- io9
Why did nearly all life on Earth die 250 million years ago?
Among paleontologists, it’s sometimes called the “Great Dying.” Roughly a quarter of a billion years ago, 90-95 percent of all life on Earth died out. It took 30 million years for the planet to recover. What happened? Most people are familiar with the extinction event 65 million years ago that wiped out the dinosaurs. But … Continued
- Tech NewsApple
Question of the Day: What’s More Important, Hardware or Carrier?
The new iPhone 4 looks pretty nice. But it also is chained to godawful AT&T and forces you into a capped data plan. Bummer! So does that count the iPhone out for you, or are you willing to suffer through? Which is more important, carrier or phone hardware?online survey
By Adam Frucci - Tech NewsApple
Should I Worry About the Apple iPad + AT&T Security Breach? (Probably Not.)
AT&T accidentally exposed a whole bunch of iPad customers’ email addresses. Oh dear! But wait, I’m an AT&T customer! And I have an iPad! Should I be worried? And what exactly was exposed here? Here’s the rundown. Updated. What was leaked? iPad customers’ email addresses (the ones they used to register with AT&T) and ICC-IDs, … Continued
By John Herrman - ScienceSpace
Send a Picture of Your Face to Outer Space
With only two remaining space shuttle missions, NASA wants to send a picture of your face to space. Given that we’ve all passed on our dreams of being astronauts, unlike Leroy Chiao, this is as close as we’ll ever get. In order to participate, you’ll need to upload a picture of your face (or name … Continued
By Casey Chan - Tech News
Speeding Fine Provokes Man To Purchase Expired Police Domain
Getting a speeding fine is enough to drive anyone to road-rage, but Brian McCrary decided to do something entirely different with his rage. While browsing the local police department’s website, he saw the domain was close to expiring… Pity the police chief at Bluff City, who saw his website turn into a shrine for speeding … Continued
- io9Comics
Smilin’ Stan Lee weighs in on Donald Glover for Spider-Man
It seems like everyone and their mother has an opinion on Donald Glover’s campaign to become The Webbed One, so why shouldn’t one of Spidey’s creators bandy about his opinion? In this video, Stan “The Man” Lee gives his verdict. Click to view He’s a great actor. I’ve seen him, and he’s terrific […] A … Continued
- Tech News
22-Person Table Solidifies Foosball as Sport
You know how sometimes you’ve found yourself around a foosball table with only one other person? You say, “Hey, we’ll just play one-on-one,” and the game still sort of works? Well buddy, you’re gonna need to find some more friends. This completely custom, 11-on-11 foosball table was made for Nike Stadium Milan. Yes, that equates … Continued
By Mark Wilson -
- io9Movies
15 seconds with Disney’s new wild-child princess, Rapunzel UPDATE
Check out the first ever video footage of the new Disney princess, Rapunzel, from their new film Tangled. Can this new lady live up to her legendary Disney predecessors? UPDATE: Now with the new teaser trailer! UPDATE: This new teaser trailer was released this morning with lots of new footage: Click to view Here’s the … Continued
- Tech News
Say Hello to The World’s Most Advanced Electric Motorcycle
The technology behind the MotoCzysz E1pc isn’t just the future for motorcycles, it’s the future of electric vehicles. When you have 10x the battery power of a Prius and 2.5x the torque of a Ducati it’s easy to see why. Michael Czysz, the man behind the machine, has made the MotoCzysz E1pc so advanced that … Continued
By Casey Chan - io9
What is the future of storytelling in videogames?
When we interviewed Bear McCreary about his upcoming soundtrack to Zipper Interactive’s SOCOM 4, we also had the opportunity to speak with Ed Byrne, creative director at Zipper. The following lively discussion precipitated from a single question: “Are videogames art?” I would say that games right now are we what call “craft” – between art … Continued
- io9Movies
In praise of seat-of-the-pants storytelling
People act like the worst accusation you can hurl at storytellers is “They made it up as they went along.” As if having a Master Plan is the same as good storytelling. In fact, it’s frequently the other way around. Often the best storytelling is improvisational, like jazz or chess. Whether you’re talking about books, … Continued
- Tech NewsSamsung
Giz Explains: Watching the World Cup in 3D
The problem with 3DTV, as we’ve said, is that there normally isn’t a damn thing to watch. But the World Cup in 3D, that’s something to watch. The World Cup is the perfect spectacle for this kind of mass cultural tech demo: It’s global, buzzy, and sports are among the most potent demonstrations of how … Continued
- io9
A new kind of cloud formation boils over the central US
A newly-discovered cloud formation, first identified last year, has appeared again this week after a massive storm over Missouri. The clouds, called “Undulatus asperatus,” create a roiling, churned pattern that looks almost like the wake from a ship. According to the National Weather Service: A storm system moving across the Ozarks on June 7th produced … Continued
- Tech News
Shooting Challenge: Pieces of (Lens) Flare
Lens flare. Sometimes it’s an annoyance, washing out photos. Other times, it’s cliché. Whatever. At its best, lens flare creates something ethereal, something larger than the scope of an image can convey. And it’s your Shooting Challenge for this week. The Challenge Capture a photograph with lens flare—and by that, I mean real lens flare, … Continued
By Mark Wilson - Tech NewsApple
Skobbler Brings Free Street-Level, Turn By Turn Directions to the iPhone
The TomToms and Navigons of the world have street-level turn-by-turn navigation down pat, but they’re expensive. Skobbler uses OpenStreetMap, the “wikipedia of maps,” to deliver its turn-by-turn directions for free, but it’s kinda a “get what you pay for” thing. MapQuest offers a turn-by-turn navigation app that’ll bark directions at you for free, but the … Continued
- Tech NewsApple
On Firing Steve Jobs From Apple, 25 Years Later
“I haven’t spoken to Steve in 20-odd years,” says John Sculley, the former Apple CEO who ejected Jobs from the company in 1985, in an illuminating, slightly painful Daily Beast interview. Hindsight is 20/20, yes, but also cruel. If you read the interview (and you should) your eyes will probably dart around, trying to find … Continued
By John Herrman - Tech News
Gadget Deals of the Day
Deals has some mighty fine bargains for you today. Whether you’re looking for something in particular, or just browsing through Hobomodo, this is the place to be. Oh and one more thing— RED DEAD REDEMPTION! Top Deals: • 19″ Vizio Razor VM190XVT 720p LED LCD HDTV for $169 plus free shipping (normally $237 – use … Continued