jurassic park

The 404 1,247: Where we hop in the ball pit with Emily Dreyfuss (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Hi-fi reviews based purely on the feel of the knob .

- Which celebrities can you pay to message on Facebook?

- Can you bully a celebrity? Short answer: no.

- How the hell do you pronounce GIF anyway?

- Follow Emily Dreyfuss on Twitter.… Read more

Witness the birth of 'Jurassic Park' dinosaurs

These days, computer-generated imagery rules the movie scene, but 20 years ago, it was still a relatively fresh idea that was difficult to integrate into film without looking fake.

When production of "Jurassic Park" commenced, director Steven Spielberg enlisted iconic special-effects guru Stan Winston and his studio team to design and create realistic-looking animatronic dinosaurs. The groundbreaking work, which included an incredible amount of engineering and artistry, forever changed the way people think about dinosaurs. … Read more

Video reveals secrets of a 'Jurassic Park' Spitter

Do you remember these famous last words? "Look, stick! Stick, stupid -- fetch the stick. You don't want the stick? No wonder you're extinct. I'm going to run you over when I come back down."

In the movie "Jurassic Park," shortly before his demise, computer technician Dennis Nedry (Wayne Knight) mutters those lines to a peculiar-looking dinosaur. A behind-the-scenes video by the legendary Stan Winston special-effects company reveals how a small team built the Dilophosaurus (known as the Spitter in pop culture) for the dinosaur thriller.… Read more

Fresh poster and trailer tease 'Jurassic Park 3D'

The blockbuster "Jurassic Park" gets another chance to shine -- this time in the third dimension -- as it makes a big 20th anniversary comeback to 3D and IMAX 3D movie screens on April 5, 2013.

To mark the occasion, Universal Pictures whipped up a fresh trailer and captivating poster for the movie. We heartily recommend that you share these with any "Jurassic Park" fans so they can perfect their Velociraptor impersonations and get the movie's premiere on their calendars in advance. Jurassic Park" might be 65 million years in the making, but we think the 3D release is a guaranteed sick day months in the making. … Read more

Watch the making of a 'Jurassic Park' Velociraptor suit

After seeing "Jurassic Park" nine times in the theater, I not only exhausted my mother's patience for the movie, but also perfected one heck of a Velociraptor impersonation.

Much to the delight of my inner child (and perhaps yours), the visual-effects studio responsible for the realistic raptor costume in "Jurassic Park" released a rare video and story that reveals the creation process behind the costume. … Read more

DNA decay rate makes 'Jurassic Park' impossible

Countless childhood dreams dissolved today upon the news that the calculated half-life of DNA figures out to around 521 years, all but invalidating the chances of a real-life "Jurassic Park."

The DNA fact-finding project involved a team of palaeogeneticists testing 158 leg bones belonging to three species of extinct giant moa birds ranging from 600 to 8,000 years old.

After running a series of comparisons between the age of the various bones and DNA degradation within each specimen, the researchers estimated that DNA's half-life works out to about 521 years after being kept in a swamp with an average temperature of 13.1 Celsius (55 Fahrenheit). Even a more ideal preservation temperature of minus 5 Celsius (23 Fahrenheit) would only result in readable DNA from specimens up to 1.5 million years old, meaning there is no possible way we can see a 65-million-year-old T-Rex waving its tiny arms about in this time frame. … Read more

The 404 1,147: Where life won't find a way (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Watching "Looper" in a theater? Bring headphones.

- Science just killed any hope you ever had of "Jurassic Park" being real.

- Cameras in phones are now better than compact cameras from five years ago.

- OKCupid starts matching roommates.… Read more

The 404 1,102: Where we've spared no expense (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- A preview from Jeff's interview with Jay Chandrasekhar and Kevin Heffernan. Their new movie is on iTunes, on-demand, and in theaters today.

- A real Jurassic Park might be hitting the Middle East.

- World of Warcraft is losing subscribers and Activison's stock is paying the price.

- The truth about winning Olympic medals and the subsequent taxes.

- Watch CNET Update every week day and follow the show and Bridget on Twitter!… Read more

The 404 1,014: Where look what you did you little jerk (podcast)

Bridget Carey makes a full recovery from her trip to Austin, Texas, for SXSW 2012 and joins us on today's show to recap her first experience.

We'll also dive further into Michael Bay's plans for the next live-action reboot of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie and investigate the growing trend of companies asking potential employees for their Facebook usernames and passwords.… Read more