The Computer Viruses That Changed the World, the Water-Cooled Homemade Flashlight and the Food Court

This week we talk about the heroes of the story who were actually terrible people, justice for the one-star Yelp reviewers, computer viruses wreaking havoc around the world, and more.

Five computer viruses that wreak havoc around the world

From Code Red to Stuxnet, Cryptolocker to Chernobyl, the SciShow folks have compiled this list of five computer viruses (a sequel to the original video of the same name) that have changed the world and our understanding of computer security.

Of course, we have long ago moved away from the Great Viral Summer of 2003, when viruses and worms made it to the evening news because of their widespread impact, mainly because computers today are (to some extent) better protected, users are (to some extent) more informed. but that doesn’t mean malware isn’t a big problem. This video explains why, and a big thank you to our friends at Lifehacker Australia for finding a video for us! [ via SciShow (YouTube) , thanks to Lifehacker AU ! ]

This water-cooled torch with 72,000 lumens illuminates the night

If you didn’t already know, there is a huge, thriving community of flashlight enthusiasts out there modifying flashlights, making ever brighter and more efficient flashlights, and having pocket LEDs that will put this expensive Maglite to shame. In that vein, in the video above, Sam Shepherd managed to build one of the brightest LEDs I’ve ever seen, and it’s water-cooled.

He fires together eight 100-watt LED chips, each generating so much heat that he had to find a way to cool it all down – and he turned to a modified computer cooling pump to get the job done. The results are amazing. [ via Sam Shepherd (YouTube) , thanks Awesomer ! ]

10 creepy ghost towns around the world you can visit

Travel site Oyster has been dedicated to creepy travel and destination articles since early October, and this rundown of ghost towns you can actually visit is no exception. From Pripyat in Ukraine, a city that was almost entirely abandoned by Chernobyl workers, to Bodie in California, a former gold-mining city that now resembles an artifact from the dusty past of America’s Wild West, there are destinations around the world on the full list.

Some of these cities are more difficult to get to than others, but they all have a very interesting story to tell about how they were built and why they are abandoned today. [ via Oyster ]

Historical heroes who were actually terrible people

This Quora thread about people in history who were usually considered heroes through the lens of time and distance, but who were actually either problematic at best or just horrible people at worst, is an entertaining and enlightening read.

From Albert Einstein’s dire relationship problems to Martin Luther’s creeping anti-Semitism, this entire chain is a stark reminder that the names and accomplishments of people in our history books are a snippet of who they were as holistic individuals, with their mistakes and prejudices. many of them were products of their time.

There are names that you are likely to recognize today as people whose actions on closer examination do not merit the praise we usually get in their high school days, such as Thomas Edison or Christopher Columbus, but the topic also includes some pretty solid showdowns. recent events. supernatural high-ranking figures such as Winston Churchill and General Douglas MacArthur. They are too long to be quoted here, so be sure to read the entire thread. [ via Quora ]

One-Star Yelp Review Example

Food Court is a brand new series created by the guys at Tastemade , and while there are only a few videos at the moment, it already looks pretty funny. This episode is especially good because it’s a hilarious look at those screaming one-star reviews – you know them – and the people who drop them. Of course, these people will never see the justice recreated in the video above, but hey, we can hope. After all, Yelp is just terrible for everyone . We have already established that. [ via Tastemade (YouTube) ]

Everyone this week! If you have thought-provoking stories, interesting podcasts, eye-opening videos, or anything else that you think is perfect for Brain Buffet, share it with us! Email me , leave it as a comment below, or send it in any way convenient for you.

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