Esther Inglis-Arkell, Author at Gizmodo

10 Self-Confessed Sins of Isaac Newton

Isaac Newton, as well as being a brilliant mind that split the difference between advancing and inventing physics as we know it, was very religious. When he was in his first year at Cambridge, he kept a debtor’s ledger of the sins that he’d committed as a child. Read about the most shameful acts and…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 16

The drinking straw pump

This morning, we formally invite you to pump the orange juice out of your glass or the milk out of your cereal bowl with a pump made from a stick and a straw. Then spend the rest of the morning cleaning it up while whoever else eats breakfast near you glares at you reproachfully. Entertain…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 16

Ant uses chemicals to bind its own corpse to an attacker

Anyone with a lick of sense knows that you don’t go up against ants in a fight, especially if they’re Camponotus cylindricus. Try anything, and they’ll explode themselves and decorate your body with their corpses. Camponotus cylindricus is a red-brown ant that crawls around the Borneo forests, making life miserable for any creature that attempts…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 15

Did Galileo get in trouble for being right, or for being a jerk about it?

Galileo was facing some stiff odds when he published his Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief Systems of the World. He’d already been officially warned against heliocentrism, and he had enemies. But it’s possible, just possible, that he would have squeaked by if he hadn’t been a jerk to the Pope. The feud between Galileo and…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 15

The Milky Way’s arms are splayed in response to a ‘punch’ from another galaxy

A nearby dwarf galaxy, Sagittarius, has delivered two “punches” to our Milky Way galaxy. These impacts are what gave the Milky Way its spiraling arms. And we may take another hit soon. At 10,000 light years across, Sagittarius is a small galaxy just a tenth the size of the Milky Way. It’s also not very…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 15

The “unmeltable” weapon that could have changed the course of World War II

At some point during World War II, loony solutions to practical problems really started to shine. There were pigeon-guided missiles, shark repellent, and giant aircraft carriers made of ice. Well, almost. The ice aircraft carrier was a legitimate plan in World War II, mostly because military intelligence discovered Pykrete, the substance that melts so slowly…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 14

Is the five second rule too strict?

Are you questioning the five second rule for how long food can stay on the floor before it’s inedible? Well, don’t. That’s disgusting. But the important thing is that science has put the rule to the test! Find out just how gross you’ve been, over the years, and how much it matters. Plenty of people…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 13

Why you’re more likely to die from a meteor strike than a lightning strike

It seems that the best way to predict future behavior is to look at past behavior. But if you had the chance to bet on which is more likely to kill you, lightning or a meteor — then, believe it or not, you should choose the meteor, even though no meteor has ever killed any…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 12

What’s the largest math proof in human history?

The longest math proof in the world has just been completed. It began in the 1970s and was worked on by 100 mathematicians. Take a look at the math equivalent of endurance running. The Rolf Schock Award in Mathematics will go to Michael Aschbacher for helping figure out the longest proof ever made by mathematicians.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 10

How to turn a pretty flower into one of the most addictive drugs in the world

This is, for obvious reasons, not suitable to try at home. Nor possible, since no technique is described in detail. But should you want to add accuracy to your next steampunk story, or entertain/terrify any guests in your garden, allow me to explain just how heroin is made from poppies. Despite what you may have…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 9

10 of the Craziest Things That You Never Knew About Quarantines

If you’re worried about catching a super-virus, you can always be extra careful about washing your hands. But sometimes that’s not enough. Sometimes you just need to get all those sick people away from you. This idea has fueled many successful — and unsuccessful — quarantines over the years. Here are the strangest, sickest, and…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 9

What will go on in “The Center”?

A new town is being built in New Mexico. It will have no people, no government, and no workers. Supposedly it’s there to test out environmental technologies, but truly, it is there to provide a rich ground for future conspiracy theories. Welcome to The Center. A Washington DC company, Pegasus-Global Holdings, is probably looking to…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 9

Every crazy CIA plot you’ve heard of originated with one man

There are stories that have come to light, over the years, that make the Central Intelligence Agency look like a collection of Looney Tunes shorts. The violence, the slapstick, and the over-the-top ridiculousness of the experiments that have been conducted over the years boggle the mind. They came from the (slightly-boggled) mind of one man:…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 8

How to make a tank look like a cow in infrared

This infrared paneling can make a tank look like an SUV, provided it’s night and you’re looking through infrared goggles. Find out how the army might upholster tanks to make them whatever shape they need. In general, it’s tough to move tanks around. They take a lot of fuel, they require the right terrain, and…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 8

See microscopic animals with a laser pointer

A simple laser pointer can help you see the tiny bugs that crawl around in liquid all the time. Will this make you appreciate the simple ways to see the richness of life? Or will you bleach everything you come in contact with? Try it and see! A laser doesn’t have to be powerful to…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 8

Electro-bugs have appendages that zap the uranium out of water

The bacteria known as Geobacter sulfurreducens, when exposed to uranium, pretty much just die. But under certain conditions, they can grow appendages that can literally make uranium drop out of water like a stone. Scientists have found a way to get them to grow the right way, and may even be able to recreate them…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 7

The molecule “arsole” is named for exactly what you imagine it is

Science yields many rewards. There’s the awed hush at nerd cocktail parties when you mention what you do, the sweet smell of urea in the morning, and the ability to name, or nickname, the things that you discover. Plenty of people name things after themselves. Some name them after their personal heroes, or their nations.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 6

A rainbow cloud shimmers over Ethiopia

Here’s a rare look at a rainbow over the skies of Ethiopia. Find out how this cloud — known as a “pileus cloud” — brightens the atmosphere. Pileus clouds are formed over the towers of cumulus clouds. The cumulus clouds puff up through convection, or the upwards motion of moist air in one section. The…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 3

This is how a picture looks after going through the newly discovered “phase discontinuity”

For centuries the rules of optics were simple; light makes a single bend when it moves from one medium to another. Those rules have now changed, and the result is a flat funhouse mirror of phase discontinuity. Light moves in a straight line, and at a certain speed, through a regular medium. Depending on the…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 2

10 Real Life “Memoirs” That Read Like Scifi and Fantasy Stories

There are people in the world with life-stories that defy human imagination and expand our idea of what the human experience is like. And there are some people whose stories cross out of reality and into what reads a lot like a science fiction or fantasy epic. Take a look at the most fantastical tales…

Books & Comics Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 2

Esther Inglis-Arkell

10 Self-Confessed Sins of Isaac Newton

The drinking straw pump

Ant uses chemicals to bind its own corpse to an attacker

Did Galileo get in trouble for being right, or for being a jerk about it?

The Milky Way’s arms are splayed in response to a ‘punch’ from another galaxy

The “unmeltable” weapon that could have changed the course of World War II

Is the five second rule too strict?

Why you’re more likely to die from a meteor strike than a lightning strike

What’s the largest math proof in human history?

How to turn a pretty flower into one of the most addictive drugs in the world

10 of the Craziest Things That You Never Knew About Quarantines

What will go on in “The Center”?

Every crazy CIA plot you’ve heard of originated with one man

How to make a tank look like a cow in infrared

See microscopic animals with a laser pointer

Electro-bugs have appendages that zap the uranium out of water

The molecule “arsole” is named for exactly what you imagine it is

A rainbow cloud shimmers over Ethiopia

This is how a picture looks after going through the newly discovered “phase discontinuity”

10 Real Life “Memoirs” That Read Like Scifi and Fantasy Stories

Ryan Coogler Is Shifting ‘Animorphs’ Into a Disney+ Show

No Fooling, ‘Spaceballs 2’ Will Hit Theaters April 2027

I Regret to Inform You That the Artemis II Astronauts Are Having Lots of Screen Time

The First ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ Reactions Are Most Solid

‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Season 3 Is Doing What You Hoped

Wearables Are Getting Very Messy

Trump Wants to Start Privatizing TSA in Latest Budget Proposal

Lost Warship From Battle of Copenhagen Found After 225 Years

These One-of-a-Kind Objects Are in the Wrong Museums

Two Songs We Really Wish Were the Anime Outros for ‘Steel Ball Run’

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

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life