George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Why does Jaron Lanier hate the Web so much?

Back in 2000, internet pioneer Jaron Lanier astonished the digital world by turning his back on the very thing he helped to create and promote — namely, the unabashedly enthusiastic and quasi-utopian vision of the future Web that took root in the late 1990s. In his Wired article, “One-Half of a Manifesto,” he attacked “internet…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 27

Physicians in China treat addictions by destroying the brain’s pleasure center

Drug addiction in China is highly stigmatized. And now, some doctors are trying to cure it with a radical procedure known as as a “stereotactic ablation.” More simply, it’s the practice of destroying parts of the brain’s “pleasure centers” (the nucleus accumbens) in heroin addicts and alcoholics as a way to stop drug cravings. At…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 27

Human Gene Patenting: Yes, Companies Can Own Your DNA

The idea of patenting a gene seems strange, and it’s a practice that’s made weirder by virtue of the fact that the genes of living humans can also be patented. How is this possible? And what are the potential pitfalls? Here’s what you need to know about the current state of human gene patents —…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 27

Astronomer says all those Earth-like planets we’re discovering are anything but

The past 12 months has seen a dramatic influx in announcements proclaiming the discovery of Earth-like planets. It was only a few years ago that the detection of any kind exoplanet was cause for celebration, but these days news of a potentially habitable planet has become routine. But as astronomer and astrobiologist Caleb Scharf now…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 27

The One Type of Music That All Parrots Everywhere Despise

Parrots obviously have a keen ear, as their incredible skills in mimicry attest. This caused researchers in the U.K. to wonder if they have certain preferences when it comes to music. As their resulting study shows, parrots’ taste in music varies from individual to individual. But one thing was made perfectly clear: they hate electronic…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 26

Could a captive tornado power an entire city?

The Thiel Foundation’s Breakout Labs recently announced its plans to fund a radical new approach to producing cheap and clean energy. Called the Atmospheric Vortex Engine (AVE), the highly conceptual power plant would generate a controlled tornado that drives multiple turbines. With controlled being the key word, here. The idea was devised by Canadian engineer…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 26

Why We Should Let the Robots Take Over

Wired’s Kevin Kelly has penned an article in which he argues that we should let robots take our jobs — a welcome development that will help us to “dream up new work that matters.” Moreover, it will be through this process that humanity can liberate itself from dangerous and demeaning work, and allow us to…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 26

What can we possibly learn from analyzing the Newtown gunman’s DNA?

For the first time ever, researchers will conduct a detailed study of the DNA of a mass killer. By taking a closer look at Adam Lanza’s genomic data, scientists are hoping to discover the potential biological underpinnings for extreme violence. But given the diverse nature of mental illness and the complex interplay between genes and…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 26

Scientists show that microbes from Earth can survive conditions found on Mars

Astrobiologists have been worried for quite some time now that the Martian surface has been contaminated with microbes originating from Earth — what got there by clinging to all the various probes and artifacts we’ve sent there. But given how severe the conditions are on Mars, it has been generally assumed that this is likely…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 26

California’s marijuana boom is wreaking havoc on the environment

The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the dramatic rise in pot farms in Northern California is starting to take a toll on the surrounding environment. Agricultural practices like water-siphoning, pesticide spraying, and littering are having a noticeable effect on what is a very fragile ecosystem. Marijuana farms are definitely on the rise. In one…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 25

Why do we blink more than we need to?

Human blinking is somewhat of a mystery to scientists. While it’s well known that eye-blinking is done to lubricate the cornea, these seemingly spontaneous flashes happen at a rate that’s greater than what’s needed. But now, as new research from Japan suggests, our blinking patterns may serve an unexpected purpose — one that works to…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 25

One small hop for SpaceX, a giant leap towards rocket reusability

SpaceX has just taken a major step closer to achieving the world’s first reusable launch vehicle. The private space-firm has just released a video showing its Grasshopper Vertical Take Off and Landing Vehicle rising up to a height of 40 meters (130 feet) where it hovers for a brief moment, and then vertically returns back…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 25

Researchers create a ‘trojan-horse’ virus to eliminate cancer in mice

Scientists in the United Kingdom have developed a new therapy in which cancer-killing viruses hide inside the immune system of mice. The researchers successfully demonstrated that macrophages (immunity-endowing white blood cells) can be used to deliver specially designed viruses that can attack tumors directly. And remarkably, the technique worked to “completely eliminate” prostate cancer in…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 24

Pope says same-sex marriage is destroying the ‘essence of humanity’

If Pope Benedict’s Christmas speeches are of any indication, it is becoming increasingly obvious that the Vatican has stepped up its assault on same-sex marriage. Speaking at his yearly address to Vatican officials, the Pope spoke out against marriage equality, saying that it’s destroying the very foundations of the family and what it means to…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 24

The Best Science Fiction Music Videos Of 2012

What’s better than our favorite music videos of the year? How about our favorite sci-fi themed music videos of the year? Here’s the best that 2012 had to offer. This year’s crop featured music from virtually every genre, and included such science fiction staples as space travel, telekinesis, enhanced humans, robots-run-amok, and, of course, zombies.…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 21

Like humans, dragonflies are capable of focusing their attention

Scientists have discovered that dragonflies can do something they didn’t think invertebrates were capable of. It’s called ‘selective attention.’ Like primates, dragonflies have special brain cells that allow them to lock on to specific targets when hunting their prey, while simultaneously ignoring potential distractions. The discovery sheds important insight into the sophistication of bug brains…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 21

The Great Filter theory suggests humans have already conquered the threat of extinction

It’s difficult to not be pessimistic when considering humanity’s future prospects. Many people would agree that it’s more likely than not that we’ll eventually do ourselves in. And in fact, some astrobiologists theorize that all advanced civilizations hit the same insurmountable developmental wall we have. They call it the Great Filter. It’s a notion that’s…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 21

That meteorite which blew-up over California last April is one of the rarest ever found

This past April, a 100,000 pound (45,360 kg) meteorite exploded above the skies of Sutter’s Mill, California. Streaking in at a speed of 64,000 miles per hour (103,000 km/hr or 28.6 km/s) — about twice the speed of typical meteorite falls — it hit with the energy of a quarter of a Hiroshima bomb, making…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 21

These gorgeous colorized photos bring famous historical figures to life

Back in September we showed you this jaw-dropping colorized photo of 29 famous scientists. Now, thanks to the work of 18-year-old artist Mars Madsen, we have some more, including the reworking of black-and-white photos of some famous historical figures and scientists. https://gizmodo.com/twenty-nine-of-history-s-most-influential-scientists-in-5940299 It’s truly amazing how much life a bit of color can add to…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 21

Is it really true that homosexuality can be explained by epigenetics?

Early last week we told you about a new paper published in the Quarterly Review of Biology which suggests that homosexuality arises on account of epigenetic processes rather than genetic ones (i.e. non-heritable factors that alter the expression of DNA). Not surprisingly, the web exploded in a firestorm of debate, with opinions and interpretations spanning…

io9 George Dvorsky Dec 20

George Dvorsky

Why does Jaron Lanier hate the Web so much?

Physicians in China treat addictions by destroying the brain’s pleasure center

Human Gene Patenting: Yes, Companies Can Own Your DNA

Astronomer says all those Earth-like planets we’re discovering are anything but

The One Type of Music That All Parrots Everywhere Despise

Could a captive tornado power an entire city?

Why We Should Let the Robots Take Over

What can we possibly learn from analyzing the Newtown gunman’s DNA?

Scientists show that microbes from Earth can survive conditions found on Mars

California’s marijuana boom is wreaking havoc on the environment

Why do we blink more than we need to?

One small hop for SpaceX, a giant leap towards rocket reusability

Researchers create a ‘trojan-horse’ virus to eliminate cancer in mice

Pope says same-sex marriage is destroying the ‘essence of humanity’

The Best Science Fiction Music Videos Of 2012

Like humans, dragonflies are capable of focusing their attention

The Great Filter theory suggests humans have already conquered the threat of extinction

That meteorite which blew-up over California last April is one of the rarest ever found

These gorgeous colorized photos bring famous historical figures to life

Is it really true that homosexuality can be explained by epigenetics?

Scientists Found Literal Ink From Ballpoint Pens in Martian Meteorites

The ‘Galaxy’s Edge’ Han Solo Proves You Really Can’t Replace Harrison Ford

BYD Is Rolling Out 5-Minute Charging on Several Popular EVs

Jury Does What Trump’s DOJ Wouldn’t, Deems Ticketmaster a Monopoly

Govee RGBIC TV Smart Light Bars Go on Clearance, Bringing Each Down to Under $25 on Amazon

EU Is Rolling Out an Online Age Verification App That Could Become the Global Blueprint

16 Underrated Anime That Deserve Your Love

The West Finally Got Some Snow, but It’s Too Little, Too Late

Elon Musk Scores a Victory Against Free Speech

Alienware’s $350 QD-OLED Gaming Monitor Nixes Everything for a Pretty Screen

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