Weird noises emerge from a Frankenstein cassette-tape keyboard

Of course everyone knows what a Mellotron is (no, everyone doesn't), but allow us to briefly explain anyway. The Mellotron is a keyboard hooked up to analog tape -- press a key and the instrument plays a corresponding section of sound on the tape. It's the original sampler, popularized by the Beatles, the Moody Blues and a handful of other bands in the 1960s and '70s. And now, it's back with a modern twist. The Crudman, from Brooklyn's Crudlabs, isn't exactly a Mellotron, but it operates similarly by connecting a keyboard to a hacked Walkman. Users can even chain together a few Crudman units for polyphonic sounds. You could even call them polyphonic sprees, if you're feeling saucy. Despite the similarities to the Mellotron, Crudlabs wants to make it clear that the Crudman is not a Mellotron. "It is a monophonic, tape-based instrument designed around a single cassette Walkman," the Crudlabs site says. "No, it is not designed to replace a Mellotron and it does not sound like a Mellotron. It's its own thing which has its own unique sound and features. It is a new instrument and a tool to find new and interesting musical and atonal sounds using the unique lo-fi characteristics of cassette tapes." As for those unique sounds, hear for yourself below.READ MORE -http://www.engadget.com/2015/08/21/mellotron-walkman-keyboard-crudman/

SPANISH SIDE RELEASE WEIRD AWAY KIT

Sometimes, in the middle of a hearty game of football, a player needs a quick snack to perk up his energy levels.
However, snacks are expensive. Consequently, it makes more sense to simply design a kit that looks like a snack - then the player can just munch on that. That might well be the reasoning behind CD Guijuelo's new away kit - a strip modelled on delicious ham.
The club is based is in Salamanca, an area of Spain known for it's tasty jamón iberico - that might also have something to do with it. That doesn't mean it isn't still pretty bizarre.
Still, as strange football kits go, this isn't the worst we've seen. Plus it's making us hungry for ham, which is sort of nice in it's own way.READ MORE

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/row-zed/spanish-side-release-incredibly-weird-6253650
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8 WEIRD WAYS HUMANS ARE TRYING TO PROLONG LIFE

Obtaining eternal life is a mainstay on humankind’s bucket list, though doing so would obviously negate the idea of a bucket list altogether. We’ve been at it for millennia, and while we can be pretty pleased with the role of modern medicine in steadily increasing our lifespans, we’re yet to make the big discoveries that will effectively be the modern-day equivalent of the elixir of life. A healthy diet, a good exercise routine, and a ‘positive attitude’ are all well and good, but where is that potion of eternal life from Death Becomes Her? Where are all the Sylvester Stallones and Mel Gibsons being rejuvenated after years of cryogenic freezing? And how the hell do those waterbeds in Interstellar keep people alive for so long? Throughout the ages, humankind has conceived life-extending ideas that have ranged from the fatal to the brilliant – in that order. Where once upon a time whole nations would pursue eternal life based on myths and legends, today scientists are discovering methods for extending our lives that actually look pretty promising. Eternal life may be some way off, but doubling our lifespans might not be. Here is a list of ways that humankind has worked on – and continues to work on – expanding our lifespans by 30, 50 or 100 years. READ MORE-

SPACE How did Saturn Moon Tethys get Those Weird Stripes?

NASA’s Cassini mission has been orbiting Saturn for over a decade, so you’d be forgiven in thinking that it’s seen just about every weird feature on the ringed gas giant and its fascinating system of moons. But in new observations beamed back from Cassini, icy moon Tethys has only now decided to show off its mysterious stripes. ANALYSIS: Moon Tethys ‘Hangs’ Off Saturn’s Rings Using clear, green, infrared and ultraviolet spectral filters, during a flyby in April, Cassini’s cameras were able to create a color-enhanced view of the 660 mile (1,060 kilometer) wide ice-encrusted moon. And that’s when mission scientists saw them — long stripes of red discoloration arcing across the surface. Although stripes that appeared slightly red have been spotted in previous flybys, the angle between the Saturnian system, the sun and Cassini has not been ideal. But as Saturn’s northern hemisphere has been entering summer these past few years, the northern stripes on Tethys have gradually come into view and now Cassini has recorded vivid red features that at first appear to be fairly young on geological timescales.READ MORE -http://news.discovery.com/space/how-did-saturn-moon-tethys-get-those-weird-stripes-150731.htm