Always wanted to relive some of your vacation photos, but only have photos? Well, Google researchers may have the tool for you. They’ve managed to reconstruct detailed 3D scenes of famous landmarks, like the Trevi Fountain in Rome, using regular photographs and machine learning. These aren’t basic models, but rather 3D renderings that allows you to move the camera around like you’re actually there.
The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn (Wuppertal Suspension Railway), nicknamed The Flying Train, is basically a suspension railway in Wuppertal, Germany. It’s the world’s oldest electric elevated railway with hanging cars and was built between 1897 and 1903. The first track opened in 1901, and to this day, Schwebebahn is still in use as a normal means of local public transport, transporting 25 million passengers annually. Read more to see how it looked during its early years, thanks to AI.
Israa Seblani, a 29-year-old Lebanese bride, figured that it would be just another Tuesday as she stood smiling and posing for her wedding video. Little did she know that moments later, the world around her would be shattered by a powerful shockwave that nearly blows her off her feet. In just seconds, all of the structures around her and the photographer are covered in piles of smashed glass from the blown-out windows. Read more for the footage and additional information.
Photo credit: ESO
The European Southern Observatory captured another stunning image with the Very Large Telescope (VLT), and this time, it’s of NGC 2899. this planetary nebula, or a giant cloud of gas that forms around an unexploded star, has a pattern of blue, purple as well as violet that resembles a butterfly. Read more for two videos and additional information.
Ever wonder what goes on inside a tire while you’re driving? Probably not, but Warped Perception knows that at least a few people have, so they decided to make it happen by mounting a GoPro action camera onto the barrel of the wheel. However, it wasn’t that simple since we all know it’s pitch black, so an aftermarket light and battery also had to be installed. Read more for the video.
High-speed cameras are nothing new, but most aren’t fast enough to capture light bouncing off mirrors, that is unless…you’re talking about the MegaX. Researcher Edoardo Charbon at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne demonstrated just how fast this new camera actually is by capturing this phenomenon at a blistering 24,000 frames a second. Read more for a video and additional information.
Octopuses are known to camouflage themselves when hunting and to avoid predators, but when it spotted a GoPro action camera recording, this creature had other plans. While it takes specialized skin cells that change the appearance of the skin by adjusting its color, opacity, or reflectivity, to camouflage itself, grabbing onto this gadget only took its tentacles. Read more for the video and additional information.
Sony officially unveiled its latest full-frame mirrorless camera: the Sony Alpha a7S III, and it’s definitely no slouch. Boasting a refined 12.1-megapixel Exmor R BSI CMOS sensor, an updated BIONZ XR image processor, internal recording up to UHD 4K 120p with 10-bit 4:2:2 sampling, and 16-bit raw output via the full-size HDMI port. Available for pre-order today at $3,500, with shipments starting in September. Read more for two videos, including a hands-on look.
Astrography enthusiast Seán Doran created this amazing time-lapse video of comet NEOWISE using footage captured by astronauts a board the International Space Station. As of last week, the comet was about magnitude (visual brightness) 4, but binoculars are necessary near urban areas to locate it. Unfortunately, the comet is getting further from the Sun and Earth, while a brightening waxing crescent moon is beginning to interfere with dark skies. Read more for the clip and additional information.
Photo credit: Arjun Menon
India-based photographer Arjun Menon decided to make the best of the COVID-19 lockdown and combine his passion of comic book characters with photography. Some of his past projects included the Terminator, Predator, Joker, Batman, Killer Croc, Bane, Wolverine, and lots more. His goal was to simply turn simple items like cheese graters, ice cube trays, and even air filters, into cinematic scenes. What was really challenging is getting those items to match the scale of the action figures. Read more to see how he turned household items, light painting and an action figure into the Batman: The Animated Series intro.