Cannibalism Confirmed Among Ancient Mexican Group

It's long been rumored that an ancient, isolated people in what's now northern Mexico ate their own kind, in the hopes that they'd be able to eat corn later. Now an analysis of more than three dozen bones bearing evidence of boiling and defleshing confirms that the Xiximes people were in fact cannibals, archaeologists say.

The Xiximes believed that ingesting the bodies and souls of their enemies and using the cleaned bones in rituals would guarantee the fertility of the grain harvest, according to historical accounts by Jesuit missionaries. The newfound bones prove that cannibalism, "was a crucial aspect of their worldview, their identity," said José Luis Punzo, an archaeologist behind the new research. (more)

Forza Motorsport 4: Trailer

A new trailer straight from E3 2011 for the hot car racing game Forza Motorsport 4.

Nissan Developing Mind-Reading Cars

One of the world's largest motor manufacturers is working with scientists based in Switzerland to design a car that can read its driver's mind and predict his or her next move. The collaboration, between Nissan and the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), is intended to balance the necessities of road safety with demands for personal transport. Scientists at the EPFL have already developed brain-machine interface (BMI) systems that allow wheelchair users to manoeuvre their chairs by thought transference. Their next step will be finding a way to incorporate that technology into the way motorists interact with their cars. If the endeavour proves successful, the vehicles of the future may be able to prepare themselves for a left or right turn – choosing the correct speed and positioning – by gauging that their drivers are thinking about making such a turn. However, although BMI technology is well established, the levels of human concentration needed to make it work are extremely high, so the research team is working on systems that will use statistical analysis to predict a driver's next move and to "evaluate a driver's cognitive state relevant to the driving environment". By measuring brain activity, monitoring patterns of eye movement and scanning the environment around the car, the team thinks the car will be able to predict what a driver is planning to do and help him or her complete the manoeuvre safely. Lucian Gheorghe, who joined Nissan's mobility research centre after graduating in computer science and artificial intelligence from Kobe University, Japan, said he believed the joint project could benefit both scientists and motorists. "Brain wave analysis has helped me understand driver burden in order to reduce driver stress," he said. "During our collaboration with EPFL, I believe we will not only be able to contribute to the scientific community but we will also find engineering solutions that will bring us close to providing easy access to personal mobility for everyone." Professor José del R Millán, who is leading the project, said the idea behind the research was a simple one: "to blend driver and vehicle intelligence together in such a way that eliminates conflicts between them, leading to a safer motoring environment".

KORN: Official 'Get Up!' Video Released

Korn have finally released a video to accompany one of the surprise hits of the summer! Come see it for yourself inside. Few could have predicted that a track by Korn and dubstep producer Skrillex would produce one of the biggest hits of the year, but smash it they did, and now Korn have released an official video to accompany ‘Get Up!’. The Bakersfield metallers recently revealed that they’ll be releasing a brand-new album, ‘The Path Of Totality’, featuring collaborations with various dubstep and electronic DJs on December 5 via Roadrunner. We can only imagine how that one’s gonna sound…

Feist Puts New Album Online For Free Streaming

Feist is streaming her fifth studio album, 'Metals' online now, ahead of its official release on October 3. The album is the folk-pop star's first since 2007's 'The Reminder' and was recorded in California's picturesque Big Sur area, with co-production from Chilly Gonzales, Mocky and Valgeir Sigurðsson (Bjork, Bonnie Prince Billy).  'The Reminder' featured the track 'The Limit To Your Love', which was covered by minimal solo artist James Blake last year as 'Limit To Your Love'. Feist released a dozen mini film clips hinting at the content of 'Metals'. The vignettes can be watched at listentofeist.com. Feist will be playing a one-off UK gig at the London Palladium on October 17. The tour will also visit Europe before hitting North America. (listen here)

BMW i3&i8

They’ve been bubbling under for a while, but BMW has now made them official: the i3 and i8 eco-friendly cars. Both were designed from clean sheets of paper (well, blank CAD screens) to be alternative-fuel vehicles, but the good thing is that each one has some BMW-type ballsiness. The i3 four-door, four-seater, for example, has the equivalent of 170 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque from an electric motor (its sole form of locomotion), which is mounted over the rear axle. A zero-to-60 time of under eight seconds is kind of impressive although it seems no one has still really worked out a way of extending the range beyond 100 miles, although a high-speed charger can replenish the lithium-ion battery up to 80 percent in only an hour. The body’s upper portion is made from carbon fiber and sports front-hinged front doors and rear-hinged rear doors. BMW says this marks “the launch of the first volume-produced car featuring bodywork largely made of carbon.” The lower part—where the drivetrain, battery and suspension are housed—is aluminum. The company promises some of the driving dynamics we expect from the blue-and-white propeller badge, along with the equivalent of 87 mpg. The i3 is due out in 2013. BMW i8 The sportier i8 two-plus-two is not all-electric, but a hybrid. As well as an electric motor, there’s a 220-hp three-cylinder combustion engine. BMW has so far declined to say whether that means gasoline or diesel; perhaps there could be a choice. But the car can run in electric-only mode for 20 miles, return the equivalent of 77 mpg and reach 60 mph from a standing start in less than five seconds, all while enjoying an optimum 50/50 weight distribution. Construction is again carbon fiber over aluminum and the two doors open with a Lambo-like scissor movement. The i8 is scheduled for a 2014 launch.

New ‘Dark Shadows’ Photos!

The first images we saw from Tim Burton‘s Dark Shadows were cause for concern: paparazzi photos of Johnny Depp in extreme whiteface and a more than slightly Michael Jackson-inspired getup. Warner Bros. countered with an official still showing the entire cast, and that mollified fans (somewhat) who had become concerned about the film’s direction. Now there are two new snaps, and one features Depp in pretty full vampiric effect, with blood all over his clawed hand. He’s even channeling an old-school Nosferatu sort of vibe, which might help convince rubberneckers that this is a movie, not a trainwreck. Empire debuted the pics; along with one of bloody Barnabas we get a shot of Tim Burton directing Jonny Lee Miller as Roger Collins and Michelle Pfeiffer as Elizabeth Collins Stoddard. Dark Shadows opens on May 11, 2012.

 

Dead Sea Scrolls Published Online

TWO thousand years after they were written and decades after they were found in desert caves, some of the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls went online for the first time today in a project launched by Israel's national museum and web giant Google.

The appearance of five of the most important Dead Sea scrolls on the internet is part of a broader attempt by the custodians of the celebrated manuscripts - who were once criticised for allowing them to be monopolised by small circles of scholars - to make them available to anyone with a computer. The scrolls include the biblical Book of Isaiah, the manuscript known as the Temple Scroll, and three others. Web surfers can search high-resolution images of the scrolls for specific passages, zoom in and out, and translate verses into English. The originals are kept in a secured vault in a Jerusalem building constructed specifically to house the scrolls. Access requires at least three different keys, a magnetic card and a secret code. The five scrolls are among those purchased by Israeli researchers between 1947 and 1967 from antiquities dealers, having first been found by Bedouin shepherds in the Juddvean Desert. The scrolls, considered by many to be the most significant archaeological find of the 20th century, are thought to have been written or collected by an ascetic Jewish sect that fled Jerusalem for the desert 2000 years ago and settled at Qumran, on the banks of the Dead Sea. The hundreds of manuscripts that survived, partially or in full, in caves near the site, have shed light on the development of the Hebrew Bible and the origins of Christianity. The most complete scrolls are held by the Israel Museum, with more pieces and smaller fragments found in other institutions and private collections. Tens of thousands of fragments from 900 Dead Sea manuscripts are held by the Israel Antiquities Authority, which has begun its own project to put them online in conjunction with Google. That project, aimed chiefly at scholars, is set to be complete by 2016, at which point nearly all of the scrolls will be available on the internet. (link here)

Old Meets New: "USB Typewriters"

Everything old is new again, and it seems like everyone is getting into the retro game. And typewriters, as we all know, are inherently cool, even when they're not mixing drinks. This leads us to the latest beautiful old-meets-new creation: USB typewriters. These super-stylish accessories are created by "reclusive genius" Jack Zylkin, who lives, according to his Etsy profile, in an island compound with 57 cats. (We suspect he's being facetious, but who knows?) Zylkin takes old fashioned typewriters, the kind with a ribbon and keys that you actually have to put some force behind, and attaches sensors and a USB cable which can be plugged into any USB-capable device, including iPads, Macs, and PCs. You can then type on the typewriter and watch your words appear on the screen of your device. It will even detect the alt, function, backspace, and shift keys, and to insert a carriage return, you actually… do a carriage return. That still a bit too modern? Just put a piece of paper in the typewriter and go REALLY old-school, and you'll have both hard copy and electronic for all your filing needs. There's something almost primal about typing on a real typewriter, which modern computer keyboards just can't replicate. Zylkin's USB typewriters give you the best of both worlds. Check out the USB Typewriters website for more information, or head to his Etsy shop to purchase one of these beauties. Not quite ready to fork over the $599-$799? Handy with a soldering gun? Zylkin also sells DIY kits to use with your own typewriter.  

 

Comic Publisher Sergio Bonelli Passes, Aged 78

Creator of popular Italian comics Zagor, River Bill and Mister No, Sergio Bonelli died earlier today. Son of Tex creator Gian Luigi Bonelli,  Sergio often wrote under the name of Guido Nolitta, to disguise his legacy in the field, as well as a female pseudonym, Annalisa Macchi. But he would write many Tex stories in the seventies under his real name and would become editor, then chairman of one of Italy’s major comics publishers, CEPIM, which would be renamed in honour of him as Sergio Bonelli Editore. The publisher who would publish not only Mister No and Tex but also Dylan Dog. But his real acheivement as an editor and publisher, was in recruiting and first publishing the work of three generations of Italian comic book writers and artists. Without him the Italian comic scene would have been unrecognizable. Sergio remained an active man, with work filling his days and regular trips to the deepest, darkest parts of the Amazon he could get to.

Sebastian Vettel Claims Ninth Win Of Formula One Season

Sebastian Vettel demonstrated his supremacy on Sunday when he won the Singapore Grand Prix to move within a point of becoming the youngest double world champion in Formula One history. The 24-year-old German, the defending champion and runaway leader of this year's title race, drove from pole position to the chequered flag in flawless style in his Red Bull car. He won the floodlit 61-lap night race by a controlled 1.7 seconds. Briton Jenson Button finished second in his McLaren to keep the title race just about alive with five races remaining. Australian Mark Webber in the second Red Bull finished third. Vettel now requires just a solitary point to claim his second title in succession and can only be beaten to the title if Button wins all five of the remaining races while the German fails to score a further point. Two-time world champion Spaniard Fernando Alonso, who needed to finish on the podium to keep his own challenge for the drivers' title alive, came home fourth ahead of Briton Lewis Hamilton in the second McLaren. The Englishman produced a typically spectacular drive including five pit-stops, a collision and a charge from 16th through the field. Another Briton, Paul Di Resta, came home sixth for Force India, his best result to date in his rookie season in Formula One, ahead of Germans Nico Rosberg in seventh for Mercedes and Adrian Sutil in the second Force India. Felipe Massa of Ferrari, who was the victim of a collision with Hamilton in the early stages of an incident-filled contest, came home ninth. Mexican Sergio Perez, whose collision with Michael Schumacher saw the German eliminated from the race, finished 10th.

Venom Confirms New Album, "Fallen Angels" Release Date

One of the most influential metal bands of all time will be releasing a brand-new album this November!

Fuck yes! Legendary UK metallers Venom will be releasing a new studio album this Autumn! 30 years on since they unleashed their seminal ‘Welcome To Hell’ debut, the thrash metal innovators will release ‘Fallen Angels’ on November 28 via

Spinefarm/Universal. Says band mainman Cronos; “When we make an album, it usually takes a few tracks to get into the vibe, although this album’s vibe was very much present during the ideas stage… everything came together so naturally. “We all started throwing ideas together on the South American tour, and then again during the live shows of 2010, and so we knew from the start that we had some amazing new songs to make a great album. “With any new album, you look for a few songs to put into the live set, although that is going to be very difficult with this record, as we can nail the entire album live if we want! “‘Fallen Angels’ is the result of a band that has spent nearly two years touring and growing as a unit, and as the band grows tighter, so the songs get better and heavier, and we instinctively know what each other is thinking, and the ideas flow easier. “This album is only the very start for this line-up; there will be many more albums and live shows to come for Venom. It has taken a long time and a lot of changes to finally deliver a Venom that can attack Black Metal the way it should be – fast, furious, tight and terrifying.

Mastodon Release New Video (Curl Of The Burl)

Atlanta prog-metal masters Mastodon have unleashed the lead music video, “Curl of the Burl,” off their new album, The Hunter, which comes out on Tuesday, the 27th. Check out the clip below.

Maya Royal Tombs Found With Rare Woman Ruler

A woman ruler's skeleton—her head mysteriously placed between two bowls—is one of two royal burials recently found at the Maya ruins of Nakum in Guatemala.

The roughly 2,000-year-old tomb was found underneath another, 1,300-year-old tomb filled with treasures such as jade gorgets—normally used to protect the throat—beads, and ceremonial knives. The upper tomb's corpse had been badly destroyed by rodents within the last few centuries, but the body was clearly that of another Maya ruler-perhaps another female, based on the small size of a ring found in that tomb. (click here)

Spank Rock's New Album (Stream)

Spank Rock's second album, Everything is Boring and Everyone is a Fucking Liar, finds the Baltimore rapper exploring fresh new sounds and beats while retaining the rowdy, sexy party-rap vibe of his 2006 debut. The new disc, which features collaborations with producers Boyz Noise, XXXchange and Sam Spiegel and guest vocalists Santigold and Big Freedia, has a harder edge. Cuts like "The Dance" and "#1 Hit" lean on heavy, distorted electro hooks, while "Car Song" balances a warm bass groove with an icy, bad-ass tone. The album will hit stores on September 27th, but you can preview it in full now. (Stream)

Particles Found To Break Speed Of Light

A subatomic particle is challenging the very core of modern physics, after scientists recorded it travelling faster than the speed of light According to Albert Einstein's special theory of relativity, which spawned the E=MC2 equation, light is the last word in speed, but neutrinos have now been recorded travelling even faster. In the Opera experiment, carried out more than 15,000 times over three years, the muon neutrinos – fired in a beam 454 miles between the Cern facility in Geneva to Gran Sasso in Italy – arrived a few billionths of a second quicker than light. The gap was tiny, but its significance is potentially so huge that physicists are struggling to come to terms with its implications. First, though, researchers want to be sure that they haven't made any errors in their calculations and, having scrutinised the findings themselves, have asked their colleagues around the world to check them. "The feeling that most people have is this can't be right; this can't be real," James Gillies, a spokesman for Cern – the European Organisation for Nuclear Research – told the Associated Press. "They are inviting the broader physics community to look at what they've done and really scrutinise it in great detail and ideally for someone elsewhere in the world to repeat the measurements." At Fermilab, a similar facility to Cern – in Chicago – head theoretician Stephen Parke said of the European finding: "It's a shock. It's going to cause us problems, no doubt about that – if it's true." Intriguingly, Fermilab scientists had similar faster-than-light results in 2007, but with such a large margin of error that its significance was undermined. John Ellis, a theoretical physicist at Cern, who was not involved in the neutrino experiments, said Einstein's special relativity theory underpins "pretty much everything in modern physics" and it has since it was put forward in 1905 "worked perfectly up until now". He added: "This would be such a sensational discovery if it were true that one has to treat it extremely carefully."

"Need For Speed The Run" New Story Trailer

Hero Jack plays a marked man with only one way out - The Run. Three-thousand miles of unforgiving asphalt from San Francisco to New York. No speed limits. No rules. No allies. Armed with just his guts and instinct, Jack battles a field of the most notorious drivers ever assembled. Dense city streets, icy mountain passes and narrow canyons push his driving skills to the limit. Relentlessly hunted by the police, as well as the men who want him dead, Jack is racing for his life. Need For Speed: The Run is scheduled to release this November on Xbox 360, PS3, PC, Wii, and 3DS.

Jensen Interceptor To Return In 2012

These are the first images of the all-new Jensen Interceptor, set to be launched next year and built in Britain by CPP Global Holdings. Like the original Interceptor, which was produced between 1966 and 1976, the new version is a four-seater GT car with a long bonnet and fastback rear. CPP, a British specialist automotive group, has been appointed by Jensen’s owners, Healey Sports Cars Switzerland Ltd, to engineer, develop and build the car. This will take place at Browns Lane in Coventry, where CPP is to set up a production facility having purchased the site used by Jaguar between 1951 and 2005. The car, which will use an all-new aluminium chassis and handcrafted aluminium body, will be unveiled to the public in late 2012, with the first models reaching customers in 2014. Production numbers and pricing are yet to be confirmed. Brendan O’Toole, founder and co-owner of CPP, said: “I started my career by restoring bodies and components for classic British sports cars, so for CPP to take the lead role in reviving this iconic brand is very exciting for the business, and for me personally. The Jensen design team has respected and honoured the great heritage and attributes of the original Interceptor, while injecting a contemporary edge and advanced technologies that will ensure it appeals to the passionate, discerning motoring enthusiast of today. “This work is at an advanced stage, and married to CPP’s expert coachbuilding, craftsmanship and engineering skills, the new Interceptor will be an exceptional example of British automotive excellence,” added O'Toole. 

 

New Screening Dates For MINISTRY Documentary

A new documentary detailing industrial metallers Ministry’s 1996 Sphinctour is to be screened at the end of this month and in October. Directed by Douglas Freel, Fix: the Ministry Movie follows the band during their world tour, exploring their adventures and excesses on the road, particularly those of frontman Al Jourgensen. Also featured in the movie are Nine Inch Nails’ Trent Reznor, Korn’s Jonathan Davis, Tool’s Maynard James Keenan, Motörhead’s Lemmy Kilmister, as well the Clash’s now deceased frontman Joe Strummer.

Screenings for Fix: the Ministry Movie:

09/23-29  Portland, OR, The Clinton St. Theater
09/28  Boston, MA, The Regent Theatre
10/03  Los Angeles, CA, The Echo
10/19  New York City, NY, CMJ at Chelsea Theater

Korn Theme Song Featured In ‘Silent Hill: Downpour’ Trailer

Korn have composed the theme song for the upcoming Silent Hill: Downpour video game, which you can hear in the game’s trailer below. The game itself is set for release on October 25 on most major platforms.

Serbia – The New European Champion!

An exciting and tied match played in front of numerous Serbian fans ended the 2011 European Championship bringing the new Champions - the team of Serbia. In the final match of the European Championship 2011 played in Wien an absolute favorite of the spectators was the team of Serbia. Their support apparently helped their compatriots in numerous difficult situations on the court. The 1st set starts with 1-point-lead of Serbia on the 1st technical time out, but then Luigi Mastrangelo joins the fight for the victory. He defends a hard ball, serves an ace and adds a block. Helps also Michal Lasko, who scores 2 consecutive points in attack, and Ivan Zaytsev with 2 aces. At the end the Italians block the Serbian bombardier, Ivan Miljkovic, and win the set. The next part of the game looks similar to the first – Serbia leads on the 1st technical time out. But thanks to great attacks of Miljkovic, efficient blocks of Marko Podrascanin and many errors of the Italian players, the Serbian team is able to win with 5 points lead. In the 3rd set Serbia leads already 13:8, but this set is the performance of Christian Savani. Thanks to his wonderful attack Italia gets to the tie 17:17, then 23:23 and still has chances for winning the set. However, the luck is on the Serbian side, they finish the set with surprising ace. During the 4th set we all were thinking that Italy controlled the game. But they make a lot of errors and Serbia lead to the tie 13:13, then 19:19 and 24:24. The 25th point scores the best player of this tournament: Ivan Miljkovic. And after an ace of Milan Terzic Serbia could celebrate their first gold medal in history (since they don’t play as Yugoslavia)! For the Italians it’s the 3rd silver medal in history of European Championship, but a big step forward in relation to the ECH 2009 where they ended on the 10th position.

The best players of the European Championship 2011:

• Best attacker: Maxim Mikhailov (Russia)
• Best blocker: Marko Podrascanin (Serbia)
• Best server: Bartosz Kurek (Poland)
• Best libero: Andrea Bari (Italy)
• Best receiver: Nikola Kovacevic (Serbia)
• Best setter: Dragan Travica (Italy)
• Best scorer: Maxim Mikhailov (Russia)
• MVP: Ivan Miljkovic (Serbia)

Is Nicolas Cage A Vampire?

THIS old photograph appears to show actor Nicolas Cage made up for his latest movie role – but in fact the picture dates back to the American Civil War.

An antique dealer has put the image up for auction on eBay and is demanding at least $1MILLION. The seller jokes that the picture is proof Cage is not 47 as he claims – but an immortal vampire. The image of a man looking identical to the Con Air star dates from around 1870. Jack Mörd, from Seattle, Washington, says the photo was taken of a man in Bristol,Tennessee. He said: "My theory is that he allows himself to age to a certain point, maybe 70, 80 or so, then the actor 'Nicolas Cage' will 'die'. "But in reality, the undead vampire 'Nicolas Cage' will have rejuvenated himself and appeared in some other part of the world, young again, and ready to start all over." Mr Mörd runs The Thanatos Archive and says he is a fan of Victorian-era photography. He assured prospective bidders: "This is not a trick photo of any kind and has not been manipulated in Photoshop or any other graphics program. 'It's an original photo of a man who lived in Bristol, TN, sometime around the Civil War." 

"Assassin's Creed Revelations" Drops On Nov 15

Assassin's Creed Revelations follows master assassin Ezio Auditore as he walks in the footsteps of his legendary mentor, Altaïr, on a journey to recover five ancient seals that hold the keys to the future of the Assassins brotherhood. It is a perilous path -- one that will take Ezio to Constantinople, the heart of the Ottoman Empire, where a growing army of Templars threatens to destabilize the region.

"The Thing" New Trailer

The Thing has a special place in our mind’s eye as it was one of our first truly terrifying experiences at the cinema. John Carpenter took the simplest of concepts -- an alien force slowly taking over a crew of individuals at an Arctic outpost -- and made it drip with uncanny horror. Fast forward to 2011 and audiences are set to return to the frozen tundra for a new batch of The Thing terror. Universal has released a new TV spot for their Thing remake-prequel. The clip certainly shows quite a bit, in fact some have said it gives away too much. But in the context of this spot, this is nothing new in the horror genre. For decades they have shown everything but the kitchen sink in their trailers, yet the horror is still crisp when the film is screened. For that, we can thank context. Searing images put together out of a timeline do not take away too much from the experience. But, when those images are seen within the confines of the story with characters we are now attached to as they go through their horror, that is a different story. The Thing has come a long way since the 1981 Carpenter version. For one thing, the special effects are now CGI. You can debate whether that is a good thing or not, but for now… simply sit back and enjoy The Thing 2011. And yes, the dog is still in the picture!

Boeing To Outfit New 787s With Android-Based Entertainment

There may be iPads in cockpits, but there will soon be Androids among us, the passengers. Boeing has announced that all of its 787 Dreamliner planes currently in production are being outfitted with Android servers and touchscreens. We don't know much about the software that the Android-based system will run, but we do know that the new screens will be generally superior--with a wider viewing angle and less reflectivity--than what passengers are used to, and that they'll range in size from seven to 17 inches. Airlines wishing to purchase the Dreamliner will only be able to choose between Panasonic and Thales to manufacture their entertainment systems, as opposed to the unlimited options they have on other Boeing aircraft. The first 787-certified Android touchscreen has already been built by Panasonic, for both economy and first-class seats. According to Boeing's technical manager, though, many of the new Android screens for business and first-class will be gesture instead of touch-based, because passengers who actually have leg room won't be able to reach the screens. Android has already been certified to run the major streaming services (Netflix, Hulu, and the assorted music services) and has the ability to play back external files from USB drives, so the Dreamliner definitely has the potential to bring some pretty great media possibilities to the new plane.

The Next Generation Of Night-Vision Goggles

The newest goggles boast ridiculously sensitive (yet adjustable) thermal sensors as well as a data overlay--like a smartphone inside your goggle.

Over at Danger Room, Noah Shachtman got a look at the military's current and next-gen night-vision goggles (or, more accurately, "goggle," or

"monogoggle," since they only cover one eye). Hardly anyone ever gets to look at these, so to actually be able to try them out is pretty amazing. The goggles live up to the hype: they pack incredibly sensitive thermal sensors (enough so that reflections and handprints both glow) as well as embedded LCDs that transmit all kinds of data. The current top-of-the-line goggle is known as Enhanced Night Vision Goggles: it combines the classic glowing-green image intensification (known as "i2") with thermal sensors. The i2 is an analog technology--the military is constantly working on a digital version, but at the moment the digital version has a lag that's unacceptable--that essentially amplifies the tiny bits of light that exist even in a "pitch-black" area. But those aren't great for, say, spotting an enemy lying in the tall grass, and then can be rendered useless with a blinding flash of light. So the Enhanced Night Vision Goggles include a thermal sensor that's easily the most sensitive we've ever heard of. Says Shachtman: "In a specialized trailer outside the factory, ITT's Harry Buchanan shows how sensitive the thermal sensor is. He rubs his hands on the wall, then puts them back by his side. Through the eyepiece, I can still see his handprints. Then Buchanan takes his shoes off. Not only do his feet leave similar marks; his shoes continue to glow hot. The next version, still in alpha actually shoots video and transmits it live, so a commander (or whoever) can see what the soldier sees. But it also has a built-in display, sort of like these Sony 3-D goggles, that shows just about any kind of data the soldier might need: maps, messages, locations, footage from drones or other soldiers, that kind of thing.

Hear Ladytron's New Album 'Gravity The Seducer'

You can hear Ladytron's new studio album 'Gravity The Seducer' in full on (NME.COM), The album, the Liverpool electro pop group's fifth, was formally released on Monday (September 12), but can be streamed in full now. 'Gravity The Seducer' has been produced by Barny Barnicott, who has worked as an engineer for Arctic Monkeys and Kasabian in the past and features the previously available single 'Ace Of Hz'. The album follows the release last year of the band's first singles collection 'Ladytron: Best Of 00-10', which came out in March 2010. They last released a studio album in 2008 with 'Velocifero'. The tracklisting for 'Gravity The Seducer' is as follows:

'White Elephant'
'Mirage'
'White Gold'
'Ace Of Hz'
'Ritual'
'Moon Palace'
'Altitude Blues'
'Ambulances'
'Melting Ice'
'Transparent Days'
'90 Degrees'
'Aces High'

Point Break Remake Given The Green Light

Alcon Entertainment and Warner Bros have announced plans to remake the 1991 film Point Break. The original film famously starred Patrick Swayze as Bodhi, a surfer-bank robber, and Keanu Reeves as Johnny Utah, the FBI agent working undercover aiming to take him down. Alcon Entertainment, currently about to release Dolphin Tale and the company responsible for The Blind Side, made the announcement this week. Point Break, circa the new millennium, has been put on the fast track for production and release. It has been two decades since Reeves learned how to surf with Gary Busey encouraging him. The new story will apparently surround the world of extreme sports, although it occurs to me that in order to keep that title, one of those sports must include surfing. The original 1991 flick featured a director in Kathryn Bigelow who recently won an Oscar for Best Director for The Hurt Locker. "Point Break wasn't just a film, it was a Zen meditation on testosterone fueled action and manhood in the late 20th century and we hope to create the same for the young 21st,” the new film’s producer, Michael DeLuca, said.

Gladiator School Found Buried in Austria

Archaeologists working outside Vienna, Austria, have discovered the remains of a huge school for ancient Roman gladiators—a complex so extensive that it rivals the training grounds outside Rome's Colosseum. The newly located facility includes features never before seen at a Roman gladiators' school, or ludus, such as traces of a wooden training dummy. And outside the gates, the researchers discovered what they call the first known gladiators' cemetery on the grounds of a ludus.(more)

Djokovic Beats Nadal For US Open Title!

Novak Djokovic's incredible year of dominance continued as he beat defending champion Rafael Nadal 6-2 6-4 6-7 (3/7) 6-1 to win the US Open.The world number one had beaten his rival in each of their previous five meetings this season, all finals, and got the perfect start at Flushing Meadows as a run of six consecutive games saw him take the opening set. And although Nadal, who beat Djokovic in last year's final, battled his way back into the match in the third set in particular, every time it seemed he might be getting the upper hand his opponent upped his game still further. It was a fourth grand slam title for Djokovic and the third of an extraordinary 2011 in which he has won 64 out of 66 matches. Djokovic looked set for a more comfortable win when he led 6-5 in an epic third set featuring numerous breaks of serve, only to be broken again and forced into a tie-break. Nadal stormed into a 5-1 lead and, after Djokovic dragged it back to 5-3, some questionable shot selection from the Serbian gave Nadal three set points, the first of which he converted when Djokovic powered a forehand into the net. Djokovic received treatment for an apparent back problem before the start of the fourth set and took a full medical time-out after holding serve in the opening game. But with everything now seemingly in Nadal's favour, Djokovic defied the odds to break for a 2-0 lead on his fifth break point - his second having gone begging when a broken string sent a forehand sailing long. The Serb was rejuvenated and broke Nadal again in the sixth game for a 5-1 lead and a second chance to serve out for the title. This time there was to be no mistake and a forehand winner sealed a dramatic victory. "It's an incredible, incredible feeling," Djokovic said. "I've had an amazing year and it keeps going but every time I play Rafa it's a big challenge and I want to congratulate him on a great tournament." Nadal paid tribute to Djokovic, adding: "Obviously I'm disappointed but this guy is doing unbelievable things so congratulations Novak and your team for everything. What you did this year is probably impossible to repeat."

"Hellraiser" Remake Delayed Again!

The remake of Clive Barker's cult horror classic, Hellraiser, has been delayed yet again as the chosen directors have left the project. Patrick Lussier and Todd Farmer, the team behind the My Bloody Valentine remake and Nicolas Cage's Drive Angry, have spoken out about their involvement with the horror reboot, saying they have now left the project after Dimension Films decided to tone down the film's content. Speaking to Bloody Disgusting, Farmer said: Right after Drive Angry they (Dimension Films) asked us to do Hellraiser. Originally what they wanted was epic and dark, rated R. It was in our contract. So... if WE do Hellraiser, it’s rated R; if they want to do PG-13 then they have to get rid of us. Lussier and Farmer are now working on Halloween III, to be shot in 3D, which already has a release date of October 26, 2012. The potential reboot was mooted by Dimension from as early as 2007. Names attached to the project so far have included Saw IV, V, VI and Saw 3D writers Marcus Dunstan and Patrick Melton, as well as Martyrs director Pascal Laugier. The latter was a choice Hellraiser creator Clive Barker  was very disappointed to see leave the project. Barker, however, was not best pleased with Hellraiser:Revelations, a film made on the cheap to extend the rights to the franchise. Last month, he lambasted the film saying it was “No fucking child of mine”.

Mastodon releases fall 2011 tour dates!

Heavy metal band Mastodon announced a fall 2011 headlining tour which will also feature supporting acts The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Red Fang. The tour begins on Oct 25 in Austin, TX and concludes on Dec 1 in Lake Buena Vista, FL. You can watch Mastodon, The Dillinger Escape Plan, and Red Fang live in Chicago, IL on Nov 11 at the Riviera Theatre. The fall 2011 Mastodon headlining tour featuring The Dillinger Escape Plan and Red Fang will consist of 26-shows over a five-week time span. The tour is in support of Mastodon's upcoming album, The Hunter which is set to be released Sept. 27 via Reprise Records. On Sept 1, the band released another new track from The Hunter, "Spectrelight," which features Scott Kelly of Neurosis. Direct supporting act, The Dillinger Escape Plan will be touring this fall 2011 in support of their 2010 album, Option Paralysis. In 2011 they opened up for the Deftones, which included a sold out Chicago show. Pre-sale tickets for Mastodon's fall 2011 headlining tour will be available starting at 12:00pm local time on Thursday, Sept. 15th. Plus, until midnight on Sept. 26 every pair of tickets purchased online will also receive one digital copy of Mastodon's new album The Hunter.

Mastodon Fall 2011 Tour Dates:

10/25 Austin, TX @ La Zona Rosa
10/27 Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds
11/01 Los Angeles, CA @ Wiltern Theatre
11/02 Sacramento, CA @ Ace of Spades
11/03 San Francisco, CA @ The Warfield
11/05 Portland, OR @ Roseland Theatre
11/06 Seattle, WA @ Showbox SODO
11/07 Boise, ID @ Knitting Factory
11/08 Salt Lake City, UT @ The Depot
11/09 Denver, CO @ Ogden Theatre
11/11 Chicago, IL @ Riviera Theatre
11/12 Milwaukee, WI @ Rave Ballroom
11/13 Sauget, IL @ Pop’s
11/14 Kansas City, MO @ The Beaumont
11/16 Detroit, MI @ The Fillmore Detroit
11/17 Indianapolis, IN @ Egyptian Room
11/19 New York City, NY @ Terminal 5
11/20 Philadelphia, PA @ Trocadero
11/21 Boston, MA @ House of Blues
11/23 Montreal, QC @ Metropolis
11/25 Toronto, ON @ Kool Haus
11/26 Buffalo, NY @ Town Ballroom
11/27 Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
11/28 Norfolk, VA @ The NorVa
11/29 Asheville, NC @ Orange Peel
12/01 Lake Buena Vista, FL @ House of Blues

Woodkid "Iron" (Video)

LED Color Shower Head

Its time to take of your old boring shower heads and put this new color shower head on. Hansa's Color Shower from Hansa uses LED lighting, the ColourShower spray can be changed to any color of the visible light spectrum to offer an intensive, vitalizing or relaxing shower experience ! It features a very easy to use Colour Control Unit for the color and spray options right on its panel. There are 4 options for the spray: Fire, Ice, Sweep and Wave, as well as 8 chromotherapy colors including white. Prices start from $2,850 on Hansa website. 

"Faust" Wins Goleden Lion Award

Russian director Aleksandr Sokurov won the Venice Film Festival's top prize, the Golden Lion, for his movie "Faust," defeating submissions from Roman Polanski, David Cronenberg and George Clooney. The jury -- led by U.S. filmmaker Darren Aronofsky, whose "Black Swan" was in the competition last year -- opted for Sokurov's free adaptation of the Goethe tragedy. It's the fourth in a series on the theme of power, the first three being portrayals of Hitler, Lenin and Japan's late Emperor Hirohito.Michael Fassbender won the best-actor trophy for his role as the solitary sex addict in Steve McQueen's "Shame." Recognized as the festival's best actress was Deannie Yip for "A Simple Life," the story of a Chinese housekeeper who moves to an old people's home after decades serving one family. The best director award went to China's Shangjun Cai for "Ren Shan Ren Hai," a last-minute addition to the competition lineup. Italy came away with a prize too: "Terraferma" by Emanuele Crialese, the story of a Sicilian fishing village coping with an influx of African migrants. Polanski had been in the running with "Carnage," adapted from a play by Yasmina Reza and filmed entirely in an apartment interior. Starring Jodie Foster and Kate Winslet, it showed two sets of parents having a meeting after one kid beat and hurt another. Clooney was competing with "The Ides of March," a pitiless portrayal of U.S. politics, with himself in the role of a smooth senator. Cronenberg's entry, "A Dangerous Method," also stars Fassbender as well as Keira Knightley, and tells of Carl Jung's entanglement with a young Russian patient.

First Pair Of ‘Back to the Future’ Nike's Goes For $37,500

For one lucky, anonymous person, 2015 will be coming much sooner than it will for the rest of us.

The person won an auction for the first pair of Nike’s Back to the Future, Part II inspired, self-lacing “Air Mag” shoes for $37,000, according to TMZ. Community star Joel McHale co-hosted the auction, which came to a heated competition between two shoe collectors. The winner also got a “plutonium case” to carry the shoes in. According to MTV News, the remaining 1,500 pairs of shoes will be auctioned off on eBay, with the proceeds going to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s disease research. Fox, who played Marty McFly in all three Back to the Future films, went on The Late Show with David Letterman Thursday night to say that he was excited to see three groups of people get excited about the shoes. “The sneaker-heads who love sneakers, the Back to the Future guys who, believe me, are out of their minds, in a good way, thank God for them. And people in the Parkinson's community."

Megadeth Stream New Song “Public Enemy No. 1″

Megadeth released the cover art and track listing for their new album Th1rt3en (Roadrunner) yesterday, and today the record’s first single, “Public Enemy No. 1″ has leaked to YouTube (which you can hear below) and is streaming on Megadeth’s website.

"Saviours" Release New Video

Rising Californian stoner metallers Saviours have unleashed a brand-new video! Come inside to have a look. ‘Crete’n’ is taken from the quartet’s new album, ‘Death’s Procession’, out now on Kemado. (video)

"Citroen Tubik Concept" At Frankfurt Motor Show

  

Citroen's H Van once carried France's working men and women from butcher shops to hardware stores to job sites. This year, Citroen will bring the iconic panel van back to life with a Frankfurt Motor Show concept, this time purposing it as a 21st century people mover. While relatively unknown on these shores, the H van -- built between 1947 and 1981 -- was one of France's most iconic commercial vehicles. Its high roof, low load floor, and elegant simplicity endeared it to commercial customers from all walks of life. The Tubik, however, is envisioned first and foremost as a people mover. The concept sports seating for nine, which can be moved and rearranged to reconfigure the cabin. Front seats can face forward or aft, while the middle row can be coverted into a table or an oversized lounge chair. The only seat left unchanged is the driver's, which is mounted in a semi-circular aluminum pod that curves towards the ceiling.

Passengers can enter and exit the van through one of two doors: a conventional driver's door, or a giant gullwing door on the passenger side, which runs the entire length of the vehicle. Citroen says all materials used within were taken "from the worlds of architecture and interior design." Subsequently, seats are trimmed in felt, door panels and backrests wrapped in silk, and flooring made of leather. Beneath the Tubik's futuristic body is something rather familiar: Citroen's Hybrid4 powertrain. The Tubik will have the same hybrid powertrain as the upcoming DS5, which combines a four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine powering the front wheels, and an electric motor driving the rear axle. When combined, the powertrain is good for 200 hp, and also provides all-wheel drive. Citroen claims that the Hybrid4 technology will give the Tubik fuel economy figures and carbon dioxide emissions comparable to that of a standard sedan. Citroen hasn't announced any plans to make a production car based on the Tubik concept, but the DS5 crossover with the Tubik's Hybrid4 powertrain should hit European showrooms later this year.