- Tech News
Insectoid Microbot Leverages Small-Scale Physics to Swim and Walk Underwater
Inspired by bugs, Harvard’s Ambulatory Microrobot, or HAMR, can run, climb, make sharp turns, and carry small payloads. In the latest upgrade to the system, HAMR has been endowed with the ability to swim, dive down from the surface, and walk underwater—no small task for an object as light as a paperclip. Roboticists at Harvard … Continued
- io9Movies
Let the Cast of The Domestics Welcome You to the Apocalypse in This Exclusive Featurette
The post-apocalypse tends to suck. After all, it is about the sudden and often disastrous decline of everything civilization currently is. But what if you suddenly found yourself having to ride out the end of the world with people you’d already started to drift apart from before everything went to hell? That’s the premise of … Continued
- ScienceHealth
Don’t Use Spray Sunscreen
I love sunscreen. I wear it everyday—even in the winter, even when it’s overcast. Applying sunscreen regularly is one of the few things you can do to directly prevent cancer (skin cancer is the most common form of cancer in the US). It’s also the best anti-aging product you can use. Do you know why … Continued
By Rose Pastore - Tech News
Internet Spiritual Guru Teal Swan Says She Isn’t a Cult Leader But Has ‘The Perfect Recipe For a Cult’
Gizmodo’s podcast The Gateway follows our reporting on controversial internet spiritual guru Teal Swan, and the influence she has over her thousands of followers. In the final episode, released today, we have one final interview with Swan. In that conversation Swan discusses whether or not she is a cult leader and why she feels she … Continued
- EartherClimate Change
Why Do Heat Waves Make Ozone Pollution So Much Worse?
Boy, is it hot? The gnarly heat wave we’ve been dealing with since last week isn’t quite over yet—and it doesn’t just cause us to sweat and complain. Events like these usually bring awful ozone pollution, too. And that’s stuff people need to worry about, especially as they’re outside enjoying their Fourth of July. With … Continued
- Tech News
You Can Actually Light a BBQ Using Water
It’s a crucial compound when it comes to supporting life, but water has so many amazing properties that there’s a lifetime of experiments to try with what comes pouring out of your faucets. It’s common knowledge that water is an effective tool for dousing a flame, but did you know that you can use water … Continued
- Tech News
Indoor Virtual Skydiving Is Cool—But It Just Made Me Want to Jump Out of a Plane for Real
I rarely turn down the chance to try something new or strange. Reptile expo with live demos? Sounds great. Monster truck rally? Yea, why the hell not. Vape show in town? Sure, I’ll check it out. Indoor virtual reality skydiving? I AM THERE. Who cares that “indoor virtual reality skydiving” as a concept doesn’t make … Continued
By Joe Tonelli - io9Television
The Handmaid’s Tale Reminds Every Follower That, Eventually, They’ll Come For You Too
Oh, you thought you were protected, obedient woman or man on The Handmaid’s Tale? Figured you could toe the line, say your prayers, and any minor transgressions would be forgiven in the face of your faith and allegiance to the cause? Tough titties, folks. You’re never safe in Gilead. The penultimate episode of The Handmaid’s … Continued
- io9TelevisionMorning Spoilers
More Hints That a Familiar Star Wars Star Could Return for Episode IX
An Avenger could be joining Spawn. Lea Thompson really wants to direct a Howard the Duck reboot. Netflix is adding another creepy YA series to its roster. Plus, new footage from Humans and The First Purge, and Boots Riley talks Sorry to Bother You. Warn Adams and Hancock—the spoilers are coming! Star Wars: Episode IX … Continued
- EartherEarth Science
This Summer, Become an Expert Stargazer
Summer’s here. Earthbound as we are, the season’s warm temperatures and lazy nights give us ample opportunity to go outside, stretch out under the summer night sky with a few friends, and glance up towards the cosmos. This summer, I recommend you start getting a little more acquainted with that night sky, if only to … Continued
- How To
6 Ways You’re Risking the Security of Your Gadgets Without Thinking
We all want our tech to stay secure, but we also want a life that’s easy and convenient—and sometimes the two don’t fit together all that well. These are some of the ways you’re putting your devices at risk, perhaps without even realizing it, and what you can do to stop it. 1) Watching TV … Continued
By David Nield - Tech NewsNews
Walmart Caves to Fake Outrage, Pulls ‘Impeach 45’ Shirts From Online Marketplace
Retail giant Walmart yanked shirts saying “Impeach 45,” which just so happens to be the number President Donald Trump has embroidered on his shirt sleeves, from its online store on Tuesday after getting rolled by spurious threats of a boycott on Twitter. Per the Washington Post, the incident transpired mostly after Students for Trump chairman … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsNews
Uber Maybe Planning Merger With Middle Eastern Competitor Careem, Insists This Merger Is Different
Ride-hailing giant Uber is planning to merge with its competition in the Middle East, though unlike prior deals in Southeast Asia, China, and Russia, it says it will remain in control of the merged entity. Bloomberg reports that Uber is in “preliminary talks” with local competitor Careem to strike a deal that would see the … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
ZTE Is Starting to Resume Operations Under a Temporary Commerce Department Waiver
Chinese smartphone and networking equipment manufacturer ZTE scored another concession from the White House on Tuesday, with Reuters reporting that the Department of Commerce had decided to grant it a “temporary reprieve” from a ban on purchasing components from US companies that recently led to ZTE shutting down its operations. ZTE is the company the … Continued
By Tom McKay - io9Movies
The First Superhero Movie Ever Is More Than 100 Years Old
The first real film based on a Marvel/DC character was 1966’s Batman: The Movie, starring Adam West’s campy version of the Caped Crusader. In the ‘40s and ‘50s, Batman, Superman, Captain Marvel (now known as Shazam), and Captain America all had weekly, live-action serials shown in theaters, while the first Zorro movie premiered in 1920. … Continued
Noah Berlatsky - io9Movies
A Child’s Play Reboot Could Have Chucky Terrorizing Theaters Once Again
Sure, there’s already a TV show in the works—but news just broke that MGM is working to bring killer-doll classic Child’s Play back to the big screen. Collider and The Hollywood Reporter both report that director Lars Klevberg (Polaroid) is attached to direct a reboot, written by Tyler Burton Smith (Kung Fury 2) and slated … Continued
- io9Comics
Milk & Cheese Creator Evan Dorkin Talks About His Weird, Brilliant Career in Comics
Evan Dorkin can’t stop, won’t stop making comics. Or talking. In both instances, we are all very lucky that this is the case. After I got off an hour-long phone call with Dorkin last week, the creator of Milk & Cheese and Beasts of Burden sent me a short e-mail: “Hope you can make some … Continued
- Tech News
This Neural Network Instant Camera Turns Everything You Shoot Into Cartoon Doodles
Photographers who still shoot on film claim they like the lo-fi, grainy aesthetics of the medium. But by that logic, they should be throwing hundreds of dollars at Dan Macnish who created a custom instant camera that converts what the camera’s lens sees into crude, stick figure doodles. Remember Google’s Quick, Draw! online game that … Continued
- io9Movies
Open Channel: What’s Your Favorite July 3 Movie Release of All Time?
For the past several decades, the July 4 weekend has traditionally been a big one for the movies—school’s out for summer and adults are off work for the holiday, so it’s a great time to release big, blockbuster movies. July 3 in particular, though, is a date with a very impressive history. Here are the … Continued
- Tech News
Heat Stroke Is Making Me Desperately Want This Giant Motorized Umbrella for My Car
Spend too much time in extreme summer heat and you’ll find yourself doing strange things. A week ago the idea of a gigantic umbrella for my car would have seemed laughable, but after a weekend of climbing in and out of unbearably hot vehicles, the Lanmodo seems like it should be a standard feature on … Continued