The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration has done some amazingly cool builds in Second Life on their two islands Meteora and Okeanos. This US government agency has commissioned lots of innovative, interactive displays that really show the potential for virtual world education and awareness-raising — from a hurricane simulator to a live map of…
Category: Virtual Worlds
WSJ article on teen summer jobs in virtual worlds: perfect counterpoint to Fox FUD
Lots of you have probably seen this bit of Fox’s sensationalist "news" about the "dangers" of the "Second Life website" on teens. Don’t get me started on how nonsensical the idea of "consensual rape rooms" is, or of virtual depictions of drug labs somehow corrupting minors. Anyway, there is a lot of hemming and…
NMC announces $100K (yes, real US dollars) for innovative learning & virtual world projects
Just got this off the SL educators list. The amazing New Media Consortium is offering US$100,000 in prizes to 20 projects that use virtual worlds in innovative ways for learning. Projects must be conducted in Second Life or Sun Microsystem’s new Project Wonderland virtual world platform: The New Media Consortium (NMC) today announced the call…
Inhabiting a Hopper painting
Checking out Tezcatlipoca Bisiani virtual re-creation of Edward Hopper’s melancholy painting "Nighthawks". Click here to visit it in Second Life. Really nice work! (Thanks for the link, Hamlet.)
Why is a Spanish health center for teens on the SL Adult Grid?
Just got a link to a news story in The Guardian on a Spanish medical group that has set up a virtual health center in Second Life, with the intention of counseling teens on confidential and sensitive health issues. As the article states: Spanish health authorities launched a virtual portal through the Second Life website…
Virtual Cuba versus Real World Cuba
Earlier this month, the metaverse development company Metaversatility launched a new showcase sim "EmVee Cuba" in Second Life (click here to teleport.) It’s a lovely, picturesque island, pushing the envelope on what is possible in SL, with each prim, texture and light placement designed to create an immersive sense of walking through a historic Cuba…
Fellowship Available for Global Kids International Justice Center
Global Kids is offering a fellowship to focus on event management for the International Justice Center (click here to teleport). The fellow will be expected to work with Global Kids staff to organize regular in-world events in that sim for SL residents, human rights groups, and the general public. Since 2005, Global Kids has leveraged…
L$ 300K for the best “Public Good” project in SL! Info session on SL Community Challenge tonight at 9pm SLT
Tonight at 9PM PST will be first information session the "Second Life and Public Good" Community Challenge sponsored by my friends at the USC Network Culture Project. The Challenge offers L$100,000 a month for three months for the best projects that address some social need via SL. For some reason I was chosen to be…
“The Guild”: Fun web sitcom about gamers
I randomly came across this funny web sitcom about a group of MMOG gamers called "the Guild". Here’s the description: A webisode for gamers, about gamers by a gamer. Cyd Sherman’s online gaming addiction brings more than she bargains for… Created and starring Felicia Day – Buffy’s (Vi), Directed by Jane Selle Morgan – seejanedirect.com…
The Tech Museum looking for virtual exhibits on tech that benefit humanity
Those awesome folks at The Tech Museum in San Jose have done it again. They sent out news that they are launching a new initiative to support exhibits on technology that benefits humanity in unique and innovative ways. Called the "UCanTu" initiative, the project calls upon Second Life residents to create virtual exhibits that demonstrate…