- io9
A Very Dark Montage Was Cut From Deadpool 2‘s Theatrical Release
Deadpool, as a character and a film franchise, often goes to dark places to get laughs. But some jokes are too dark even for the Merc with a Mouth, and this is probably one of them. Take care for not only spoilers, but mention of self-harm. During an AMA session on Reddit, writers Rhett Reese … Continued
By Julie Muncy - Tech NewsNews
Stop Throwing Cellphone Batteries in the Trash, You’re Firebombing Garbage Trucks
It can be difficult to figure out what to do with your old electronics when you’re ready to move on from them, but here is one thing you should definitely not do: throw them in the trash. Discarded devices powered by lithium-ion batteries are basically fire bombs waiting to explode on unsuspecting sanitation workers. According … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - io9
Phoebe Waller-Bridge Didn’t Know What a Droid Was When She Auditioned to Play One in Solo
Every science fiction franchise has its own jargon. If you’re not heavily involved in that world, you can forget how weird that jargon might sound to outsiders. Case in point: “droid.” “Droid… droid… what’s a droid?” According to Phoebe Waller-Bridge, who plays the droid L3-37 in the upcoming Solo: A Star Wars Story, this was … Continued
By Julie Muncy - Tech News
Pretty Much All Tech Demos Are Fake as Hell
At Google I/O earlier this month, CEO Sundar Pichai showcased an experimental Google Assistant feature called Duplex which can make routine phone calls on your behalf. In one striking demo, the digital assistant called a hair salon and scheduled an appointment with an employee at the other end in a voice punctuated with the vocal … Continued
By Alex Cranz - ScienceSpace
China’s First Private Space Rocket Launch Ever Was This Week
OneSpace Technologies conducted the first private rocket launch in Chinese history this week, firing off the 30-foot (9 meter) OS-X from a platform in northwest China on Thursday, according to CNN. The rocket reportedly reached an altitude of 25 miles (40 kilometers) and traveled some 170 miles (273 km) from the launch pad. The end … Continued
By Tom McKay - io9
This Video Explores the Experimental History of Scifi Book Covers
Science fiction novels have been, through the modern history of the printed book, a space for innovation and creativity. Their cover art, in particular, was something special, and beautiful. In a new video, Nerdwriter runs down the history of cover art in the scifi novel, which is a history of visionary, weird artists playing within … Continued
By Julie Muncy - ScienceAnimals
How Smart Was T. Rex? And Other Dino Questions You’ve Always Wanted to Ask
At the age of 34, American paleontologist and evolutionary biologist Steve Brusatte has already accomplished more in his field than some scientists hope to over their entire careers. Born in Ottawa, Illinois, he attended the University of Chicago, where he studied under the tutelage of renowned paleontologist Paul Sereno. Now at the University of Edinburgh, … Continued
- Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
North Korea-Linked Hackers Targeting Defectors With Android Malware
Escaping the isolated and oppressive regime of Kim Jong Un’s North Korea requires a harrowing effort, but even getting out of the country may not be enough to escape its reach. New research from McAfee suggests hackers in North Korea are targeting defectors with malware-infected Android apps. The cybersecurity firm reported this week that it … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Tidal Says Its Streaming Numbers Aren’t Inflated, but If They Are, Hackers Did It
Tidal, the streaming music service that seems to have been doomed since launch, is investigating a possible data breach following allegations that the company has been artificially inflating its subscribers and streaming numbers for platform exclusives. Music Business Worldwide reported the company has enlisted the help of an “independent, third-party cyber-security firm” to look into … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - io9
These Paper Sculptures Are Out of This World
For most people, the extent of our knowledge of paper art ends with drawing-on-some… or, maybe, origami. But there’s more. A lot more. And you can see paper at its most fantastic in the work of artist Cory Collins. Collins makes scifi and horror monsters out of cardstock paper, paint, and glue. That may sound … Continued
- Tech NewsNews
Hacker Hijacks California Congressional Debate to Broadcast Gay Porn
Voters in California’s 1st congressional district tuned in Thursday night to a live stream of a political forum intended to highlight two candidates running for office. What they got instead was a brief clip of gay porn, the result of the broadcast being hijacked by hackers. The forum, hosted by political organization Independent Like the … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - io9
A Deadpool Figure Fit for the Dance Floor, and More of the Greatest Toys of the Week
Welcome back to Toy Aisle, io9’s weekly roundup of the neatest toys around. This week, Hot Toys gives us a Deadpool with killer footwear, the incredible Batman Ninja gets an equally worthy action figure, and more Harry Potter Lego than you can shake a whomping willow at. Check it out! Hot Toys Sixth-Scale Deadpool 2 … Continued
- io9Comics
Hordes of Demons Are Coming to Destroy Elvis and the FBI in This Week’s Best New Comics
In times of great need or extreme stress, pretty much everyone’s survival instinct kicks in and we all default to certain coping mechanisms that have gotten us through our entire lives. For some people, that means cooking. For others, it means performing. Regardless of what your specific method of dealing with the world is, you’ll … Continued
- Tech News
Sen. Wyden Calls on FCC Chairman to Recuse Himself From Phone-Tracking Investigation
Sen. Ron Wyden called on the FCC chairman to recuse himself from an investigation involving a prison phone company that’s been accused of helping police circumvent warrants in obtaining cellphone location data. The Federal Communications Commission referred the phone-tracking matter, which involves Securus, an inmate calling service, to its enforcement bureau on Friday. The FCC … Continued
By Dell Cameron - Tech NewsNews
The Highest-Paid CEO in the Country Reportedly Decided to Fuck Up Snapchat All By Himself
Snap’s stock price is now hovering around its lowest point ever since the company went public last year. Yet, its whiz-kid founder, Evan Spiegel, was 2017’s highest-paid CEO, taking home $504 million. And according to a new report, Spiegel is almost single-handedly responsible for Snapchat’s biggest mistake. When Snap’s IPO launched last Spring, it positioned … Continued
By Rhett Jones - ScienceHealth
Almost Every American Who Got Sick From Dairy Was Consuming Raw Milk or Cheese
Say what you will about store-brand milk’s crummy marketing history and relative blandness—at least it’s rarely loaded with germs that’ll send you running to the toilet, or even worse, to the hospital. The same definitely can’t be said for raw milk, reveals a new, if fairly obvious, study out this month in the journal of … Continued
By Ed Cara - Tech News
Looking Like a Billion Buckeroos: An Outdoor Style Guide for America’s Richest Nerds
What do you get the person who has it all? A little self-awareness, especially when it comes to their outfit of choice. But Silicon Valley’s ultra-rich have recently abandoned the premise of “uniforms boost my brain power” for a more reasonable “I’m rich, so maybe I should own an actual jacket.” Sometimes even the style-deficient … Continued
- Tech News
Old Man Still Confused About What Exactly the Post Office Does
The Post Office is an unusual agency. For starters, it has a legal monopoly (weird!), is explicitly enshrined in the Constitution, and despite being part of the federal government, it’s operated more like a corporation. All an average person needs to know is that mail goes in a mailbox, and, with relative expedience, it shows … Continued
By Avery Ellis - Tech NewsGoogle
Google Removes ‘Don’t Be Evil’ Clause From Its Code of Conduct
Google’s unofficial motto has long been the simple phrase “don’t be evil.” But that’s over, according to the code of conduct that Google distributes to its employees. The phrase was removed sometime in late April or early May, archives hosted by the Wayback Machine show. “Don’t be evil” has been part of the company’s corporate … Continued
By Kate Conger - Tech News
Thousands of Amateur Radio Operators Measured the Solar Eclipse’s Effects on the Atmosphere
Astronomers and space fans may have set up lawn chairs outside to watch the eclipse, but Nathaniel Frissell set up his ham radio. As the sky dimmed and daylight turned into an uncanny dusk, the reports started coming in: Communication was dying off over the 20 meter (14 MHz) radio band. Frissell (call sign W2NAF) … Continued