- io9
This is why astronomers build telescopes in the mountains of Chile
When it comes to enjoying the full-blown magnificence of a star-studded sky, or the peak of a spectacular meteor shower, the Moon (to borrow a phrase from astronomer Mike Brown) is your nemesis. But if this map of light pollution in the United States is any indication, you might as well think of city lights … Continued
- Tech News
GIF of the Day: Princess Leia Hands Luke Skywalker a Cold Beer
You just destroyed the Death Star. You saved the galaxy and the Rebellion. Princess Leia loves you, and you don’t know she’s your sister yet. Galactic bliss. Now let’s shotgun this beer and go home, kid. We have no idea how or from where this fantastic behind the scenes vignette comes from. And yeah, maybe … Continued
By Sam Biddle - Tech NewsGadgets
The Cheap, Unlimited Source Of the Fizzy Water You Can’t Live Without
SodaStream is secretly the most popular kitchen gadget in the world. It almost doesn’t make sense: All it does is turn tap water into sparkling water. So what gives? We polled our Twitter followers to find out. The world’s obsession with SodaStream is weird. Can’t you just buy a bottle of cheap seltzer when you’ve … Continued
- io9Movies
Loads of new Snow White & The Huntsman footage shows off the Evil Queens black fantasy side
Four new featurettes have been released from the dark fantasy movie Snow White & The Huntsman. Yes, it’s stuffed with sword fights and horse riding and lots of lovely shiny armor — but you and I both know the Queen is the most important thing. And hot damn, does Charlize Theron sell her ice-cold stares. … Continued
- Tech News
Open States: Learn Some About Our Government
Like soccer, swimming and women’s gymnastics, I only care about what’s going on in our government and what’s happening in the world of politics every four years. This year happens to be one of those years. But don’t be like me! Care more! Pay attention. Open States in app for people who care about our … Continued
By Casey Chan -
- Tech News
Spy Blimp Caught Rogue Soldier on Tape After Shooting Spree
Above a small base in southern Afghanistan, a spy blimp captured video of the perpetrator of Sunday’s massacre surrendering to base forces. The question now becomes what other aspects of the killings, which left 16 Afghan civilians dead, are detailed in that video – or in any other footage that may have been shot by … Continued
Spencer Ackerman - Wired - io9
The Many Ways Science Has (Wrongly) Assessed Your Personality
What if someone could figure out your personality without actually taking the time to talk to you? What if there was a simple test that could figure out exactly what sort of person you are? For many years, scientists have searched for a surefire test to assess your personality — and they’ve failed, spectacularly. From … Continued
- Tech NewsGadgets
A Toaster With a Motorized Lift Is an Innovation No One Asked For
Every once in a while a product comes along that truly enrages the Gizmodo staff over how pointless and stupid it is. So congratulations Cuisinart, today your two-slice toaster with a motorized lift really angered up the blood here: Sam B.: f*** that thing, pardon my french. that seems LESS efficient than a spring Jesus: … Continued
- io9Books
Greet our new robot overlords with an anthology co-edited by Daniel H. Wilson!
Still need more hints about surviving that inevitable robot uprising? Robopocalypse author Daniel H. Wilson is here to help — he is putting out an anthology called Robot Uprisings, full of short stories that illustrate just what it’ll take to remain in one piece after our robot overlords have taken over. His co-editor is prolific … Continued
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- Tech News
America’s Killer Drones… Of the Vietnam War
The armed drone has become a symbol of modern war. Who needs people? We have cheap(ish) robots that can spy and kill for us—and they do, around the world. But before UAVs were rocketing Afghanistan, they roamed Vietnam. The Aviationist’s David Cenciotti brings us this test flight footage of an obscure piece of military history: … Continued
By Sam Biddle - Tech News
How to Pour the Perfect Pint of Guinness
St. Paddy’s Day is this weekend! And as one of my favorite “holidays”, I celebrate by drinking Jameson and Guinness (I never drink Guinness). You probably do too. Here’s how to pour the perfect pint of Guinness from a can, according to Chow, so you can impress your friends. Doing this gets the perfect Guinness … Continued
By Casey Chan - ScienceHealth
The Taboo Treatment: How Fecal Transplants Save Lives
Some medical treatments often go unspoken about because they’re icky. But here’s one you should know of: fecal transplants. Because while having someone else’s excrement put inside your body does sound gross, it’s a process that’s saving lives. But how on Earth can another person’s poop be good for you? It turns out that it’s … Continued
- io9
Witness the Moon’s breathtaking 4.5-billion-year evolution in less than three minutes
When we gaze up at the Moon, we expect a certain degree of consistency. Sure, it moves through its phases, shifting in and out of darkness over the course of the month, but generally speaking, the Moon’s surface looks the same to us — night after night, year after year. But the Moon has not … Continued
- Tech News
Telemedicine Was Predicted in 1925
The 1920s was an incredible decade of advancement for communications technology. Radio was finally being realized as a broadcast medium, talkies were transforming the film industry, and inventors were tinkering with the earliest forms of television. People of the 1920s recognized that big changes were ahead, and no one relished in guessing what those changes … Continued
By Matt Novak - Tech News
Scientists Have Identified a Completely New Human Species from China
Your family tree just got wider. Scientists have analyzed fossils found in China, and deemed them to be from a new human species unlike any ever identified before; say hello to your long-lost cousin. The skull, originally unearthed in 1979 in the Guangxi Province of China, has only now been fully analyzed (talk about procrastination, … Continued
- io9
Scientists may have just discovered a brand new species of human
This skull has a weird mix of ancient and modern traits. It was discovered in a cave in southwest China and dates to between 14,500 and 11,500 years ago. And it might represent the newest humanoid species to coexist with humans. First, there were the Neanderthals, which were first discovered in Germany 150 years ago … Continued
- Tech News
Autonomous Drones Could One Day Recognize Flight Crew Gestures
The flight deck on an aircraft carrier is like a perfectly choreographed ballet. And to ensure that unmanned autonomous aircraft fit right in, researchers at MIT are developing a system that will let drones recognize and follow gestures from the flight crew. The hardware and software developed by MIT’s Yale Song, Randall Davis, and David … Continued
- io9
Study says voters prefer deep-voiced politicians. Also, Barry White was the god king of the human race.
Can a candidate ride a throbbing bass voice to electoral victory? According to a new study from Duke University and the University of Miami, humans — in the absence of candidates’ appearances, parties, and policy positions — prefer their politicians with lower voices. The sample for this study came from a pool of Miami undergraduates … Continued