Structure In A Structure In A Structure...

I'll briefly interrupt the usual whooshy wind and tumbleweed here at Fresh Brainz with this video you just HAVE to see.

Check it out in 720p for all the astounding detail.

At first, it seems like a well made, Transformer-esque CG virtualscape...



... but when it zooms in, you start to see recursive patterns of Lego-like metallic plates, and it zooms further in and...

HEY! SELF SIMILARITY!

It's a fractal!

Yes my friends, now solids can also be fractals.

Apparently, such 3D fractal sets have only been developed a couple of years ago, and mathematicians are still considering if it is a "true" 3D Mandelbrot set.

But mathematical rigour aside - just think of the artistic potential!

The ability to generate visually spectacular landscapes with both sweeping scale AND detail - simply by plugging numbers into a formula.

Incredible, bizarre environments that goes to the limit (or beyond?) of human imagination.

Filmmakers and gamemakers, get a crackin'.


Would you like to know more?

Other epic 3D fractal videos:
- Mandelbox trip (YouTube)
- Trip to center of hybrid fractal (YouTube)

About the mathematics of 3D fractals:
- The Mandelbulb: first 'true' 3D image of famous fractal (New Scientist)
- Mandelbulb: The Unravelling of the Real 3D Mandelbrot Fractal (by Daniel White)
- Mandelbox (by Tom Lowe)

Snapshots of Malaysia

Here is a video and some photos I took on my travels in Malaysia over the past year.

For this video, I took fairly short clips because my previous computer had less than 10 Gb free space to store all my media files, but this is no longer a limitation. In future videos, longer segments will be more common.



As for the photos, I picked those with striking colours and patterns... plus some with a touch of curious.

I try not to feature photos of regular touristy attractions - because, as you know, they have been photographed millions of times.












Public hand wash (May 2010) - Johor Bahru












Motorcycle park (May 2010) - Johor Bahru












Sculpture (May 2010) - Johor Bahru












Bus number 666 (Jun 2010) - Larkin












Gazebo (Jun 2010) - Kota Tinggi












Raw latex (Jun 2010) - Kota Tinggi












Street football (Jun 2010) - Kota Tinggi












Melaka Sentral (Jun 2010) - Melaka












V formation (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Viaduct (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Menara Taming Sari (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Colourful trishaws (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Old propeller (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Rusty musket (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Ornate bridge (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Jonker Walk (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Use Malaysian rubber (Jun 2010) - Melaka












Berjaya Times Square (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Maybank (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Muzium Negara (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Sultanate of Malacca (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Communist hat (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Demolishing Pudu Prison (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Petaling Street (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Petronas Twin Towers (Jul 2010) - Kuala Lumpur












Parit Waterfall (Aug 2010) - Cameron Highlands












Giant vegetables (Aug 2010) - Cameron Highlands












Double helix (Aug 2010) - Cameron Highlands












Strawberry (Aug 2010) - Cameron Highlands

Unlike in my previous photo galleries, I've decided not to mention the brand and model of the cameras used for these pictures, since it doesn't really matter.

Suffice to say that they were not SLRs and no tripods were used for any of the above shots. That's right, they were all handheld.

Please tune in next time for a media-rich, day-by-day account of my recent journey to Japan!

Pick Your Brain For Some Loose Change... And Your Watch

Here's an intriguing Scientific American video that uses street magic to help illustrate some concepts in neuroscience.

Or is it using neuroscience to help illustrate some concepts in street magic?



Not surprisingly the street magician steals the show, after all, it's his job to capture your attention by being in your face, enthusiastic and funny.

Whereas the scientists appear standoffish and matter-of-fact.

This distinct contrast tells us that there's some showmanship going on here, and obviously it's the magician who's doing it.

Or is it?

via Mind Hacks

Photo Gallery Fifteen

It's been months since the previous photo gallery, so I've got quite a bit of backlog to clear today.

Nonetheless it's that usual eclectic mix of art and weirdness around Singapore. As before, the Lomo photos below have been rectilinearized.

Hope you like them!



















Big Shoes
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2

















Book City
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2



















Dots and Geometry
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2














Hien Toh
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2















In the Shadow
(2009) Fuji J10



















Jellyfish Umbrellas
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2


















Many Mysteries
(2009) Fuji J10



















Monolith
(2009) Fuji J10










Motorcade
(2009) Fuji J10



















Or Money?
(2009) Fuji J10



















Rainbow Ceiling
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2



















Skyward
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2















Sure I Can
(2009) Fuji J10



















Triangles of Light
(2009) Lomo Fisheye 2


Would you like to know more?
- Photo Gallery Fourteen

Photo Gallery Fourteen

The photos for this week's gallery were not chosen for any artistic quality, but for their ability to mildly amuse me.

I hope that they will make you smirk too - in a "heh" sort of way.

Heh.



















Chope
(2009) Fuji J10

Someone dropped a tissue paper pack - at a strangely appropriate place.















Clumsiness
(2009) Fuji J10

Hmm... think I might go for the chance to excel in clumsiness and learning disability...















Giant loaf
(2009) Fuji J10

Now all we need is a giant jar of kaya.















Manicure disaster
(2009) Fuji S6500fd

"See! I TOLD you to leave it to the professionals!"



















Moustaches and women
(2009) Fuji S6500fd

The main thing that define the 1980s is Mario... and Luigi.

TWO things that define the eighties - Mario, Luigi... and Tom Selleck.

Wait... THREE things that define the eighties include Mario, Luigi, Tom Selleck... and George Lam.

No, amongst the things that define the eighties are such things as Mario...

I'll come in again...















Moving on
(2009) Sony Ericsson K630i

Whatever happened, it's time to move on...



















Throw Felicia
(2009) Sony Ericsson K630i

Why Felicia? What did she do to you?


Would you like to know more?
- Photo Gallery Thirteen