I built a $40 theremin to annoy friends and learn circuitry fundamentals

There’s nothing spookier or more haunting than the soaring sounds of a theremin, an instrument that uses electromagnetic fields to produce various pitches when you move your hands around it. You’ve probably heard one in your favorite science fiction flick. It’s one of my favorite instruments of all time. I tend to gravitate towards the weirder things in life and the theremin is definitely one of the most bizarre instruments out there. That’s why I decided to put together a theremin on a breadboard. Not only did the high-pitched sounds annoy both my dog and husband (much to my wicked delight), but it also helped me better understand circuitry. If you’ve got little ones, this is a fantastic project to do with them. It’s easy to assemble and the price is surprisingly affordable. Read on to learn more. Like tinkering with your PC? You should pick up these 10 must-have items. Where the heck do you even get a breadboard theremin? I purchased the $39.95 Theremin Kit from MicroKits on a whim one evening. The price is reasonable, as it comes with all the bits and bobs you need. MicroKits is run by David Levi, an electrical engineer and toy designer who wants to inspire the next generation of engineers. I love finding affordable, accessible products and the small businesses that make it happen. The company also sells a tiny synthesizer that serves as a great introduction to analog sound synthesis. You can even hook the touchpad up to a couple of bananas... Continue reading at 'PC World'

[ PC World | 2023-02-24 17:00:00 UTC ]

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The Eerie Experience of Watching My Science Fiction Story Become Real

On May 13, I finally got to read my wayward science fiction story “It Is the Voice That Unnerves Me” in The Dread Machine. I had been submitting the story since the spring of 2019, and had thought many times about consigning it to the “retired” list. I knew every word, sentence and section break... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2022-10-20 11:05:00 UTC ]
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How Women Writers Speculated Fictional Futures Free From Patriarchal Control

It is a truth universally acknowledged that there are as many definitions of “feminism” and “science fiction” as there are people who identify as feminists and science fiction enthusiasts—in fact, that is part of what makes both of these communities attractive to many people. However, by 1981,... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-11 08:53:20 UTC ]
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Watchmen author Alan Moore: ‘I’m definitely done with comics’

As he releases his first short story collection, the revered writer talks about magic, the problem with superhero movies and why he will never write another graphic novelI’ve been enamoured of prose fiction for quite a long while,” says Alan Moore. He is speaking to me from his home in... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2022-10-07 09:00:54 UTC ]
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October’s 8 Best SF and Fantasy Books

The hits just keep coming: As autumn descends with blessedly cooler temperatures and falling leaves, so too drop some excellent science fiction and fantasy books. We already sung the praises of Elijah Kinch Spector’s clever debut Kalyna the Soothsayer in August, but that’s moved to October, so... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-10-03 08:56:32 UTC ]
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Hitting the Books: What the wearables of tomorrow might look like

Apple's Watch Ultra, with its 2000-nit digital display and GPS capabilities, is a far cry from its Revolutionary War-era self-winding forebears. What sorts of wondrous body-mounted technologies might we see another hundred years hence? In his new book, The Skeptic's Guide to the Future, Dr.... Continue reading at Engadget

[ Engadget | 2022-10-01 14:30:47 UTC ]
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NASA is slamming a spacecraft into an asteroid on Monday to test planetary defence

On Monday, in what seems like a scene out of a science fiction movie, NASA will slam a spacecraft into a distant asteroid to see whether it can nudge its orbit — all in an effort to test a way to protect Earth from any potential future threats. ... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2022-09-24 08:00:00 UTC ]
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Marketing in the metaverse—what science fiction can teach brands about Web3

With marketing ploys that are just transaction schemes extended into a digital space, marketers are falling behind the innovation pack. Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2022-09-22 09:30:00 UTC ]
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4 witchy books from the world of science fiction and fantasy

Megan Giddings, Emily Lloyd Jones, Sangu Mandanna and Desideria Mesa add new twists to a popular subgenre. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-09-17 12:00:00 UTC ]
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Who Was Ursula K. Le Guin?

Ursula K. Le Guin was a highly influential and prolific writer of science fiction and fantasy with an interesting upbringing. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-09-07 10:38:00 UTC ]
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Here are the winners of the 2022 Hugo Awards.

The winners of the 2022 Hugo Awards—one of science fiction and fantasy’s most prestigious awards, decided by the popular vote of WorldCon members—were presented on Sunday night at the 80th WorldCon in Chicago, in a ceremony hosted by Charlie Jane Anders and Annalee Newitz. Here are the winners... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2022-09-05 12:28:16 UTC ]
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Humans want to mine the moon. Here's what space law experts say the rules are

Mining the moon might sound like a concept that belongs in a science fiction novel, but it's likely to be a part of reality in the not-so-distant future. That's made it a hot topic of discussion among space lawyers — yes, there are space lawyers... Continue reading at CBC

[ CBC | 2022-09-01 08:00:00 UTC ]
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One of the Earliest Science Fiction Utopias Was a Protest Against Patriarchy

Solar power. The end of war. Gender role reversal. Dirigibles. First published in 1905, Rokeya Hossain’s short story “Sultana’s Dream” is steampunk avant la lettre, strikingly advanced in its critique of patriarchy, conflict, conventional kinship structures, industrialization, and the... Continue reading at Electric Literature

[ Electric Literature | 2022-08-08 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Tom Doherty Associates Rebranded as Tor Publishing Group

The rebranding of Tom Doherty Associates is designed to show the growth of the company beyond its science fiction and fantasy titles. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-08-08 04:00:00 UTC ]
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Let’s talk about science fiction and horror by new, promising writers

In our final column for The Post, we revisit books we have savored and many more we hope to read. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2022-08-04 12:00:00 UTC ]
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What’s the point of Saudi Arabia’s giant sideways desert skyscraper? ‘A big, long symbol of power’

A linear city in the desert is a provocative vision of the city of the future—but it’s been tried before. Saudi Arabia’s proposal for a 105-mile-long building called the Line has all the stuff of a science fiction paperback. The stark desert setting. The kingdom in control of vast amounts of one... Continue reading at Fast Company

[ Fast Company | 2022-08-04 04:30:19 UTC ]
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New Science Fiction and Fantasy Novels

Three new books, from epic fantasy to biological thriller, consider an age-old question. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2022-08-01 18:00:06 UTC ]
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Alan Tudyk on His Favorite Sci-Fi to Watch Right Now

The Resident Alien star—and science fiction fan—gave WIRED his picks for the best shows on TV, from Severance to Peacemaker. Continue reading at Wired

[ Wired | 2022-07-28 11:00:00 UTC ]
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Fun, Feel-Good, & Empowering Middle Grade and YA Science Fiction and Fantasy

These middle grade and young adult science fiction and fantasy books are empowering and fun, and will provide the best light-hearted escape, like The Lost Ryū by Emi Watanabe Cohen. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-20 10:33:00 UTC ]
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The Layer Cake of Science Fiction: A Sub-Genre Primer

Like our universe, the science fiction genre is constantly expanding. Here is a sampling of the seemingly endless list of its subgenres. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2022-07-18 10:40:00 UTC ]
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Astra Publishing House Acquires DAW Books

Astra Publishing House has acquired DAW Books, bringing a list of 2,000 science fiction and fantasy titles to the burgeoning New York–based, Chinese-owned publisher. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-07-13 04:00:00 UTC ]
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