Recommended Links of the Week (No. 655)

A world of water, planet of apes, Soviet science fiction, the 768-kilometer lightning bolt and much, much more, only for those chosen ones who decide to click on the Recommended Links of the Week. Enjoy!

The origin of the origin of the planet of the apes: "So powerful was the impact of that clash between primates that the idea has been revisited countless times, extending the legacy of the French writer to whose pen we owe a true science fiction classic. And this despite the fact that Pierre Boulle, whose death marks 25 years, disliked his novel being labeled science fiction."

"Waterworld", the failure that sank Kevin Costner: "The history of Waterworld is that of one of the most expensive films of its era, with exacerbated grandiloquence, in which technical flaws ground down a good idea that succumbed at the box office. During its filming there were accidents that almost caused the project to sink, the budget went through the roof, the fights between the protagonist and the director became unbearable, and one of the screenwriters hired at the last moment lived "a hell", according to his own words."

Curious cameos in films by Heavy Metal musicians: "In the case of Rock and Heavy Metal, several musicians and singers from the genre have been part of different film projects. While most of them have been small and fun cameos in which they usually play themselves, they have also come to play more serious roles in some cases, embodying characters fundamental to the plot of the film."

'Tekhnika Molodezhi', the Soviet magazine that taught space long before we knew it: "In Spanish 'Technology for Youth', that point of reference was a paper space like a door to another world or, rather, to other worlds. It is a Soviet scientific dissemination magazine first published in 1933. The monthly publication mixed scientific information with science fiction, literally generating a collective mental takeoff."

Who invented Zero?: "Although humans have always understood the concept of "nothing" or "having nothing", the concept of zero is relatively new: it was not fully developed until the 3rd century BC. Before that, mathematicians had trouble performing the simplest arithmetic calculations. Today, zero allows us to perform calculations, solve complex equations and has enabled the invention of computers."

The Discrete Fourier Transform: "Two centuries ago, in the study of the problem of heat, Fourier invented a tool on which a large number of current technological applications are based. In essence, his idea is to decompose a complicated function into a superposition of simpler functions. When all these small circles are superimposed, you can see how the original function is reconstructed (in our case a heart)."

The Secret of Monkey Island - RECODED (The Fan Game): "\"The Secret of Monkey Island\" (1990), the successful LucasArts video game starring the charming character Guybrush Threepwood. But what if the events of the game had unfolded differently? This is precisely what \"The Secret of Monkey Island - RECODED\" proposes, a curious Fan Game independently produced by Daniele Spadoni, whose plot is a different timeline to create an alternative story to the original game, and which you can also download and play for free."

Why real-time communication is not possible outside Earth: "For the Moon, which is 384,000 km from Earth, the RTT increases to several seconds. This is an unacceptable value for many of the applications we use in our information society. For planets, RTT reaches minutes. Not to mention the closest star, Proxima Centauri, located 4.2 light-years away. Its RTT is 8.4 years."

From Hell (1993-1997). The masterpiece that surpasses itself: "From Hell needs no introduction. You may like it more or less, but it is one of Alan Moore's most famous graphic novels, considered by many to be the best comic writer in history. Author of, among others, Swamp Thing, V for Vendetta or Watchmen, he embarked for years, with artist Eddie Campbell, on this From Hell which we now proceed to analyze based on two questions: Is it worth it? And is it worth it in color?."

A lightning bolt that traveled 768 kilometers in the US, new world record: "A single lightning bolt that traveled 768 kilometers across the sky in the southern United States has been recognized by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) as a new world record for a megaflash. Using the most modern satellite technology, the WMO committee in charge of extreme weather and climate events, which keeps an official record of extreme events at regional, hemispheric and global scale, has recognized the longest flash ever detected."

Precarious Amazon delivery workers are extorted to dance to gain TikTok followers: "The list is long, from the world of Uber drivers, Cabify and others, through Glovo or Uber Eats delivery, to the Amazon sector. None of this is new, satisfaction surveys are already a standard in certain retail sectors, but what is happening with some Amazon delivery employees in the USA cries out to heaven. Users know that their rating, positive or negative, enormously depends on whether the worker risks, never better said, their job. And they are taking advantage of it in the worst way."

The Battle of Stalingrad in cartoons: "\"Penetration towards the East\", on February 2, 1942, a caricature by Leslie Illingward was published. It represents a Soviet soldier who invites the German army to Stalingrad, which marches in formation led by Field Marshal Paulus toward the gates of the city, confident of having taken it. The city's barbed wire in the caricature is decorated with the inscription \"Welcome!\"."

Videos

Videos: Walking through Yokohama at night, how the Commodore 64 was made (retro), automata, the Metroid 2 theme, Toto's Africa by Majora's Mask, when the belt snaps, The Book of Boba Fett x The Mandalorian (Piano Cover), A Harry Potter Stop Motion, glass harmonica, Soviet building constructor, a python devouring an impala, the biology of a carnivorous plant, Coney Island attractions of the past, Red Hot Chili Peppers - Black Summer, how pasta is made, "Smoke on the Water" in 1920s style, F-16 from the pilot's cockpit, Dubai is a 21st-century parody, the giant with a powerful voice, the best drone video of the year, the short "Battlefield" (Star Wars, Unreal Engine 5) and the five seasons of The Pink Panther (208 episodes).

Galleries

Galleries: Records made from strange materials, cameos of heavy metal musicians in movies, curious maps, the Nyau dancers, cartoon characters turned into real people, Lady Gaga vs mushrooms, covers of 'Famous Monsters' magazine, stuck in the 30s, disguises as household objects, mushroom art, portable hair dryers, variegation art, the best underwater photos from NG, the US Chinatown in the 50s and 60s, excellent landscape photos, the Animated Dump and the Visual Dump.

Done! That's it. See you next time!