The year in Big Pictures: 17 thought-provoking images from 2014
Whatever you were doing in 2014, there's a good chance you took a picture or two while you were doing it. Thanks to the ever-increasing quality of cameras in our phones, and the popularity of sites like Instagram and Pinterest, images are the de facto currency when it comes to immediate, lucid story telling. We all know the old adage about how many words one picture is worth. As such, we're pleased to bring you 17,000 words' worth of them right here, from some of the more unusual technological happenings that occurred in 2014.
"Year of the selfie" is how other publications might want to refer to 2014, but not us here at Engadget. However, there was one self portrait this year that caught our imagination. The one you see right here. No, this isn't a shot of planet earth taken by satellites, it's a collage of actual selfies.
Individual images were submitted to NASA in response to the question "Where on earth are you right now?" 36,422 of you answered, and the pictures were then stitched together to see the image we have to the left. If your photo was used, you can try find yourself in the full 3.2-gigapixel version here.
We heard a lot about wearables in 2014. Some good, some bad, and a lot of in between. If there was one that got no where near enough press, then it's this wearable submarine. Yep. A wearable submarine.
This is no consumer gadget, of course, instead it's designed to allow its wearer to work down to a depth of 1000 feet without worrying about decompression. Still, if they ever decide to make it compatible with Android, we're kinda interested.
There's a dual-meaning to "The Big Picture," and that's not accidental. Some images crave to be looked at, others make you want to turn away. This image shows an immigrant worker at Dongxiaokou village's electrical waste dump. Dongxiaokou is just outside of Beijing, and where all the unwanted electronics from the city and surrounding area go to die.
Dongxiaokou -- like many other facilities like it around the world -- has become a source of income for the region's unemployable, who scavenge for/salvage anything they can sell. It's a dichotomy in a similar vein to other industrial ugliness, like child labor: a situation no one wants, yet those most in need often depend on it.
One thing you'll notice if you follow our "The Big Picture" series is the number of space-related posts. It's hardly surprising, given how little we get to see of it down here on Earth. What you do get to see on the left, is star HR 4796A, circled by a ring of dust.
The picture was taken by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope, and it's the clear resemblance to a human eye that adds an extra layer of intrigue. The image is all thanks to a tool called the Spectro-Polarimetric High-contrast Exoplanet Research -- or "SPHERE" for short. Hooray for satisfying acronyms.
Perhaps more space-inspired, than actual space ship. This curious looking vehicle is the Sonda de Exploración Ferroviaria Tripulada -- aka SEFT-1. Created by two Mexican artists who wanted to explore the country's abandoned railways.
The goal of the project is to use photos and video to highlight the impact that the failed railway between Mexico City and the Atlantic had on local communities -- many of which are now extremely isolated. There is an accompanying video, along with more detailed information on the project's website.
Some of the more surprising images aren't the huge feats of human endeavour (although they often are, too), but the smaller, more human acts behind them.
This image shows a staff member from the Russian Space Training Center hanging out the freshly washed space suits from three international astronauts, after a particularly rough and tumble training session. Proof, if any were needed, you should always read the washing instructions, no matter what.
If you believe the slogan, what you're looking at here is "America's other space program.' If you don't, then it's just a bonzai tree a few miles above the planet.
It's actually an art project called "Exobiotanica Botanical Space Flight," which involved a number of different plants being sent up by helium balloon. More of which can be seen here.
Not all space pictures look outward. Some shine a metaphorical light back on planet Earth. This view from the International Space Station shows how the troubles in Gaza and Israel look from way up above.
Shortly after this image was taken, Israeli troops pulled out of the area, and a ceasefire would follow. But, not before an estimate 4,564 rockets and mortars were dispatched from Gaza during a particularly strenuous year for the region.
Ever looked into a kaleidoscope and wished you could just climb right inside? The installation you see above is a project by Masakazu Shirane and Saya Miyazaki called "Wink," their entry into Kobe Biennial's Art Container Contest. The kaleidoscope concept uses mirrors (in keeping with Sir David Brewster's classic), but is also held together by zippers.
The installation -- housed inside a shipping container -- isn't all about dazzling mirrors, either. The creators claim it has eco-implications too. "This idea could solve global environmental problems, because it is easy to exchange only a part with a zipper."
The title says it all, really. The creator of this "suit" wanted the best seat/stand in the house for the next fireworks display. We say: mission accomplished. The suit might have protected its wearer from harm, but not without its own problems -- such as lack of mobility, and the world's worst chaffing.
Unsurprisingly, there's a pretty wild video to accompany this image. Go watch it now.
"You can't make anything useful with a 3D printer," says the person without a 3D-printed castle. The man behind the one you see here, Andrey Rudenko, wanted to push the limits of 3D-printed abodes -- and we'd say he's done just that.
It might not be to your taste. And with no doors, windows, or roof, it's a bit of a fixer-upper to say the least. But, with time (and toner) to hand, it's only a matter of patience. Right?
Some pictures are more about the conversations they start. This "heat map" of the planet's internet use is a case in point. Surprising and obvious in equal measure, it serves as a vivid reminder that economy and wealth usually means access to knowledge and information, too.
It could also be the perfect map for choosing your next vacation spot. North Greenland looks like a good place to get away from it all.
Without doubt, the European Space Agency's Philae comet landing was the space drama of the year. We say drama, because it had it all: an underdog hero (the humble probe and its earth-bound support crew), the mysterious villain (the rugged, alien comet), and an epic journey/quest (one of the basic seven plots don't you know) through space.
This big picture shows the chosen landing site for the probe. While we all know what happened next (spoiler alert: it landed successfully, but not without issue), the drama didn't stop there. Rosetta Project Scientist Matt Taylor's fashion sense got unwanted media attention, and a bumpy landing means powering the probe (via solar panels) is proving to be a challenge all of its own.
Some of the best candidates for The Big Picture are when science and art unite. This isn't the first art installation featured in this recap, but this time it's telescopes, not kaleidoscopes providing the visuals.
Dutch artist Daan Roosegaarde partnered with University of Leiden to celebrate Amsterdam Central Station's 125th anniversary. The rainbow you see is created using the same technology that can be found at the European Extremely Large Telescope. While it won't help the trains run on time, it will make your delay a little more bearable.
All human endeavour has its charms. While not all of us have the budget or backing enjoyed by other projects in this list, this self-made "armoured" electric car equals anything we've seen for effort. Liu Fulong from Shengyang, China, has no formal engineering background, but managed to put this battery-powered truck together in just four months.
The weapons you see are ornamental/for show, and the wooden body might come off worse in a collision with a fast moving bicycle, but with a respectable top speed of 30 MPH it's proof that you don't need to be a wealthy entrepreneur to build your own eco-friendly ride.
NASA's 3.2-gigapixel global selfie
"Year of the selfie" is how other publications might want to refer to 2014, but not us here at Engadget. However, there was one self portrait this year that caught our imagination. The one you see right here. No, this isn't a shot of planet earth taken by satellites, it's a collage of actual selfies.
Individual images were submitted to NASA in response to the question "Where on earth are you right now?" 36,422 of you answered, and the pictures were then stitched together to see the image we have to the left. If your photo was used, you can try find yourself in the full 3.2-gigapixel version here.