Netflix is reportedly close to buying Luc Besson's movie studio

Netflix may get a lot more from filmmaker Luc Besson than that rumored multi-movie deal. Sources speaking to France’s Capital have claimed that Netflix is in “advanced talks” to acquire EuropaCorp, the studio co-founded by Besson back in 2000. Whil…

Recommended Reading: Saving Stephen Hawking's voice


The quest to save Stephen Hawking’s voice
Jason Fagone,
San Francisco Chronicle

There’s no doubt Stephen Hawking will be remembered for his work on black holes and relativity, but he will also be remembered for his distinctive voice. San Francisco…

The Royal Wedding Invite Alludes To Meghan Markle’s Divorce

The former actress was previously married from 2011 to 2013.

Foe Of Endangered Species Act Lands Gig Overseeing — You Guessed It — Wildlife

It’s like “appointing an arsonist as the town fire marshal,” said one conservationist.

Sacramento Erupts In Protest After Stephon Clark Autopsy Report

An independent autopsy showed that Clark, whom police officers shot at 20 times, was struck by eight bullets.

Knitting machines power up with computer-generated patterns for 3D shapes

At last, a use for that industrial knitting machine you bought at a yard sale! Carnegie Mellon researchers have created a method that generates knitting patterns for arbitrary 3D shapes, opening the possibility of “on-demand knitting.” Think 3D printing, but softer.

The idea is actually quite compelling for those of us who are picky about their knitwear. How often have we picked up a knit cap, glove, or scarf only to find it too long, too short, too tight, too loose, etc?

If you fed your sartorial requirements (a 3D mesh) into this system from James McCann and students at CMU’s Textiles Lab, it could quickly spit out a pattern that a knitting machine could follow easily yet is perfectly suited for your purposes.

This has to be done carefully — the machines aren’t the same as human knitters, obviously, and a poorly configured pattern might lead to yarn breaking or jamming the machine. But it’s a lot better than having to build that pattern purl by purl.

With a little more work, “Knitting machines could become as easy to use as 3D printers,” McCann said in a CMU news release.

Of course, it’s unlikely you’ll have one of your own. But maker spaces and designer ateliers (I believe that’s the term) will be more likely to if it’s this easy to create new and perfectly sized garments with them.

McCann and his team will be presenting their research at SIGGRAPH this summer.

Uber kills UberRush package delivery service

These days, Uber is most recognized for its ride-sharing service and self-driving car ambitions. But the company continues to operate several other services, such as the delivery-focused UberEats. On the chopping block, however, is UberRush, the company’s on-demand, same-day package delivery service that was available in the New York City area, San Francisco, and Chicago. The service launched in New … Continue reading

Uber is shutting down its on-demand delivery service in June

On June 30th, Uber will sunset its on-demand delivery service for laundry, groceries, flowers and just about anything under 30 pounds that’s not an illegal item or, say, a cute pet. The ride-hailing service has notified its users in an email that it’…

Census Bureau Expert Adviser Rips Decision To Add A Citizenship Question

“I want to say in no uncertain terms that I think this is an absolutely awful decision.”

Sea Turtles Use Their Flippers Like Clunky, Adorable Arms To Obtain Food

Scientists observed turtles using flippers for digging, rolling stuff and swiping at prey.