Business, Entertainment, Technology

Terminator-maker ‘Cyberdyne Inc’ lists on Tokyo stock exchange

El Reg readers of a more fatalistic disposition may be dismayed, but probably not surprised, to hear that Cyberdyne — the company that invented Skynet and ultimately the murderous Terminator machines – has just listed on the Tokyo stock exchange.

Of course, it’s not the shadowy defence firm of the iconic Arnie films, which unwittingly brings about the virtual destruction of mankind.

No, this one is a maker of exoskeleton suits and supports designed to help those with serious muscular, nerve or cerebral damage recover movement.

The firm also produces support gear which can be worn by carers to lift heavy loads and even markets a radiation-shielding disaster recovery suit for emergency workers.

Innocuous enough, you may think, although so were the origins of the cybermen — via redwolf.newsvine.com

Design, History

Buckminster Fuller’s Geodesic Dome Home to be Restored as Museum

On 19 April, Southern Illinois University will begin to restore the world’s first geodesic dome home, built by Buckminster Fuller. Originally assembled in just seven hours from 60 wooden triangle panels, the dome was occupied by Fuller and his wife, Lady Anne, in the 1960s during his residency at SIU. After Fuller’s death, the dome was used as student housing before falling into disrepair. In 2001, the home was donated to a non-profit that had it listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006. It will now be restored and preserved as a museum in Carbondale — via ArchDaily

Design, History

Blitz 2.0 / Stockpile Designs

Brooklyn-based designer Jake Wright was surrounded by military-related objects from the time he was a child. Born to an Air Force Pilot and a military defence contractor, Wright was naturally drawn toward these materials in his design work. Known collectively as Stockpile Designs, Wright’s line of furniture and home objects is based on obsolete and decommissioned military equipment — via Dornob

Wildlife

Capybaras / Brevard Zoo

Florida’s Brevard Zoo has had a flood of births over the past few months, including a litter of Capybaras! The zoo’s Capybaras are a mixed group, with juveniles from previous births as well as a new litter. The six new pups bring the total number of Capybaras at the zoo up to thirteen — via Brevard Zoo Welcomes a Litter of Capybaras – ZooBorns

Wildlife

Giant Anteater Pup / Zoo Boise

Zoo Boise announced the 8 December birth of a Giant Anteater pup. The female pup is now starting to explore the outdoors with her mother, Gloria. Because Giant Anteaters are native to warmer climates, mother and pup have spent the last few months in their heated barn. The pup will stay with her mother until she is full grown at about two years old — via ZooBorns

Art, Design, Wildlife

Tentacular Purple Leggings / Black Milk Clothing

Feel the sea monster. Be the sea monster. Actually the octopus is a very intelligent creature, and can do cool things like open twist-top bottles to get food out. Oh and three fifths of their neurons (the electrical pulses that make brains work) are in their arms. Be the sea monster — via Black Milk Clothing

Entertainment

First Fender Stratocaster on sale for $250,000

In the 60 years since it was created, the Fender Stratocaster has become a symbol for rockstardom — an axe wielded by musicians from Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix to the Arctic Monkeys.

Now, a guitar from the very first production line of Fender Stratocasters is going on sale in Nashville, Tennessee in the US, for a quarter of a million dollars (£150,000).

The sunburst-finish Stratocaster bears the serial number 0100. While some models of the guitar have lower numbers that begin with 0001, George Gruhn, who owns the shop selling the instrument, explained they were manufactured later in that first year of production — via redwolf.newsvine.com