we’re getting real geeky this year over his gorgeous Beowulf set, a perfect stocking stuffer for the literature lover in your life. It’s also available as a gilded deck if you want to get really epic.

“Valkyrie Crossing the Bifrost” Shiny Foil Print by Pineapplebread ($20)

Artist Jay, who also works under the name Pineapplebread, has a fantastic line of original works celebrating some of the biggest properties in pop culture. That includes this fantastic shiny foil print of the MCU’s Valkyrie on winged horseback riding along the Bifrost. It’s a Marvel-ous take on Jacques-Louis David’s famous “Napoleon crossing the Alps.”

Black Panther: Protectors of Wakanda: A History and Training Manual of the Dora Milaje from the Marvel Universe by Karama Horne ($20.99)

Wakanda Forever will bring fans back to the MCU’s most powerful nation. But if you want to learn more about the powerful women who keep the country safe you’ll want to dive into author Karama Horne’s great new book Black Panther: Protectors of Wakanda: A History and Training of the Dora Milaje. It takes readers inside the lives of the elite warrior women to show what it takes to become a member.

Stranger Things 4 “The Piggyback Poster” by Butcher Billy ($25)

We know how great artist Butcher Billy’s retro pop culture posters are, and so does Netflix. The streaming site has his collection of prints for Stranger Things 4 episodes available at Netflix’s online shop. You can’t go wrong with any of them, but our favorite is this 24×36 piece from the season finale. It celebrates Eddie Munson giving the most metal performance of all-time. (Also check out his many other pieces, all of which make great gifts.)

Studio Ghibli Cookbook by Minh-Tri Vo, Lisa Molle Troyer ($29.99)

Studio Ghibli has long provided the most incredible culinary delights in cinema, but we have yet to figure out how to eat cartoons. Fortunately you don’t have to thanks to Insight Editions newest pop culture cookbook. It features recipes inspired by Studio Ghibli’s many delicious dishes. (Our advice? Give this to someone who will then invite you over to dinner.)

Top Gun: Maverick Sculpted Helmet Ceramic Mug ($29.99)

This 20-ounce sculpted ceramic Top Gun: Maverick mug from the Silver Buffalo Store celebrates one of the biggest box office hits of 2022. It’s a great present for fans who feel the need…the need for speed. And also caffeine. But it’s also an ideal Secret Santa gift. You can give it to someone without worrying if they saw the movie. You don’t need to know Pete Mitchell to appreciate this stylish Navy fighter pilot helmet design.

House of the Dragon King Viserys Crown Ring ($47/$50)

We would prefer to live in a world where it’s socially acceptable to wear replica crowns. Until that royally great day comes, though, we’ll be happy donning this replica House of the Dragon King Viserys crown ring from the Etsy shop gadgetentertainment. It comes in both antique silver and antique 18k gold. It also makes it easy to show your support for Rhaenyra’s claim to the Iron Throne.

Doctor Who Seventh Doctor Question Mark Umbrella ($57.50)

LOVARZI’s new officially-licensed Doctor Who Seventh Doctor Question Mark Umbrella pays tribute to Sylvester McCoy’s run as TV’s iconic Time Lord. This large brolly will keep you dry on rainy days, which is a huge plus. But the real value with this umbrella is that you’ll look stylish carrying it during any time period.

Ted Lasso A.F.C. Richmond Roy Kent Replica Jersey ($69.95)

Ted Lasso‘s Roy Kent is grumpy and foul-mouthed. His “team” doesn’t even exist! And yet there’s nobody in all of professional sports—real or fictional—whose jersey we’d rather wear than this exclusive AFC Richmond one sported by Brett Goldstein during the show’s first season. We’ll wear it here, we’ll wear it there, we’ll wear it every fu…oh, wait. We probably shouldn’t finish this chant. This is a holiday gift guide, after all.

The Lord of the Rings: The Card Game Revised Core Set ($69.99)

This year The Rings of Power brought fans back to Middle-earth. But that wasn’t the only way to revisit the world of J.R.R. Tolkien in 2022. Fantasy Flight Games also re-released the classic The Lord of the Games Card Game. The Revised Core Set has “increased contents and some quality-of-life improvements” that make it easy for both newcomers and veterans of the game to play out their own rings of power fantasy.

Obi-Wan Kenobi Lola Animatronic ($89.99)

Obi-Wan Kenobi brought the Jedi Master and his old Padawan face-to-face. It also gave us a live-action Grand Inquisitor and answered some big questions about the Force. But most importantly it gave the world little Leia Organa and her tiny droid Lola. And this holiday you can give the Star Wars fan in your life their very own L0-LA59 with Hasbro’s officially-licensed Lola animatronic. Just make sure to keep it safe at all costs.

Star Trek: The Original Motion Picture 6-Movie 4K/UHD Collection ($95)

If you want to boldly go where no Star Trek fan has gone before, you can start by watching the franchise’s original six movies in a way that’s never been possible before. This year, for the first-time ever, Paramount released the big screen adventures of the original Enterprise crew in 4K/UHD. And you can get them all in this single box set.

Young Avengers Omnibus by Heinberg and Cheung ($99.85)

For the first-time ever you can get every Young Avengers comic from the team of Allan Heinberg and artist Jim Cheung in a single omnibus. This new collection has too many runs, plot lines, and characters to sum up in a single blurb. That’s exactly why it’s a great option for both longtime readers of Earth’s mightiest young heroes and newcomers alike.

Ella Purnell’s Yellowjackets Letterman Varsity Bomber Jacket ($101)

A truly great gift provides so much, like this spot-on replica Yellowjackets varsity bomber jacket from the Etsy store IdeaMastersAU. Not only will it let you pay tribute to one of your favorite shows, it makes pulling off Jackie Taylor cosplay a cinch. But the best news is that if your plane ever crashes in the Canadian wilderness, this coat will keep you warm. What you do while wearing the jacket is your own business and we didn’t see anything we swear!

Peacemaker Replica Cosplay Helmet ($260)

If there’s one thing John Cena’s Christopher Smith learned on his HBO Max series it’s that peace at any cost is not a price worth paying. But if you’re looking for a high-end gift for the superhero fan in your life this replica Peacemaker helmet from AllCosplay is. It’s (fortunately) not a dangerous killing machine, which will make it even more fun to wear to conventions and at home in your underwear. And who can put a price on that? Especially when it’s not something Santa Claus can give you.

Rick and Morty Exclusive Mondo Statue ($270)

If you need a big gift for the biggest Rick and Morty fan in your life you can find what you need (in this dimension) at Mondo. The company released the show’s first official polystone statue. The 12-inch collectible not only features the show’s titular characters, it comes with interchangeable tentacles and hands, as well as Squanchy himself. It’s one thoughtful way to make this holiday season the squanchiest ever.

The post Holiday Gift Guide 2022 – For Pop Culture Lovers appeared first on Nerdist.

Vincent van Gogh’s The Starry Night is arguably the most famous and widely appreciated painting ever. But have you ever seen it move? Now you can, thanks to this wild, but simple, optical illusion. Just start the video below, watch the spiral for 30 seconds, and then shift your gaze to the painting below. Because your eyes are trained on the moving black and white spiral, they will compensate when you look at a still image. That makes it appear to move in the opposite direction. With this small trick, Van Gogh’s masterful swirling sky rotates like magic.

You may know this optical illusion as the waterfall effect. If you watch a waterfall for some time and then shift your gaze, things will look like they are moving upwards. This also happens if you watch the road go by (or the ocean, if you’re on a boat). If you stare long enough and then look somewhere else, everything will move in the opposite direction for a few seconds.

Instead of staring at the small version of Starry Night in the video, you can try looking at the LEGO Ideas set of the famous painting, if you’re lucky enough to have one of those. Other ways to see living Van Gogh masterpieces include the immersive exhibits of his artwork touring the world. And there’s even a drone show that pays tribute. It’s also never a bad time to go back and watch the episode of Doctor Who centered around the Eleventh Doctor and Amy’s trip back in time to meet her favorite artist, who never knew how beloved and important his works would become.

Not everyone can see all optical illusions but scientists are still figuring out why that is. In the meantime, pet owners are doing their own trials with everything ranging from cats to otters.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post This Optical Illusion Brings Van Gogh’s Starry Night to Life appeared first on Nerdist.

If you make the world’s fastest Roomba you have to call it a Vroomba. Those are just the rules of robotic vacuum racing. Thankfully, YouTuber electrosync understands. He managed to get an older model up to a speed of 35 miles per hour by modifying the wheels, batteries, motors, and pretty much everything else. That is so much faster than the standard speed (usually less than one mile per hour) that he also had to add an anti-wheelie device to keep it from flipping over. Check out the mod in the video below, which also includes plenty of footage of the Roomba zipping by at top speed.

We saw this thanks to Laughing Squid. The YouTuber in question first did some research into other videos that purported to show the world’s fastest Roomba. Based on that analysis, he determined the current record to be set at eight miles per hour. His combination of lighter batteries, 3D-printed wheels, and larger motors quickly surpassed that speed. Not content with 22 mph, the tinkering continued. The Bluetooth GPS mounted to the vacuum eventually measured the speed at 35 mph. While one of the qualifications for the build was that it still functions as a vacuum (in short, that it sucks), we can’t imagine that a Roomba traveling that fast would actually clean up any mess. But that’s okay, it’s fun to watch nonetheless.

The electrosync YouTube channel has lots of other 3D-printed and remote control modification videos. One of them includes another Roomba build that turned one into a pool cleaner. There’s also plenty of other neat vacuum mods out there, including a combination Roomba and Star Wars astromech droid as well as one that sorts LEGO bricks. All of these builds may suck, but that’s part of why they’re so fun to watch.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post What Happens When a Roomba Goes 35 Miles Per Hour? appeared first on Nerdist.

Kevin McCallister learned that sometimes a dream can become a nightmare. Every little kid imagines not having to deal with demanding parents and annoying siblings would be amazing. But Home Alone showed that having the house entirely to yourself isn’t all fun and games. Sometimes bad people want to get in. Of course, there are far more terrifying villains than the Wet Bandits—especially if you decide to spend the night alone in Castle Dimitrescu. That’s what Macaulay Culkin’s iconic Christmas character does in this new crossover video. This mashup video turns Resident Evil Village into a holiday horror.

The YouTube channel eli_handle_b․wav is back with a new mashup, which we first saw at Geeks Are Sexy. It sends everyone’s favorite Christmas loner far from his family’s house in an idyllic Chicago suburb. This year he accidentally took a plane to Eastern Europe and ended up at a sinister locale. Monsters from Resident Evil Village call this dark and spooky land their home.

But the real terror begins once Kevin gets inside the castle. He’s in trouble since he doesn’t have home field advantage in this fight. (In that way this is really more like Home Alone 2: Lost in New York.) There he must evade and fight demons and ghouls on their own turf, only without the ability to re-spawn or restart.

His time inside the Castle ultimately brings him face to face with the biggest threat he’s ever had to deal with, the giant Lady Dimitrescu. We don’t care how crafty Kevin might be, we’re taking her 100 times out of 100 in this showdown.

But in the end things work out for the same reason they always do in Home Alone: Catherine O’Hara shows up. Too bad that doesn’t happen when we play Resident Evil Village all by ourselves in an empty house. Now that’s scary!

The post Kevin Is HOME ALONE in a RESIDENT EVIL Village in Mashup Video appeared first on Nerdist.

Scooby-Doo is a cultural icon, one that has been translated across dozens of countries and languages. And he and his buddies Shaggy, Velma, Fred, and Daphne have been unmasking local monsters for over five decades now. But Halloween time is Scooby’s biggest season, for obvious reasons. In honor of the spooky season, Hamster & Gretel actress and YouTube sensation Jenny Lorenzo has created a comedic tribute to the Mystery, Inc. gang, presenting them through a Spanish language lens.

Lorenzo wrote the video, along with Kevin Bosch, who also directed it. You can check out the full If Scooby-Doo Was Latino video down below. Don’t forget to have a tasty Scooby Snack before you watch.

You’ll notice a few little differences in this version of Scoob and the gang. For starters, Scooby is not a Great Dane, but a much tinier (and cuter) pooch. Also, the Mystery Machine isn’t a hippie van anymore, but an ice cream truck. Frankly, we see that as a big improvement. And the action this time takes place in Florida. Although, the original Scooby-Doo cartoons did kind of take place everywhere, so maybe they did go to Florida once. After all, one time Fred drove the Mystery Machine to Japan. (Best not to ask how they managed to do that).

The best part of this video, though? It may just be the reimagined theme song, which is just incredible. The lyrics are genius, especially if you are of Cuban heritage like I am. It’s no joke to say that the words “Scooby-Doo” were simply impossible to pronounce for my Cuban grandmother. I just adjusted to the fact that as far as all old Cuban grandmas were concerned, that cartoon dog was really just named “Escubi Doo.” To see more of Jenny Lorenzo’s hilarious videos, be sure to check out her YouTube channel.

The post Spanish-Speaking Scooby-Doo Just Has a Little More Halloween Flavor appeared first on Nerdist.

The Dutch Domino Team took two weeks to set up a course of 750,000 dominoes in an attempt to set the amateur record at the World Domino Collective. You can watch all 17 minutes of dominoes zigging, zagging, climbing stairs, shooting down zip lines, and even riding a Ferris wheel in the video below. A few times things didn’t trigger, leading to audible gasps from the audience. In the end though, 704,814 dominoes fell—enough to set the record.

The video above, which we saw on Boing Boing, is much more than your typical domino topple. A rainbow of colors maps out mazes, buildings, and even functional games like Plinko and air hockey. It’s obviously a lot of work and took a large team to create the huge images of carousel horses and outer space that are part of the course. It features three dimensional domino towers as well, not just the usual lines of dominoes. Everything from skyscrapers, castles, and roller coasters collapse. It looks just like when they implode a hotel in Las Vegas to make room for a new glitzier one.  

There’s also a behind the scenes video showing setup and some inevitable fails. It’s stressful to watch, as the smallest mistake can start a chain reaction and result in hours of work to fix it. Afterwards, the team triggers the obstacles that didn’t work as planned in the original video. This includes a set of rockets carrying dominoes and a line of dominoes connected to a rubber duck. It only takes one extra tap to get the huge star field and duck pond to fall.  

The domino course in this video is set up by a team of people, though it can also be done by robots. Check out the Hevesh5 and Dutch Domino Team YouTube channels for more amazing domino topples. The slow motion videos are particularly satisfying.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post 704,000 Dominoes Fall and Set a New Record appeared first on Nerdist.

Spiders, why does it always have to be spiders? There’s no shortage of ways to decorate your home with these creepy crawlies with no shortage of legs. It may make your guests jump with fright, but once they calm down they’ll certainly want to take a closer look. This lamp from Mecrob is shaped like a robotic spider and made out of found parts. It’s actually a model kit with 618 pieces and an estimated four hours of assembly time. And it’s on sale just in time for spooky season for $70. The video below shows off its adjustable and dimmable light features, perfect for setting the mood for anything from a rave to romance robot spider-style.

We saw this lighted arachnid thanks to Technabob, which suggests it as the perfect way to illuminate a creepy underground robotics lab. Can’t argue with that. If spiders aren’t your thing but DIY metal cyberpunk kits are, Mecrob has plenty of other options on offer. There’s a Bluetooth speaker in the shape of a scorpion, an Army tank cell phone stand, and of course a candle holder shaped like the headless body and motorcycle of Ghost Rider. And that’s just a few of the kits available on their website.

Once you have this robotic metal spider desk lamp, why not decorate your entire desk with spiders? There’s lots of other possibilities, like one made out of antique watches. What about adding a pop of color with some artistic blown glass spiders. Or if you’d rather go for the superhero vibe, you can opt for a Spider-Man lamp instead.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She does not like spiders. Melissa moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post Look Out, Here Comes the Spider Lamp appeared first on Nerdist.

We all could use a little more Nicolas Cage in our lives. If this year’s The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent wasn’t enough Nic for you, and your old DVDs of Raising Arizona and Wild at Heart just don’t fill that Cage-sized hole in your heart, then we’ve got the solution. Thanks to Boing Boing, we’ve learned that you can now buy a blanket that features the face of Nicolas Cage. But as if stretched over thousands of square inches of material. This is either the greatest blanket ever made, or the most disturbing. Well, maybe it’s a little bit of both. You can see images of this incredible creation right here:

The stretched-out Nicolas Cage face sure gives us Brazil vibes. (We mean the Terry Gilliam movie, not the country). And also that one bad guy with the stretchy face from Star Trek: Insurrection. If this particular blanket creeps you out though, would you believe there are other Nic Cage blankets out there? Yes, you can buy one that has the Ghost Rider and Face Off star with his shirt unbuttoned, serving us some “sexy Cage.” And there’s even another one with multiple Nic Cage faces. Some look like Nic Cage as the Hulk, or an Egyptian Pharoah. And there’s even one with Nic Cage as a cheeseburger. Because sure, why not?

The Nic Cage face blanket features a premium microfiber selection. This soft blanket uses 100% Anti-pilling fleece, so all layers can last for long use and provides fade resistance much better. The manufacturer describes it as “super soft, skin-friendly, and fuzzy.” Basically, words that spring to mind when we think of Nic Cage. It’s also suitable for all seasons. It comes in three sizes as well, including 40×50 Inch, 50×60 Inch, and 60×80 Inch. You can buy yours now from Amazon for a mere $27.99.

The post Nicolas Cage’s Face Stretched Out Makes for One Disturbing Blanket appeared first on Nerdist.

Cosplay is truly easier to participate than ever before. And now there’s the ultimate easy way out: hyper-realistic masks of movie characters. As Adam Savage found out, just add an appropriate t-shirt and you’re done. Like something right out of Face/Off, you too can wear Nicolas Cage’s face. If you can afford the $1,999 price tag, that is.  

There are only 30 of these masks of Cage’s character Red Miller from the ultraviolent movie Mandy. An artist who goes by Rubber Larry makes them and Legion M, which also produced the movie, sells them. Apparently stunt people in movies sometimes use latex masks like these. Rubber Larry’s Instagram feed is truly wild, with pictures of celebrities next to the masks. Kevin Smith poses with his while Kit Harrington looks aghast while holding the head of Jon Snow.

As Adam Savage tries on the Nicolas Cage mask, he can’t help but giggle. He also admits to posing his face underneath the mask even though that’s obviously not necessary. It’s very relatable. Savage often wears intricate cosplay that makes him unrecognizable so he can go incognito on convention floors. This will be the easiest option yet. As he manages to say without sounding super creepy:  “I just need to find an axe in whatever city I’m in and wander around.” 

As for how practical the mask is, Legion M’s description states: “In keeping with the realism of the eyes, holes for adequate vision are drilled in the pupils, however we do not recommend driving, operating machinery or chainsaws while wearing mask.” 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post Adam Savage Becomes Nicolas Cage with a Hyper-realistic Mask appeared first on Nerdist.

Many adults still love building LEGO sets because it gives them a sense of calm and a modicum of control in this crazy world. The hours spent assembling the bricks give a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment. And some people love to watch them smash apart when flung at the wall. This video will satisfy all types. YouTube channel Brick Science built a working crash test simulator including a runway, reinforced wall, crash test dummy, and moving cart. Seven intricate LEGO car builds later and we have the results of how each one fared. Even though they’re not built to withstand car accidents, some of the LEGO sets actually did pretty well.

With a timer going in the background, it takes nearly eight hours to build the working crash test simulator. It uses over 4,000 bricks, including Technic pieces, pulleys, and a rope tied to 15 pounds of weights. And then it’s on to building the cars, with each of the seven sets including at least a few hundred pieces.  

While certainly not anatomically correct for either humans or LEGO minifigures, the crash test dummy named Ooblot is in turn impaled, ejected, cut in half, or merely bumps it head. Worst of the bunch is the Fiat 500, which sheers into a convertible on impact. That’s a bug, not a feature. The Volkswagen campervan manages to take out the wall and only lose its bumper. The LEGO Aston Martin and Porsche 911 also hold up pretty well, with the latter getting a 10 out of five star ranking.

The Brick Science YouTube channel has lots of other amazing LEGO builds. Some of the coolest involve robotics, like the creation of a working toothbrush and coffee machine.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post See How LEGO Cars Fare in a Crash Test Simulation appeared first on Nerdist.

One of the great injustices in the world is that you have to make your morning coffee before having any coffee. Even if it’s not a complicated process, being caffeinated would undoubtedly help. It would also be great to have machines make breakfast for us, so we could just relax and drink that cup of coffee. Enter the LEGO pancake factory. Though it’s definitely a Rube Goldberg machine that makes every step more complicated than it needs to be, the results look undeniably delicious. And it delivers pancakes to your plate with little work on your part. Well, except for the hours and hours it must take to assemble the robotic helpers. But hey, who doesn’t want LEGOs to make them pancakes for breakfast in the morning?

Every step in the pancake-making process is covered by this LEGO build. The machine cracks eggs, adds flour and milk, and even mixes everything together with a set of LEGO beaters. It then pours the batter (which looks a bit lumpy for my taste) into the hot pan. There are separate rigs for adding oil and flipping the flapjacks. The latter also transports each pancake to your plate and then takes the plate to the table.  

We saw the ingenious device thanks to Laughing Squid. It reminds us of the morning routines of many misunderstood geniuses in pop culture classics like Pee-wee’s Big Adventure and Back to the Future III. The Brick Wall YouTube channel has lots of other videos using Technic sets to create elaborate food factories. There’s a LEGO pizza assembly machine, a taco factory, and even a log cabin made out of cucumber slices. Who doesn’t need that?

There’s no shortage of Rube Goldberg machine ideas on the internet. You can incorporate one into your life at any time of day, including one to share a bottle of wine at the dinner table and one for brushing your teeth. But, we have a special love for LEGOs that will bring us pancakes in bed for breakfast.

Featured Image: The Brick Wall

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Train Your LEGOs to Make You Pancakes for Breakfast appeared first on Nerdist.

When walking down the sidewalk, do you ever think “I wish this concrete was a slinky?” Probably not. The team behind YouTube’s Waterjet Channel clearly did at some point. They put it to the test with their high-pressured waterjet, cutting a spiral into concrete like it was butter. Based on previous attempts (fails really), they added wire mesh and fiberglass to strengthen the concrete. None of their experiments really hold up as a slinky you can play with, but that doesn’t stop them from sharing the results.  

The video above is a series of experiments as the team tries to make a better concrete slinky than in a previous video. But nothing really works to hold the spiral together. They were hoping to make slinkies more like their version using flooring tile and glass that were more like the metal and plastic versions we know and love. Concrete just isn’t the right medium, apparently. The trials are fun to watch though.  

For years, the team has cut a lot of stuff in half using a 60,000 PSI waterjet. That’s 60,000 pounds of pressure per square inch. In comparison, pressure washers used to clean cars and houses use about 1,500 PSI. The water also comes out super-heated, which they remember the hard way after sticking their hand into the pool left behind after cutting one spiral.  

The Waterjet Channel YouTube is full of other answers to questions you’ve never thought to ask, including what things look like on the inside if you cut them in half. They’ve also shown what happens to a ballistic gel hand if it gets in the path of the waterjet. It’s a good reminder of the power—if its ability to cut a spiral into concrete wasn’t enough. There’s also other random uses for a waterjet, like pumpkin carving or spinning a skateboard wheel so fast it explodes. Certainly seems like they have a fun internet job/hobby.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Can You Make a Slinky Out of Concrete? appeared first on Nerdist.

A lot of folks play action heroes on screen, but couldn’t win a fight with a teddy bear. Hey, that’s not a knock. Because acting is acting. It is not a requirement that one knows how to do those things in real life. But it is nevertheless impressive when an actor famous for playing characters who are badasses actually is one. Case in point is British actor Tom Hardy. Thanks to The Guardian (via IGN) We learned that the man most famous for playing Venom, Bane, and Mad Max actually secretly entered a martial arts tournament recently….and won.

Hardy, who is now 45 years old, entered the 2022 Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Open Championship on September 17. This was a competition held by Ultimate Martial Arts Championships at Oakgrove School in Milton Keynes. Attendees at the event spotted Tom Hardy there, wearing a blue gi. He subsequently won every one of his matches and was the star of the tournament. And not just because he’s, well, you know, an actual star. In the end, he won the whole thing. When they awarded him his certificate, they used his birth name, Edward Hardy. We’re not sure why he changed it to Tom, but maybe he didn’t want to share fame with a clothing brand.

The funny thing is, this isn’t even the first time Hardy has won a tournament like this. He already won another one this very year. Back in August, the blue belt fighter turned up at the REORG Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Wolverhampton. And he cleaned house there too. So when did all this MMA and Jiu-Jitsu stuff start for Hardy? Over a decade ago, Hardy had extensive training in order to play a mixed martial arts fighter and military veteran on screen, in the 2011 movie Warrior. Honestly, we’re glad that’s the role he took home, and not the one where he’s an international supervillain. With that level of dedication, Hardy might have been able to pull off one of Bane’s evil world domination plans successfully.

The post Tom Hardy Entered and Won a Martial Arts Tournament in Secret appeared first on Nerdist.

There are countless podcasts that cover geeky and nerdy subjects that we cannot get enough of. From Star Wars ruminations to comic deep dives, there’s something out there for pretty much anyone who loves genre. However, many of the podcasts that get a lot of shine and support often have white hosts. This isn’t shocking considering the ever-pervasive issues of fandom gatekeeping and giving certain people a platform while others have to fight for their proper recognition. But there are just as many podcasters with one or more Latinx hosts that offer some excellent critical analysis and pure fun to pop culture. So, let’s show a few of those brilliant podcasters some love and help you add to your massive list of podcast subscriptions! 

Ahch-To Radio: A Star Wars Podcast 

Creator and host Alden Diaz chats about the galaxy far, far away with this fun and wildly informative podcast. Guests like Rian Johnson, Mercedes Varnado, and more grace a few episodes to dive deep into all things in the Star Wars universe, including shows like Obi-Wan Kenobi, as well as pervasive issues within the fandom. 

Comadres y Comics 

As the title suggests, this podcast is all about comics! Its three Latina hosts—Sara, Jen, and Kristen—talk about the Latinx presence in the comic industry. From comic anthologies to books that might be under your radar, they dig into it all. 

¡UY QUE HORROR! A Latinx Horror Movie Podcast

Horror fans to the front! This Latinx horror podcast, hosted by Jonathan Atkinson and Aileen Clark, is all about films that are often underrated and overlooked. If you want to know more about movies with Latinx leads, this is the place for you! They are witty, delightful, and over 100 episodes into the game. 

The Arkham Sessions 

Dr. Andrea Letamendi and Brian Ward lead this unique weekly podcast. The majority of its episodes dive into characters in Batman: The Animated Series and Doom Patrol from a clinical analysis perspective. But, the podcast does branch out into other arenas like Star Wars and the MCU, too. If you want to understand the minds of your faves, look no further than this podcast. 

Very That with Delta and Raja

Sometimes, we don’t always stay in our geek and nerdy lanes. And that’s okay because entertainment is a pretty wide umbrella, right? Drag queens Delta Work and Raja talk about a bit of everything, from their club days to what’s going on in the world around them. This Latinx podcast fits right in between Star Wars theories and futuristic comics. 

Latino Nerd Order 

This podcast dips into a bit of everything: comics, wrestling, TV shows, music and more. It’s pretty refreshing to hear so much enthusiasm and generally good vibes about the things that we love, from a Latino perspective. 

Pop Culture Junkees

Gotta love a very on-point name! Hosts Stef and Michelle get into everything from Star Wars to Netflix to what’s going down in the WWE. They are funny, knowledgeable, and all around delightful to listen to. If you like the kind of vibe that makes you feel like you’re in the convo, Pop Culture Junkees is one to put on your list. 

Hyphenated with Joanna Hausmann and Jenny Lorenzo

This dynamic duo tackles living the hyphen that connects US American and Latin culture and what that means for them as well as their guests. From odd facts episodes to Latin-led shows and more, they cover a wide range of subjects. 

Spongebob Bingepants 

Frankie Grande and Nerdist Book Club’s Hector Navarro head down to that infamous pineapple under the sea for this podcast. The duo is recapping the entire show and taking a deeper look at Bikini Bottom. They even talk to voice actors and behind-the-scenes creatives to give listeners a whole new perspective on this meme-rich universe.

The post These 9 Geeky and Nerdy Latinx Podcasts Are a Pure Delight appeared first on Nerdist.

Welcome to Halloween Town! If spooky season is your favorite time of year, this maker’s video has you covered with an amazing build of Jack Skellington’s house from The Nightmare Before Christmas. Devon, who describes herself as having “Pumpkin King energy,” spent months on the model and won a free hat in return. She uses mostly paperboard and craft foam, with the occasional bead, rock, or spiderweb ring leftover from last year’s Halloween cupcakes to round it out. Down to the eyeball door knocker and spider doorbell, the detailing for this Jack Skellington house is incredible.  

The build, which we saw on Boing Boing, probably has more than a few similarities to the models used for filming. The painstaking work on the house’s siding and shingles is obvious but really pays off. At one point in the video, she asks the questions all craftspeople do at some point in the process. “Where am I going to put this? Why did I make it so big?” 

Other amazing builds on the YouTube channel MechanicalFiend include miniature versions of BTS stages and sets from their music videos. There’s also Studio Ghibli scenes in cookie tins, which is a crossover I didn’t know I needed.  

The opening of the video is sung in the style of the Nightmare Before Christmas songs, with some clever lyric updates. Which may only serve to get the songs stuck in your head. While you’re at it, check out a heavy metal version or a string quartet cover. Or even hear them sung by Broadway stars. Danny Elfman, who wrote the music and lyrics and provided the singing voice of Jack Skellington, even puts on live performances in Los Angeles. This is Halloween!

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth.

The post Jack Skellington’s House Is the Perfect Spooky Season Craft appeared first on Nerdist.

An art show called Uncaged: The Unbearable Weight of Genius Cat Art is coming to CatCon October 1-2, 2022. The convention, held this year in Pasadena, brings together cat culture and pop culture—a space Nicolas Cage also inhabits as a prolific movie star and self-described cat person. This year’s art show used that crossover as a theme and will feature seven original pieces of art inspired by Cage’s friendship with his cat Merlin, a fluffy black Maine Coon. Yes, a Nicolas Cage cat art show is real.

The four pieces of art previewed here represent a diversity of styles that will make up the Cat Art Show. There’s everything from wallpaper we expect to see in the next Wes Anderson movie to oil paintings that would be at home over any hearth. Plus, the show has an off-putting addition to the vintage Dick and Jane-style alphabet. Though maybe that one should be a 26-piece set and round out the full Nicolas Cage cat art collection.

Cage’s affection for Merlin (and vice versa) came to light on the press tour for his recent film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. “Nicolas Cage is an artist’s dream subject—he’s cult, he’s camp, and he DGAF,” says curator and founder Susan Michals. “Cats have many of the same characteristics—so why not combine the two and celebrate it on canvas?” 

Tickets are on sale for the convention billed as Comic-Con for cat people. The art will be for sale, with 10% of the proceeds going to cat-related charities. Other than the art show, the show will have vendors and meet and greets with internet famous cats and their owners. You can even adopt a kitty at the con!

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Pumpkin season has arrived, and one Nebraska man is taking it very seriously. It’s under review by the officials at Guinness World Records, but Duane Hansen will likely take the title for longest journey by pumpkin boat (paddling). It took him 11 hours to go 38 miles in the tippy gourd. Hansen named the 846 pound pumpkin boat the S.S. Berta and set sail on his 60th birthday.

Hansen also grew the giant pumpkin. Then he floated it to find the best orientation before hollowing it out into a boat. He even carved a cup holder into the giant fruit and sat on top of a cooler for the journey down the Missouri River. We learned about his record-breaking attempt thanks to DesignTAXI.

City officials in Bellevue, where the S.S. Berta set sail, documented the trip as part of the outside confirmation required in order to claim a Guinness World Record. If confirmed, this would shatter the current record, which stands at 25.5 miles and was set by a man in North Dakota in 2016. There are more pumpkin boat-related Guinness World Records than you might think. Another is the longest-running pumpkin boat race. Since 1999, the Windsor Pumpkin Regatta in Canada has hosted both motorized and paddle categories.  

So what’s next for Hansen? He is considering growing an even bigger pumpkin and turning it into a two-seater pumpkin boat. And then taking his daughter out for a ride. Based on the various interviews, she was his biggest supporter, cheering him on during his quest. She even had a t-shirt made to commemorate the occasion, which Hansen proudly wore in all his interviews.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post This Man Set a Record the World’s Longest Pumpkin Boat Journey appeared first on Nerdist.

Nothing says childhood like stuffed animals. But nothing says “maybe I’m a serial killer” quite like stitching a bunch of plush critters together. This is why the furniture from AP Collection really has us conflicted. On one hand, memories of curling up in a pile of beloved toys spark joy. On the other, incorporating endangered animals into your home décor is kinda weird. If you can get past the Cruella de Vil vibes, the collection of bar stools, chairs, love seats, and foot rests could be for you. Check out the full collection. There’s no prices listed for these limited edition items so we assume it follows the “if you have to ask, you can’t afford it” plan.

We learned about this collection on Technabob. There’s also a virtual 3D showroom to get the full effect of these artistic animal amenities. Pandas, flamingos, polar bears, and even a full African safari—name an animal and you can probably sit on it. The most stunning may be the peacock chair. Stuffed animals on the seat’s surface, with real peacock feathers lining the back. Only 25 were made, so act fast.

If the designers need more ideas for themes, it’s always a good time to listen to Mr. Burns sing “See My Vest” on The Simpsons. His clothing collection made of animals, including endangered ones, rivals this furniture. And while the most recent iteration of Cruella didn’t have a Dalmatian obsession (yet), it’s hard not to hear her theme song when looking at these. If she doesn’t scare you, no evil thing will.

For those of us who literally want to curl up with our childhood but can’t afford one of these chairs, don’t forget about Pikachu body pillows. Or just reconnect with those beloved stuffed animals you still have in a box somewhere.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She still sleeps with a stuffed animal, a hippo named Schnoz. Melissa also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Stuffed Animal Furniture Is Both Nostalgic and Creepy appeared first on Nerdist.

Despite having gone off the air almost a decade ago, Breaking Bad is having a moment again. Firstly, due to the return of Bryan Cranston and Aaron Paul to their respective roles in the final season of Better Call Saul. Secondly, Breaking Bad never stopped being great. And today, we have a different way for you to get your Breaking Bad fix and it involves Mario Kart. YouTube channel Chiptuner has created a tribute video to the seminal series. It hilariously shows Walter White and Jesse Pinkman racing each other in a version of Breaking Bad Mario Kart Wii. Who will win this race? Well, you’ll have to watch the video below to find out.

Thanks to some very creative editing skills, the video uses footage from the beloved video game and showcases Walt and Jesse racing down the track known as Rainbow Road. Sadly, we’re not likely to ever see an actual video game based on Breaking Bad. This, despite the fact that series creator Vince Gilligan has tried to get one made in the past. The original idea was for something in the vein of Grand Theft Auto. But now, that ship has sailed. This Mario Kart Wii video above is probably the closest we’re ever going to get.

Although Walt and Jesse’s video game future might be dim, at least they recently got a pair of bronze statues in the city of Albuquerque, New Mexico. This decision was not without controversy, as many people felt that glorifying two drug dealers with a statue was maybe a step too far. But the truth is that both are fictional characters. And Breaking Bad’s production brought a lot of money and attention to the city of Albuquerque. On that level, you can see why they’d be happy to honor those two in bronze. But a statue is still not as cool as a race on the Rainbow Road.

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When you think of Kevin Bacon, do you immediately think of goats? Maybe not yet, but you will from now on. Whether you remember him best for his dancing in Footloose or picture him as a cowboy hat-wearing pole vaulter in Tremors, I guarantee that now you will think of him first and foremost as a barnyard singer. Bacon joined TikTok near the beginning of the pandemic and has added videos of him serenading farm animals ever since. The latest in the Kevin Bacon singing to farm animals series is a cover of Beyoncé’s “Heated.” Like the original version, it is fire. 

The video begins with Bacon saying, “Hot day. Hot song,” while holding an acoustic guitar and surrounded by goats. His version of “Heated” subs in the word goat for girl and a few other lyric updates. And while we’ve heard a fair amount of screaming goats this summer thanks to Thor: Love and Thunder, Bacon’s backup doesn’t sing along. Though one goat does help with the strumming. There’s lots of other great covers to be found using the Goat Songs hashtag. He sometimes plays ukulele instead, or adds a harmonica. His wife Kyra Sedgwick and daughter Sosie Bacon, both also actors, sometimes join the sing-alongs.

We learned about Bacon’s social media trend thanks to BuzzFeed. Bacon’s song library is vast and diverse, representing boy bands like New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, classics like The Beatles, and even current hits from Harry Styles and others. The audience members aren’t always just goats. While enjoying the many videos, I spied alpacas, ponies, and pigs as well. Many of them oblivious of the music, others more interested in chewing on the instruments or Bacon’s clothing.

Kevin Bacon singing to farm animals. What a delightful rabbit hole to fall down. Enjoy!

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Kevin Bacon Sings to His Farm Animals and We All Win appeared first on Nerdist.

The YouTube channel Hollywood Haunter is the place to go for getting ideas for your elaborate home haunts. Hosts Chris and Jenna put everyone else to shame when it comes to amazing DIY Halloween creations. However, two of their builds in particular, made for their young son Harrison, will totally blow you away. The first is a Ghostbusters playset, mainly based on the old Kenner Real Ghostbusters toys from the ’80s. In the video below, you can see how they filled every nook and cranny with references to the franchise. The second playset is all about He-Man and the Masters of the Universe.

Check out the video for their Ghostbusters build below:

As we can see, the firehouse has two levels with equipment all along the walls representing the ghost containment unit. (Just don’t let that Walter Peck guy anywhere near it). You can see ghost traps, proton packs, and Egon Spengler’s equipment all around. Our two favorite details are the portrait of Vigo the Carpathian from Ghostbusters II, and the box of Ghostbusters cereal. Very nice touch.

Chris and Jenna worked for months building the facade, which they chronicled on their channel as well. They made sure each piece of wood looked like a part of the brick exterior from the Ghostbusters‘ firehouse. Of course, the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man looming over the roof gives it that extra level of perfection—as does the eerie ecto-green glow coming from inside.

Still on the ’80s tip, Chris and Jenna recently built an equally impressive (and enormous) Masters of the Universe Castle Grayskull playset for Harrison. Like the firehouse, the He-Man playset took several months to finish. And it looks exactly like the old Mattel playset, down to the grayish-green paint. After they completed the He-Man playset, they moved it into Harrison’s room, where it became a facade for his bed. Not to mention a place to play with all of his He-Man and Skeletor toys.

Grayskull has many cool details for hardcore Masters of the Universe fans. Our favorite is the “lock and key” for the jawbridge which is the Sword of Power—just like the original toys. If fact, this is quite the collection of vintage He-Man toys and collectibles that Harrison has on display. We have a hunch though that they mostly belonged to one or both of his parents. Regardless, we’re pretty sure Harrison is the luckiest kid on Earth right about now.

The post We Are Jealous of These DIY GHOSTBUSTERS and HE-MAN Playsets appeared first on Nerdist.

Alcohol tasting notes are always all over the place. Wine that hints of leather, beer with a whiff of horse blanket, and now some truly fascinating spirits. Tamworth Distilling brings adventurous flavors to our alcohol, including one whiskey made with beavers’ anal glands. Yes, we’ll let you digest that. There’s also another unique whiskey that tastes of crabs… And even one that has the flavor of turkey.

We learned about these unique drinks thanks to Boing Boing. Tamworth Distilling sells a wide range of spirits, including sweet potato vodka and venison whiskey. But the beaver musk-infused whiskey definitely caught our eye.

Beaver Anal-Gland Whiskey

Before you scoff, just know that you’ve probably consumed castoreum, or oil from beaver anal glands, before, and not even while you drank whiskey. The product exists in imitation vanilla flavoring and Tamworth says it, “exudes a leathery, raspberry taste, and acts to fortify the whiskey flavors.”

And don’t worry, no beavers came to harm in the making of this anal gland whiskey. The distillery gets provided “with the castoreum sacs, which would otherwise be discarded, to produce the infused bourbon whiskey.” It’s all very sustainable and apparently tasty. We guess we’ll have to give this beaver whiskey a sip sometime after it’s back on sale.

Green Crab Whiskey

Another of Tamworth Distilling’s special creations is their unique Crab Trapper whiskey. And yes, there are actually crabs in it. Tamworth Distilling’s Crab Trapper whiskey uses green crabs in the recipe. It’s a non-native and very invasive species in New Hampshire, where the distillery is located.

Green crabs are originally from Europe and out-compete native crabs, destroying the environment and food webs. They have also spread to the western United States. More than 70,000 were caught in Washington state last year as part of eradication efforts. A bottle of green crab-flavored whiskey will set you back $65 and you can count it as part of your conservation efforts for the year. 

Not to mention, according to Tamworth Distilling, “The crab is present lightly on the nose, accompanied by coriander and bay to smooth out any high notes.” So basically a crab boil, which sounds delicious.

Turkey Whiskey

It can be Thanksgiving all the time with Tamworth Distilling’s Bird of Courage Roasted Turkey Whiskey. n fact, you can skip the cooking outright because, according to this uniquely flavored whiskey’s description there’s “a Thanksgiving dinner in every bottle.”

The official website further shares of this interesting drink, “The essence of roasted sweet potato and squash combine with the buttery heart of fresh baked flint cornbread to fortify this whiskey’s deep oaky spirit. A mid-palate of sweet, New England apples and herbs support the ethereal aromas of freshly roasted turkeys sourced from historical Behr Farm in Tamworth, NH.” Apparently, it’s a cornucopia of fall flavors that will bring Thanksgiving to life. And it sounds kind of… good? definitely not boring, in any case.

Other Unique Spirits

We’d also feel curious to try Tamworth Distilling’s durian-flavored brandy one day, for a little whiskey break. Durian fruit is a delicious delicacy, even if it is banned in public places in some countries due to the intense smell. And we’re sure it would take our taste buds on an adventure.

Tamworth isn’t the only company making unique and interesting whiskeys and other spirits, though. There are also Glenlivet Whiskey pods, XXX Distillery’s Hellboy-themed cinnamon whiskey, and even a Game of Thrones-inspired scotch from Johnnie Walker to enjoy. Cheers! 

Originally published on July 11, 2022.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Turns Out, Beaver Anal Gland Whiskey Tastes Like Raspberries appeared first on Nerdist.

Today’s your day if you have ever looked at pigeons and thought, “I wish that was closer to me.” Now you can clutch a pigeon close with this designer pigeon clutch. It’s not quite a purse and not quite a bird. But if you open one wing, it reveals a small compartment that will hold a few personal items and may or may not fit your phone. It will also guarantee that passersby stares at you on the street. Neighborhood pigeons may even cock their heads in your direction. You if you have always wanted to have a pigeon carry your messages, now is your chance. Without all the pesky training and clean up. They are currently sold out, but you can pre-order one for $890. 

We saw the fanciful accessory on DesignTAXI, which also brought a Vogue article about the trend to our attention. Check that out for some runway shots of the pigeon clutch in action, along with some other amazingly ridiculous handbags.  

Long before the Netflix show Is It Cake? premiered, designers have created accessories that look like food. There’s food-shaped purses, including chocolate, pizza, and ramen styles. Or you can buy a Louis Vuitton bag shaped like an airplane for $39,000. How about purses, flip flops, and other accessories that look like sushi rolls? I actually kind of want those ones.  

There’s more to pigeons than their “rats of the sky” reputation would suggest. Many people worldwide train and race homing pigeons. One world-class bird sold for $2 million. And there’s always the nostalgia of The Goodfeathers family from The Animaniacs, who always flocked together. Whatever your reasons, the pigeon clutch can make your weird fashion dreams come true.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

The post Live Your Bird Fashion Dreams with a Designer Pigeon Clutch appeared first on Nerdist.

Back in the day, kids played on very different playground equipment than what exists today. Except in Detroit. In that city, the aptly named Giant Slide is a 40-foot-tall metal slide that opened in the 1960s still stands. After being closed due to Covid, the slide re-opened on August 19. And it closed down again just four hours later. Riders were going way too fast. Videos of children and adults alike catching air and landing hard made the rounds on social media and late night talk shows. The slide has now reopened, but would you ever go on it?

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources runs the park and the Giant Slide. Park rangers released a video showing the proper way to ride the slide without injuring yourself or picking up too much speed. Apparently the trick is to lean forward. The rangers also said they are spraying water to slow things down in between riders, but we’re not quite clear on how the physics of that works. 

We saw news of this cursed object thanks to DesignTAXI.  It harkens back to a simpler time, before rampant personal injury lawsuits took all the fun out of childhood. Or addressed legitimate safety concerns, depending on how you look at it. The Giant Slide makes the world’s longest water slide and a 360 degree rotating slide look tame in comparison.

Slides are having the last laugh this week. A Dodgers reporter broke his hand, wrist, and some ribs live on TV while riding a two-story slide at the Milwaukee Brewers’s baseball field. Maybe we should just all stay off slides for a bit.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She grew up riding down the concrete slide in Codornices Park in Berkeley, California—which is still there. Melissa also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Right now, streaming services are being handed out like Oprah used to hand out cars to her audience on her show. “You get a streamer! And YOU get a streamer! Everybody gets a streamer!” Well, this piece of news isn’t quite that. Although it may seem to be on the surface. According to a report coming from The New York Times (via Slashfilm) big box store giant Walmart is looking to get in on the streaming world too. But not with a new streaming service of their own exactly. Instead, they’re looking to partner with an existing streamer, via their app, Walmart+. And it seems that streamer might be Paramount+. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Walmart+ subscribers will gain access to Paramount+. Interesting.

Walmart+ offers customers perks like free shipping, product discounts, and even free grocery delivery. But to enhance the deal for their customer base, Walmart is trying to find a major streaming service to partner with, in order to sweeten the stew, so to speak. This is similar to how Prime Video comes with an Amazon Prime subscription. But the question now is, which streaming service will land the gig? Now, with this deal with Paramount+, it wouldn’t make much sense to go with someone else.

At first, the obvious choice for a bundle like this was perhaps Disney+. However, a streamer like Paramount+ can really use the boost that something like a Walmart partnership will provide. Not to mention access to millions more homes. And, it would keep their stock prices high. But for all we know, there could be some weird curveball and they partner with Netflix, which is going through rough financial times at the moment. Nevertheless, a streamer you probably use right now might soon become part of the place you go to buy your common household items.

Originally published on August 9, 2022.

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Is it too early to shop for Halloween costumes? Even if it is, you could buy this one in time to celebrate World Octopus Day, which falls a few weeks earlier on October 8. Get it? You know, because octopuses have eight arms. Anyway, dressing your baby up as an octopus is appropriate for all occasions as far as we’re concerned. Just look at those plush pink arms and cozy hood. Households with ginger cats could pair this look with their cat to make Goose the Flerken from Captain Marvel costume. This fantastic octopus costume is for sale at Walmart and will set you back $57. But just think, the social media posts will be priceless. 

We saw this amazing Halloween costume thanks to Technabob. I especially enjoy the choice to include photos of the model baby clearly horrified with its plush many-legged prison. The suit only comes in pink, no mention of the color-changing abilities that real octopus have. Camouflaged human babies probably aren’t a good idea after all. It would be weird enough to watch this wriggle through your house as the baby crawls from room to room. Just imagine if it also blended into the floor or the kitchen cabinets.

We can’t wait to see everyone’s costumes come Halloween, whether it’s pop culture or animal-related. Yes please to everything from babies dressed as Baby Yoda to adults in an inflatable Spider-Rex costumes. It’s nice to know that everyone can get dressed up for the season. 

Unlike babies, there’s no shortage of things an octopus can do. They are some of the smartest creatures on the planet. Whether it’s a picture of a real octopus doing something cool or a baby dressed as one, we love that octo-content. 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Mark Hamill is a national treasure. He’s Luke Skywalker, he’s the Man of a Thousand Voices, and he’s just an overall excellent human being. How can you not love him? And now, he’s also the guy at your local Jack in the Box drive-thru window talking like a clown. Well, at least he is “for a limited time only,” in the latest Jack in the Box commercial, which you can watch down below.

Yes, it might just be for a new commercial for the fast food giant that Mark is working the window. But the truth is, Mark Hamill actually was a Jack in the Box drive-thru employee as a teenager. Until they fired him for talking to customers in a creepy clown voice. (Honestly, we understand. Batman: The Animated Series fans know his creepy clown voice is disturbing as heck.)

Well, it seems all is forgiven by his former bosses, as Jack in the Box asked Mark Hamill to come back and do the thing he was once fired for as a teen for an ad. This came after Jack in the Box corporate folks watched Hamill recount his fast food origin story on The Late Late Show with James Corden. It’s pretty hilarious watching customers recognize the guy handing them their egg rolls and burgers as their favorite Jedi Knight.

In an interview with Insider, Hamill recounts his fast food youth in 1969, saying “I wanted to interact with the public, and I loved the idea of speaking for the clown-mouth speaker.” Hamill was already an aspiring actor, so he saw this as a chance to hone his craft. His shift manager, however, did not think it was all that funny. Hamill added, “I thought it was amusing — my boss thought it was annoying.” So within a month, they let him go. We think he did OK for himself though in the end. The world might have lost a fast food employee, but it gained a sci-fi icon. The Force works in mysterious ways.

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Like Ray Parker Jr., I ain’t ‘fraid of no ghosts. No, what scares me is the thought of ghosts thinking I’m tacky. Strangely enough, those two thoughts go together like slime in a toaster. Because you can show off your love of all things Ghostbusters for the rest of eternity with a casket celebrating the casket. And yes, this is one of several real nerdy coffins that you can actually buy and get buried in.

Nashville Casket Sales understands that when we die we might be “On Our Own.” (Shoutout to the absurd brilliance of Bobby Brown!) But no matter what awaits us in the afterlife, you can still celebrate your favorite sci-fi comedy franchise. The company is selling a custom-built, 20 gauge, sealed, standard-sized casket (we first learned about at Ghostbusters News) dedicated to Ghostbusters. It comes in the crew’s signature Ecto-1 white color scheme. It also includes a picture of the team on the inner lid, its own proton pack, ghost trap, easy-to-remove magnetic lights, and Ghostbusters logo. But really, that description doesn’t do this ridiculousness justice.

The reason behind this unusual casket’s creation isn’t as weird as the coffin’s existence. It was part of the promotion for the series’ most recent film, Ghostbusters: Afterlife. But now it can be all yours. (Yay?) It’s listed on eBay for “just” five thousand dollars. Sure, that might seem like a lot so you can be entombed inside an item made to sell movie tickets, but that’s because it is. The good news is that shipping is a paltry $4.70.

If you are looking for some other nerdy coffins for yourself (or a friend), then there are quite a few to choose from. There’s some Star Wars, Batman, and even a Frozen option for those seeking something else. But, of course, this custom shop can do whatever you may desire.

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The Guinness World Record for most diamonds in a ring is now 24,679 thanks to India’s SWA Diamonds. The ring is shaped like a pink oyster mushroom with 41 petals, all completely coated in tiny diamonds. We learned about the record-breaking bling on DesignTAXI, which reports its worth at over $95,000. Which somehow works out to less than $4 per diamond. The name of the ring is “The Touch of Ami” and it weighs 12 ounces. Or about as much as a can of soda. Imagine toting that around on your finger!

The new record more than doubled the previous one of 12,638 diamonds, also set by a jewelry designer in India. As recently as 2015, the record for most diamonds set in a ring was “only” 3,827 diamonds. Since then, a competing group of jewelry makers have roughly doubled the number with each new record-breaking ring. Can it be done again or is 24,679 diamonds likely to stand as the most diamonds in one ring for many years to come? It’s hard to see how anyone could find a way to include more. Diamonds coat the ring from top to bottom with multiple strands on the band as well.

Other interested diamond records from Guinness World Records include the most diamonds set on a toilet (40,815) and most diamonds set on a mobile phone case (6,576). But if you’re looking for just that one perfect diamond instead of thousands, you can buy one in the shape of a Pokéball for that perfect Pokémon-inspired engagement ring. And never forget that Hidden Valley Ranch made one by heating and pressurizing ranch seasoning into a 2-carat diamond. How romantic. 

Featured Image: SWA Diamonds

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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People love Spirit Halloween. Nick Lutsko‘s unofficial theme song trilogy has hundreds of thousands of views. There’s even a Spirit Halloween movie coming out this Halloween. So why not start getting ready in July? The store and its creepy animatronics are always ready after all, so you should be too.  

The animatronic bog zombie has quite the backstory. “In the 1930s, an evil headmaster ran a privately-owned orphanage known as The Bayou Children’s Home in Louisiana. He was said to be especially cruel, mistreating the children living under his care. That is, until one night in 1942. The children rose up against their evil caretaker and dragged his body to the nearby swamp, after which he was never seen again. The orphanage has since shuttered but, according to local lore, every year he still wanders the area on the anniversary of his disappearance.”

Monty the cymbal-crashing monkey doesn’t seem as intimidating, until you understand the scale. Like the bog zombie, it stands 6 feet tall. This possessed children’s toy towers over those trick-or-treaters coming to your door. The demonic animal noises and creepy circus music may send them all running. 

Lord Raven is also six feet tall. Again, the description is quite chilling. “Your only chance to survive is catching a glimpse of its demonic eyes before Lord Raven and its minions descend upon you and turn you into their next feast, pecking you until only bones are left.” Though it’s Lord Raven, the voice threatens that its crows are what will hunt you down. Maybe because a group of crows is called a murder and that’s scarier than an unkindness of ravens. 

Lucky Bottoms is the ironically named legless clown that won’t stop laughing. “Unfortunately, Lucky couldn’t handle the silence when the fans headed home, and the theaters went dark. It drove him into all-night clubs where desperate clowns risk everything, including their lives, for a laugh.” 

These new offerings are certainly enough for some new nightmares. Also, I would love to chat with the voice actors and foley artists working for Spirit Halloween because they’re all doing top notch work.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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If you’ve always wanted to be a member of Buffy the Vampire Slayer‘s Scooby Gang, you just missed the chance to pick up some supplies of your own. British auction house Hansons sold a real-life vampire slaying kit. A wide variety of items believed to ward off or kill vampires are included in the box, said to be from the late 19th century. This includes a matching pair of pistols, a wooden stake and mallet, and a mirror. There are also holy items like a Bible, rosary, and multiple crucifixes. The two crucifixes on the top of the box even slide to act as a locking device. Truly an all-in-one kit perfect for the slayer in your life.

“It originally belonged to Lord Hailey, a British peer and former administrator of British India,” says Charles Hanson, the owner of the auction house. “Whether through fear or fascination, it’s interesting to know a member of the highest aristocratic social order, a man with a place in the House of Lords, acquired this item. It reminds us that the vampire myth affects people from all walks of life. I think the aristocratic connection made this object even more desirable and, perhaps, helped it on its way to a particularly strong result.”

Throughout history, people accused real-life killers of being vampires, only fueling the mythology and fascination further. The auction house’s estimate for the set was $2,400-3,600. But it eventually sold for over $15,000 after a lot of interest and bidders from around the world.

Remember, no matter how sexy the vampire, they really must be eradicated. Even when they only eat animals, like the Cullens, they’re likely to mess up the ecosystem.  

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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For only $10 you can name a black hole on the International Black Hole Registry. The site specifically encourages you to choose someone or something that sucks. Sick burn. Black holes suck in all light and nothing escapes its gravity. Sound like anyone you know?

The name won’t be used scientifically or anything, it’s part of its own database. The registry’s FAQs state that in order to actually claim an object in space, you have to plant a flag on it. Something not at all possible when it comes to black holes. Your certificate also comes with coordinates. So we assume that means you’re not naming one of those wandering black holes we recently found out about. 

The International Astronomical Union is in charge of official naming celestial objects. Most stars, black holes, and exoplanets are named things like WASP-22 or Sagittarius A* (the black hole at the center of our galaxy). The black hole registry is similar to the certificates from the International Star Registry that were on the walls of seemingly every teenage girl in the ’90s. Except those cost $54.  

There are likely billions of billions of black holes in the universe. So this is a potentially trillion dollar idea, even at the low price of $10 ($20 if you want a physical certificate rather than a digital one). Boing Boing, where we first learned about this, seems to suggest Ted Cruz as a solid choice. We can definitely think of plenty of politicians who suck these days.  

I don’t think I have any enemies, but if I did this is the exact right combination of petty and nerdy for my taste. Or at least I don’t think I have any enemies. I guess I’ll find out if someone registers my name. 

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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British and American hikers are lucky to be alive after a massive avalanche in the Tian Shan mountains of Kyrgyzstan. They were trekking through the gorgeous wilderness when an absolutely massive glacier collapsed and rushed down the mountain towards them. One hiker, Harry Shimmin, managed to film the whole thing.

The most remarkable part of the video, which we saw on Laughing Squid, may be that he doesn’t start panicking until nearly 30 seconds have gone by. That’s when it’s clear that the avalanche is going to reach Shimmin on his faraway perch. Everyone in the group survived, but it’s a scary video nevertheless.

Even though the footage cuts off at the crucial moment when he finally takes cover from the onslaught, Shimmin told BBC that it wasn’t because his equipment broke. He just accidentally stopped filming when grabbing the camera and diving for cover. One of the hikers evacuated on horseback to receive medical attention for a badly cut knee. But considering the circumstances, it’s an incredibly lucky outcome.

Shimmin posted another series of videos and pictures on his Instagram account that show the aftermath of the avalanche. Only five minutes farther along their path, a bridge was taken out. The group also walked along the new ice field just ahead on the trail. The before and after shots of the mountain itself are particularly striking.

While Kyrgyzstan likely won’t be using the story to promote tourism in their country, the pictures of mountains and meadows are quite stunning. Other than the violent event that was over within minutes, it seems like a gorgeous place. Unfortunately, more incidents like this could take place due to climate change causing glaciers to melt.

Featured Image: Chen Zhao

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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John Oliver came into work during his summer hiatus for one of his iconic rants. And we can’t say we blame him. Dolls and doll parts washing up on South Texas beaches are indeed horrifying and must be stopped. Some have barnacles growing out of their eyes. At least one is actually a sex doll with a mouth full of nightmares. No more creepy beach dolls, please!

Halfway through the segment, Oliver literally begs viewers to stop watching before he shows us more dolls. But like their unblinking eyes, we just cannot look away. The local news report playing creepy piano music during the segment adds to the ambiance.

The story, which Smithsonian Magazine also covered, has a happy ending. Oliver offers a $10,000 donation to buy up all the remaining beach dolls and promises they will be destroyed before their curse can be carried out. Apparently, the Mission-Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve auctioned the dolls off in order to fund their sea turtle rehabilitation project. Now the nice turtles can get the care they need and we can all avoid whatever terrible fate the dolls had in mind for us.  

The reserve’s Facebook page includes lots of beachcombing photos, from shells and other natural finds to an unfortunate amount of trash. The doll beach is so much more creepy than the one where LEGO pieces wash up on shore. At least those come from a known source, a container ship that lost its LEGO payload back in 1997. Though the Gulf of Mexico’s current accounts for why so much trash ends up on Texas beaches, it doesn’t explain how these ocean-dwelling dolls specifically end up on Texas beaches.

Creepy dolls like those in Chucky or Squid Game never seem to die. Mattel is putting an environmental spin on that and started recycling old toys into new ones. Hopefully, that means fewer Barbies haunting our beaches at least. We hope to not see these dolls next time we go to the beach. If we do, we will absolutely run in the direction.

Melissa is Nerdist’s science & technology staff writer. She also moderates “science of” panels at conventions and co-hosts Star Warsologies, a podcast about science and Star Wars. Follow her on Twitter @melissatruth. 

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Airbnb has let guests stay in some pretty wild homes over the years. That’s included everything from a giant Idaho potato to the world’s last Blockbuster store. The site has even let people book Scooby Doo‘s Mystery Machine and a UFO in the middle of the desert. You can even take your friends all aboard to live in a yellow submarine. But now the company is giving its customers a whole lot of money to design even more outrageous places. And with ten million dollars on the line, we expect to see some new abodes that make dreams a reality. Especially if they’re really, really weird dreams.

Airbnb’s $10,000,000 OMG! Fund contest will pick 100 winners who want to build their wildest, whackiest, quirkiest homes. Each entrant picked by Airbnb will receive $100,000 to put towards their dream house. To apply all you have to do is describe your idea. If selected, you’ll turn your concept into a real plan with blueprints.

If you want to enter (and why wouldn’t you?) you have until July 22. These are the four things Airbnb says its team of judges will keep in mind when picking the winners:

• Originality: A winning design will be more than just different. It should be surprising, one-of-a-kind, and inspire people to reimagine what a home can be.
• Feasibility: Your entry should be achievable and able to pass building inspections and the like. It will also need to be completed by August 2023.
• Experience: The interior should be as memorable as the exterior, striking a perfect balance between oddball concept and comfortable home.
• Sustainability: Think green. Consider using clean energy and recycled materials. Your home should have a big impact on guests and a small one on the planet.

We’re not saying the weirder the better, we’re just saying the weirder the better the chances we’ll love it. And if you do get to build your most absurd home make sure you tell us. We’re always on the lookout for the strangest hotels we can find.

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There may be no one alive on earth who loves puppies as much as Chris Evans does. His pure adoration for his dog Dodger is documented all across his social media. And that love seems to extend to all canine kind. So it’s not a suprise fans have been clamoring for Chris Evans to do a puppy interview for a long time. And Chris Evans himself has raised his hand to say, he kind of likes the sound of that. We can’t believe this hasn’t happened already, because puppy interviews are the best things ever. But now the moment has finally come. To all who celebrate… Happy Chris Evans Puppy Interview Day!

Chris Evans. Check. Puppies. Check. Pure unadulturated joy. Check. And check again. As Chris Evans shared after finishing his interview, “No other interview will ever compare. I still smell like puppies. (I don’t remember if I answered a single question. Got lost in puppy gazes.)” And honestly, do the questions even matter for a puppy interview?

No, what matters is that we get to enjoy one of our favorite leading men having his day made by a bunch of adorable creatures. And it doesn’t get any closer to wholly good than that. We could truly watch Chris Evans give a puppy interview every day. Who cares if we’d never get any actual responses? We’re as distracted as Chris Evans by all the puppy mayhem (and, of course, by Chris Evans). Puppies are greater than any answers we could imagine.

So, if you’re feeling down today, just check out the way Chris Evans absolutely melts when a pile of puppies gets close. We knew Chris Evans loved dogs, but this feels more like pure concentrated magic. And it reaches out and touches us all. May we all always be as happy as Chris Evans when a puppy or two get close.

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