- Tech NewsSploid
Die winter, die!
On the first day of spring, Grant “The King of Random” Thompson blew up a snowman to bits and filmed it in slow motion—150 times slower than real life. It’s oddly satisfying.* *[Because fuck winter already, really. I want to kill all the snowmen in the world—JD] SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. … Continued
- Tech News
An LED Lantern Like This Would’ve Saved Mrs. O’Leary a Lot of Grief
The farm hands no longer have to double-check to make sure old Mrs. O’Leary didn’t leave the lantern in the shed again. Because this LED alternative called the M Lamp won’t get hot enough to start any fires, no matter how hard a cow kicks it. The M Lamp’s aluminum housing hides a rechargeable lithium-ion … Continued
- io9
First Crazy Look At Hustler’s This Ain’t Game Of Thrones XXX
There’s still a couple weeks left before Game of Thrones returns to our screens. But in the meantime, here’s the first trailer for Hustler’s This Ain’t Game of Thrones XXX, featuring Daenerys, Brienne, Cersei, Jon Snow… and watch until the end for a look at Tyrion Lannister. It’s safe for work! I really don’t know … Continued
- Tech News
Calm Down, People: Citi Bike Is Gonna Be Just Fine
New Yorkers are freaking out about a Wall Street Journal story today that says Citi Bike is in trouble, “moving quickly to raise tens of millions of dollars” to save the system, which has been devastated by an unusually brutal winter. The never-ending death march of cold and snow is only partially to blame for … Continued
- io9
Adhesive Tape Has Some Weird Superpowers
Tearing tape off the roll can be a satisfying way to entertain yourself in the office. But you’re not just wasting office supplies — according to new scientific studies, that tape is also emitting X-rays and ultrasonic sounds. Though you might not guess this from experience, peeling adhesive is actually a version of fracturing. It’s … Continued
- Tech News
This Week in Time Capsules: Teaching Kids About the Cruel March of Time
This week in our round-up of time capsule news we have a 20-year-old McDonald’s capsule that only 90s kids will understand, a “time barrel” in Maine, and kids in the UK who learn that we eventually get old and die. Kids bury capsule at elderly care facility with predictions for 2064 A group of schoolchildren … Continued
By Matt Novak - Tech News
Conduct the Asteroid Redirect Mission from the comfort of your computer
The Kerbal Space Program isn’t so much a game as it is a space-themed sandbox physics engines with adorable Kerbals to sacrifice to your scientific curiosity. NASA is a fan of these expressive explorers, and paired up with the game to make an asteroid exploration extension. Kerbonaut Jebediah Kerman accidentally testing the limits of reaching … Continued
- io9Movies
io9 March Madness Sweet 16: Star Wars vs. Dune! Buffy vs. Cthulhu!
We’ve reached the Sweet Sixteen in our hunt to find the greatest work of science fiction and fantasy ever. Just four competitors are left from each of our regionals, which means you’ve got some tough choices ahead: Doctor Who or Blade Runner? Harry Potter or Hellboy? Terminator or X-Men? Vote now! Top image: Theamat. All … Continued
- io9
Dungeons and Dragons Clue, Mohu Antennas, Nest Protect [Deals]
Who Killed the Archmage? Was it Tordek in the Dragon’s Lair with the Flaming Battle Axe? The Dungeons and Dragons Clue board game is sitting close to its lowest price ever today, an unavoidably good time with the right group of friends that deserves a spot in your board game collection. [Amazon] If you love … Continued
- Tech News
How Not To Piss People Off in a Group Text Message
It’s a shame you can’t unsubscribe from group texts. This week I was one of the recipients of a never-ending text bacchanal with a bunch of people I didn’t know. But it wasn’t fun or consensual. It was just a good reminder that we need to talk about text etiquette. It would be a helluva … Continued
By Leslie Horn - io9Television
Here’s Your First Look At Gotham‘s Catwoman And Lil’ Bruce Wayne
Here’s your first official look at 14-year-old actress Carmen Bicondova as Selina Kyle. It’s not doing it for me, but that’s fine — we’ve got set pics of Selina looking for more Catwoman-y, plus the first look at David Mazouz as Bruce Wayne, and Gordon and Bullock in action! The goggles make all the difference, … Continued
By Rob Bricken - io9
The U.S. throws 2 billions pounds of fish back in the ocean a year
American fisheries are throwing about 2 billion pounds of fish back in the ocean a year — and a lot of it is edible (even delicious) fish that is already dead or dying, or marine life not intended to be caught for food, including sharks, seals and dolphins. The report comes from Oceana, who used … Continued
By Ria Misra - Tech News
Military Future-Lasers Could Help Detect Bombs and the Flu
DARPA is investigating handheld UV laser devices to help soldiers detect biological and chemical weapons from a safe distance. But when they master that technology, it won’t just be used on the battlefield; it could also help public health workers detect and track outbreaks of communicable diseases. Fighting flu with lasers? This really is the … Continued
- io9
Why B.F. Skinner May Have Been The Most Dangerous Psychologist Ever
B.F. Skinner gave us concepts like “conditioned behavior,” “positive reinforcement,” and even “time-outs” for children. But he was also a radical among psychologists who cast aside notions of dignity and free will. Here’s why Skinner continues to be relevant — and even a bit dangerous. Though not as famous as some of his forebears and … Continued
- Tech News
Why the White House Is Spending Millions to Promote Wood Skyscrapers
The Department of Agriculture doesn’t usually meddle in architecture, but this week at an event at the White House, it announced an unusual project: A $1 million competition for high-rise buildings built out of wood—and another million that will go to educating architects about it. You might remember that President Obama signed a new $956 … Continued
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- Tech News
First Deal on Nest Protect, Wireless Charging Pad, Mohu Curve [Deals]
Today’s best deals include the best smoke alarm money can buy, a popular Qi pad for wireless-charging phones, Monoprice’s famous IPS monitor, and a whole lot more. Have a good weekend, everybody! The Nest Protect took the seemingly mundane and static smoke alarm, and brought the entire product category into the future. The downside; it … Continued
- ScienceSpace
A Glitch in the Hubble Telescope Makes Beautiful Modern Art
You’ve seen all the mind-boggling space images from the Hubble telescope, so this might seem… bizarre. What looks like a light painting or a computer rendering is an actual image sent back during the Hubble’s observing session. This is what happens when the telescope locks onto a bad guide star. The European Space Agency explains: … Continued
By Sarah Zhang