George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

The Rise of “Cyber Therapy,” or How Games Became a Medical Treatment

Today many doctors today say the best high-tech treatments are ones you can download from an app store. A trend in digital bootstrapping, using simple technology to solve complicated problems, reveals that the best cure isn’t always a brand-new drug or gadget. Sometimes a simple iPad app or game can transform a troubled treatment into…

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Methane-exhaling microbes found in undersea volcanoes reset the limits of life

As unbelievable as it sounds, it’s thought that up to a third of all the Earth’s organisms by mass live in rocks and sediments. Suffice to say, we know excruciatingly little about the lives and ecology of these highly inaccessible creatures. But a new study from the University of Massachusetts Amherst is offering an unprecedented…

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Have archaeologists discovered lost Egyptian pyramids using Google Earth?

Satellite archaeologist Angela Micol believes she may have stumbled upon two previously unidentified pyramid structures by using Google Earth. Located in Egypt, the sites contain distinct features and orientations that definitely suggest the potential presence of pyramids — a prospect that has local archaeologists eager to check it out. The Archaeology News Network reports: One…

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Here’s how Curiosity will use its laser to search for the ingredients of life on Mars

NASA’s Curiosity is set to make its historic landing this coming Sunday, August 5. Once settled, the rover will get to work analyzing the Martian surface and atmosphere for signs that the planet was once capable of harboring life — or might be again. But what does it mean to search for “potential” habitability? To…

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Can “cliodynamics” help historians predict future unrest?

Unlike physicists and chemists, historians have been unable to formulate grand equations or immutable laws. The trends of history, it would seem, are outside the scope of reproducible science. But a new discipline called “cliodynamics” is looking to change all that. After studying and mapping key indicators of history, University of Connecticut’s Peter Turchin believes…

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What does Oscar Pistorius’s success at the Olympics mean for the future of cybernetics?

For the first time ever in Olympic history, a double-amputee is set to race alongside able-bodied athletes. Nicknamed “Blade Runner,” South African sprinter Oscar Pistorius’s remarkable achievement is set to raise as much enthusiasm as it will concern. As we recently reported, it’s very possible that Pistorius’s advanced prosthetic “Cheetahs” give him a distinct advantage.…

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Are bites from vampire bats making people resistant to rabies?

Rabies is virtually non-existent in North America, but it’s still a blight in many parts of the world, including South America. The disease, which is commonly transmitted by bats, is almost always fatal. But a recent study conducted in Peru is suggesting that native people there may have developed an immunity to the virus by…

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Interactive infographic predicts emerging technologies from now until 2040

Michell Zappa of the tech forecasting firm Envisioning Technologies has compiled a beautiful infographic highlighting the most significant technological innovations that we can expect to see from now until the year 2040. The graph breaks down key tech sectors by category and includes fields such as artificial intelligence, robotics, biotech, energy, space, and many more.…

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Is modern wheat making you sensitive to gluten?

Take a trip to your local supermarket and you’re bound to see an entire section devoted to gluten-free products. Once the exclusive domain of people with celiac disease, the trend towards gluten-free wheat has quickly become all the rage. So, what’s to account for all this? As researchers from the Mayo Clinic have recently pointed…

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10 Futuristic Technologies That Will Never Exist

Part of the joy of science fiction is seeing all the awesome toys, and imagining how they could exist in the real world. And so many of science fiction’s coolest gadgets have come true, including Star Trek’s PADDs and communicators. But the sad truth is, a lot of the most fantastic technologies in science fiction…

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Stem cell finding will lead to a “paradigm shift” in cancer treatments

There’s been a heated controversy in cancer research over the past several years about the alleged presence of cancer stem cells that fuel tumour growth. But now, new research conducted by three independent teams has confirmed the existence of these “master builder” cells — a discovery that will likely lead to completely new forms of…

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Archeologists Uncover Maya Temple of the Blood Drinking Sun God

National Geographic is reporting on the remarkable discovery and analysis of a 1,600 year old ancient Maya temple in Guatemala. Called the Temple of the Night Sun, it features a series of striking stone monuments, including various depictions of the Maya sun god as a shark, jaguar, and blood drinker. Archaeologists are hoping that the…

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The Pentagon has created a database of every bomb they’ve dropped since the First World War

For the past six years, the U.S. Air Force has been compiling an exhaustive list of every bomb their planes have dropped since World War I. The database, which is part of a project called THOR (Theater History of Operations Reports), was put together by Lieutenant Colonel Jenns Robertson using thousands of historical documents. And…

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The Future Is Unevenly Distributed

One of the big questions of futurism is what kind of world we want to live in tomorrow. But as attendees at a recent conference on futurism discovered, “tomorrow” is relative. People in Egypt look at the future very differently than people in Canada do. This was a heated topic of discussion at the recently…

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Why we should look for extraterrestrial ‘bubbles’ in neighboring galaxies

There’s been an exciting shift in scientific thinking about life beyond Earth recently. Extraterrestrial-seeking group SETI has started to recognize the importance of detecting alien artifacts along with radio signals. The most viable target for these searches is the Dyson sphere, a massive shell that envelops an entire star. But as Discovery’s Ray Villard rightly…

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China to make its first ever moon landing in 2013

China may have gotten off to a slow start in its efforts to explore space, but they are quickly catching up. The state Xinhua news agency has announced that China will be sending an exploratory lunar probe to the surface of the moon next year, marking an historic step forward in their space program —…

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Watch these church walls twist and morph through the power of projected light

Last year, we showed you how a group of artists transformed Manhattan Bridge into a dreamscape of light and shadow. Well, they’re back, and this time they’re using an abandoned neo-gothic church in Brooklyn as their canvas. https://gizmodo.com/watch-manhattan-bridge-transform-into-a-dreamscape-of-l-5870571 The technique is called projection mapping, and it offers an immersive experience for those watching — an…

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How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

Prior to becoming a futurist, Ramez Naam was a well respected and successful software developer and professional technologist. He was involved in the development of such products as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook. His future in the software industry certainly looked bright. But it was during this time that he decided to switch gears…

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A deadly new strain of bird flu has spread to seals. Could humans be next?

We already know that the deadly H5N1 avian flu is only one stabilizing mutation away from being able to spread to humans. But as society nervously anticipates a potential pandemic, we get disturbing news that a different variant of the flu, the equally ominous H3N8, has successfully made the leap from birds to seals. https://gizmodo.com/nature-goes-ahead-and-publishes-study-explaining-how-to-5907096…

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Modern culture emerged in Africa 20,000 years earlier than anybody realized

Archeologists studying the remains of early humans in Africa have unveiled a number of ancient artifacts that push back the advent of modern culture to 44,000 years ago — way earlier than the previous estimates of 22,000 years ago. The new dates are based on the radiocarbon dating of tools and other items found at…

io9 George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

The Rise of “Cyber Therapy,” or How Games Became a Medical Treatment

Methane-exhaling microbes found in undersea volcanoes reset the limits of life

Have archaeologists discovered lost Egyptian pyramids using Google Earth?

Here’s how Curiosity will use its laser to search for the ingredients of life on Mars

Can “cliodynamics” help historians predict future unrest?

What does Oscar Pistorius’s success at the Olympics mean for the future of cybernetics?

Are bites from vampire bats making people resistant to rabies?

Interactive infographic predicts emerging technologies from now until 2040

Is modern wheat making you sensitive to gluten?

10 Futuristic Technologies That Will Never Exist

Stem cell finding will lead to a “paradigm shift” in cancer treatments

Archeologists Uncover Maya Temple of the Blood Drinking Sun God

The Pentagon has created a database of every bomb they’ve dropped since the First World War

The Future Is Unevenly Distributed

Why we should look for extraterrestrial ‘bubbles’ in neighboring galaxies

China to make its first ever moon landing in 2013

Watch these church walls twist and morph through the power of projected light

How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

A deadly new strain of bird flu has spread to seals. Could humans be next?

Modern culture emerged in Africa 20,000 years earlier than anybody realized

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

California Regulator Says Tesla’s ‘Robotaxis’ Are More Like a Limo in the Eyes of the Law

Dyson Airwrap Falls to an All-Time Low in Amazon’s Spring Sale, Lowering the Barrier for This Premium Multi-Styler

The ‘Tales from ’85’ Trailer Wants You Back in ‘Stranger Things’ Already

Forget Ray-Ban Meta, XREAL 1S AR/XR Virtual Screen Smart Glasses Drop to Record Low on Amazon

Pixel Buds Pro 2 Hit Record Low as Google Continues Its Clearance-Like Price Cuts Following Smartphone Deals

DJI Now Has a Cheaper 360 Drone Than Insta360, but the U.S. Won’t Get It

Amazon Clears Out Apple Watch Series 9 With Silver Stainless Steel Case at 48% Off During Spring Sale

What Do You Mean Fox McCloud Is in the ‘Super Mario Galaxy’ Movie

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