In his iconic 1961 farewell address, President Dwight D. Eisenhower famously warned Americans about the military-industrial complex—but that wasn’t all. He also cautioned against a growing “scientific, technological elite” dominating national policy through federal funding. What happens when science becomes politicized? When peer review rewards conformity, not discovery? And when government grants replace private innovation? This video dives into the hidden costs of federally funded science—and explores how private labs, bold inventors, and decentralized innovation have historically led to the biggest breakthroughs, from Edison and the Wright Brothers to Silicon Valley and AI labs today.
Why this $60,000 camera is the future of filmmaking
Step into the future of filmmaking with LiDAR technology! In this video, we explore how Leica Geosystems’ cutting-edge LiDAR scanners are transforming location scouting, VFX, and virtual production. From creating ultra-precise 3D maps to building digital twins for LED walls, discover why this might be the most important tool you’re not using yet.
Kodak Did It First
When discussing classic Kodak point and shoot cameras, PetaPixel’s Jordan Drake remembered a long forgotten feature in a 2006 camera that pointed the way to smartphone cameras of the future. Let’s take a look back at the Kodak V570 and take some pictures with its follow-up, the V705.
GIMP 3.0 Is A Much Needed Upgrade!
In this video I discuss how Gimp 3 has finally had a stable release and comes with awesome new features that will save a lot of time with image editing like Non-destructive layer effects.
Elon Musk Just Revealed First Starship Payload to Mars Next Year!
Elon Musk Just Revealed First Starship Payload to Mars Next Year! This is incredible, y’all! Elon Musk has just revealed the first Starship payload mission to Mars set for next year, and the plan is absolutely insane. The timeline is ambitious, but if there’s one company that thrives on pushing boundaries, it’s SpaceX. Meanwhile, Falcon 9, after facing some challenges, is now accelerating at full speed, smashing records and reinforcing SpaceX’s unmatched dominance in the industry. A perfect example of this is the Crew-10 mission, a major success that once again highlights SpaceX’s crucial role in supporting the International Space Station. Let’s dive into all of this on today’s episode of Great SpaceX! Elon Musk Just Revealed First Starship Payload to Mars Next Year! Starship is accelerating rapidly, but it is also facing significant challenges, particularly in its last two flights. The Ships have exploded prematurely, raising concerns and doubts about the program’s progress. However, despite these setbacks, Super Heavy has been consistently landing successfully with Mechazilla Arms, keeping our hopes alive for Starship’s long-term success. And just recently, that hope soared even higher as Elon Musk officially unveiled SpaceX’s boldest plan yet for Starship. Elon Musk Just Revealed First Starship Payload to Mars Next Year! He announced: “Starship departs for Mars at the end of next year, carrying Optimus. If those landings go well, then human landings may start as soon as 2029, although 2031 is more likely.” Wow. This is absolutely insane! First, SpaceX is targeting its first-ever payload mission to Mars by the end of 2026. This timeline is incredibly aggressive, giving SpaceX engineers only about a year and a half to prepare for and execute a historic interplanetary flight.
The Terrifying Rise of Smart Bullets…
Smart bullets are real—and they might already be in use. From DARPA’s EXACTO to Russia’s secretive programs, guided bullets have come a long way since The Fifth Element. Here’s what we know.
From AI to 16K screens, tech has officially disrupted the film industry
The multibillion-dollar global film industry is at the advent of another technological revolution, set to make movie-making easier than ever before.
One innovator in the space is prestigious camera and production supplies company, ARRI, which opened a groundbreaking stage just outside London in 2021. The stage features a 30-meter wide 16K resolution screen.
“It replaces the need to work within green screen, so the actors love the environment. They’re interacting with what they’re seeing around them,” ARRI production specialist Robert Payton told CNBC’s Converge.
ARRI partnered with live events operations company, Creative Technology, to meet the growing demand for virtual production facilities.
“We’re a display business, so we work in LED screens, which is kind of our core market, and obviously ARRI are at the forefront of the cinematic world,” said Connie Glover, Creative Technology’s head of film and TV.
“So, we joined forces and we both used our strengths to come up with this space,” Glover added.
Of course, virtual production is not the only innovation disrupting filmmaking. Artificial intelligence is a source of contention within the industry, but its advocates say the tech is democratizing creativity.
“What AI and Gen AI will hopefully be doing is allowing more people to have more opportunities to enter the industry, with a much lower barrier to entry,” said David Webster, creative consultant for the Singapore-based organization, AI Create.
Watch the video above to see how virtual production and AI are changing filmmaking.
The Manta Ray: How America’s Futuristic Underwater Drone will Change Warfare
Explore the world’s oceans like never before with the Manta Ray, DARPA’s cutting-edge underwater drone. Discover its innovative design, development, and potential to revolutionize naval warfare. Dive in now!
What if you just keep zooming in?
Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM), Field Ion Microscope, Scanning Transmission Electron Microscope (STEM) and Probe microscopes
Money Bots | High-Frequency Trading | Crime & Corruption
Time is Money. In high frequency trading the fastest data network makes the deal. Computers trade against computers solely committed to the logic of their algorithms. Essentially, they are warring bots – money bots.
In the beginning, the intention was to use greater predictability and faster infrastructure to increase the stability of financial markets. In fact, the opposite has occurred: automation has made them more vulnerable. Moneybots love instability, where the greatest profits are to be made, and high-frequency trading is damaging the real economy. When trades take place in milliseconds, traders in the real economy are kept out of the loop. The system often relies on the discovery and exploitation of ‘cheats’ to get around restrictions.
And, as with all electronic systems, the moneybots can be hacked. Already there have been cases of flash crashes that destabilised the world’s markets. How did it come to this? We go back to their roots in the casinos of Las Vegas, where young mathematicians and physicists created algorithms and the first wearable computer to outsmart the roulette…