George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Before Our Species Left Africa, Now-Extinct Humans Made These Fancy Tools in India

Archaeologists have discovered sophisticated stone tools in India dating back some 385,000 years. That’s all sorts of incredible, because Homo sapiens like you and me didn’t leave Africa until about 175,000 years ago. The discovery is resetting what we know about so-called “archaic” humans and the dramatic extent to which they spread out from Africa…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Jack the Ripper Letters Were Fake News, Linguistic Analysis Suggests

Following the brutal Whitechapel murders of 1888, London police and media outlets were deluged with letters claiming to have been written by Jack the Ripper. While discerning the authorship of these messages, a researcher from the University of Manchester has concluded that two of the earliest letters were written by the same person—a discovery which…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Man Carrying Oxygen Tank Dies After Being Sucked Into MRI Machine

MRI machines use a powerful magnetic field to produce internal images of the human body. The magnetic fields are so powerful that hospitals take great care to ensure no iron-containing metals come near the machines while they are in use. In rare cases, however, mistakes happen. This past weekend, an Indian man visiting a sick…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Remarkable Image Captures Surface Details of a Dying Star Located 530 Light-Years Away

By combining the power of four telescopes, an international team of astronomers has captured the most detailed image yet of a distant star—an observation that’s meshing well with pre-existing theories about the physical characteristics of giant stars. This star, first catalogued back in 1756, has the curious name of π1 Gruis, or Pi1 Gruis. The…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Artificial Intelligence May Have Cracked Freaky 600-Year-Old Manuscript

Since its discovery over a hundred years ago, the 240-page Voynich manuscript, filled with seemingly coded language and inscrutable illustrations, has confounded linguists and cryptographers. Using artificial intelligence, Canadian researchers have taken a huge step forward in unraveling the document’s hidden meaning. Named after Wilfrid Voynich, the Polish book dealer who procured the manuscript in…

Artificial Intelligence George Dvorsky

New Species of African Titanosaur Solves Cretaceous-Era Mystery

Say hello to Mansourasaurus shahinae, a 14,000-pound titanosaur that rumbled across the African landscape during the final days of the dinosaurs. Its discovery is answering a long-standing mystery about dinosaur evolution at a time when Earth’s continents began drifting further and further apart. New research published in Nature Ecology and Evolution shows that Cretaceous-era dinosaurs…

Biology George Dvorsky

These WW1 Propaganda Posters Are Gorgeous—and Seriously Messed Up

America’s involvement in the First World War was brief, but intense. For a period of 20 months, the government did its best to stir patriotic fervor, in part through the use of eye-catching propaganda posters. A new exhibit at Bruce Museum is showcasing a selection of these works, many of which are seriously lacking in…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Astronomers Say Giant Disco Ball in Space Is Bad for Science

This past Sunday, rocket startup Rocket Lab launched a three-foot-wide mirror ball into orbit. Called “Humanity Star,” it’s supposed to remind us that we’re all puny specks of dust living in the terrifying vastness of the Universe. Some astronomers have spoken out about the stunt, claiming the sparkly object will interfere with their work—one even…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

India’s Education Minister Slammed After Claiming That Evolution Is ‘Scientifically Wrong’

Scientists in India are in a furor following comments made by a junior minister who’s openly questioning the theory of evolution by natural selection. India’s Minister of State for Human Resource Development—a position that oversees university education—wants the theory of evolution to be removed from school curricula. Needless to say, this stance isn’t going over…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Stunning Fossil Discovery Pushes First Human Migration Out of Africa Back 50,000 Years

Archaeologists in Israel have uncovered the partial jawbone from what appears to be a modern human. Dated to between 175,000 to 200,000 years old, the fossil is 50,000 years older than any other human fossil found in the region, suggesting humans left Africa far earlier than previously thought. The fossil was found in Israel’s Misilya…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Swatting Mosquitoes Teaches Them to Stay Away, Study Suggests

Attempts to kill a mosquito aren’t always met with success—these annoying bloodsuckers seem preternaturally good at evading hand swats. Surprising new research suggests mosquitos learn from these near-death experiences, staying clear of a particular odor they’ve learned to associate with the perpetrator. New research published in Current Biology suggests mosquitoes are more adept at acquiring…

Biology George Dvorsky

Shimmering Disco Ball Launched Into Space by a Millionaire Who Is Totally Not Compensating for Anything

It’s called “Humanity Star,” and it’s supposed to remind us of our puny place in the Universe. Barely brighter than other chunks of metal we’ve put in space, and with an achingly short six-month lifespan, the giant “disco ball,” is more of a publicity stunt than anything else. On Sunday, California-based Rocket Lab launched its…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

How Evolution Turned Lions and Cheetahs Into Such Formidable Killing Machines

When we see a large cat capturing its prey on the African savannah, we’re literally watching millions of years of evolution in action. But these attacks don’t always end in a meal, as “survival of the fittest” sometimes means the target gets to make a daring escape. New research uncovers the athleticism involved in these…

Biology George Dvorsky

TRAPPIST-1 Star System Contains Two Potentially Habitable Planets, New Study Suggests

It’s been less than a year since astronomers detected seven planets around TRAPPIST-1, a remarkable star system located 39 light years from Earth. New research suggests life could take root on at least two of these planets, thanks to a fortuitous orbital quirk. But other scientists aren’t so sure, saying TRAPPIST-1 still has much going…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Thousands of Starlings Evade a Pesky Falcon in This Stunning Visual Display

From the ground, a flock of “murmurating” starlings look absolutely hypnotic. Now imagine how this falcon must feel as it tries to snatch a quick meal from the dazzling throng. Starlings like to gather in West Cork, Ireland, but this year’s conglomeration is so big and so spectacular that it’s drawing crowds. Starlings band together…

Biology George Dvorsky

Lost Spy Satellite Won’t Kill SpaceX’s Relationship With Air Force

We still don’t know what happened to Zuma, a secretive spy satellite that failed to reach orbit after launching from Cape Canaveral earlier this month. SpaceX has consistently claimed that its Falcon 9 rocket worked perfectly—a claim with added credence, now that the U.S. Air Force has said it’s not going to dismiss the rocket…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Shipwreck Scavengers Reportedly Dumped Remains of WWII Sailors in Mass Grave

Remember those World War II shipwrecks that mysteriously vanished from the bottom of the Java Sea? When they were found to be missing in 2016, it was heavily suspected that illegal salvagers exploded the ships and then looted them for metal. According to new reports, those metal scavengers also brought up the remains of Dutch…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Scientists Slammed for Synthesizing a Smallpox-Like Virus in the Lab

The dreaded smallpox virus was eradicated more than 40 years ago, but the threat of its return still looms. In an effort to develop a safer vaccine substitute, Canadian researchers have resurrected a close relative—the extinct horsepox virus—from scratch. Critics say the exercise was pointless, and because the results were published in an open access…

Health George Dvorsky

Here’s the Latest Research on Why Dogs Eat Their Own Shit

It drives dog owners nuts. You’re out for a pleasant stroll with your canine companion, and because some asshat didn’t pick up after their own pooch, a fresh, steamy turd is sitting right there on the sidewalk. Before you have time to react, you horrifyingly watch your supposed best friend pounce upon the poop, gobbling…

Biology George Dvorsky

Our Universe Could Be Littered With Alien Viruses—and We Should Be Looking for Them

It’s generally agreed that some kind of microbe will be the first form of life we discover on another planet, moon, or other space rock. But hardly anyone thinks we’ll find an alien virus, which is weird, given how prolific and successful these biological entities are on Earth. A new study seeks to correct this…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

Before Our Species Left Africa, Now-Extinct Humans Made These Fancy Tools in India

Jack the Ripper Letters Were Fake News, Linguistic Analysis Suggests

Man Carrying Oxygen Tank Dies After Being Sucked Into MRI Machine

Remarkable Image Captures Surface Details of a Dying Star Located 530 Light-Years Away

Artificial Intelligence May Have Cracked Freaky 600-Year-Old Manuscript

New Species of African Titanosaur Solves Cretaceous-Era Mystery

These WW1 Propaganda Posters Are Gorgeous—and Seriously Messed Up

Astronomers Say Giant Disco Ball in Space Is Bad for Science

India’s Education Minister Slammed After Claiming That Evolution Is ‘Scientifically Wrong’

Stunning Fossil Discovery Pushes First Human Migration Out of Africa Back 50,000 Years

Swatting Mosquitoes Teaches Them to Stay Away, Study Suggests

Shimmering Disco Ball Launched Into Space by a Millionaire Who Is Totally Not Compensating for Anything

How Evolution Turned Lions and Cheetahs Into Such Formidable Killing Machines

TRAPPIST-1 Star System Contains Two Potentially Habitable Planets, New Study Suggests

Thousands of Starlings Evade a Pesky Falcon in This Stunning Visual Display

Lost Spy Satellite Won’t Kill SpaceX’s Relationship With Air Force

Shipwreck Scavengers Reportedly Dumped Remains of WWII Sailors in Mass Grave

Scientists Slammed for Synthesizing a Smallpox-Like Virus in the Lab

Here’s the Latest Research on Why Dogs Eat Their Own Shit

Our Universe Could Be Littered With Alien Viruses—and We Should Be Looking for Them

Deadpool Will Deface ‘Magic: The Gathering’ Classics for a New Secret Lair

Apple’s Siri Isn’t Just Going to Use One Chatbot. It’s Going to Use All of Them

Why ‘For All Mankind’ Season 5 Is the Key to the Rest of the Series

ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-Inch Portable Monitor Is Now Cheaper Than Black Friday in Amazon’s Big Spring Sale

Early Wildfires Are Surging Across the US—and Trump’s New Fire Agency Isn’t Ready

INIU Brings Another Power Bank to the Spring Sale as SnapGo Keychain Portable Charger Drops to Its Lowest Price

Attorney Hit With Historic Fine for Citing AI-Generated Cases

Travelers Experiencing the Longest Security Lines in TSA History

Could There Be a ‘Project Hail Mary’ Sequel?

Meta Has More Smart Glasses Coming Whether You Want Them or Not

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?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Apple Studio Display XDR Review: It Looks So Good, I Wish It Were an iMac

RayNeo Air 4 Pro Review: My Eyes Love These Video Glasses, but My Nose Disagrees