George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

How To Find Buried Gold Using Trees

Australian researchers have found trace amounts of gold in the leaves of Eucalyptus trees. Now, we’re not talking about a lot of gold — but these amounts are strong indication of larger deposits lying beneath. “There’s Gold in Them Thar Trees!” The discovery of gold in leaves is nothing new. Scientists used to think that…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 23

Watch our favorite robotic gymnast perform a stunning new trick

A few months ago we showed you a robot gymnast that pulled off an astonishing quadruple backflip. Well, it’s back — and it’s got a new trick up its acrobatic sleeve that requires 0.002 seconds of precision timing. https://gizmodo.com/watch-this-robot-perform-a-perfect-quadruple-backflip-799858553 Yes, you saw that correctly — after executing a triple backflip, the 34-cm bot momentarily let…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 23

This Matrix-style rig creates ‘bullet time’ GIFs with 130 smartphones

In an effort to show off its powerful Snapdragon 600 processors, Qualcomm recently constructed a 540-degree bullet time photo booth using 130 HTC One smartphones. And then they let the residents of Venice Beach go to town with it. The company has set up a page on its website to post GIFs made with its…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 22

Bugs aren’t gay, say scientists, they’re just confused and horny

Many insects and arachnids engage in same-sex sexual behaviors. But they’re not gay, say a pair of researchers from Israel and Switzerland. It’s just a case of mistaken identity — and high sex drives. Bugs often engage in what appears to be homosexual behavior, like courting and mating attempts with members of the same sex.…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 22

Dung beetles don’t just run to poop, they actually gallop

Most insects walk forward three legs at a time, a manner of locomotion known as the alternating tripod gait. But scientists have recently learned that there’s at least one insect, the industrious dung beetle, that moves along with a galloping gait — and they’re kinda perplexed as to why. In the newly observed movement, dung…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 22

Geneticists Use Herpes to Confirm Ancient Human Migration Routes

Who needs archaeological evidence when you can study the spread of cold sores? By analyzing the full genetic code of the all-too-familiar HSV-1 herpes virus, biologists have confirmed a long held theory of ancient human migration routes, namely the “out-of-Africa” hypothesis. Top image: World map featuring the geographic location of the 6 HSV-1 clades with…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 22

Check out this dad’s insane reaction to learning his son passed math

About a year ago, this British student was failing math. Seeing as a grade of C is the minimum requirement to pass a course in England, he seriously needed to turn things around. Now, if we’re to read into his dad’s incredible reaction, it would appear the lad got the job done. Here’s the full…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 22

What’s the matter with the lack of anti-matter?

According to theoretical physicists, a quarter of a gram’s worth of matter should release five kilotons of energy if it comes into contact with its anti-matter counterpart. Yet we don’t see this happening on Earth or elsewhere in space. What’s going on? Indeed, it’s a bit of a conundrum, especially considering that every particle in…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 21

Finally, a functional flying car that actually looks pretty cool

People complain that we still don’t have flying cars, but that’s not entirely true. There’s the Terrafugia Transition, but it looks like a piece of crap — a plane that we’re supposed to believe is car. Thankfully we now have the Aeromobil Roadable Aircraft — a sexy Slovak-designed car that just made its first flight.…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 21

Poachers use cyanide to massacre over 300 elephants in Zimbabwe

The Telegraph is reporting that poachers in Zimbabwe have killed more than 300 elephants and countless other safari animals by cyanide poisoning, a number that vastly exceeds initial estimates. And disturbingly, new deaths are still be recorded. For the past three months, poachers in southern Africa’s Hwange, Zimbabwe’s largest national park, have resorted to a…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 21

Scientists Discover Parts of Our Bodies Age at Different Rates

Some people age faster than others, but the discovery of a DNA body clock by UCLA researchers now shows that different parts of our bodies age faster than others. The discovery offers important insights into the aging process — and what we might be able to do about it. Image: Bruce Rolff/Shutterstock This isn’t the…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 21

This is easily the weirdest place on the Moon

There’s a very strange place on our moon called Ina, a D-shaped depression about 1.2 miles (2 km) wide and 100 feet (30 m) deep — and it’s unlike any other feature on the lunar surface. But what caused it? The depression is filled with domes of smooth, dark material which appears to rise above…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 21

Canadian Government Raids Gas Plant After It Kills 7,500 Birds

In mid-September, around 7,50o migrating birds were killed when they flew into a gas flare at a natural gas facility in New Brunswick. Yesterday morning, officers from Environment Canada stormed into the facility in search of evidence that could help them in the investigation. The incident happened when thousands of songbirds, including some endangered species,…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 18

Shocking discovery: All mammals take about 21 seconds to go pee

That’s right, all of them — and the shape or size of the animal doesn’t matter. Scientists are calling it the Law of Urination, and it’s a process driven by the way mammalian urinary systems evolved to eject fluids from the body in the quickest and most efficient way allowable by physics. To make this…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 18

Why Prey Animals Are Some of the Most Badass Creatures on the Planet

When it comes to evading hungry predators, prey animals have no shortage of tricks — things like like camouflage, prickly defenses — and a hell of a lot of speed. But they’ve also evolved some lesser known strategies as well. Here are some ingenious ways prey animals avoid becoming a delicious meal. Predators tend to…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 18

You can now search WolframAlpha for your favorite Pokémon characters

Need to know which Pokémon character has the highest special attack? Or speed greater than 80? And can you name all the members of Team Rocket? Thanks to the developers at WolframAlpha, you can now search their knowledge engine to get the answers. This is so great; these two were absolutely meant for each other.…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 18

Atlas Robot Breaks Ankle During First Public Performance

Pffft, so much for its reputation as a badass Terminator-style killer android. In front of dozens of journalists yesterday in Hong Kong, the 330 pound (150 kg) Atlas lost its balance and broke its right ankle during a rather simple walking demonstration. The media event got off to a good start when the 6.5-foot-tall (2…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 18

Precise measurements reveal that this is the world’s fluffiest bunny

OK, so we didn’t do a scientific study or anything, but this Angora rabbit is one of the fluffiest creatures you’ll ever see. It’s also been bred by humans for its long fur for a really long time. The Angora originates from Turkey and is considered the oldest domesticated rabbit. It became popular with French…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 17

Genetic analysis shows that the Yeti was actually a polar bear hybrid

Aw, shucks. Science goin’ off and ruining everything again for cryptozoologists. The latest blow comes from a UK geneticist who says hair samples from an alleged Yeti, or Abominable Snowman, actually came from another — albeit real — creature from the north: an ancient hybrid between polar bears and brown bears. The DNA analysis was…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 17

Astronomers discover a massive asteroid that could hit us in 2032

Mark August 26th, 2032 on your calendar, folks. Ukrainian astronomers have just detected a 1,350-foot-wide (410 meter) minor planet that’s headed our way. The impact risk is minimal, but it’s now the most serious near-term celestial threat to face our planet. I tend to shrug off this sort of stuff when I encounter it, but…

io9 George Dvorsky Oct 17

George Dvorsky

How To Find Buried Gold Using Trees

Watch our favorite robotic gymnast perform a stunning new trick

This Matrix-style rig creates ‘bullet time’ GIFs with 130 smartphones

Bugs aren’t gay, say scientists, they’re just confused and horny

Dung beetles don’t just run to poop, they actually gallop

Geneticists Use Herpes to Confirm Ancient Human Migration Routes

Check out this dad’s insane reaction to learning his son passed math

What’s the matter with the lack of anti-matter?

Finally, a functional flying car that actually looks pretty cool

Poachers use cyanide to massacre over 300 elephants in Zimbabwe

Scientists Discover Parts of Our Bodies Age at Different Rates

This is easily the weirdest place on the Moon

Canadian Government Raids Gas Plant After It Kills 7,500 Birds

Shocking discovery: All mammals take about 21 seconds to go pee

Why Prey Animals Are Some of the Most Badass Creatures on the Planet

You can now search WolframAlpha for your favorite Pokémon characters

Atlas Robot Breaks Ankle During First Public Performance

Precise measurements reveal that this is the world’s fluffiest bunny

Genetic analysis shows that the Yeti was actually a polar bear hybrid

Astronomers discover a massive asteroid that could hit us in 2032

Astronomers Just Dropped the Largest High-Res 3D Map of the Universe

Samsung 27″ Monitor Now Cheaper Than 24″ After Quiet Price Drop, Basically a Free Upgrade to a Bigger Screen

The ‘Good Omens’ Finale Trailer Wants You to Think About the End and Nothing Else

How to Watch Bayern vs Real Madrid Online for Free

UGREEN’s Bluetooth Tracker (4 Pack) Crashes to $5 Each, Nearly 6x Cheaper Than Apple’s AirTag

Some Locals Are Using AI to Protest Against Data Centers

‘A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms’ Season 2 Filming Has Been Canceled By a Storm

Garmin Forerunner 965 Goes on Clearance, No More Premium Price Tag for This Running Smartwatch

A Crew of Worms on the ISS Aims to Help Scientists Unlock the Secrets of Space Travel

Galaxy Buds 3 FE (2025) Are Now Cheaper on Amazon Than Buying Direct from Samsung, but Only for Prime Members

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

HP Omen Max 45L Review: 4K60 Gaming Has Never Been So Easy

Ecovacs Winbot W3 Omni Review: Window Cleaning Robots Have a Long Way to Go

AirPods Max 2 vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen): Which ANC Headphones Win?

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice