Cheryl Eddy

Gaze In Amazement At This Image Depicting Thousands Of Galaxies

The Coma Cluster of Galaxies is composed of thousands of galaxies (and billions of stars), just a fraction of which can be seen in this image. It was created in 2006 by the Hubble Space Telescope as part of an initiative to learn how galaxies in rich clusters form and evolve. Image via NASA/ESA/Hubble Heritage…

An Animated Short About A Hard-Fought Battle Between Light And Darkness

Short film Chronemics, by London animation studio Animade, is set in a world where robot-like stick figures who dwell in light and darkness push against each other, with surprising results. The animation is simple, the tone is cheeky, and who knew stick figures could have so much personality?

What’s it like to watch Aliens with a group of kids who are seeing it for the first time? Film critic Matt Zoller Seitz’s essay on the joys of re-watching and sharing favorite films recounts his experiences doing just that (spoiler alert: “It went over well”).

European Beavers Mate For Life; North American Beavers Prefer Free Love

European beavers mate for life, and remain faithful to their partners. North American beavers? Not so much. What’s the reason behind this discrepancy … and which of the two beaver species has the greater advantage? A new genetic study headed up by Pavel Munclinger, a professor in the Department of Zoology at Charles University in…

Learn Which Famous Authors Coined “Nerd” And “Quark” In This Fun Video

This week’s episode of Mental Floss’ List Show on YouTube, hosted by John Green, breaks down 43 words invented by authors (spoiler alert: they’re not all by Shakespeare … and a lot of them are from scifi books!)

Vintage Menu Recalls A Time When Pineapple Fruitcake Was Served In Space

Also, Cheese Cracker Cubes, Bacon Squares, “Frankfurters,” Banana Pudding, and PEACH AMBROSIA. Wonder how that tasted in spaced-out form? From the archives of the San Diego Air and Space Museum.

UPDATED: Holy Shit, This Weight Loss Supplement Has Prozac In It

The FDA just issued a warning not to use the weight-loss supplement Oxy ELITE Pro Super Thermogenic — because it contains fluoxetine, also known as Prozac. Not a drug humans should be taking unaware, and one that can cause serious side effects, including suicidal thoughts and seizures. From the report: FDA laboratory analysis confirmed that…

This Eerie Chandelier Is Controlled By A Geiger Counter

Artist Phillip Stearns’ A Chandelier For One of Many Possible Endings is a custom light fixture containing 92 elements, each connected to a Geiger counter and each representing an electron in a Uranium atom. They light up in response to radiation, creating a haunting pattern. According to the artist: Lights flash in response to the…

A New J.K. Rowling Bibliography Unearths Harry Potter Secrets

It’s not a biography, it’s a bibliography, but a new book about J.K. Rowling is so detailed the author herself calls it “slavishly thorough and somewhat mind-boggling.” The reference volume aims to be the definitive publishing history of the Harry Potter series. J.K. Rowling: A Bibliography 1997-2013 is described by publisher Bloomsbury as “the definitive…

Did you know a feminist named Lizzie Magie created Monopoly in 1904 to “to teach the world about single tax theory and the idea that land — and only land — should be taxed”? Read more about the history and evolution of the 100-year-old board game in this profile. Contact the author at [email protected].

A Ship Sails Beneath Painterly Skies In Portugal

A small ship is lit by a ray of sunshine as it sails up the Tagus river in Lisbon, Portugal on February 25. AP Photo by Francisco Seco Contact the author at [email protected].

Syfy Will Air Five Hours Of Nimoy-Centric Programming Tomorrow

Here’s the complete schedule: 9 a.m. “The Twilight Zone”: “A Quality of Mercy” 9:30 a.m. “Star Trek: The Next Generation”: “Unification: Part I” 10:30 a.m. “Star Trek: The Next Generation”: “Unification: Part 2” 11:30 a.m. “Star Trek 6: The Undiscovered Country” Via Variety. Contact the author at [email protected].

Update: Insane Power Rangers Short-Film Reboot Is Back Online!

Joseph Kahn’s excellently dark Power Rangers fan film is once again available for online viewing after a brief dispute with the franchise’s copyright holder. All it took was a disclaimer (on the NSFW Vimeo version) and an age restriction (on the “safe” YouTube version). View both here! https://gizmodo.com/holy-hell-this-power-rangers-reboot-is-dark-as-f-ck-1687689958 Update…yes, another update. The NSFW version has…

Canada’s “Spocking Fives” Phenomenon Surges In Tribute To Leonard Nimoy

Doodle-driven Canadians have been cleverly defacing their five dollar bills for years, turning the portrait of former Prime Minister Sir Wilfrid Laurier into the pop-culture figures he eerily resembles: Spock (seen here) and Harry Potter’s Severus Snape. Though the bills that so wonderfully lend themselves to this practice are on their way out of circulation…

Why The Best Place To Survive The Zombie Apocalypse Is The Rockies

Where should you flee when the inevitable zombie apocalypse pops off? A group of statistical mechanics students at Cornell University did the legwork and came up with a pretty appealing answer, since it happens to be a place we’d like to visit anyway: the Rocky Mountains. The project takes its cue from more traditional disease…

Bizarre “Werewolf” Vs. “Vampire” Murder Trial Is Currently Underway

A Southern California murder trial would be just another tragic tale of neighbor shoots neighbor, except the accused believes that he is a werewolf … and he believed his victim was a vampire, according to the testimony of a forensic psychologist. Reports the San Luis Obispo-based Tribune: The District Attorney’s Office says Mark Andrews, 51,…

Archer Hits The West Coast To Meet The In-Laws … With A Bullitt

This week, Archer meets Lana’s parents (well, technically he’s met them once before, but …) on a wild trip to Berkeley that turns into a Bullitt-inspired car chase through San Francisco. And how’s this for voice casting: Keith David and CCH Pounder as Dr. and Dr. Kane! Spoilers follow. No case this week, and no…

The Lazarus Effect Could Make Mad Science Scary Again

Mad scientists have existed since the beginning of cinema, and The Lazarus Effect has zero problem borrowing from earlier films. It also snatches crumbs from The Exorcist and Paranormal Activity, among others. But! It’s got an unusually good cast, fast pacing, and some decent frights. Minor spoilers follow. The obvious comparison here is Joel Schumacher’s…

How do you forgive a monster? A must-read for true crime enthusiasts is this in-depth profile of Kerry Rawson, who’s spent the past 10 years dealing with the psychological effects of finding out that her dad, Dennis Rader, was the notorious BTK serial killer. Contact the author at [email protected].

Newly-Discovered “Sparklemuffin” Peacock Spider Is Here To Party

Well, helllooo! Meet one of the only arachnids that we’d actually call “cute,” a newly-identified species of peacock spider dubbed “Sparklemuffin.” Another new discovery, “Skeletorus” (which is also pretty cute, with added mod-meets-goth flair), is pictured below. The petite spiders were discovered in southeast Queensland, Australia, by UC Berkeley grad student Madeline Girard, according to…