George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Mysterious ‘Hybrid’ Animal Discovered in 18,000-Year-Old Cave Art

By combining archaeological, paleontological, and genetic evidence, an international team of researchers has identified a previously unknown hybrid species that contains both bison and cattle DNA. The discovery solves a longstanding mystery about the origins of modern European bison. A new paper published in Nature Communications serves as an excellent case study in how several…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 18 '16

Tasmanian Devil Milk Could Be a Magic Bullet Against Superbugs

Researchers from Australia have discovered that chemical compounds found in the milk of Tasmanian devils are capable of killing some of the most deadly bacterial infections—a surprising finding that could introduce a new class of weapons in the war against superbugs. Marsupials, unlike placental mammals, have to seek shelter in their mother’s pouches soon after…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 17 '16

Scientists Create Fully Functional Eggs from Skin Cells

Using skin cells extracted from mice, researchers in Japan have produced fully functional egg cells that were used to produce healthy mouse pups. Should the method work in humans, it could introduce powerful new ways of treating infertility—and even allow same-sex couples to produce biological offspring. This is the first time ever that scientists have…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 17 '16

The Placebo Effect Works Even When People Know the Pills Are Fake

Deception is necessary for placebo pills to work, or at least that’s the conventional wisdom. A surprising new study on patients with chronic back pain shows that we still experience the placebo effect, even when we know we’re being tricked. “These findings turn our understanding of the placebo effect on its head.” This study reminds…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 17 '16

Two Undiscovered Dark Moons Appear to Be Hiding Near Uranus

After re-examining data acquired by the Voyager 2 spacecraft, astronomers have detected wavy patterns in two of Uranus’s dark system of rings—patterns that may be indicative of two undiscovered moons. Like the other gas giants in our solar system, Uranus features a ring system, though it’s not nearly as spectacular as the one around Saturn.…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Oct 14 '16

Brain Implant Allows Paralyzed Man to Feel Objects With a Prosthetic Limb

Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh and UPMC have developed a system that’s enabling a man with quadriplegia to experience the sensation of touch through a robotic arm that he controls with his brain. “I can feel just about every finger—it’s a really weird sensation.” Prosthetic limbs are getting better all the time, but they’re…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 14 '16

The Surprising Reason This ‘Saturn on Steroids’ Could Actually Exist

A few years ago, astronomers discovered a bizarre object in orbit around a distant star. Preliminary research suggested an exoplanet with an oversized ring system roughly 200 times larger than Saturn’s. Researchers have now proven that this dramatic celestial structure is indeed possible—but for it to work, the rings need to spin in the wrong…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky Oct 14 '16

Great White Shark Breaks Into Diver’s Shark Cage, Terror Ensues

Harrowing new video shows a large great white shark lunging for a chunk of tuna—and then wriggling its way inside a shark-proof cage with a diver inside. Thankfully no one was hurt, but the video is as horrifying as it sounds. The incident happened near Guadalupe Island off the west coast of Mexico. Shark watchers…

Sploid George Dvorsky Oct 14 '16

Here’s Where the US Is Most Vulnerable to a Catastrophic Solar Storm

Every 100 years or so, our planet is bombarded by an intense solar storm. These extreme space-weather events are virtually impossible to predict, but new research shows which regions of the United States are at highest risk. A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters is the first to provide a geoelectrical hazard map for…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 13 '16

We Were Very Wrong About the Number of Galaxies in the Universe

Using the Hubble Space telescope and other observatories, astronomers have completed the most accurate census of galaxies in the observable universe to date. In terms of the actual number, let’s just say we were way the hell off. The observable universe—that is, the part of the universe that’s visible to us on Earth—contains 10 to…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 13 '16

An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off a Glacier and Nobody Noticed

This past summer, a massive chunk of ice slipped away from a glacier in British Columbia, but no one was there to notice. Using satellite images, a scientist from NASA has now spotted the unusually large iceberg—and he suspects it’s the largest ever seen in North America. Glaciologist Mauri Pelto noticed the iceberg while analyzing…

Climate Change George Dvorsky Oct 13 '16

Chilling Ad Underscores the Insanity of Caregiving Robots

To address the burgeoning “loneliness epidemic” and the demands of an aging population, some think that we should deploy robotic caregivers. A new ad titled “B.E.N. (Biologically Engineered Nursing),” however, suggests that this is a dreadful idea. This five-minute ad was produced by the Society of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul (SSVP), an international Catholic voluntary organization that provides…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 11 '16

The Nearest Earth-Like Planet Outside Our Solar System Could Be a Water World

At a distance of 4.2 light years, Proxima b is the closest potentially habitable Earth-like planet outside our solar system. New research suggests this distant orb could be completely covered in water. So when do we go? This past August, scientists with the European Southern Observatory (ESO) confirmed the discovery of a rocky planet in…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 7 '16

Hurricane Matthew and Tropical Storm Nicole Just Teamed Up to Set a New Atlantic Record

At the same time that Hurricane Matthew ravages the southeastern US, a new tropical storm has appeared just south of Bermuda. Together, the two have set a new late-season record for storms in the Atlantic. Welcome to the frightening realities of a warmer world. This latest storm, called Nicole, achieved hurricane status yesterday afternoon, setting…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 7 '16

Desperate Whale Calf Tries to Free Its Mother From a Sandbank

Unbelievable footage from Australia shows a whale calf as it desperately tries to free its mother from a sandbank. The humpback whales were spotted near North Stradbroke Island, about an hour’s drive from Brisbane. The mother had swum on top of a sandbank and was unable to get free. Video footage of the scene shows…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 7 '16

‘Rogue’ Algorithm Blamed for Historic Crash of the British Pound

The British pound suffered a “flash crash” earlier this morning in which it plummeted six percent against the US dollar within a matter of minutes. All signs point to high frequency stock trading as the culprit—and possibly a single algorithm. “I initially doubted what I saw on my screen.” The British pound fell by more…

Artificial Intelligence George Dvorsky Oct 7 '16

Males Born Through Popular Reproductive Technique Have Low Sperm Counts

A popular fertility treatment introduced in the early 1990s has been linked to low sperm counts in men born from the procedure. Scientists aren’t entirely sure why this is happening, but it’s entirely possible that fathers are passing their fertility issues down to the next generation. “These findings are not unexpected.” A new study published…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 6 '16

This Freaky Plant Has an Incredible Trick For Luring in Flies

Plants employ a wide variety of tactics to lure pollinators, but an ornamental plant popularly known as Giant Ceropegia takes it to another level. Its flower smells like a honeybee under attack—an odor that freeloading, meal-seeking flies find absolutely irresistible. Around four to six percent of all plants use deception to attract pollinating insects, but…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 6 '16

This Smartphone Microscope Lets You Play Games With Microbes

Introducing the LudusScope, a 3D-printed, open-sourced system that lets you control and play games with living microbes on your smartphone. Tormenting single-celled organisms has never been so much fun. LudusScope was developed by Stanford engineer Ingmar Riedel-Kruse, and he envisioned it as a new way of interacting and learning about common microbes. It’s meant for…

Tech News George Dvorsky Oct 6 '16

Astronomers Spot a Massive Black Hole That’s Gone Rogue

Using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, astronomers have found evidence of a “wandering” black hole on the outskirts of a distant galaxy. It’s too far away to cause us any trouble, but the discovery of this homeless ball of gravitational despair affirms a long standing theory about the existence of such objects. A massive black hole…

Physics & Chemistry George Dvorsky Oct 5 '16

George Dvorsky

Mysterious ‘Hybrid’ Animal Discovered in 18,000-Year-Old Cave Art

Tasmanian Devil Milk Could Be a Magic Bullet Against Superbugs

Scientists Create Fully Functional Eggs from Skin Cells

The Placebo Effect Works Even When People Know the Pills Are Fake

Two Undiscovered Dark Moons Appear to Be Hiding Near Uranus

Brain Implant Allows Paralyzed Man to Feel Objects With a Prosthetic Limb

The Surprising Reason This ‘Saturn on Steroids’ Could Actually Exist

Great White Shark Breaks Into Diver’s Shark Cage, Terror Ensues

Here’s Where the US Is Most Vulnerable to a Catastrophic Solar Storm

We Were Very Wrong About the Number of Galaxies in the Universe

An Unusually Large Iceberg Broke Off a Glacier and Nobody Noticed

Chilling Ad Underscores the Insanity of Caregiving Robots

The Nearest Earth-Like Planet Outside Our Solar System Could Be a Water World

Hurricane Matthew and Tropical Storm Nicole Just Teamed Up to Set a New Atlantic Record

Desperate Whale Calf Tries to Free Its Mother From a Sandbank

‘Rogue’ Algorithm Blamed for Historic Crash of the British Pound

Males Born Through Popular Reproductive Technique Have Low Sperm Counts

This Freaky Plant Has an Incredible Trick For Luring in Flies

This Smartphone Microscope Lets You Play Games With Microbes

Astronomers Spot a Massive Black Hole That’s Gone Rogue

This Anker Power Station Powers 10 Devices at Once and Amazon Just Cut It by Nearly 50%

Apple Doesn’t Tax Beats, the Iconic Pill Speaker Is 5X Cheaper Than AirPods Max

HP Dumps Its Pavilion Laptop at 50% Off and Throws in Lifetime Office 365 and a 500GB External Drive for Free

Skip Apple’s Website, Amazon Has the Same Anker MagSafe Battery for Almost Half the Price

Forget Sonos, Amazon Sells This Fire TV Soundbar for the Price of a No-Name Speaker

Dyson Clears Spring Stock on Its Iconic V8, Now Priced Like a No-Name Vacuum on Amazon

Forget Paying iPhone Prices, the Google Pixel 10a Does Everything for Half the Cost

‘The Boys’ Got Even More Meta With Its ‘Supernatural’ Reunion

The ‘Sekiro’ Anime Will Hit Theaters…in Japan

Europe May Soon Get a Non-U.S. Alternative to Unreal Engine

JBL Live 780NC Review: Solid Wireless Headphones You Can Live Without

Acer’s Swift 16 AI (2026) Gets a Lot Right, But I Can’t Get Past the Trackpad

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G Review: Not Worth It at Full Price

Logitech G G512 X Review: The Tasting Menu of a Pro Gaming Keyboard

Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone Review: AI Can’t Save This Robot Vacuum

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing