Annalee Newitz, Author at Gizmodo

Live Like A Supervillain In This Subterranean 5-Star Hotel

A former golf course in Surrey, London is about to be transformed into the perfect secret lair, seen here. Architecture firm ReardonSmith proposes to sink a 200-room hotel under the green, and convert its former parking lots into lush forests. The project is just getting underway, and the designers enthuse that it combines luxury with…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 23

Chimps Demonstrate Sophisticated Understanding Of Fire

The line between human and monkey has been crossed again – this time by chimps. Based on new research, scientists say chimps understand how fire will behave, and move to avoid it “expertly” in the wild. Primatologist Jill Pruetz from Iowa State University in Ames was studying chimps in Senegal, on the savannahs. It was…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 23

First Clear Look At One Of The Galaxy’s Greatest Mysteries

The ESA’s Herschel satellite has instruments aboard that created this never-before-seen image of a star factory inside a dust-shrouded, mysterious region of the galaxy called “Gould’s Belt.” It’s a vast ring of young stars that encircles our solar system. Nobody is really sure what created Gould’s Belt, but many researchers speculate that there was some…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 23

The Stately Ruins Of A Methodist Church: Gary, Indiana, USA

This is the ruined interior of a Methodist Church and community meeting house in Gary, Indiana, after many years of abandonment and neglect. A fascinating series of photographs shows a classic American town being reclaimed by nature. These were taken by photographer David Tribby, who has a sharp eye for images that turn decay into…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 19

What Did You Think Of Avatar?

By now a lot of you have seen Avatar – so what did you think? Did it live up to the hype? Were the blue people sexy? Did you like the 3D? Join the conversation in io9’s open forum, called the Observation Deck. Or just comment right here!

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 19

What Is That Giant Pyramid Hovering Over The Kremlin?

Failed Russian missiles may have caused the infamous Norway spiral last week, but so far there are no explanations for this crazy-looking pyramid UFO hovering over the Kremlin. Perhaps this is a new Russian superweapon that actually works? https://gizmodo.com/mysterious-light-spiral-appears-over-norway-5422610

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 18

When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like “Avatar”?

Critics have called alien epic Avatar a version of Dances With Wolves because it’s about a white guy going native and becoming a great leader. But Avatar is just the latest scifi rehash of an old white guilt fantasy. Spoilers… Whether Avatar is racist is a matter for debate. Regardless of where you come down…

Movies Annalee Newitz Dec 18

Want To Rent Jane Wiedlin’s Scifi Loft In Los Angeles?

Check out this cute video of pop rocker Jane Wiedlin giving a tour of her scifi-themed LA loft, which is currently for rent. Yes, you could live in a loft with wallpaper from Barbarella and a transporter shower! (Thanks, Bonnie!)

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 18

Half Of The Decade’s Top Selling Books Were Science Fiction and Fantasy

The 00s were all about scifi and fantasy at the movies, with blockbuster flicks featuring giant robots and pubescent wizards. And the craze for fantastical worlds shaped bestseller lists too. Five of the decade’s biggest books were fantasy or scifi. According to About.com, which compiles a weekly bestseller list based on combining data from major…

Books & Comics Annalee Newitz Dec 18

The Inexplicable Adventures Of “Zombie vs. Ninja”

So schlockmeister Godfrey Ho got these white guys together, tied scarves on their heads that say “ninja,” and made them exchange scintillating dialog after fighting with swords. And it only gets better in Zombie vs. Ninja. The tender tale of a guy who becomes a ninja after being apprenticed to a funeral director (???), the…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 17

Live In An Underground Hobbit Bunker

We’ve all wanted to live in a hobbit dwelling, with those beautiful round doors leading into a grassy hill. Now a Swiss family has recreated the Shire. They’ve built an underground house in the Vals region, packed with hobbit style. The house is actually made of concrete, so it mixes the concrete aesthetic of bunker…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 17

Discovery of 4.4-Million-Year-Old Hominid “Ardi” Is Greatest Scientific Breakthrough of 2009

Venerable journal Science has announced its top breakthroughs of 2009, and topping the list is a breakthrough in evolutionary biology. It’s the discovery of Ardipithecus ramidus, a 4.4-million-year-old hominid skeleton that reveals how homo sapiens’ ancient ancestors looked and lived. According to Science editor Bruce Alberts: [The Ardipithecus research] changes the way we think about…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 17

Korean Pig Monster Movie “Chaw” Goes Splatstick

If you’ve been drooling over the new Korean monster film Chaw, about a giant, bloodthirsty pig who eats people, we’ve got a treat for you. A new trailer shows off the movie’s deeply goofy side. Plus, glimpses of the monster! This trailer is a lot wackier than one we saw earlier this year (also in…

Movies Annalee Newitz Dec 17

“Super Earth” Discovered Orbiting A Red Dwarf Star

Just 13 parsecs away, a planet astronomers are calling a “super Earth” is orbiting a dwarf star. Its radius is over twice that of Earth, and there’s something very surprising in its core. Known by the designation GJ1214b, this planet is, according to a paper published yesterday in Nature, one of just two super Earths…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 17

Why Do Westerners Fetishize Japan’s Futuristic Weirdness?

Since the late 1970s, a key idea in Western science fiction has been that Japan represents the future. Japan’s "weird" culture is a figure for an incomprehensible tomorrow. But commentator Lisa Katayama says this idea reveals common misconceptions about Japan. io9 pal Katayama writes the popular Tokyomango blog and has recently published a series of…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 16

We Can Replace Your Blood Cells With Synthetics

A few years from now, your blood transfusion may contain synthetic blood cells (pictured) almost indistinguishable from the real thing. Except in one important way: These synth-cells can be stuffed with drugs for special delivery via your circulatory system. A team of California researchers discovered that they could create blood cells by layering hemoglobin and…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 16

Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For “Inglourious Basterds” DVD

If you saw Inglourious Basterds in theaters, you may have missed a lot of the sly references in this weird alternate history of World War II. The DVD is packed with cool trivia, plus a very strange interview with Tarantino. For those who haven’t seen it yet, Inglourious Basterds is Quentin Tarantino‘s alternate history of…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 16

India Will Be Most Populous Country in the World in 2025

What will the global population look like in 15 years? The US Census Bureau released a study yesterday that suggests China’s vast population will peak in 6 years, and India’s population will surpass its size within 15 years. According to the New York Times: [The] projected peak in China, 1.4 billion people, will be lower…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 16

A Map Of The Cathedral Galaxy, Including Ancient Alien Artifacts

Aerospace engineer Joseph Shoer whipped up this cool map of a galactic civilization in his spare time, when he wasn’t researching designs for real-life spacecraft. Not only is this galaxy thoroughly mapped, but it’s also got an ultrafast transportation system. Shoer writes: With the advent of superluminal travel, each species soon discovered the network of…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 16

Footsoldiers In The Gilded Insect Cyborg Army

Surveillance drones don’t have to be ugly or camouflaged. Hiding in plain sight is often the best way to get secret information, and that’s why this gilded insect and its brethren look like gorgeous pins and necklaces. OK, I admit it: These really are pieces of jewelry, created by twentieth century American artist John Paul…

io9 Annalee Newitz Dec 12

Annalee Newitz

Live Like A Supervillain In This Subterranean 5-Star Hotel

Chimps Demonstrate Sophisticated Understanding Of Fire

First Clear Look At One Of The Galaxy’s Greatest Mysteries

The Stately Ruins Of A Methodist Church: Gary, Indiana, USA

What Did You Think Of Avatar?

What Is That Giant Pyramid Hovering Over The Kremlin?

When Will White People Stop Making Movies Like “Avatar”?

Want To Rent Jane Wiedlin’s Scifi Loft In Los Angeles?

Half Of The Decade’s Top Selling Books Were Science Fiction and Fantasy

The Inexplicable Adventures Of “Zombie vs. Ninja”

Live In An Underground Hobbit Bunker

Discovery of 4.4-Million-Year-Old Hominid “Ardi” Is Greatest Scientific Breakthrough of 2009

Korean Pig Monster Movie “Chaw” Goes Splatstick

“Super Earth” Discovered Orbiting A Red Dwarf Star

Why Do Westerners Fetishize Japan’s Futuristic Weirdness?

We Can Replace Your Blood Cells With Synthetics

Tarantino Explores His Alternate World War II For “Inglourious Basterds” DVD

India Will Be Most Populous Country in the World in 2025

A Map Of The Cathedral Galaxy, Including Ancient Alien Artifacts

Footsoldiers In The Gilded Insect Cyborg Army

HP Laptop With Microsoft 365 Hits Record Low After Multiple Price Cuts, Now Cheaper Than A16 iPad

Artemis 2 Day 9: Follow the Mission With Our Live Updates 🔴

How the Hands Behind Rocky Got Hired for ‘Project Hail Mary’

Google Quietly Drops Nest Cam (2nd Gen) to All-Time Low on Amazon, Turning It Into a Budget Home Security Pick

Galaxy S26 Ultra Now Available for $480 as Samsung Expands Trade-In Offers With Extra Savings on Buds4 Pro

‘The ‘American Horror Story’ Reunion Could Be a Sequel to ‘Coven’

One of the Messiest Loose Ends from NFT Mania Has Finally Been Tied Up

The OpenAI Foundation’s New Alzheimer’s Effort Helps Demystify ‘AI Will Cure All Diseases’

The Nazis’ Most Notoriously Complex Cryptographic Machine Is Now Available Online

‘Good Omens’ Season 3 Is Still Just One Episode, Despite Being Called That

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

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

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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