Jamie Condliffe, Author at Gizmodo

Meditation Makes Your Brain Quicker

Most people dismiss meditation as a bunch of hippy nonsense. But no longer; scientists have established that meditation, if done regularly and for long enough, is linked to the brain being able to process information faster. Take that, skeptics. The research, undertaken at UCLA, used MRI scans to compare the brains of 50 meditators to…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

Scientific Proof That Women Hate Beards

Every man grows a beard at some point in his life. But that’s not to say that it’s a good idea. In fact, science now confirms that while a beard makes you look older and of higher status, it makes you less attractive to women. The research, conducted by Barnaby Dixson and Paul Vasey from…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

The Average Consumer Values Data Privacy at 65 Cents

It’s amazing how little some people value digital privacy. In a recent study, given the choice between one digital service with strong privacy and one 65 cents cheaper without such promises, consumers opted for the cheaper option. The finding is right here. Admittedly, these are lab tests, but that’s fine. The test was based on…

Privacy & Security Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

BBC Confirms Video Download Store Plans

Last week rumors circulated that the BBC was planning to launch a video download store that could give iTunes a run for its money. Now the director of the BBC has confirmed that he plans to roll the service out. https://gizmodo.com/does-the-bbc-hope-to-rival-itunes-5891860 A BBC report on the annoucnement explains that users will be able to download…

Television Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

Google’s Overhauling Search to Give You Better Answers

Google isn’t one to rest on its laurels, and over the coming months it plans to massively overhaul its search system. Expect to see far more than just a page of links; Google is planning to push the boundaries of semantic search to give you answers directly. A Wall Street Journal report suggests that these…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

Why Doesn’t the New iPad Allow FaceTime Over LTE?

The new iPad is, by all reports, smokin’ hot. What better way to make the most of its new LTE capabilities and amazing Retina display than telling somebody about it over FaceTime? Sorry, you’re out of luck; the iPad still doesn’t allow FaceTime over cellular networks. https://gizmodo.com/new-ipad-meta-review-4g-and-retina-really-are-that-gre-5893431 The Verge has confirmed that Apple’s latest offering…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 15 '12

The Taboo Treatment: How Fecal Transplants Save Lives

Some medical treatments often go unspoken about because they’re icky. But here’s one you should know of: fecal transplants. Because while having someone else’s excrement put inside your body does sound gross, it’s a process that’s saving lives. But how on Earth can another person’s poop be good for you? It turns out that it’s…

Health Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

Scientists Have Identified a Completely New Human Species from China

Your family tree just got wider. Scientists have analyzed fossils found in China, and deemed them to be from a new human species unlike any ever identified before; say hello to your long-lost cousin. The skull, originally unearthed in 1979 in the Guangxi Province of China, has only now been fully analyzed (talk about procrastination,…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

Slime Mold and Highways Take the Exact Same Paths

Slime mold is weird stuff: despite having no brain or nervous system it’s ruthlessly efficient at hunting down food. So efficient that if you lay out food for it in the pattern of major cities across the US, it grows in the exact same paths as the highways we’ve already built. Andrew Adamatzky, a researcher…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

Is CO2 Making You Fat?

There’s a never-ending stream of scientific explanations for obesity. The latest suggests that CO2 contributes to our weight gain and that as we pump more of it in to the atmosphere, the fatter we become. But can that really be the case? The theory is favored by Lars-Georg Hersoug, a scientist from Denmark. He suggests…

Health Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

This Is What Three Years of One Person’s GPS Data Looks Like

There are plenty of cool GPS data projects in existence, but this is one of the most beautiful I’ve seen: three whole years of location data, taken from an iPhone. https://gizmodo.com/gps-map-made-with-one-really-really-long-walk-5583913 To make it, Aaron Parecki collected the location from his iPhone every few seconds for over three years. Then he turned his data into…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

It Takes a 700 Per Cent Increase in Hacking to Attract Attention on Capitol Hill

Senators are often slow to react to issues that involve technology, not least because they’re hardly the youngest people in the world. When it comes to hacking, though, it seems to have taken a huge surge in activity to make them stop and take notice. The New York Times reports that senators have recently looked…

Privacy & Security Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

Apple Subpoenaed by FTC Over Google Search on iOS Devices

The FTC has subpoenaed Apple as part of an antitrust probe of Google, in order to determine how search is incorporated into iOS devices. The request for information specifically asks for details about agreements that made Google the default search engine on Apple’s mobile devices. A report by Bloomberg suggests that the subpoena indicates that…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

Watch HTC Pump 10,000 Volts Through Its Phone

HTC’s new One S has a crazy metal unibody, that the company proudly claimed was made using micro arc oxidation. But what the hell is that process? It’s freakin’ cool, that’s what. https://gizmodo.com/htc-one-s-hands-on-really-solid-really-fast-updated-5888409/ It involves pumping 10,000 volts through the aluminum shell in a process akin to lightning striking the thing, which causes microscopic changes…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 14 '12

It’s Possible to Steer Freakin’ Lightning with Freakin’ Lasers

Supervillains rejoice: scientists have developed a way of steering lightning using lasers. I repeat: steering lighting with lasers. And they told me it could never strike in the same place twice! Admittedly, the team of French scientists have only so far done this in labs, but it still works a treat. The team can create…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

Just Thinking Women Are Nearby Makes Men Dumber

If you often find yourself stuck for words in the presence of women, don’t beat yourself up; we’ve all been there. But it turns out it’s not you, it’s science! Merely thinking about the presence of women makes men stupid. A study from Radboud University in the Netherlands suggests that men start faltering and exhibit…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

How Bioengineered Humans Could Solve Climate Change

Most solutions to climate change require radical changes in the way we live. That’s why a small community of academics is starting to propose a different approach, one that involves bioengineering humans so that they need fewer resources. It’s radical, controversial—and might just work. Imagine a race of humans that were smaller so consumed less…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

Red Meat Is Responsible for One in Ten Early Deaths

Deep down, we all know that red meat isn’t the healthiest thing to eat—but that doesn’t stop us tearing into a bloody steak all too often. Sadly, new research suggests that red meat is behind one in ten early deaths, so it might actually be time to make a real effort to cut back. According…

Health Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

The New iPad’s 1GB of RAM and 1GHz Processor Confirmed

Though it was almost certainly going to be the case, a leaked benchmark has confirmed what we expected: the new iPad comes with 1GB of RAM, but the clock speed of its CPU stays at 1GHz. https://gizmodo.com/new-ipad-the-third-generation-5891158 The results come from a device that a pair of tech journalists in Vietnam managed to lay their…

Tech News Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

Amazon May Have Sold Two Million ‘Kindle Singles’, But Why’s That Impressive?

This morning, the internet is awash with people slapping Amazon on the back, congratulating them for selling two million Kindle Singles—e-books that are shorter than full-length books but longer than most magazine articles. But is that really a big deal? No, it isn’t. But my problem isn’t with the number they’ve sold. Rather, my problem…

Commerce Jamie Condliffe Mar 13 '12

Jamie Condliffe

Meditation Makes Your Brain Quicker

Scientific Proof That Women Hate Beards

The Average Consumer Values Data Privacy at 65 Cents

BBC Confirms Video Download Store Plans

Google’s Overhauling Search to Give You Better Answers

Why Doesn’t the New iPad Allow FaceTime Over LTE?

The Taboo Treatment: How Fecal Transplants Save Lives

Scientists Have Identified a Completely New Human Species from China

Slime Mold and Highways Take the Exact Same Paths

Is CO2 Making You Fat?

This Is What Three Years of One Person’s GPS Data Looks Like

It Takes a 700 Per Cent Increase in Hacking to Attract Attention on Capitol Hill

Apple Subpoenaed by FTC Over Google Search on iOS Devices

Watch HTC Pump 10,000 Volts Through Its Phone

It’s Possible to Steer Freakin’ Lightning with Freakin’ Lasers

Just Thinking Women Are Nearby Makes Men Dumber

How Bioengineered Humans Could Solve Climate Change

Red Meat Is Responsible for One in Ten Early Deaths

The New iPad’s 1GB of RAM and 1GHz Processor Confirmed

Amazon May Have Sold Two Million ‘Kindle Singles’, But Why’s That Impressive?

Lego’s New ‘Mandalorian & Grogu’ Set Confirms a Very Silly Name Change

Ask.com Is Dead, and I’m Begging Its Owners Not to Bring AskJeeves Back as a Chatbot

Meet the New Mutant Heroes of ‘X-Men ’97’

Under Ternus, Apple Is Reportedly Entering a Spendy New Era

Open Channel: What Are (Still) Your Favorite Infinity Saga Movies?

April Was the Worst Ever Month on Record for Crypto Hacks

F1 Miami GP Live Stream: How to Watch F1 Miami GP 2026 Live Stream for FREE

Wizards of the Coast Apologizes After New ‘Hobbit’ One Ring Card Accused of Plagiarism

Logitech G G512 X Review: The Tasting Menu of a Pro Gaming Keyboard

Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone Review: AI Can’t Save This Robot Vacuum

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

HP’s EliteBoard Keyboard-Computer Proves We Can Stick a PC in Anything

Sleep-Tracking Earbuds Didn’t Fix Me, but They Did Open My Eyes

I’ve Tested a Lot of Bad Smart Glasses and These Are the Worst Yet

Roborock’s Qrevo Curv 2 Flow Is the Ultimate Robot Mop—If You Don’t Have Corners or Walls

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