A list of intriguing things
One: Move over Oompa Loompas. Cocoa Press has rolled out a 3D printer that churns out delicious chocolate—and makes weird tiny chocolatiers redundant. Here’s how it works:
Unlike a normal 3D print, which uses a thin strand of plastic, the Cocoa Press has a reservoir filled with specialty chocolate. This chocolate cools quickly and then extrudes onto the build surface in layers…What's interesting is how good the final models are. Because the chocolate cools so fast, it can support more advanced geometries than other chocolate printers, allowing for a much better variety of potential chocolate shapes.
The end result can be anything from a printed rose (see lead image) to… a cup of coffee?! The price: $1,499.00—which makes it a somewhat pricey way to court diabetes. Watch The Verge’s report below to behold the glory of human ingenuity. (CNET)
Two: Here’s a piece of art that Hannibal Lecter will appreciate. Austrian artist Wolfgang Flatz was ready to sell his tattoos at a Christie's auction. But a Swiss collector stepped in before the event to purchase all but one of Flatz's 12 tattoos—for more than $1 million. Happily, Flatz did not have to turn over bits of his skin asap. The buyer will have to make do with life-sized photographs of the tattoos—until his death when the tattoos will be “removed and mounted under glass.” The audience at the auction got a glimpse of Flatz’s ‘body work’ in all its glory—which you can see below. The Art Newspaper has more.
Three: Forget cat cafes. The always cutting-edge Japanese have moved to micro pigs! These adorable creatures are only the size of corgis—and are “very clean and don’t smell.” You have to make a reservation and pay 2,200 yen ($15) to enjoy 30 minutes of cuddling with the piggie of your choice. FYI: they have their own personalities much like dogs and cats: “Each pig is unique. Each one has his or her own personality. You may notice one may be strong-headed, and another may be gentle.” You can see them in action in the South China Morning Post report below. (Associated Press)
