George Dvorsky, Author at Gizmodo

Thirsty Koalas Caught on Camera Licking Wet Trees

Unprecedented footage shows koalas slurping water from wet tree trunks both during and after rainstorms. The discovery solves a long-standing mystery about these adorable marsupials and how they’re able to stay hydrated. A typical koala will eat around 150 grams (5.3 ounces) of eucalyptus leaves each day, providing them with an abundant but not completely…

Biology George Dvorsky

Research Casts Doubt on Elliptical Galaxies Being Cradles of Intelligent Life

We live inside a spiral galaxy, but one school of thought suggests oval-shaped elliptical galaxies are most likely to host intelligent civilizations. A new paper tries to overturn this assumption by applying a classic philosophical technique used by scientists for centuries. New research published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society questions the life-supporting…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Elon Musk Tries to Stop Reporter’s Covid-19 Question During NASA Call, Saying ‘Move On’

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk attempted to deflect a reporter’s question during a NASA press conference yesterday, saying “move on.” The NASA press conference was announcing the contract winners for concepts to land astronauts on the Moon in 2024. SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Dynetics will receive millions from NASA to develop lunar lander concepts for the…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

NASA Will Pick One of These Three Astronaut Lander Concepts for 2024 Moon Mission

As NASA prepares to return humans to the Moon in 2024, the space agency has decided to take the private route, selecting three U.S. companies to develop an astronaut landing system. NASA announced yesterday that Blue Origin, Dynetics, and SpaceX will receive a combined $967 million in funding to develop a human landing system for…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Meteorologists Describe ‘Gargantuan Hail’ From Epic Storm in Argentina

Two years ago, a severe storm in Argentina produced hailstones reaching 9 inches wide, prompting meteorologists to propose an entirely new term: “gargantuan hail.” Scientists don’t fully understand how such enormous balls of ice can take shape, but the 2018 storm is providing some tantalizing new clues. New research in the Bulletin of the American…

Earth Science George Dvorsky

Three African Skeletons Found in Mexico Show Horrors of Early Slavery in the New World

Three skeletons belonging to African individuals have been uncovered at a mass grave in Mexico City. They represent some of the first African people to be forcibly relocated to the New World. An interdisciplinary analysis of these remains is shedding new light on this grim period of history and the harsh conditions endured by the…

Human History George Dvorsky

‘Totally Absurd’: Spanish Officials Douse Beach With Bleach to Fight Coronavirus

A picturesque beach in the Spanish province of Cádiz has been sprayed with diluted bleach, in a misguided and environmentally unfriendly attempt to protect children from the novel coronavirus. “It’s totally absurd,” María Dolores Iglesias Benítez, head of a local environmental volunteer group, told the Guardian. “The beach is a living ecosystem. And when you…

Earther George Dvorsky

Well-Preserved Tail of Terrifying Aquatic Dinosaur Shows It Was a Formidable Swimmer

The discovery of a well-preserved Spinosaurus tail fossil is refining what we know about these ferocious carnivores, further affirming their role as aquatic hunters. Spinosaurs are among the most frightening dinosaurs to have ever lived, rivaling even tyrannosaurs in size. New research published today in Nature describes the discovery of a well-preserved Spinosaurus tail, unearthed…

Biology George Dvorsky

What Viral Shedding Looks Like During a Covid-19 Infection

You’ve probably heard the term viral shedding at some point during the covid-19 pandemic. Here’s what it actually looks like and what it means. This incredible image was captured by Elizabeth Fischer, head of Rocky Mountain Laboratories, a National Institutes of Health research lab in Hamilton, Montana. Fischer has imaged all sorts of viruses over…

Health George Dvorsky

Citizen Scientists Recreate Bronze Age Sword-Fighting Techniques to Uncover Ancient Combat Secrets

By recreating prehistoric one-on-one sword fighting and analyzing the ensuing damage inflicted onto replica weapons, experimental archaeologists are shedding new light onto ancient combat techniques and the advanced skills required to be a Bronze Age warrior. Previous investigations into the use of Bronze Age weapons either applied experimental techniques, such as recreations of combat, or…

Human History George Dvorsky

Enormous Ice Avalanches on Mars May Have Rushed Down Craters at 260 Feet Per Second

Enigmatic features tucked inside two Martian impact craters could be the remnants of colossal ice avalanches, the largest of which traveled over 9 miles. Two impact craters in the far northern latitudes of Mars have strange linear features on their inner slopes. New research published in Planetary and Space Science suggests these moraine-like ridges are…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Scientists Create Glowing Plants Using Bioluminescent Mushroom DNA

Ornamental house plants with sustainably glowing leaves and flowers are now one step closer to reality, thanks to a breakthrough in which scientists leveraged the bioluminescent powers of mushrooms. Glowing plants are nothing new, as scientists have previously achieved this by using bioluminescent genes found in bacteria. Trouble is, these plants don’t glow very brightly,…

Biology George Dvorsky

NASA Rocket Scientists Designed a Rapid-Production Ventilator in Just 37 Days

Introducing VITAL, a prototype ventilator designed expressly for quick and easy mass production. Developed by NASA engineers, the device could alleviate ongoing supply shortages in the U.S. and around the world as the covid-19 pandemic rages on. NASA has copious amounts of available brain power, and it’s good to see the space agency putting it…

Health George Dvorsky

Celebrate Hubble’s 30th Birthday by Gazing Into This Shimmering Stellar Expanse

It was on this day in 1990 that the Space Shuttle Discovery deposited the Hubble Space Telescope into low Earth orbit. To commemorate this important anniversary, NASA and the European Space Agency have released this stunning Hubble image of two nearby nebulae—vast expanses of clouds and dust in which stars are born. Few telescopes in…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

Stuck at Home, Audiologists Remotely Switch On Toddler’s New Hearing Device

Ongoing social isolation measures in the United Kingdom had prevented an 18-month-old girl from getting her newly installed cochlear implant switched on. Undaunted, her audiologists did what so many of us are doing right now: They made it happen while working from home. Margarida Cibrao-Roque’s cochlear implant is now working and allowing the toddler to…

Health George Dvorsky

New Seismic Map of North America Reveals a Continent Under Tremendous Stress

Scientists have compiled the most comprehensive map yet of tectonic stress magnitudes across North America, highlighting regions most vulnerable to earthquakes. The map and associated study, published today in Nature Communications, showcase the dynamic subterranean forces at play on a continental scale. Writing in their paper, the authors of the new study, Jens-Erik Lund Snee,…

Earth Science George Dvorsky

Magnetic Clues in Australian Rocks Suggest Plate Tectonics Began Over 3 Billion Years Ago

Without plate tectonics, our planet wouldn’t have continents, mountains, and possibly even life itself. New evidence suggests this geological process began at least 3.2 billion years ago, a surprisingly early origin. Geologists debate exactly when our planet’s tectonic plates began to shift. Estimates vary wildly, ranging from 4 billion to 1 billion years ago, with…

Earth Science George Dvorsky

Heavy Rainfall May Have Sparked Kilauea’s Explosive 2018 Eruption

Scientists are attributing the 2018 Kilauea eruption, which destroyed hundreds of homes on Hawaii’s Big Island, to a surprising source: intense and sustained rainfall. Excessive precipitation in the months leading up to the eruption led to the collapse of rocky support structures near the caldera’s magma chamber, causing lava to creep up and burst through…

Earther George Dvorsky

The Space Shuttle Was a Beautiful—but Terrible—Idea

In 2005, then-NASA administrator Michael Griffin shocked the aerospace community when he openly criticized the Space Shuttle program, describing it to USA Today as a “mistake,” “just barely possible,” and “not the right path” for the United States. Griffin’s comments were astonishing, given that the program was still in full swing and very much celebrated by…

Science George Dvorsky

Vanishing Exoplanet Might Actually Be the Aftermath of a ‘Supercatastrophic’ Collision

A known exoplanet has disappeared from sight, prompting speculation among astronomers that it was never a planet in the first place and is instead the shattered remnants of a celestial smash-up. Now you see it, now you don’t. A nearby exoplanet known as Fomalhaut b has gradually faded from view, which is obviously something planets…

Space & Spaceflight George Dvorsky

George Dvorsky

Thirsty Koalas Caught on Camera Licking Wet Trees

Research Casts Doubt on Elliptical Galaxies Being Cradles of Intelligent Life

Elon Musk Tries to Stop Reporter’s Covid-19 Question During NASA Call, Saying ‘Move On’

NASA Will Pick One of These Three Astronaut Lander Concepts for 2024 Moon Mission

Meteorologists Describe ‘Gargantuan Hail’ From Epic Storm in Argentina

Three African Skeletons Found in Mexico Show Horrors of Early Slavery in the New World

‘Totally Absurd’: Spanish Officials Douse Beach With Bleach to Fight Coronavirus

Well-Preserved Tail of Terrifying Aquatic Dinosaur Shows It Was a Formidable Swimmer

What Viral Shedding Looks Like During a Covid-19 Infection

Citizen Scientists Recreate Bronze Age Sword-Fighting Techniques to Uncover Ancient Combat Secrets

Enormous Ice Avalanches on Mars May Have Rushed Down Craters at 260 Feet Per Second

Scientists Create Glowing Plants Using Bioluminescent Mushroom DNA

NASA Rocket Scientists Designed a Rapid-Production Ventilator in Just 37 Days

Celebrate Hubble’s 30th Birthday by Gazing Into This Shimmering Stellar Expanse

Stuck at Home, Audiologists Remotely Switch On Toddler’s New Hearing Device

New Seismic Map of North America Reveals a Continent Under Tremendous Stress

Magnetic Clues in Australian Rocks Suggest Plate Tectonics Began Over 3 Billion Years Ago

Heavy Rainfall May Have Sparked Kilauea’s Explosive 2018 Eruption

The Space Shuttle Was a Beautiful—but Terrible—Idea

Vanishing Exoplanet Might Actually Be the Aftermath of a ‘Supercatastrophic’ Collision

Forget Amazon Fire TV Soundbar, Samsung B-Series Soundbar With Built-In Subwoofer Still Under $100 for Post-Spring Sale

Apple M4 MacBook Air Is Still at Its Spring Sale Low as Amazon Moves Into Clearance Mode, No Need to Wait for Prime Day

They’re Already Trying to Baby Yoda Rocky From ‘Project Hail Mary’

ASUS ROG Xbox Ally Just Got Cheaper Again After Spring Sale, With 3 Months of Game Pass Included at No Extra Cost

Protect Your Car Without Overpaying, Batteries Plus Makes Finding the Right Battery Size Easy and Affordable

WD 5TB Portable External Hard Drive for Mac Drops to $0.03 per GB Even After Amazon’s Spring Sale

Apple Offers Rare Olive Branch to Liquid Glass Haters

Mamdani Lifts NYC TikTok Ban for City Employees, but with Some Unusual Restrictions

Tesla Goes Ahead and Admits Its Robotaxis Are Sometimes Fully Human-Controlled

School Forced to Replace Toilets After Kids Flush Vapes

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

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?