Link About It: This Week’s Picks
Illustrators honor Charlie Hebdo victims, California’s bullet train, antibiotics pulled from dirt and more in our weekly look at the web
1. Cartoonists Honor Charlie Hebdo Victims
Following the tragic attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo on Wednesday, illustrators all over the world came to the support of their peers with some doodles of their own. While some are new and some are reruns of older cartoons, all are relevant to the recent events. Demilked has rounded up 29 of these thoughtful, creative tributes.
2. Land Rover Defender Celebration Series
With the age of the Land Rover Defender coming to a close this year, the luxury automaker is releasing three limited edition Defender models to celebrate its 68-year legacy. The Autobiography, Adventure and Heritage editions each commemorate a different aspect of the much-loved Defender, whether it’s the lavish leather interior, rugged outdoor tires, or the classic “Grasmere Green” paint color.
3. Anouk Wipprecht’s “Spiderdress”
Unveiled at this year’s CES in downtown Las Vegas, the “Spiderdress” by Dutch designer and engineer Anouk Wipprecht takes a new approach to wearable technology. Made through 3D printing and composed of plastic, the spider-like exoskeleton is meant to be a self-defense aid for women; with protective arms that sit upon the wearer’s shoulders. Sensors are able to track and analyze the wearer’s body language and respiration and will jab at any nearby presence that may be deemed unwanted.
4. California Rail Breaks Ground
The California high-speed bullet train that would connect San Francisco and Los Angeles will finally break ground this week after years of delays. While the estimated $68 billion project is still shrouded in uncertainty, and many of the legal and financial pieces of the massive undertaking are still being assembled, the project will soon begin construction on its first 29 miles in order to meet its projected 2028 completion date.
5. Burning Man’s Boeing 747
A new teaser video by Big Imagination Foundation promises one of the most ambitious Burning Man projects to date. While specifics are scarce, it seems that the exhibition will include an actual Boeing 747 that will be modified by a team of over 100 volunteers to create “one of the largest and most inspiring art installations the community has ever seen.” If you wish to partake in the gargantuan display, Big Imagination is currently seeking volunteers.
6. Internet Archive Releases 2,400 Games
Thanks to Internet Archive, your favorite childhood games like Sim City, Oregon Trail and 2,400 other MS-DOS games are now available to play straight from your computer, all for free. The MS-DOS emulating software running the games is a new and experimental technology, but it should work on the most updated versions of Chrome and Firefox—so take a break and head over to Internet Archive’s Software Library to get lost in bison, fake cities, street fighters and more.
7. Antibiotics Pulled from Dirt
Researchers have discovered an effective new antibiotic from an unlikely source: a pile of dirt. The new drug, teixobactin, has so far been tested on mice and was found to cure many severe infections without side effects, and it did so in a way that would not allow bacteria to easily build immunity to it. Teixobactin has yet to be tested on humans, but if it does reach that stage, we could possibly see a completely new and beneficial antibiotic in the next five or six years.
8. MTA Bans the “Manspread”
With more and more men being noticed for taking up too much space on public transportation in an act coined “manspreading,” NYC’s MTA has made an official claim against it as part of their new visual messaging about subway etiquette. Mic decided to document what would happen if a woman assumed the same wide, open-legged position. Using cleverly placed hidden cameras, reactions of fellow subway riders were filmed as one man and one woman took turns “manspreading” through different subway cars.
Link About It is our filtered look at the web, shared daily in Link and on Twitter, and rounded up every Saturday morning.
