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Tech NewsHelp Wanted: Nuclear Weapons Courier, Serious Inquiries Only
Have you ever wanted to guard nuclear weapons as they crisscross the United States? Well, the Department of Energy’s National Nuclear Security Administration has a job opening for precisely that. And it’s a great reminder that U.S. roads carry some pretty interesting cargo, even if it’s all kept very hush-hush. The job posting from NNSA, … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsNewsChina Wants Hefty Fines For Viral Video Creators Who Binge Food and Drinks
Lawmakers in China are considering new legislation that would impose fines against anyone who creates videos where people eat large quantities of food or binge drinks, according to a new report from Chinese state media outlet China News. The proposed media rule, part of broader legislation to discourage food waste, would also allow restaurants in … Continued
By Matt Novak -
io9AnimationThe Great Captain Planet/Hitler Face-off of 1995
The cartoons of the 1980s produced some of the most iconic villains of all time: Skeletor. Cobra Commander. Megatron. Shredder. How could a less-intriguing ‘90s cartoon like Captain Planet and the Planeteers ever hope to create bad guys so memorable, so significant as to compare with these pillars of animated evil? Turns out it couldn’t… … Continued
By Rob Bricken -
ScienceHealthMan With Sole Authority to Launch Nuclear Weapons Retweets Random Fistfight
President Donald Trump retweeted a random fistfight over the weekend in an attempt to make fun of people who wear masks during the pandemic, the latest sign that Trump is basically a bored troll who just so happens to have the sole authority to launch America’s many nuclear weapons. Trump, as everyone knows at this … Continued
By Matt Novak -
Tech NewsBest of the WeekOld Nukes, Hot Dog Toasters, and Dr. Phil: Best Gizmodo Stories of the Week
As we all try to adjust to our current new reality, I have some thoughts to share with you all. I have come to realize that it is likely that for the next few months, or year, we will have to learn to live with dry, papery hands. At least, that’s what my hands feel … Continued
By Jody Serrano -
SciencePhysicsHow Do We Know the Nukes Still Work?
Scientists at U.S. National Laboratories are still testing nuclear weapons among the mountains, desert, and chaparral of the American West. High-tech machinery and warehouses stocked with supercomputer processors take data on warheads and explosions—yes, there are still explosions, which crack like rifle fire on schedule in the distance. But there are no nuclear explosions. Though … Continued
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Tech NewsNorth Korea Test-Fires Cruise Missiles Just to Heighten Everyone’s Anxiety Right Now
North Korea test-fired multiple short-range missiles early Tuesday morning, according to several reports, serving as a great reminder that there are plenty of other things that could destroy humanity beyond the coronavirus pandemic. Nuclear war between the U.S. and North Korea, by choice or by accident, is still always a possibility. The cruise missiles were … Continued
By Matt Novak -
ScienceAnimalsWhale Sharks’ Long Lifespan Revealed by Atomic Bomb Remnants
Scientists are determining the lifespan of the world’s largest fish with the help of nuclear weapons tests from the 1950s and 60s. While researchers have made a lot of progress understanding the behavioral patterns of the endangered whale shark, there are some glaring holes when it comes to basic details about this species, including how … Continued
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Tech NewsNewsU.S. Space Force Conducts Its First Nuclear-Capable Missile Test
The U.S. tested a nuclear-capable missile overnight, launching an unarmed Minuteman III from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, according to the 30th Space Wing, which is now part of the newly organized United States Space Force. The intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) was launched at 12:33 am local time (3:33 am ET) and traveled roughly … Continued
By Matt Novak -
SciencePhysicsHyper-Detailed Maps Reveal Seafloor Craters From Bikini Atoll Nuclear Tests
Seafloor mapping has revealed craters beneath the Pacific Ocean from nuclear weapons testing, scientists report. From 1946 to 1958, the United States dropped 23 atomic bombs over Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, including the famous Operation Crossroads and Castle Bravo tests. A team based at the University of Delaware used sonar to survey how … Continued
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Tech NewsFakesNo, China Did Not Secretly Detonate a Nuke in the South China Sea to Signal the Start of WWIII
The Chinese government has almost certainly not secretly detonated a tactical nuclear weapon in the South China Sea to send a warning signal to the United States, experts told Gizmodo, regardless of widespread claims to the contrary on social media. The source of this particular rumor appears to be Hal Turner, a far-right New Jersey … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech NewsPrivacy and SecurityReport: Nikki Haley Used Unclassified Email System During North Korean ICBM Crisis Because She Forgot Her Password
In July 2017, former South Carolina governor and the Trump administration’s former ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley used a government system for unclassified information to discuss North Korean rocket launches because she forgot her password to the secure one, the Daily Beast reported on Wednesday. At the time, North Korea was testing Hwasong-14 … Continued
By Tom McKay
