Nobody blows things up like Hollywood. Frequently, those jaw-dropping pyrotechnics are digitally created in post-production. Now, with the help of a tool called Wavelet Turbulence, filmmakers can generate realistic swirling smoke and fiery explosions that are more detailed, easier to control and faster to create. UCSB researcher Theodore Kim (along with three collaborators) developed the … Read more
The cherry blossoms in Washington D.C.’s annual festival now bloom five days earlier than when the festival was celebrated in 1921 (on average). Scientists theorize that with the drastic warming of the globe, future decades could see blossom times not just a few days early but advanced by almost a month. To better understand the … Read more
Can a status update from a tulip tell us anything about climate change?
While this eight legged creature is still a prototype, UC Santa Barbara alum Matthew Garten hopes to debut the finished robot for this year’s Bay Area Maker Faire. Currently the wooden joints in the legs let out a loud squeal that he’s hoping won’t be in the final version (but definitely give off a creepy … Read more