Flatland is a novel by Edwin Abbott Abbott, published in 1884. It's written as a biography by "A. Square," a two-dimensional creature who is literally a living square, thinner than a sheet of paper. He lives with other two-dimensional creatures on a surface called Flatland. In the book, Mr. Square tells of his adventures in worlds of different dimensions: Pointland (zero dimensions), Lineland (one dimension), and Spaceland (three dimensions) all inhabited with creatures suited for their respective worlds. Abbott does a wonderful job of world building, explain how the society (a satire of the Victorian society) and infrastructure of Flatland works. Even though the book was written 135 years ago, I found it very easy to read. Amazon is selling the Dover edition of Flatland for less than the price of a cup of coffee. I just bought it for my daughter.
Dover edition of Edwin Abbott Abbott's Flatland (1884)
The Marshmallow Man from Ghostbusters could make 300 million s'mores
Over at MEL Magazine, writer Brian VanHooker was brave to tackle one of mankind's most pressing questions: how many s'mores could you make out of the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man if you roasted him alive and consumed his deliciously fluffy flesh like the sweet-toothed cannibal you are? VanHooker enlists the aid of James Hind, a… READ THE REST
On 9/10/21 we remember 9+10=21
"- You stupid.– No, I'm not.– What's nine plus ten?– Twenty one.– You stupid." In 2013, defunct video-sharing app Vine catapulted this odd exchange to virality (archived, of course, on YouTube). Eight years later, the video hasn't been forgotten. This incorrect math answer left an indelible mark on culture, and a Twitter account has gained… READ THE REST
Why 'time' uses the sexagesimal system of counting
Wonder where we got the sexagesimal system? 60 seconds seems awful unwieldy in our world of base 10. It's the Sumerians. Someone on Reddit's ELI5 forum asked: "Why do we hit a limit of 60 for seconds and minutes, but then decimal for hours and milliseconds?" and the answer is very cool: If the Reddit… READ THE REST
Kiss weak WiFi goodbye with this top-rated M3s mesh Wi-Fi system
What do hangnails, spoiled milk, and overbearing mother-in-laws all have in common? None of them are half as annoying as a failing Wi-Fi signal that cuts your online streaming session short right in the middle of an important scene. Nobody deserves weak Wi-Fi in their own home, whether you're listening to music, streaming content, or… READ THE REST
Get full use out of your DJI Phantom or Mavic drone with this videography training
Before we had access to drones, aerial videography and photography were really left to the professionals, or at least those who could afford the right equipment. But with superior tools, like the Phantom DJI Drone, taking breathtaking shots is completely possible — as long as you know what you're doing, that is. Whether it's content… READ THE REST
