The isolation, anxiety, and loneliness of extended human spaceflight, recently explored in films like Netflix's "Spaceman" and the Apple TV+ series "Constellation," can be a debilitating side effect, and it's one that's examined in disorienting detail in Swedish director Mikael Håfström's new sci-fi thriller "Slingshot."

Starring Casey Affleck, Laurence Fishburne, and Tomer Capone, "Slingshot" opened in theaters on Aug. 30 from Bleecker Street. It revolves around three distinguished astronauts aboard the Odyssey 1 spacecraft en route to Titan, the largest moon of Saturn. The long voyage requires a gravity-assist maneuver around Jupiter, and as the astronauts prepare for this dangerous move, one of them begins to have hallucinations caused by hypersleep drugs that make him question reality. These unsettling visions increase in intensity, threatening the mission's goals.

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"It's relative to '1408' in the way that it's a contained space and a psychological drama in an environment where you can't really get out from, because you're in the room or in the spaceship in complete isolation in space," Håfström told Space.com.

"I've always been drawn to that kind of story," he added. "There's something challenging making something in such a contained area. It's very interesting to work with actors in that sense. There's very little physical room to maneuver, so you need to work in a different way. I had the script for quite some time before we actually got the chance to make it. But I always carried it with me for all these reasons. It could be on a deserted island or anywhere, but now it happens to be in space. It's not 'Star Wars' or anything like that. When people see the film, they'll understand more about what I'm talking about. You need actors that can bring it home, and we were lucky."

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/17157388

Electrocuted, flaming bird carcasses are falling off of power lines and causing wildfires across the U.S. This surprisingly common phenomenon has been responsible for at least three Colorado wildfires so far this summer.

These events are not isolated. A 2022 study found that electrocuted birds caused 44 wildfires in the contiguous United States between 2014 and 2018. That study was led by Taylor Barnes, a biologist who now works for electric utility company EDM International. In the paper, Barnes wrote that “avian-caused ignitions” happen when a bird sits on an overhead power line. For reasons that can vary from case to case, sometimes the bird receives a powerful electrical shock, setting its feathers on fire. The dead or dying bird then falls, and, on occasion, lands in some brush or other flammable material.

“Sometimes they burst into flames,” Barnes told 9News, an NBC affiliate in Colorado. “Sometimes they just fall dead. Not every bird that is electrocuted will fall to the ground and start a fire.”

Odds are, you’ve seen birds perched on electrical wires countless times without witnessing spontaneous sparrow combustion. Barnes said birds just going for a sit pose no threat. Because the birds are not touching the ground, the electricity in the power line has no way to the ground and is not dangerous to them. It’s only when the birds get into a part of the power infrastructure where a circuit can be completed that they end up crispy.

Electrocuted, flaming bird carcasses are falling off of power lines and causing wildfires across the U.S. This surprisingly common phenomenon has been responsible for at least three Colorado wildfires so far this summer.

These events are not isolated. A 2022 study found that electrocuted birds caused 44 wildfires in the contiguous United States between 2014 and 2018. That study was led by Taylor Barnes, a biologist who now works for electric utility company EDM International. In the paper, Barnes wrote that “avian-caused ignitions” happen when a bird sits on an overhead power line. For reasons that can vary from case to case, sometimes the bird receives a powerful electrical shock, setting its feathers on fire. The dead or dying bird then falls, and, on occasion, lands in some brush or other flammable material.

“Sometimes they burst into flames,” Barnes told 9News, an NBC affiliate in Colorado. “Sometimes they just fall dead. Not every bird that is electrocuted will fall to the ground and start a fire.”

Odds are, you’ve seen birds perched on electrical wires countless times without witnessing spontaneous sparrow combustion. Barnes said birds just going for a sit pose no threat. Because the birds are not touching the ground, the electricity in the power line has no way to the ground and is not dangerous to them. It’s only when the birds get into a part of the power infrastructure where a circuit can be completed that they end up crispy.

cross-posted from: https://feddit.uk/post/17136439

Writer/Director Coralie Fargeat set the bar high for herself in 2017, with her debut feature Revenge delivering a visceral, feminine twist to the rape-revenge thriller that climaxed in an epic bloodbath. So much that it seemed nearly impossible to top. Yet the filmmaker does just that with sophomore effort The Substance, transforming a familiar concept into something so entertaining and grotesquely over the top that it keeps you firmly in its grip until an epic, grand guignol finish.

The '80s were a special time for cinema, as moviemakers could easily get away with producing fantastical stories that were also nightmare fuel for kids. Jim Henson, creator of The Muppets, did exactly that with The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth. If you're interested in revisiting these weird but enchanting masterpieces, Walmart has opened preorders for exclusive limited-edition 4K Blu-ray versions for both films. The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth release November 19 and cost $29 each.

This isn't the first time that these films have been available as 4K Blu-ray editions, but Walmart is offering them with very cool steelbook covers. The Dark Crystal's steelbook cover features a gorgeous illustration of one of the key locations in the movie.

Law enforcement descended on a Monmouth County recycling facility after employees reported seeing a dead body on a conveyor belt Wednesday afternoon.

State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan said workers at the Republic Services recycling facility were sorting materials on a conveyor belt around 2:40 p.m. when they saw the body.

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The body of a man was found by troopers but has not yet been identified.

In his appearance, Moffat also discussed his latest show, Douglas Is Cancelled, an ITV commission with SkyShowtime, which was produced by Hartswood Films and launched at the annual BBC Studios Showcase in London earlier this year. The series, which debuted in the U.K. in June and will be rolling out in other markets soon, stars Hugh Bonneville (Downton Abbey, Paddington) and Karen Gillan (Doctor Who, Guardians of the Galaxy) in four 45-minute episodes revolving around respected news host Douglas, regarded as a national treasure, and his younger co-anchor Madeline. Co-starring are Ben Miles (Hijack, The Crown), Alex Kingston (A Discovery of Witches, Treason), Nick Mohammed (Ted Lasso, Intelligence), and Simon Russell Beale (Firebrand, Thor: Love and Thunder). Ben Palmer (Breeders) directed the series.

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Asked to explain the premise to the audience since the show hasn’t aired in Canada yet, Moffat quipped: “Illegally download it.” He later joked: “Please watch my new show. Legally.” In the context of piracy, Moffat shared that he used to look online to see how quickly new shows of his became available, suggesting the entertainment industry’s approach to release and windowing strategies may not be the best. “We are a strange industry. We get really, really cross that people are so enthusiastic about our product that they desperately want to get it early,” Moffat said. “I feel as though some other industries might have had a different solution to that. Yeah, it may not be the greatest business idea in the world: ‘no, you can’t have it yet’.”

Moffat does not believe in the argument that in an age of political correctness comedy can’t be successfully conceived. “You make comedy by breaking rules, right? So the more rules there are, the better,” he explained.

Was he ever canceled? He recalled that when he worked on Doctor Who, there was much hatred from fans directed at him. “The level of hate you get could down three passenger jets. I mean, seriously, it doesn’t stop,” he shared. “I was vilified endlessly. I was a homophobe, misandrist and a misanthrope and a sexist and misogynist and a racist. I was against so many people I could only be described as an omni- bigot, which I would suggest means I’m treating everybody equally.” Moffat concluded by joking that any Doctor Who showrunner is taking on the role of “chief Satan of the nation.”

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Moffat closed his appearance by explaining that his advice on writing is simple. “Every sentence has to make you want to read the next sentence,” he shared. “Keep people reading.”

Bolton Wanderers striker Victor Adeboyejo missed their EFL Trophy victory at Barrow on Tuesday having injured himself after a "hefty sneeze".

The 26-year-old suffered a back injury on Monday which was set off by the sneeze, manager Ian Evatt said.

Bolton won the fixture 3-2 to get their EFL Trophy campaign off to the perfect start despite Adeboyejo's absence.

"He had a pretty hefty sneeze – now Victor is a powerful boy and even his sneezes are powerful," Evatt told the Bolton News.

“He felt a bit of a crack in between his ribs and we are hopeful it is just a cartilage or muscular issue, but until we had a good look at the scan we won’t know.”

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“I have to start having a long look at myself when players start getting injured sneezing,” Evatt added.

Doritos are a revered snack for many. Now, scientists have found one of the ingredients in the triangle-shaped tasty tortilla chips has a superpower – it can make the skin of mice transparent.

Researchers at Stanford University detail, in the Sept. 6 issue of the journal Science, how they were able to see through the skin of live mice by applying a mixture of water and tartrazine, a bright yellow-orange food coloring used in Doritos and other foods, drugs, and cosmetics.

The experiments arose from the quest for better methods to see tissue and organs within the body. The researchers chose tartrazine because the dye's molecules absorb blue and ultraviolet light, which makes it easier for light to pass through the mouse skin.

“For those who understand the fundamental physics behind this, it makes sense; but if you aren’t familiar with it, it looks like a magic trick,” said Zihao Ou, the lead author of the study who is now an assistant professor of physics at The University of Texas at Dallas, in a description of the research on the university's website.

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Before you start slathering yourself in Doritos – the coloring is used in several Doritos flavors including Nacho Cheese, Cool Ranch and Flaming Hot Nacho – tartrazine won't necessarily give humans a cloak of invisibility á la Harry Potter.

That's because human skin is about 10 times thicker than a mouse and it's not sure how much of the dye – or how it would be administered – is needed to work in humans, Ou said.

AffordableOn August 27, Patricia Sierra, 47, broke into the Cremation & Burial funeral home at 2127 W. Charleston Boulevard and stole a coffin containing a human body.

Surveillance footage showed the woman breaking through a window and unlocking the front door before proceeding to enter the property’s viewing room and wheel a coffin outside. Sierra apparently dumped the body outside the funeral home. After that, she left the coffin as well and fled the crime scene.

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A citizen contacted the police two days after the incident. The caller had recognized the woman while she was shopping at a local convenience store. The authorities arrived promptly, arresting Sierra.

Sierra admitted that the woman on the surveillance footage was her but said that she had no memories of the accident. She told the police that she had drank six beers before the accident and added that alcohol often makes her black out.

Sierra apologized for the incident, emphasizing that it had not been prompted by malice. Despite that, the woman faces charges of burglary, grand larceny and disturbing human remains. As of the time of this writing, she remains in custody with her bail set at $11,000.

A Persian cat has made history by being the first to conquer the Three Peaks, completing the challenge while walking on a lead with its owner.

Louis the seven-year-old cat made the journey alongside owners Jess Peters and Dan Taylor earlier this week, and spent 29 hours walking up Scafell Pike, Ben Nevis and Mt Snowdon.

Jess, 31, and Dan, 34, made it to the top of each peak with Louis in tow, and said their cat was ‘better prepared than we were’ due to his habit of walking up to six miles each day.

The couple, from Sherfield English, Hants, said Louis ‘loves adventures’ and claimed he was ‘a bit like a dog’. They also said he tried to walk the entire length of the trip and refused to be carried- although they had to scoop him up near the end when he started to get cold near the summit.

‘There are other cats that have climbed mountains, but we have checked and Louis is the first cat to climb the Three Peaks,’ said Dan, who is training to be a truck driver. ‘It feels great to have him immortalised, hopefully he goes down in history.’

The UK's competition regulator has launched an investigation into Oasis ticket sales after widespread complaints over pricing.

The investigation is also set to include a wider probe into how "dynamic pricing" was used during the sale.

Ticketmaster's dynamic pricing meant that when reunion tour tickets went on sale, prices would rise in-line with demand.

The 90s Brit rock icons announced two extra Wembley Stadium shows as part of their 2025 UK tour on Wednesday, after "phenomenal demand" for tickets left many fans empty handed during the main sale on Saturday.

Tickets for the band's tour went for up to £350 per ticket, around £200 more than had been advertised.

In response to widespread uproar over pricing, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) today announced it has launched an investigation.

The CMA confirmed it is now scrutinising whether the sale of Oasis tickets by Ticketmaster may have breached consumer protection law.

The probe follows Oasis' comments hitting out at Ticketmaster's pricing policy, with many fans pay over the odds to secure access to the tour.

In an apparent response to the anger about dynamic pricing, they say tickets will be sold by a 'staggered, invitation-only ballot process'.