Hexup

This might be the strangest Hexup yet, with a mix of space, patriotism and underwater basketweaving. I can’t even make it up.

Play a game, map the brain

Eyewire is a game that essentially turns you into a neuroscientist.  Designed by researchers at MIT, Eyewire players untangle the connections in the human brain. The results are recorded, and contribute to their project. From the Wired article, “More specifically, right now Seung and his researchers are reconstructing neural circuits in the retina to get a better idea of how humans perceive directional motions. So for example, when you see something that causes you to look up or down, it’s believed that there are certain cells that respond to that stimuli.”

Pixel art is wonderful

Noirlacsourced is a tumblr with an incredible amount of pixel art from old videogames. In addition to pictures that are breathtaking and inspiring, I browsed with a deep sense of nostalgia for the games I played as a kid. If You remember the great art from games like Chrono Trigger and Breath of Fire, you should definitely check it out. If you don’t, go see it and learn. Damn kids and their 3d modelling.

Captain America

In case you haven’t noticed I’m a big comic book fan. So is Vishavjit Singh. He dressed up like Captain America and wandered the streets of New York for a day with a photographer. Thing is, Singh is a Sikh. Can Captain America rock a turban? You’re damn right he can. His costume was mostly warmly received, and it challenged what most people tend to think of as being essentially American.

We are still finding things

You know that. We discover new things all the time, like a lost city or a tomb or a new planet. Well, it turns out we hadn’t found the biggest damn cave in the world. From the Huffington Post, “The Son Doong Cave in Vietnam is the biggest cave in the world. It’s over 5.5 mileslong, has a jungle and river, and could fit a 40-story skyscraper within its walls.”

Out there

After 36 years of travelling the solar system, Voyager I has finally made it to interstellar space. We’re sure this time. It’s officially the only artifact of human civilization that may survive the supernova of the sun, a piece of us farther than any other. One day we won’t be able to hear back from it at all. Good journey, and give my love to Alpha Centauri when you get there in about 80,000 years.

Mixed ideas with mixed success

Sometimes our friends have ideas, and sometimes those ideas are awesome. It’s unclear whether this is one of those times. As experts on notions of unclear value, Ryan and Polly undertake an experiment. Can a person weave a basket while underwater? Not only have they solved the practical problem, they’ve also explained what some archaeologists call “The Atlantean Basket Problem.” Watch the video below, and check out their other discoveries on Ryan’s Youtube channel.