- EartherEnvironmental Justice
Revived Keystone XL Pipeline Suffers a Major Setback in Court
Having been struck down by former President Barack Obama and revived by President Donald Trump, the embattled Keystone XL pipeline just suffered a new setback in court that has opponents cheering. A federal court ruled late Wednesday night that the proposed 1,179-mile long crude oil pipeline needs a supplemental environmental impact statement (EIS) for the … Continued
- Tech News
The Media Tried To Game The Machines and You’ll Never Guess What Happened Next (Facebook Won)
Just five years ago, not only was it possible for a reputable outlet to flatly characterize Upworthy—a website that didn’t make much but a system for testing what drew clicks on Facebook—as the “fastest-growing media company of all time,” but it happened more than once. By 2013, a year after its founding, Upworthy had favorable print … Continued
By Molly Osberg - EartherEnvironmental Policy
Trump’s Giant Offshore Oil and Gas Lease Sale Was a Flop
The Department of the Interior just held the biggest offshore oil and gas auction in U.S. history. Like all things Trumpian, the bluster beforehand didn’t quite match the results. Of the 78.1 million acres in the Gulf of Mexico offered up to oil and gas companies, 801,289, or just about one percent, were snapped up, … Continued
By Brian Kahn - Tech NewsDesign
Next-Gen Baggies Are Transforming Legal Weed
After a recent trip to her local dispensary, my mom recalled how, when she was young, black-market cannabis was really only available by the “lid”—usually, a sandwich bag partly filled with ground-up plant, the official size of which tended to vary. Today, she can choose rich, cleverly named buds by the gram or quarter ounce … Continued
By Janet Burns - Tech NewsApple
Apple Hacked by Biggest Teen Fan: Report
A teenager in Melbourne, Australia, is facing criminal charges after he reportedly hacked Apple’s secure computer network multiple times. The boy’s lawyer explained to a Children’s Court on Thursday that the teen did it all “because he was such a fan” of Apple, according to Melbourne news outlet the Age. The teen hacker reportedly attends … Continued
- io9MoviesStar Wars
A Star Wars Production Designer Says a Now-Halted Spinoff Was Headed to Tatooine
The future of Star Wars is very busy right now. Rumors have been swirling for months that Disney and Lucasfilm stopped production on some or all of the Star Wars Story spinoff films as they focus on the new franchises from Rian Johnson and the guys behind Game of Thrones. Lucasfilm insiders have denied this, … Continued
- io9Games
Please Don’t Download Fortnite for Android From Sketchy Places
When Fornite developer Epic Games decided to skip the Google Play Store and asked players to install the newly released Android app from its website instead, the decision made a lot of sense financially. By cutting out Google, Epic could retain 100 percent of the game’s profits on Android, rather than let Google take its … Continued
- ScienceAnimals
Beetle Trapped in 99-Million-Year-Old Amber Was an Early Pollinator
Amber fossils containing bugs are nothing new, but the discovery of a beautifully preserved Cretaceous Period beetle with bits of pollen still around it is changing what we know about the planet’s earliest pollinating insects. Earth’s oldest pollinating insects are a bit of a mystery, but fossilized insect dung containing bits of pollen suggest they … Continued
- ReviewsHome EntertainmentSoundbars
This Smart Soundbar Is an Ugly Attempt at an Interesting Idea
Smart soundbars are an interesting idea. They’re like smart speakers, except they work with your TV, so you can use your voice like a remote control. Neat! In January, Polk wowed CES attendees with its new Command Bar. Put bluntly, this smart device is a big honking soundbar with an Amazon Echo Dot stuffed inside … Continued
- io9MoviesMarvel
Report: After Taking a Meeting With James Gunn, Disney Still Isn’t Bringing Him Back for Guardians Vol. 3
In the wake of Disney cutting James Gunn from Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 after controversial tweets of his were resurfaced by alt-right figures, the film’s tight-knit cast has been openly advocating for the studio to bring the director back. Long story short? Still not gonna happen. While previous reports suggested Marvel still planned … Continued
- Tech News
How to Watch Ajit Pai Get Grilled by Congress Over Made-Up FCC Cyberattack
On Thursday, Ajit Pai will have his first appearance before a Senate oversight committee since an internal report revealed the FCC has been falsely claiming its comment system was hit by a cyberattack last year. It’s going to be good and you can watch it live this morning starting at 10am Eastern. For more than … Continued
By Rhett Jones - io9Trailers
In the Iron Fist Season 2 Trailer Danny Rand’s Got a New But Familiar Foe
Hey Immortal Iron Fist Guy, the calls are coming from inside the house. The new trailer is here for the second season of Netflix’s Iron Fist, and Danny Rand (Finn Jones) is facing an enemy that’s way too close to home. As revealed by Entertainment Weekly, the trailer shows the Iron Fist working himself past … Continued
- Tech NewsGadgets
The Samsung Note 9 Shows How Important Smartphone Cooling Has Become
Recently, sentiment has been growing that smartphones aren’t as exciting as they used to be, and to a certain extent, that’s true. Smartphones have been getting faster, their cameras have gotten sharper, and their displays have gotten bigger, but at the same time, they are more or less the same rectangular pocket computers we’ve been … Continued
- io9TelevisionMorning Spoilers
2 Members of the Secret Six Are Making Their Way to DC’s TV Universes
Nicolas Cage discusses his role in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Jasmine’s finally going to get a solo song thanks to Disney’s live-action Aladdin, and some behind-the-scenes drama from Child’s Play. Plus, more members of DC Comics’ Secret Six may be making their way to live-action soon. Duck! Spoilers ahead! 2nd Born American History X director … Continued
- Tech NewsComputers
Asus Thinks It’s Made the Thinnest Gaming Laptops Ever
Asus believes it’s made a big 15-inch and a giant 17-inch gaming laptop you’ll actually want to carry around with you. It’s August, which means a lot of laptops and desktops are about to be announced at Gamescom and IFA (pro-tip: don’t buy a laptop in the next couple of weeks). Asus, presumably hoping to … Continued
By Alex Cranz - Tech NewsNews
Twitter Promptly Suspends Tesla Whistleblower Following Tweets About His Former Employer
Martin Tripp is currently embroiled in a nasty legal dispute over claims he’s made about his former employer, Tesla. On Wednesday evening, Tripp began tweeting out details and photos about his time at Tesla and found himself suspended faster than you can say, “Infowars was an inside job.” A former technician for the electric vehicle … Continued
By Rhett Jones - io9MoviesMarvel
How VFX Artists Created the Nanotech-Powered Iron Man Suit in Avengers: Infinity War
Has any character in film history had more costume changes than Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark? In Avengers: Infinity War, he debuts his Iron Man Mark L armor (which, if he stayed true to the Roman numerals, is the 50th version of the super suit) packed with advanced nanotechnology that visual effects studio Framestore helped … Continued
- Tech NewsGoogle
Google Releases Political Ad Database and Trump Is the Big Winner
Google has finally opened up about political ad-spending on its platforms and published a living archive of who’s paying what for your eyeballs while you’re just trying to consume some content. As we head into the heart of the midterm elections, Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign is outspending everyone. Google’s advertising library is similar to … Continued
By Rhett Jones - io9ComicsIndies
Gail Simone Talks About Being in Charge of a Whole Superhero Universe
She’s written acclaimed runs on Wonder Woman, Birds of Prey, Deadpool, and tons of other superhero comics. Now, Gail Simone is doing something she’s never done before, acting as Chief Architect for Lion Forge’s Catalyst Prime universe, home to superheroes from all walks of life. Simone’s appointment as Chief Architect was announced during this year’s … Continued