George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

This Rediscovered Leather Trunk Contains Thousands of Letters From the 17th Century

The 300-year-old linen-lined trunk is filled with over 2,600 letters that were mailed out—but never received—between the years 1680 and 1706. Historians are now taking a closer look. The trunk, ignored for centuries, had been stored away by a Dutch postmaster in the Netherlands. The extraordinary collection contains letters from all manner of society, including…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Latest Trend Among Biohackers Is Implanting LED Lights Beneath Your Skin

Inspired by bioluminescent organisms, the DIY biohackers at Grindhouse Wetware have unveiled their latest creation—a magnetically activated, LED-equipped silicone implant. As Motherboard reports, the Pittsburgh-based biohacking collective performed three implantations in conjunction with a simultaneous operation in Dusseldorf last Saturday. The new light-up device, dubbed the Northstar V1, is about the size of a large…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Yemen Is Bracing For Its Second Major Cyclone in a Single Week

Yemen is not known for its tropical storms, yet the desert country is now facing its second major cyclone within a single week. Ravaged by civil war—and still recovering from Cyclone Chapala—Yemen is once again preparing for a bout of rainfall and flooding. Cyclone Megh, as the new system is called, has already wreaked havoc…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

Ultrasound Helps Drugs Sneak Past the Blood-Brain Barrier

A new ultrasound technique uses microbubbles and focused sound waves to help chemo medication sneak past the the stubborn blood-brain barrier. Developed by Canadian surgeons, the technique could eventually be used to treat such conditions as Alzheimer’s and depression. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) protects the brain from all sorts of nasty things, like disruptive hormones,…

Tech News George Dvorsky

This Galaxy Cluster Is Home to the Most Powerful Explosion Since the Big Bang

Astronomers have compiled a stunning composite image of an extraordinarily large explosion that’s being powered by one of the largest supermassive black holes known to science. The blast is located in galaxy cluster MS 0735.6+7421, which is located 2.6 billion light-years from Earth. As reported in ABC Science, the explosion, an active galactic nucleus (AGN)…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

See How Rising Sea Levels Will Ruin the World’s Great Landmarks

Rising sea levels caused by unchecked carbon emissions are threatening coastal regions around the world. A new series of paired images projects two very different future scenarios—one in which we manage to hit our carbon pollution targets, the other showing the dire consequences of staying on our current course. The following images—which shows the impacts…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

Pioneering Gene-Editing Therapy Reverses Cancer in Baby Girl

A one-year-old girl diagnosed with incurable aggressive leukemia is now in remission after receiving “designer cells” from a donor. The therapy made use of a powerful new gene-editing technique that could eventually be used to treat an array of hereditary diseases. Layla Richards from London, England, is the first patient in the world to receive…

Tech News George Dvorsky

American Atheists Are Surprisingly Diverse and Complicated

A mere 3.1% of American adults identify themselves as atheists. But as a recent survey shows, this increasingly important demographic consists of surprisingly diverse, and even contradictory, subsets of non-believers. Estimating the number of atheists in the U.S. isn’t easy. As Michael Lipka of the Pew Research Center writes, “Some adults who describe themselves as…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Horrified Doctors Find “Crazy” Tapeworm Cancer in Patient’s Brain

In a case that doctors are describing as “crazy,” a 41-year-old Colombian man was found to host cancerous tapeworm tumors in his brain and other bodily organs. The man, who recently died of complications arising from HIV, was first diagnosed back in 2013. Doctors struggled to make sense of the tumors disbursed throughout his body,…

Tech News George Dvorsky

US Scientists Demand Removal of Restrictions on Animal Chimera Research

The U.S. National Institutes of Health has stopped funding experiments in which human stem cells are transplanted into the embryo of an animal. Now, a group of researchers from Stanford University are speaking out, claiming that the restrictions are holding back important medical research—and that the NIH’s reasons aren’t backed by science. Late last month,…

Tech News George Dvorsky

New Ministries Suggest Canada’s Government is About to Get Serious About Science

Canada’s new Liberal government was sworn in yesterday, and if its first moves were of any indication, science—woefully neglected under the previous Conservative government—will become a serious priority. The new cabinet features not one but two science ministers, and a renamed environment office with the words “climate change” right in the title. For nearly a…

Tech News George Dvorsky

NASA Releases Harrowing New Photos of Last Year’s Antares Rocket Explosion

A little over a year ago, NASA’s Orbital ATK Antares rocket, with a Cygnus spacecraft onboard, suffered a “catastrophic anomaly” just moments after launch. NASA has now released a stunning new set of previously unseen photos chronicling the disaster. The uncrewed rocket was scheduled to make a cargo run to the International Space Station, but…

Tech News George Dvorsky

This Visualization Shows the Astonishing Diversity of Alien Worlds

Slovak graphic designer Martin Vargic has pieced together a rather meticulous visualization showing over 500 exoplanets discovered by astronomers as of October 2015. Like snowflakes, it shows that no two planets are the same. Astronomers are still getting their heads around the fact that exoplanets come in all manner of sizes, orientations, and physical architectures.…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Flight Tests of Virgin Galactic’s New Space Plane Could Start Early Next Year

Hard to believe, but it’s been one year since SpaceShipTwo disintegrated during a test flight, killing one pilot and seriously injuring the other. Undaunted by the tragedy, Virgin Galactic has been hard at work building the second version of the suborbital rocket plane—a slightly modified version that may finally usher in the era of space…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Theranos CEO Admits Her Blood Test Company Has a Communication Problem

Speaking at the Fortune Global Forum yesterday, embattled Theranos CEO Elizabeth Holmes defended her company’s blood test technology, while promising to become more transparent in the future. Theranos came under fire several weeks ago when a Wall Street Journal investigation questioned the company’s alleged use of outside diagnostic equipment to perform its innovative, needle-free blood…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Melting Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Heading Towards Irreversible Collapse

Computer models suggest that the melting West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) is melting at a rapidly accelerating rate. A new computer simulation shows that at current melting rates, the ice sheet will hit a critical point in about 60 years, and could result in a sea level rise of as much as 10 feet over…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

A Harrowing Account of What It’s Like to Die From a Snakebite

In 1957, American herpetologist Karl P. Schmidt was bitten by a poisonous boomslang snake. With no anti-venom available—and mistakenly believing he hadn’t received a fatal dose—he proceeded to do what any diligent scientist would do: he kept a detailed diary chronicling the last agonizing hours of his life. This fascinating video of Schmidt’s “Death Diary”…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Fossil With Preserved Tail Feathers and Skin Reveals Dinosaur Plumage Patterns

An undergraduate student from the University of Alberta has uncovered the fossilized remains of an Ornithomimus dinosaur with preserved tail feathers and soft tissue. The remarkable specimen is offering important insights into the plumage patterns of these ancient creatures, while tightening the linkages between dinosaurs and birds. The 75-million-year-old fossil, discovered by paleontologist Aaron J.…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Get Ready For “Spooky,” the Halloween Asteroid!

On All Hallow’s Eve, an asteroid dubbed “Spooky” will make its closest approach to our planet. Hurtling along at an impressive 78,830 miles per hour, the 1,300-foot-wide object poses no threat to Earth…or does it? This Gizmodo video explains Spooky’s story. As you’re looking for witches on broomsticks in the night sky, here’s how to…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Watch Orson Welles’s Ludicrously Insincere Apology for Scaring the Crap Out of America

On this very night in 1938, Orson Welles’s production of the H. G. Wells classic, The War of the Worlds, convinced many unwary radio listeners that a Martian invasion was underway. The next day, Welles told reporters he was deeply sorry for scaring people—and you can watch his “apology” below. Welles’ radio production of The…

io9 George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

This Rediscovered Leather Trunk Contains Thousands of Letters From the 17th Century

The Latest Trend Among Biohackers Is Implanting LED Lights Beneath Your Skin

Yemen Is Bracing For Its Second Major Cyclone in a Single Week

Ultrasound Helps Drugs Sneak Past the Blood-Brain Barrier

This Galaxy Cluster Is Home to the Most Powerful Explosion Since the Big Bang

See How Rising Sea Levels Will Ruin the World’s Great Landmarks

Pioneering Gene-Editing Therapy Reverses Cancer in Baby Girl

American Atheists Are Surprisingly Diverse and Complicated

Horrified Doctors Find “Crazy” Tapeworm Cancer in Patient’s Brain

US Scientists Demand Removal of Restrictions on Animal Chimera Research

New Ministries Suggest Canada’s Government is About to Get Serious About Science

NASA Releases Harrowing New Photos of Last Year’s Antares Rocket Explosion

This Visualization Shows the Astonishing Diversity of Alien Worlds

Flight Tests of Virgin Galactic’s New Space Plane Could Start Early Next Year

Theranos CEO Admits Her Blood Test Company Has a Communication Problem

The Melting Antarctic Ice Sheet Is Heading Towards Irreversible Collapse

A Harrowing Account of What It’s Like to Die From a Snakebite

Fossil With Preserved Tail Feathers and Skin Reveals Dinosaur Plumage Patterns

Get Ready For “Spooky,” the Halloween Asteroid!

Watch Orson Welles’s Ludicrously Insincere Apology for Scaring the Crap Out of America

‘Butt Birth’-ing Rhinoceros from Ace Ventura Sequel Sold at Auction for a Whopping $60,000

The Ryan Gosling Sci-Fi Streak Will Continue Until Morale Improves

Study Challenges Popular Theory on Why Primordial Bugs Were So Darn Huge

Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway’s Mystery’s Sci-Fi Film Has Its First Trailer

Scientists Just Found the Salt Limit That Pushes Your Heart to the Breaking Point

White House Social Media Just Had Its Covfefe Moment

Roborock F25 Ultra Steam Wet Dry Vacuum Is Now at Its Lowest Price, but Only During the Spring Sale Window

This $450 Semi-Dumb Phone Is Barely Even a Phone

Startup Successfully Ignites World’s First Fusion Rocket

Shokz OpenDots One Earbuds Hit Their Lowest Price Yet Across All Color Options, Including the New Ones

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