Cheryl Eddy

The CIA Once Ran Brothels And Dosed Unsuspecting Customers With LSD

For ten years during the Cold War, the CIA conducted mind-control experiments on unsuspecting San Franciscans. Dubbed Operation Midnight Climax, the program was packed with salacious details: a power-mad narcotics agent, a brothel equipped with two-way mirrors, and gallons of LSD. Top image: Surian Soosay/Flickr Operation Midnight Climax was one of a few operations involving…

Health Benefits Of Diet And Exercise May Be Chemically/Lazily Obtainable

Everybody knows the human immune system will respond enthusiastically to exercise and healthy eating. But is there a way to get those benefits, which include enhancing our bodies’ abilities to suppress certain kinds of inflammation, without, y’know, sweating or starving? Maybe. Hopefully. New Scientist reports: Exercising hard or not eating for a while can alter…

The Surprising, Depressing Reason Why City-Dwelling Robins Sing At Night

Robins aren’t naturally nocturnal. But lately, in urban areas, they’ve been staying up all night singing. Some research has suggested it’s due to the fact that cities are so damn loud. But a new study has given weight to another cause: cities are so damn bright, the birds believe it’s daytime all the time. And…

Jemaine Clement Explains Why Vampires Are Way Funnier Than You Realize

We’ve seen a lot of vampires, and vampire comedy, lately. But Jemaine Clement (Flight of the Conchords) and Taika Waititi (Eagle vs. Shark) tap a whole new vein of humor in their hilarious mockumentary What We Do In The Shadows. We talked to Clement and Waititi about making vampires funny again. io9: What We Do…

Live Like A Tasteful, Stylish Outlaw In Billy The Kid’s Historic Hideout

Wild West buffs, aspiring outlaws, and diehard Young Guns fans with $545,000 and the urge to live in Lincoln, New Mexico now have the chance to snap up a home that was once used as a hideout by Billy the Kid. From the real estate listing: Built in 1878 and nestled in the scenic Bonito…

We’re Salivating Over These Italian Cannibal Classics On VHS

Attention, fellow sickos! Here’s an excellent reason to break out that VCR you still have lurking by the TV: Cult Movie Mania and Grindhouse Releasing are joining forces to release VHS versions of Cannibal Holocaust, Cannibal Ferox, and other gory classics. According to the press release, the two Cannibal films will be the first to…

New Found-Footage Horror Film Spotlights Site Of “The British Roswell”

America has Roswell; England has Rendlesham Forest — where aliens maybe paid a visit to US military personnel stationed there in 1980. A new film, The Rendlesham UFO Incident, depicts a documentary crew that encounters eerie activity while poking around the same area. Rendlesham doesn’t sound like a typical found-footage horror flick, however; for one…

How Does The Scoville Scale Measure The Exact Hotness Of A Pepper?

The hottest chili ever measured rates a whopping 1,569,300 Scoville Heat Units, but what exactly does that mean? Where does the Scoville Scale come from? What exactly does it measure? And how do we end up with such a precise number to describe the heat sensation a pepper can produce? First, it’s necessary to make…

Crows Are Even Smarter Than We Thought Possible 

We know that crows understand causality, the relationship between cause and effect. We also know they have mad tool skills. Now, a new research collaboration between Moscow State University and the University of Iowa suggests that crows are also capable of analogical thinking, a realm of reasoning thought only available to primates. https://gizmodo.com/crows-understand-a-fundamental-part-of-logical-reasonin-1553222215 Scientific American…

The Webb Telescope’s “Golden Spider” Is Giant And Gorgeous

Behold, the GIANT GOLDEN SPIDER! Ok, this shiny marvel is actually a 2012 look at the James Webb Space Telescope under construction at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center: The golden-colored thermal blankets are made of aluminized kapton, a polymer film that remains stable over a wide range of temperatures. The structure that looks like a…

The Powerball lottery jackpot soared over $500 million last week, leading bright and broke minds everywhere to wonder if math could be deployed to get ahold of some of that cheddar. Here’s a handy, graphics-heavy strategy guide … and hey, invite us to your mansion party when you win, won’t ya?

A Monstrous Problem Complicates A Sweet Italian Romance In Spring

Indie horror filmmakers Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead had the buzziest segment in last year’s V/H/S: Viral (skaters vs. skeletons brawl “Bonestorm“). Next up: monster romance Spring, about an American drifter who meets the woman of his dreams … or nightmares? … while backpacking through Italy. The filmmakers, whose previous feature was 2012’s Resolution, told…

Here Are Some Wild Ponies, Just Chillin’ On The Moor

This peaceful shot of a group of endangered Exmoor ponies comes courtesy of British Flickr user Tom Lee. The photographer reports: These beauties were on MOD [Ministry of Defence] land at Pippingford (I was on the public side of the fence). The light was so good and benign I had to take my camera. We…

If you’ve noticed the amount of science news in your Facebook feed is on the uptick, here’s one reason why: in a survey of nearly 4,000 scientists, 87 percent agreed that “participation in policy debates and engagement with citizens and journalists is necessary to further their work and careers.” The study also found that “a…

An Insider’s Look At Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes’ Remarkable VFX

We’re miffed that Andy Serkis didn’t get any big nominations for his turn in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. And now, after watching this new behind-the-scenes Weta Digital video depicting the on-set motion capture work by the “ape” cast, we’re miffed on behalf of all the other actors, too. That said, Dawn’s visual…

A Stunning Shot Of Today’s Sunset In Adelaide, Australia

Flickr user Mertie captured this remarkable shot of the evening sky over Adelaide, Australia today. The photographer reports: Spectacular summer evening sky in Adelaide. Adelaide had a top of 38.6 at 2pm and by 8pm it had cooled to 25.0. That’s a high of nearly 102 Fahrenheit, to taunt all the winter-bound folks in the…

Artist Dreams Up Studio Ghibli Theme Park We Wish Could Be Real

Important! There’s a Catbus monorail. Yes. Reports Architizer: Graphic artist Takumi has drawn up an incredibly detailed plan for a theme park based on the much-loved Japanese animation empire, Studio Ghibli. For accommodation, you can kick back and relax in Hotel Adriano — featured in Porco Rosso — or the Aburaya Bathhouse, the architectural centerpiece…

Marvel At The Sparkling, Spiraling Majesty Of The M100 Galaxy

Messier 100, or M100, is a grand design spiral galaxy that contains over 100 billion stars. This Hubble Space Telescope image was made in 2009, but there’s even more history here; look carefully for the “small spot that is a light echo from a bright supernova that was recorded years before the image was taken.”…

Even Valentine’s Day Haters Won’t Be Able To Resist These Sea Creatures

Behold, as otters and penguins at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium enjoy their custom-frozen V-Day treats. And the good people at Shedd filmed it, so that even the darkest hearts could find a reason to melt juuuuust a little on this most polarizing of holidays. Via Laughing Squid.

The Secrets Of Keeping Your Relationship Fresh, According To Science

Is there science behind keeping the spark alive in long-term relationships? A psychology researcher from the University of British Columbia says yes … and she’s got tips on how to keep love alive once the initial lust and sparkle dust starts to fade. First, UBC’s Heather Morton gives some background on her research: Many non-human…