Annalee Newitz, Author at Gizmodo

The Meathook galaxy has been torn apart by a supernova

This gorgeous image of the Meathook Galaxy captures the bizarre distortion in what was once a spiral galaxy. But a recent supernova, combined with ancient encounters with other galaxies and birthing stars, has given it this strange S shape. The Meathook Galaxy is about 50 million light years away from Earth. ESO explains: The Meathook…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 4

Just for fun, let’s count all the events in last night’s episode of “The Event”

Things moved glacially in last night’s episode of The Event, and right-minded people were left yearning tragically for Simon and Sterling to – I dunno – fall in love, or get their own spinoff, or something. They are the only characters I care about! A brief semi-erotic fantasy Maybe the boring white dudes could be…

Television Annalee Newitz May 3

A tale of eco-terrorists, doomed romance, and very strange science

Apex Magazine has just published my short story about a young materials scientist who develops a very peculiar superpower: vaporizing cars. It’s called “Twilight of the Eco-Terrorist.” Here’s how the story begins: The first time I vaporized a car, it was because I was in love. I was seventeen, and Lawrence had eyes like chips…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 3

The io9 Book Club is in session! Let’s talk about Iain M. Banks’ “Surface Detail”

Welcome to the monthly meeting of the io9 Book Club. In April we read Iain M. Banks’ novel Surface Detail. Jump into comments to get started talking about it! For those unfamiliar with the io9 book club, here’s how it works: You read the book. We create a special book club post on io9 when…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz May 3

Is this the best UFO footage ever, or just some windmills, towers, and other flickery things?

This video of a UFO hovering over Lake Erie has been burning up the interwebs for months. It shows a lovely sunset over the lake, followed by a strange flickering light hovering in perfect stillness over the clouds. Could it be that aliens love the Canadian border so much that they just hang out there…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 3

How two people’s heartbeats become synchronized, even when they are far from each other

In a small Spanish town, people celebrate the summer solstice by walking over beds of hot coals. A team of scientists wondered how this fire-walking ritual could enhance group bonding, and discovered something extraordinary. Led by Danish neuroscience researcher Ivana Konvalinka, the scientists wanted to measure the excitement levels of participants, so they attached portable…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 3

The ship that came to port did not float upon the water

One does not often see a ship of such size landing on the beach. But more extraordinary than its size was the fact that it did not land at all. From its hidden decks issued a flock of mechanical beasts. Created by Romanian concept artist Adrian Baluta, these illustrations run the gamut from awe-inspiring to…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 2

10 Health Care Nightmare Stories

Scarier than a monster who wants to kill you is one who pretends to heal you, only to destroy your life in an even more insidious way. Here are ten tales of terror about doctors, hospitals, and insurance policies. 1. Harmony, by Project Itoh We recently reviewed this incredible novel by Japanese scifi legend Project…

io9 Annalee Newitz May 2

A strange calculus of souls on “Supernatural”

On last night’s Supernatural, called “Mommy Dearest,” one of the season’s big arcs came to a confusing conclusion. But whole new vistas of dark weirdness were opened up in the process. Plus, Jefferson Starship jokes! Spoilers ahead. But first, a comment on the episode structure Was it just me, or was this episode structured in…

Television Annalee Newitz Apr 30

How to remember and discover Joanna Russ

One of the twentieth century’s greatest science fiction authors, Joanna Russ, died peacefully this morning after suffering a series of strokes. Controversial, political, poetic, and full of crazy action, Russ’ work has seduced and troubled readers for decades. Like many great writers, Russ was often misunderstood and neglected in her lifetime, but as author Samuel…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz Apr 29

The End of an Era in Space Flight, and the Beginning of Another

This image from NASA shows the Space Shuttle Endeavor waiting on the launch pad last night, with lightning streaking the sky. In 48 hours (delayed from this afternoon), the final launch of the Endeavor will mark the end of the Space Shuttle program. The United States will be sending fewer people into space, but we’re…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 29

The first sign that humans are on the verge of evolving into another species

A scientist who studies the small, silver elephantfish may have stumbled on the key to speciation, the process that allows one species to evolve into two or more. And it’s all about developing new sensory perceptions. The elephantfish, like a few other creatures who live in cloudy water, communicates via weak electrical signals. Using a…

Tech News Annalee Newitz Apr 29

Ian McDonald’s “The Dervish House” to be adapted for film

Warp Films has just bought the rights to Ian McDonald’s Hugo-nominated novel The Dervish House. Though often these kinds of deals don’t lead to anything – several of Charles Stross’ novels, for example, have been optioned and never been adapted. But Warp Films executive producer Peter Carlson seems pretty serious. In a statement about the…

Movies Annalee Newitz Apr 28

Where do fossils come from?

Ana Balcarcel’s job is to carve the fossilized bones of ancient creatures out of rocks. Every day, she works with animals who haven’t seen the light of day for millions of years. Welcome to the paleontology prep lab. In this video, the second in a series of interviews io9 is doing with the scientists and…

io9 Matt Toder and Annalee Newitz Apr 28

The astonishing weirdness of ferromagnetism

What you’re seeing in this beautiful short video are particles from a printer toner cartridge floating in water. The strange patterns come from the little flakes responding to magnets. This film was created by Kim Pimmel, who describes it like this: Ferrous printer toner particles floating on the surface of water are attracted by a…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 27

William Shakespeare brings you . . . Terminator the Second

Nothing could be better than a reboot of Terminator 2, written in the Elizabethan English that Shakespeare spoke. You know you want to see it. This summer, with your help, a theater company will stage Terminator the Second. The project is the brainchild of Husky Jackal, a theater company in Nashville, Tennessee, full of people…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 27

Part of your brain might be asleep right now

When you’re really tired, your brain deals with the problem by putting parts of itself to sleep. Scientists say partially-asleep brains could explain everything from sleepwalking and talking, to why you make so many mistakes when you’re exhausted. University of Wisconsin neuroscientist Giulio Tononi and his colleagues already knew that sleep deprivation causes people to…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 27

A city for your thoughts

When the old cities had crumbled into nonsense stones, the grand avenues and statuaries were fertilizer for a thousand generations’ farms. Until the great rains unburied the past, piece by piece. Ruin palaces were suddenly all the rage. Castles were built upon the collapsed, tile roofs of the ancient world, and rich little towns sprouted…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 27

On The Event, the US government is in danger – and things finally get interesting

I spend a lot of time griping about The Event because I know it could be an awesome show with just a few tweaks. Last night, we got a glimpse of how cool the series could be. Spoilers! Chaos in the Cabinet How cool was it that Sophia’s scheme to kill off the President actually…

Television Annalee Newitz Apr 26

Scientific experiments that have lasted a century or more

Over at Atlas Obscura, the editors have gathered together an incredible list of the longest-running scientific experiments in history. But we were most intrigued by two mechanical experiments that started during the nineteenth century and never stopped. The first is the ultimate steampunk fetish – a clock that has been running continuously since 1864, without…

io9 Annalee Newitz Apr 26

Annalee Newitz

The Meathook galaxy has been torn apart by a supernova

Just for fun, let’s count all the events in last night’s episode of “The Event”

A tale of eco-terrorists, doomed romance, and very strange science

The io9 Book Club is in session! Let’s talk about Iain M. Banks’ “Surface Detail”

Is this the best UFO footage ever, or just some windmills, towers, and other flickery things?

How two people’s heartbeats become synchronized, even when they are far from each other

The ship that came to port did not float upon the water

10 Health Care Nightmare Stories

A strange calculus of souls on “Supernatural”

How to remember and discover Joanna Russ

The End of an Era in Space Flight, and the Beginning of Another

The first sign that humans are on the verge of evolving into another species

Ian McDonald’s “The Dervish House” to be adapted for film

Where do fossils come from?

The astonishing weirdness of ferromagnetism

William Shakespeare brings you . . . Terminator the Second

Part of your brain might be asleep right now

A city for your thoughts

On The Event, the US government is in danger – and things finally get interesting

Scientific experiments that have lasted a century or more

All Hell Breaks Loose in a Tease of the End of ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 2

Artemis 2 Day 6: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

NASA Administrator Says Odds of Finding Alien Life Are ‘Pretty High’

The ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ Movie Did Rosalina Dirty

Wisconsin Remains a Gooning Sanctuary State After Governor Rejects Age Verification Bill

The Artemis 2 Astronauts Are Now Farther From Earth Than Any Have Gone Before

The Imperial Credits From the ‘Andor’ Aldhani Heist Are Up for Auction, Which We’re Sure Is Not a Commentary on Capitalism at All

Check Your Medicine Cabinet for These Eye Drop Bottles After Millions Recalled

Artemis 2 Astronauts’ Epic iPhone Photos Are All… Selfies?

OpenAI Releases Its Vague Vision for Reorganizing Society Around Superintelligence

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound