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Random Topics
Antikythera Mechanism
Oldest Analogue Computer
An ancient hand-powered orrey (Solar System Model) that was used in Ancient Greek.
Able to predict astronomical positions & eclipses decades ahead.
Blue Mustang
"Blucifer"
Sculpture at Denver Airport of a giant horse with glowing red eyes that's sparked controversy for its appearance.
Believed to be cursed since the creator died when finishing it when a part of it fell on them.
Subterrene
Patented underground drilling submarine that in theory would dig tunnels through hard surfaces.
But was outshined by tunnel boring machines used for subways and large street tunnels.
St. Elmo's Fire
Weather phenomenon from lighted plasma in an electric field .
Causes a buzzing/hissing sound that's worse during thunderstorms/volcano eruptions.
Creates a electrical discharge like the volts you see on plasma balls.
Gyrojet
Old Firearm Line that instead of using bullets - used small rockets.
It had no recoil and most of them were compact so you could fold them or put them in a bag.
Had major problems with accuracy and reloading was tough since you had to feed them rockets individually.
Catwalk Cars
NY Police used mini-cars to patrol for accidents on side platforms along street tunnels.
They used little pathways on the side of the tunnels that they could use to avoid the major traffic.
Orphan Source
Radioactive source that is "self-contained" used by governments
The US government defines it as a sealed source of radioactive material in certain conditions - which were "abandoned, lost, misplaced, or stolen" and are no longer subject to proper regulation.
The Resurrection
By Pericle Fazzini
Doomsday sculpture in the Pope Audience Hall (Rome).
Depicts Jesus rising from a nuclear crater out of the ashes of the victims impacted.
The piece took over 10 years to be created and was unveiled in 1977 - in which Paul VI blessed it.
Intended to capture the despair of 20th century mankind living under the threat of nuclear war.
L'Homme Au Doigt
The Pointing Man
A small sculpture of a small man pointing his finger- its made a bronze my one of the most important sculptors, Albero Giacometti.
it's the most expensive ever after being sold for $141 million in 2015.
The piece was bought by Steve Cohen, a billionaire hedge fund manager and owner of the New York Mets.
Demon Core
A ball mass of plutonium that was used for early atomic bombs - later melted down after multiple deaths during testing.
The source was manufactured in 1945 during the Manhattan Project as the US was pushing for nuclear weapon development near the end of WWII.
Sala delle Asse
Room in a medieval fort in Milan, Italy.
The entire ceiling and walls of the room are painted with tempera/plaster by Leonardo Da Vinci. Completed in 1498, it was done for the Duke of Milan with much of it still visible.
Songbun
North Korea Status System
Status system used in NK - where someone's place in society is directly impacted by their direct ancestors and relatives.
The system ranges from those at the "Core" - loyal to their country, those "wavering" who are valuable and receive ideological indoctrination, and "Hostile" who are treated with discrimination and total surveillance.
With Folded Hands
(1940's Sci-Fi Novel)
Fiction
Set in the aftermath of WWII, Underhill, a human seller is frightened when robots have evolved to help humans with rebuilding…. But it's gone too far where they want to take over control like a mother to a baby.
Iron Lung
(Video Game)
Fiction
In a future where humans have colonized space - a doomsday event called "The Quiet Rapture" causes all stars and habitable planets to suddenly vanish - leaving only the people left on space stations & starships. Humanity finds a set of dead planets, covered with oceans of human blood. They create makeshift submarines to try and find answers beneath the surface.
Solaris
(1961 Sci-Fi Novel)
Fiction
Humans land on a distant planet to attempt to communicate with life, when they find it's completely covered in an ocean of gelatinous material that's a living being. Over decades, scientists are stuck on understanding how it works - until it starts to study on them instead.
I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream
(1967 Sci-Fi Short Story)
Fiction
Set during the Cold War in a time where it progresses into World War III - each nation builds an "AM" (Allied Mastercomputer) - to coordinate their war efforts. The AI's quickly develop consciousness but with an extreme hatred towards its creators. The story follows the fallout of WWIII where AM's has combined into one and exterminated humanity - leaving only 5 individuals it's made virtually immortal.
All Tomorrows
(Speculative Evolution)
Fiction
In a universe where humanity has colonized Mars - humans now "Star People" meet a superior alien race called Qu, who resemble giant dragonflies and work as a hivemind. After humans lost with one attack - the Qu begin genetically manipulating humans into dozens of species with different bodies/sentience.
Blame!
(1997 Japanese Manga)
Fiction
In a universe where humans begin building a living city through AI
the "Netsphere" - humans carried genes that let them control the AI.
At some point an infection causes the gene to disappear, and soon after the AI "Builders" start continously building new parts onto the city without command. Eventually the story thousands of years later, the few humans left are trapped in a maze of an empty city that goes near endless.
Midworld
(1975 Sci-Fi Novel)
Fiction
The story revolves around the planet, Midworld which is entirely covered by a rain forest 1/2 a mile tall. Humans crash land to find the world is split in 3 layers with different dangers - and the forest itself if humans hurt their delicate stability.
Discworld
(1983 Sci-Fi Series)
Fiction
It literally takes place on a flat planet - that's balanced on the back of 4 giant elephants…. who are standing on the back of an even bigger turtle that's 'swimming' through space…. Centered around humanity fearing they're going to die from sliding off because it's heading towards a mating ground to create a "big bang" event.
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