George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Earth Looks Downright Alien in This New Photo From the Space Station

This photograph, snapped by NASA astronaut Scott Kelly, looks like it may have been taken over some Martian canyon or Jovian moon, but it was captured as the International Space Station coasted far above strange rocky features in Africa. Kelly, who will be returning to Earth in March after spending an entire year in space,…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

The Science Stories We’ll Be Watching in 2016

Another amazing year of science has come and gone, so it’s time to look ahead and see what the next year has in store. Here are Gizmodo’s most anticipated scientific and technological developments of 2016. Space Exploration Comet Catalina as seen on December 6, 2015 by Brian D. Ottum in Rancho Hidalgo, New Mexico. Skywatchers…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

First Successful Gene-Editing in Live Mammals Brings Us Closer to Human Treatments

For the first time ever, scientists have used the CRISPR gene-editing tool to successfully treat a genetic muscle disorder in a living adult mammal. It’s a promising medical breakthrough that could soon lead to human therapies. Scientists have struggled to treat Duchenne muscular dystrophy for decades. To date, their efforts have been focused on treating…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The World’s First Dengue Fever Vaccine Is Coming to Three Countries

A third of the world’s population is at risk of contracting Dengue Fever, a miserable virus that’s a leading cause of illness and death in the tropics. Now, for the first time ever, three countries have approved a promising new vaccine. To say that Dengue Fever is a global health concern is a gross understatement.…

Health George Dvorsky

Are Sperm Banks in the Business of Eugenics?

The most prominent sperm bank in the UK is under investigation after turning away donors with dyslexia and other questionable characteristics. This raises an important question: Should sperm banks be in the business of making “better” babies? Britain’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which regulates sperm banks, has launched a review of the London…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Derby, the Adorable Cybernetic Dog, Just Got Upgraded 3D-Printed Legs

Last year we told you about Derby, a dog born with underdeveloped legs and paws. Tech firm 3D Systems designed a pair of prosthetic limbs for the Husky mix, but they were too short, and they also prevented Derby from being able to sit normally. A new upgrade now overcomes both of these limitations. Derby’s…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Coolest Images From National Geographic’s 2015 Photo Contest

This year, more than 13,000 photographs were submitted to National Geographic’s annual photo contest. These 13 are the very best. Dirt This stunning image of an anti-cyclonic tornado was the grand prize winner. Captured by James Smart, the photo shows a monster of a tornado infused with brown dust as it sweeps through open farmland…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Contagious Strains of Cancer May Be More Common Than We Thought

The recent discovery of a new form of contagious cancer among Tasmanian devils — the second to afflict the species — suggests we still have a lot to learn about how cancer spreads. It also suggests that transmissible cancer may be more common in nature than previously assumed. To date, scientists have observed only three…

Tech News George Dvorsky

These Freezing Drops of Oil Are Hypnotically Beautiful

An international team of researchers has shown that specially treated drops of oily chemicals can take on bizarre shapes and structures during the freezing process. These insights could allow us to create artificial structures with very life-like properties. By using a relatively simple bottom-up approach, a joint research team from Cambridge University and Sofia University…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Facebook User Solves the Mystery of the “Ancient Relic” Found in an Israeli Cemetery

Earlier this year, a maintenance worker found a golden scepter in a Jerusalem cemetery. Antiquity experts were stumped, prompting a six-month long investigation into its origin. A Facebook user has now correctly identified the object — and well, let’s just say it’s not what they thought it was. “To tell you the truth, I’ve never…

Tech News George Dvorsky

NASA Catches a Glimpse of the Christmas Eve Asteroid

‘Tis the night before Christmas, and Asteroid 2003 SD220 is making its closest approach to Earth. NASA managed to snap a few pics of this pickle-shaped asteroid, which the space agency says poses no threat to our planet whatsoever. This asteroid will breeze by Earth today at a distance of 6.8 million miles (11 million…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

The Real Story Behind the 1914 Christmas Truce in World War I

It was 101 years ago this very night that something miraculous happened along the Western Front. After months of bitter fighting, soldiers on both sides gathered in no-man’s-land in a spontaneous show of peace and goodwill. Here’s what happened on that historic day — and why it marked the end of an era. In December…

Tech News George Dvorsky

This 45-Degree Treadmill Just Revealed Something Fascinating About Running Extreme Inclines

Standard treadmills only reach a maximum incline of around 9 degrees. But this one, developed by a team of physiologists at the University of Colorado Boulder, goes all the way to 45 degrees. The unique contraption is providing some insights into the best strategies for extreme uphill running. This is apparently the first time that…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Scientists Create Injectable Foam To Repair Degenerating Bones

Researchers in France have developed a self-setting foam that can repair defects in bones and assist growth. Eventually, this advanced biomaterial could be used to quickly regenerate bone growth and treat degenerative diseases such as osteoporosis. Injectable calcium phosphate cements (CPCs) have been around for nearly a hundred years, and they’re frequently used in orthopedics…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Why Nominating “AI Alarmists” for This Year’s Luddite Award Is Misguided

The Information Technology & Innovation Foundation has released its nominees for its annual Luddite Awards. Recognizing “the worst of the year’s worst innovation killers,” this year’s crop includes everything from restrictions on car-sharing to bans on automatic license plate readers. But by referring to “AI alarmists” as neo-Luddites, the ITIF has gone too far. The…

Artificial Intelligence George Dvorsky

85 People Still Missing Following Another Industrial Disaster in China

Eighty-five people are still unaccounted for a day after a bizarre landslide struck the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen. Experts say the landslide was not a natural disaster, but rather a human-made catastrophe triggered by the excessive piling of industrial waste. Aerial drone images showed large swaths of red mud piled on top of crushed…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Martin Shkreli Just Got Fired From His Other Job as CEO

Asshat Martin Shkreli, the pharmaceutical entrepreneur who was arrested last week on charges of security fraud, has been removed from his post as CEO of drugmaker KaloBios. Back on November 19 of this year, an investor group led by Martin Shkreli acquired 70% of the outstanding shares for KaloBios Pharmaceuticals, a San Francisco-based drugmaker that…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Supposedly Extinct Sea Snakes Spotted Off the Coast of Australia

No one has seen a certain species of sea snake in more than 15 years, prompting concerns that they’ve gone extinct. So imagine the surprise of researchers when they spotted a pair of these elusive sea snakes off the coast of Western Australia. The Australian short nosed sea snake (Aipysurus apraefrontalis) was officially listed as…

Tech News George Dvorsky

These Ancient Marine Reptiles Swam Through the Water Like Penguins

For nearly two centuries, scientists have puzzled over how plesiosaurs—a marine reptile that lived during the time of dinosaurs—propelled themselves through the water. Using computers, scientists have simulated the plesiosaur swimming technique, and it’s remarkably similar to how penguins do it. “The plesiosaurs were a highly successful group of large predatory creatures, yet we didn’t…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Most Notorious Science Scandals of 2015

There were an alarming number of science scandals in 2015, from fabricated data to sexual harassment. Here are our picks for the worst of the worst. 1. A Grad Student Faked Data In an Important Gay Marriage Study In late 2014, a paper published in Science, titled “When contact changes minds: An experiment on transmission…

Tech News George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

Earth Looks Downright Alien in This New Photo From the Space Station

The Science Stories We’ll Be Watching in 2016

First Successful Gene-Editing in Live Mammals Brings Us Closer to Human Treatments

The World’s First Dengue Fever Vaccine Is Coming to Three Countries

Are Sperm Banks in the Business of Eugenics?

Derby, the Adorable Cybernetic Dog, Just Got Upgraded 3D-Printed Legs

The Coolest Images From National Geographic’s 2015 Photo Contest

Contagious Strains of Cancer May Be More Common Than We Thought

These Freezing Drops of Oil Are Hypnotically Beautiful

Facebook User Solves the Mystery of the “Ancient Relic” Found in an Israeli Cemetery

NASA Catches a Glimpse of the Christmas Eve Asteroid

The Real Story Behind the 1914 Christmas Truce in World War I

This 45-Degree Treadmill Just Revealed Something Fascinating About Running Extreme Inclines

Scientists Create Injectable Foam To Repair Degenerating Bones

Why Nominating “AI Alarmists” for This Year’s Luddite Award Is Misguided

85 People Still Missing Following Another Industrial Disaster in China

Martin Shkreli Just Got Fired From His Other Job as CEO

Supposedly Extinct Sea Snakes Spotted Off the Coast of Australia

These Ancient Marine Reptiles Swam Through the Water Like Penguins

The Most Notorious Science Scandals of 2015

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

Apple Requires Device-Level Age Verification in the UK Now. Could the US Be Next?

Astronomers Say Recent Rash of Meteor Sightings ‘Warrants Serious Investigation’

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