Esther Inglis-Arkell, Author at Gizmodo

Grapes Are Magnetic, And Here’s Proof

It’s true! We’ll explain how and why grapes can be shoved around with a magnet — at least under the right circumstances — and why the phenomenon behind it is helping physicists levitate things. Top image from the YouTube video “Magnetic Grapes” by Mark Lorch. Grapes and Rare Earth Magnets Here’s a quick, easy experiment.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Jesus Might Not Have Been Judas’ Only Victim

Exactly how much the Bible intersects with history has been a matter of debate for a long, long time — and it’s a thorny subject, with no easy answers. But still, looking at the intersection can make things very interesting. For example, Judas Iscariot might have been a member of an order of assassins. The…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Scientists Find Out Why Your Granny Was Right About the Common Cold

Scientists used to think that temperature had nothing to do with how well our body fought off a rhinovirus like the common cold. Then they found out that they were wrong. And now they’ve found out why they were wrong. For a long time, everyone agreed with your grandmother – if your nose got cold,…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Physics Can’t Explain Why You Spill Your Tea

If you spend your mornings sourly contemplating the tea you spill on your counter – no matter how carefully you pour – you’re not alone. Nearly everyone spills a few drops. And despite talented physicists trying to figure it out, no one knows why. Some problems never get solved because they’re difficult. Some never get…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Japanese Macaques Fight Like B-Movie Villains

We’ve seen it a thousand times. An honest cop comes home from the job, and sees something is amiss. He runs to his wife’s room and — no! Not Linda! Not his family! It’s a plot so simple a monkey could have thought of it. And, as it turns out, a monkey did. Japanese macaques…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Why You Hear Things When Someone Grabs Your Mouth

At Yale University there is a robot that can make you hear what it wants you to hear. It does so by grabbing the corners of your mouth with string. But it’s not the threat of pain that messes up your ears. It’s the “head-had” effect. A lot of factors influence what we hear. Only…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

What’s the Correct Way to Bang Nuts Together?

I’ve heard references to “conkers” and “playing conkers” but never known what they were. It turns out, they’re chestnuts. And one plays them by banging them together. And according to this video, one can cheat at it. But no one seems to know how. I can’t say that playing conkers is stupid. I take such…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

The Dark and Twisted History of the Children’s Friend Society

The Children’s Friend Society is among the most misleadingly-named charities in history. Supported by wealthy Londoners in the 1800s, the group promised to “do something” about the appalling abundance of vagrant children in England. And they did do something: the children disappeared. What came next was horrifying. The Vagrant Child Problem In 1830, Captain Edward…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Here’s Why the “Good Cop, Bad Cop” Routine Actually Works

You know the routine. A tough cop berates and browbeats a suspect until his partner sends him out. The partner is reassuring, and the suspect spills his guts. But does it work? Scientists did a few rather odd experiments to find out. Fear-Then-Relief Response The Good Cop, Bad Cop routine is supposed to work, but…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Canadian Iciclologists Show You How to Make Perfect Water Icicles

What’s the difference between icicles made with distilled water and icicles made with tap water? A team of scientists from the University of Toronto spun freezing water like a record, to see how it plays out. The icicle in the video above is not spinning just because it looks cool. (Although we can all agree…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Early Immigrants Had to Pass This Intelligence Test to Enter America

In the early 1900s those yearning to breathe free had a few hurdles to get over once they came to America. One of them was an intelligence test. Here’s one of the earliest citizenship tests designed for non-English-speaking people. People landing at Ellis Island in the early twentieth century were not given the warmest welcome.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

The 10 Most Insignificant Wars in History

Some people see war as a glorious and terrible struggle over important issues. Some see it as a bloody breakdown of rationality. But everyone saw these ten wars as huge wastes of time. Learn about tantrums over pork, and battles that were over after a single shot. 10. The Dual Occupation of San Juan Island…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

You Could Have This Inside You And Not Know It

What the hell is that? (Besides a good example of a throckmorton sign.) The object the arrow is pointing at was first discovered by doctors in 1974. It has been subsequently discovered by a few very surprised patients. That right there is a “pelvic digit.” It’s not a growth, or a bone spur. Most doctors…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Watch Lord Kelvin’s Thunderstorm Create Electricity With Falling Water

Here’s a slick new video that showcases a very old concept. In 1867, Lord Kelvin found a way to generate sparks (and a surprisingly high voltage) using twin showers of water. This video will show you why it works — as well as why it doesn’t work quite well enough. The folks at Veritasium have…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Help Me Coin a New Word

The word for “one” in Burmese is “tit.” The word for “eight” is “shitt.” This exemplifies a concept that doesn’t have a name yet – but it should. I was having lunch with my family the other day and there was a lull in the conversation. When we remarked on it, my father broke in.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

How “The Crab” Became A Unit Of Measurement And Why It Might Disappear

Ever heard of the Crab? No, not that one. And no, not that one, either. The Crab is a unit of measurement used by astronomers. Most space-based telescopes rely on it! But it might be going out of style. It’s all thanks to the Crab Nebula, one of the brightest things in the sky (well,…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

How To Use Psychological Torment For Self-Improvement And Profit

This post isn’t as evil as it sounds because it’s yourself you’ll be tormenting. The method you will use is counterfactual thinking. If you use it right, you can wring money from the gullible and improve all kinds of things about yourself… just not necessarily in that order. Poetry, Psychology, and Counterfactuals When poet John…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

The Healing Power Of Antimatter

Antimatter is treated like an exotic substance, fraught with danger, which can only be harnessed in the future to send star ships to warp speed. However, this isn’t true. We use antimatter right now, and we use it in hospitals. Learn how PET scans use positrons to help you. Antimatter Ideas and Antimatter Reality Antimatter…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

You Can Get A Pox From Seals

This cute little guy is just waiting to infect you. In the late 1960s, scientists realized that seals had a virus that they could share back and forth with other pinnipeds. Over 30 years later, scientists have confirmed that it can be given to humans. Sealpox isn’t as bad as it sounds. Although it shares…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

What This Bond Villain Can Teach You About Extra Nipples

In The Man with the Golden Gun, Francisco Scaramanga is a typical Bond villain, flamboyant and menacing, with a supposedly unusual feature — a third nipple. But it’s actually not that unique an identifier. One in 18 men have third nipples, while one in 50 women have them — and many people may have more…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Esther Inglis-Arkell

Grapes Are Magnetic, And Here’s Proof

Jesus Might Not Have Been Judas’ Only Victim

Scientists Find Out Why Your Granny Was Right About the Common Cold

Physics Can’t Explain Why You Spill Your Tea

Japanese Macaques Fight Like B-Movie Villains

Why You Hear Things When Someone Grabs Your Mouth

What’s the Correct Way to Bang Nuts Together?

The Dark and Twisted History of the Children’s Friend Society

Here’s Why the “Good Cop, Bad Cop” Routine Actually Works

Canadian Iciclologists Show You How to Make Perfect Water Icicles

Early Immigrants Had to Pass This Intelligence Test to Enter America

The 10 Most Insignificant Wars in History

You Could Have This Inside You And Not Know It

Watch Lord Kelvin’s Thunderstorm Create Electricity With Falling Water

Help Me Coin a New Word

How “The Crab” Became A Unit Of Measurement And Why It Might Disappear

How To Use Psychological Torment For Self-Improvement And Profit

The Healing Power Of Antimatter

You Can Get A Pox From Seals

What This Bond Villain Can Teach You About Extra Nipples

Getting Stuck Inside a Glitching Robotaxi Is a Whole New Thing to Be Scared of

Artemis 2 Live Updates: Humanity’s Epic Return to the Moon 🔴

NASA’s Artemis 2 Mission Blasts Off

Disney’s Robot Olaf Dying Is the Funniest Thing to Happen in 2026

Kia’s EV3 Is Headed to the US This Year With Up to 320 Miles of Range

This Is the Way to Lego’s April Releases

Group Pushing Age Verification Requirements for AI Turns Out to Be Sneakily Backed by OpenAI

Amazon Facilities in Bahrain Hit Again as Iran Follows Through on Threat, Report Says

Why the PS6 Handheld Will Matter More Than the PS6

DNA Study Casts Even More Doubt on Shroud of Turin’s True Origin

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

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?