George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Freaky Illusion Gives the Impression of a Floating City in the Clouds

This extraordinary image of an apparent floating city has created a stir among conspiracy theorists, but a well-known optical illusion is the likely explanation for the phenomenon. As reported in the Independent, the bizarre cloud formation appears to show a cityscape high above the city of Foshan in China’s Guangdong province. Footage of the phenomenon…

Tech News George Dvorsky

A Huge Gash Just Appeared On the Sun

A rather massive coronal hole was recently spotted on the Sun by NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory. The region—the size of 50 Earths—is spewing material into space at tremendous speeds. It may look terrifying, but astronomers say it’s nothing to worry about. The coronal hole was imaged on October 10, 2015. The image above was taken…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Experts Warn UN Panel About the Dangers of Artificial Superintelligence

During a recent United Nations meeting about emerging global risks, political representatives from around the world were warned about the threats posed by artificial intelligence and other future technologies. The event, organized by Georgia’s UN representatives and the UN Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI), was set up to foster discussion about the national…

Artificial Intelligence George Dvorsky

This Spherical Robot Can Unfurl Its Four Legs After Being Tossed

Researchers in Japan have developed a remarkable new robot that bears a startling resemblance to the Droideka of Star Wars. Called QRoSS, this throwable, sphere-shaped robot can move around either by rolling or walking on all fours. Mercifully, it’s not capable of firing lasers or engaging force fields…at least not yet. This robot was developed…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Many, Many Times Astronomers Mistook Mundane Phenomena for Aliens

The science world is all in a tizzy this week about the supposed discovery of an alien megastructure. It’s an intriguing theory, no doubt, but one deserving hefty amounts of skepticism. As we’ve learned before, inexplicable observations are all too often confused for aliens. Here are some classic examples. A strange star located about 1,500…

Tech News George Dvorsky

We’re One Step Closer To Creating Artificial Skin With a Sense of Touch

Cutting-edge prosthesis are amazing, but they lack one very important feature: a sense of touch. Now a research team from Stanford University has developed artificial skin that can sense force exerted by objects—and then transmit those sensory signals to brain cells. Inadequate sensory feedback is a serious limitation of current prosthetic limbs, whether they be…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Warming Waters May Be Releasing Giant Plumes of Methane Off the U.S. West Coast

Scientists have detected a disproportionate number of methane bubble plumes off the Washington and Oregon coast. The warming Pacific ocean may be triggering the release of this powerful greenhouse gas, which has remained frozen beneath the seafloor for thousands of years. The new study, which has been accepted for publication in Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, details…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

New Hubble Video Shows Jupiter in Glorious Ultra High Definition

Using data acquired by the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists at NASA have updated their maps of Jupiter. The new images—shown in 4K ultra high definition—reveal changes to the Great Red Spot and rare waves not seen since the Voyager 2 mission. NASA updates its maps of Jupiter each year, but this year’s project proved to…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Is War Becoming More Humane?

Devices like laser-guided bombs and nonlethal weapons have the potential to reduce civilian casualties and wanton suffering. But as these new technologies emerge, are humans actually becoming more ethical about waging war, or is killing just becoming easier? The notion that technological advances can improve battlefield conditions may seem counterintutive, considering that historically weapons have…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Before-and-After Pics of California’s Shrinking Salton Sea Shows a Catastrophe in the Making

The largest lake in California is slowly fading away, and that’s bad news for local residents. As the Salton Sea’s water sources dwindle, southern Californians are bracing themselves for toxic dust storms, noxious smells—and disease. The Salton Sea is massive, but shallow, artificial lake located on the San Andreas Fault, some 125 miles (200 km)…

Tech News George Dvorsky

A Massive Bleaching Event is Threatening the World’s Coral Reefs

Corals around the world are turning white, a dangerous “bleaching event” that’s being triggered by climate change and a burgeoning El Niño. Scientists have seen this sort of thing before, but this event appears to be the worst yet. The U.S. National Oceanographic Administration (NOAA) has officially declared a global bleaching event, reports Nature News.…

Climate Change George Dvorsky

Ancient Mars Was Wetter and Warmer Than We Ever Realized

New data collected by the Curiosity rover shows that Mars was once quite Earth-like, featuring river deltas, lakes, and a warm climate. What’s more, the Red Planet may have been able to sustain liquid water at the surface long enough for life to emerge and evolve. Late last month, NASA stunned the science world by…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Incredible Fossil of an Ancient Horse Still Contains Its Unborn Foal

Paleontologists in Germany have identified the fossilized remains of a horse-like animal that dates back 48 million years. Remarkably, the fossil still contains its unborn foal and traces of soft tissue—leading scientists to call it the earliest and best-preserved specimen of its kind. The Darmstadt region in Germany is renowned for its complete animal skeletons,…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Take This Quiz to Measure Your Happiness Scientifically

Chances are you’ve taken a test that measures your happiness and well-being. But let’s be frank: very few of these tests are actually rooted in science, and rarely do they provide any kind of meaningful advice. Now there is a new free online quiz by a nonprofit organization called ClearerThinking that seeks to overcome both…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Newly-Discovered, Ancient Humans Were Tree-Climbers Who Walked and Used Tools

Last month in South Africa, scientists announced the discovery of a new group of early humans called Homo naledi. Now an analysis shows that this hominin had hands capable of both tree climbing and tool use, plus feet that were adapted for walking upright. The remains of the extinct hominin were discovered in the Dinaledi…

Tech News George Dvorsky

How Blue Whales Are Able to Maintain Their Monstrous Size

Marine biologists have long thought that blue whales indiscriminately scour the oceans as they feed on krill. A new study shows there’s a lot more to the grazing habits of these massive mammals than just blindly swimming through the water. Blue whales are probably the largest animal that has ever lived on Earth. Adults can…

Tech News George Dvorsky

Stunning Photo Shows Where the Curiosity Rover is Headed Next on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity Rover is currently drilling holes on the lower slopes of Mount Sharp in a region called the Stimson Unit. It recently took a break from its duties to take some long-range photos of a hilly region that the rover will explore in the coming months and years. This composite image was captured by…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

This Year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine Goes to Breakthroughs in Fighting Parasitic Diseases

The first Nobel Prize of 2015 has been awarded jointly to three scientists for their groundbreaking work in developing therapies that fight infections caused by malaria and roundworm parasites. As announced early this morning, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2015 was divided among William C. Campbell and Satoshi Ōmura for their discoveries involving…

Tech News George Dvorsky

The Blood Moon Was Recorded Back in 19th Century Thailand

This past Monday, people from around the world aimed their cameras upwards in hopes of catching a glimpse of the “blood moon” lunar eclipse. But as this 19th century manuscript shows, it’s a phenomenon that’s been chronicled long before the advent of camera phones and telescopic lenses. This Thai manuscript dates back to the time…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Here’s Our First Glimpse of the Rosetta Comet’s Dark Side

The Rosetta spacecraft has taken hundreds of stunning photographs of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko over the past year, but a portion of the comet was obscured due to its odd seasonal shifts. Now, thanks to a special camera aboard Rosetta, scientists have created a sketch of its elusive dark side. Comet 67P/C-G’s double-lobed shape and rotational axis…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

Freaky Illusion Gives the Impression of a Floating City in the Clouds

A Huge Gash Just Appeared On the Sun

Experts Warn UN Panel About the Dangers of Artificial Superintelligence

This Spherical Robot Can Unfurl Its Four Legs After Being Tossed

The Many, Many Times Astronomers Mistook Mundane Phenomena for Aliens

We’re One Step Closer To Creating Artificial Skin With a Sense of Touch

Warming Waters May Be Releasing Giant Plumes of Methane Off the U.S. West Coast

New Hubble Video Shows Jupiter in Glorious Ultra High Definition

Is War Becoming More Humane?

Before-and-After Pics of California’s Shrinking Salton Sea Shows a Catastrophe in the Making

A Massive Bleaching Event is Threatening the World’s Coral Reefs

Ancient Mars Was Wetter and Warmer Than We Ever Realized

Incredible Fossil of an Ancient Horse Still Contains Its Unborn Foal

Take This Quiz to Measure Your Happiness Scientifically

Newly-Discovered, Ancient Humans Were Tree-Climbers Who Walked and Used Tools

How Blue Whales Are Able to Maintain Their Monstrous Size

Stunning Photo Shows Where the Curiosity Rover is Headed Next on Mars

This Year’s Nobel Prize in Medicine Goes to Breakthroughs in Fighting Parasitic Diseases

The Blood Moon Was Recorded Back in 19th Century Thailand

Here’s Our First Glimpse of the Rosetta Comet’s Dark Side

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

INIU Portable Power Bank Is Small in Size and Smaller in Price for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale (45W, 10,000mAh)

Humans Were Already Dog People 16,000 Years Ago, DNA Suggests

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