The Sci-Fi Cast

I was prepared to make fun of this, but damn. I can’t.

A “learning bike” is a pedal-free variation that’s typically a child’s first two-wheeler. Many kids have one, but not like this.

The Tron-inspired Light Cycle learning bike by Ryan Callahan, an industrial designer at Trek, is freaking phenomenal and makes me wish I was a 4-year-old again, kicking my way through the slate sidewalks of Scranton, PA on the sweetest little trike anyone has ever seen.

These types of promotions make me feel good, awkward and sad, all at the same time. Years ago, a contest was held to promote The Empire Strikes Back. An adorable 8-year-old won, and his prize was to “visit” Luke Skywalker himself on Dagobah. They had a picnic, met R2, used words like “hyperspace” and engaged in other Star Wars-y things.

On one hand, there’s little Daniel. The kid is clearly wide-eyed while talking to Luke himself. How exciting! It’s impossible not to feel his anxious glee. At the same time, he’s nearly at a loss for words and poor Mark Hammil must fight for every mono-syllabic response he receives.

Ah, Mark. You know the guy would rather be home, rolling in his pile of Star Wars cash. Yet he’s got to film this soul-crushing promo.

Finally, did Chewie imply that the eats little girls?

Enjoy this sweet and creepy piece of Star Wars history.

[Via Ain't It Cool News]

This is really cool. NASA has released new photos of the Apollo lunar landing sites. These images show several landing sites, and offer the sharpest pictures yet of evidence of human kind’s visits to the moon.

The lunar soil is thin, and therefore tracks made by vehicles and even walking astronauts can be seen clearly. In fact, it’s easy to distinguish the parallel tire tracks vs. footprints. Not only are the photos compelling, they offer useful information to scientists.  Mark Robinson, an Arizona State University, Tempe scientist, explains:

“From a science standpoint, [the images] are important for two reasons. They tell us something about the photometric properties of the moon – why are they darker? Scientists are working to investigate that question. In a more practical sense, it allows us to find the exact spot where samples were collected.”

You can see more images and read additional details at Space.com. One interesting note: it seems the flags that those early pioneers planted are still there.

Monday is Labor Day here in the United States, a holiday where workers kick back, grill some burgers and enjoy the last huzzah of the summer. This wonderfully candid shot comes from the private collection of Leonard Nimoy who posed it via Twitter a while back. Great to see these friends and co-workers enjoying themselves out of context.

Here’s what happens when a Trekkie builds a scratching post for his/her cat. We love it.

If this little Duck Tape company had had the $$$ to run this TRON inspired commercial during the Super Bowl, it would have easily come away with the prize for best ad. All we can hear is “I want him in the games until he dies taping!” Nicely played guys.

[Via Spock is Not Impressed]

Japanese sushi chef Okitsugu Kado has created some of the most amazing culinary presentations we’ve ever seen. I mean, just look at veggie Yoda above. You’ll find a lot more at Obvious Winner.

Not a Star Wars fan? No problem. Check out chef Kado’s Battlestar Galactica creations in the video after the break.

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Yes, these credits are real.

The South Pacific island state of Niue is set to issue new coins to its citizens, in collaboration with the New Zealand Mint. One side of the coins will feature an image of Queen Elizabeth II, while the reverse will depict one of several Star Wars characters.

What are they worth? Here’s where it gets interesting. As legal tender, they’ll have a face value of NZ$2 (£1). However, the coins will be struck with an ounce of silver, bringing their value to about $382 (as of this writing).

Clearly meant for collectors, the coins are actually legal tender. I’d like to meet the guy who buys a Coke with one of these.

[Via Nerd Approved]