Keith Veronese, Author at Gizmodo

Green & Red Lanterns square off while Deathstroke appears on Young Justice

This week in the world of cartoons, Obi-Wan’s former love wages war against Death Watch & Darth Maul, a misunderstanding leads to a battle between the Green and Red Lanterns, and one of DC’s great 1980s villains appears on Young Justice! As always – minor spoilers ahead! Young Justice: Invasion – “Fix” Aqualad is about…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 26

Opal Mining: A Damn Good Way to Get Yourself Killed

Opal-mining is one of the world’s most harrowing pursuits, but potentially one of the most rewarding as well. To find opals, a modern treasure hunter must dig random holes in areas of known deposits, and then lowering him- or herself down a 20 meter shaft. Besides the obvious problem of claustrophobia, and the danger of…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 25

Armadillos, Leprosy, and… You?

The lovable armored creature that is the armadillo carries with it leprosy, a disease stigmatized by mankind throughout history. Can humans actually contract leprosy from a these tank-like wonders of nature? Leprosy Under Their Shells Not all armadillos actively carry Mycobacterium leprae, the bacteria leading to the ancient affliction of leprosy. Only the nine-banded armadillo,…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 24

Darth Maul & Savage Oppress team up with Death Watch on Clone Wars

This week in the world of cartoons, Darth Maul, Savage Oppress, and Death Watch join forces to eliminate Obi-Wan Kenobi! Really, that should be enough. Electro also appears on Ultimate Spider-Man, and we might be seeing the end of Discord on My Little Pony. As always – minor spoilers ahead! Star Wars: The Clone Wars…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 19

Why did 4,000 sheep die near the United States Dugway Proving Ground in 1968?

A chemical weapon release is believed responsible for the deaths thousands of sheep near the massive Dugway Proving Ground, a military installation less than 100 miles from Salt Lake City, Utah. What killed the sheep and how far did the government go to cover up the deaths? A military base bigger than Los Angeles and…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 17

Jake the Dog becomes Jake the Dad on Adventure Time

This week in the world of cartoons, Jake the Dog becomes the father of unicorn-puppies, Mordecai is torn by love on Regular Show, Young Justice gets some interesting cameos, and we visit the Blue Lantern homeworld of Odym on Green Lantern: TAS. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic if off this week, but will be…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 12

Let’s Celebrate the Return of DC Nation!

This week in the world of cartoons, DC Nation returns and we learn what happens when a Clone Trooper forgets he is a Clone Trooper! Adventure Time and Regular Show return next week, with My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic returning in Mid-January. There is at least one more episode of Gravity Falls to come,…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 5

The Uncomfortably Common Practice of Medicinal Cannibalism

Would you eat the flesh of a dead person to cure the flu? Ill individuals are often willing to look anything for a cure, and the practice of medicinal cannibalism was quite popular in England for several centuries. But how exactly did sick people get hold of human flesh? And what types of corpses were…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 3

What happens if you get hit by a meteorite?

What happens if you are hit by a meteorite? It would certainly make for a nice conversation starter — if you survived, that is. Let’s look at the handful of recorded cases where a meteorite has struck a person, and calculate the odds of it happening to you. We’ll even tell you how to minimize…

io9 Keith Veronese Jan 3

The Truth About the Culper Ring, the First U.S. Spy Family — and the Real Agent 355

Agent 355, a vital character in the DC series Y: The Last Man, claims to be a member of the clandestine (and centuries old) spy organization, the Culper Ring. And it turns out there really was such an organization — and it began in the 18th century, under the orders of George Washington. There was…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 31

Tron taggers, Spike assumes a Wookiee Life Debt on My Little Pony, plus Gotham Girls!

This week in the world of cartoons we continue to traverse the desert that is holiday programming, but we do have new episodes of Tron: Uprising and MLP: Friendship is Magic, as well as a couple of throwback cartoons. As always – minor spoilers ahead! My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic – “Spike at Your…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 29

Family Chaos on My Little Pony plus the horrors of Christmas Cartoon Specials

This week in the world of cartoons…well, I’ll level with ya. Not a lot of new cartoons aired this week due to tweaks in pre-Christmas holiday scheduling. We did, however get new episodes of Tron: Uprising and MLP: Friendship is Magic, as well as a very funny Marvel Mash-Up. The greatest cartoon gift of all…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 22

What Exactly Was Carl Sagan Working on with the U.S. Military?

News of Carl Sagan’s involvement with a plan to “nuke” the moon, Project A119, has become relevant again. In fact, Sagan was involved in a number of military causes during his all-too-short lifetime. But later, he cut all ties with the military. Here’s what happened. A youth amidst war Carl Sagan spent his childhood under…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 17

Leatherhead debuts on TMNT, a real-life Hobbit One Ring, plus a Rugrats Chanukah!

This week in the world of cartoons, a familiar face appears on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, a new character debuts on My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, and we’ve got a couple of holiday-themed clips for you as well. Clone Wars, Regular Show, and Adventure Time are off this week due to the Holiday season.…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 15

How Genitals Got Their Names, or Why a Penis Is Called a Pizzle

Why is a penis called a penis? Most names of our genitals arise from other languages. And once you know the origins of the names for these body parts, you’ll discover how sanitized modern language is when it comes to naming sex organs. Of Tails and Testicles Most all of our modern medical names for…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 10

A Mœbius-inspired view of Star Wars and an alternate reality Adventure Time episode!

This week in the world of cartoons, Adventure Time takes a break from reality, the very cool droid-centric arc on Clone Wars continues with a Mœbius-twist, and we see who makes up the “A” Team and “B” Team on Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. As always – minor spoilers ahead! Star Wars: The Clone Wars –…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 8

So you’ve decided to run away and join the French Foreign Legion? Here’s how.

It’s Earth’s version of taking the Black and heading for the Wall, the way Jon Snow does in Game of Thrones. Joining the French Foreign Legion granted men a safe haven for many for decades. But what does it actually take to join the French Foreign Legion? Joining the Legion The Foreign Legion, unfortunately, is…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 7

Dracunculiasis – an invasion of “little dragons” – is the scariest skin disease ever

A parasitic disease affecting mammals, medieval serfs deemed what we now know as dracunculiasis as an invasion of tiny dragons — dragons that eventually burrowed out of the skin. Multiple ancient texts refer to the disease, with the manner for treating dracunculiasis continuing to be a simple one. But how does one become infected with…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 6

R2-D2 and a band of astromech droids fly into a secret mission on Clone Wars!

This week in the world of cartoons, Adventure Time’s Finn gets stabbed in the rear by a well-meaning porcupine, we get a very cool droid-centric episode of Clone Wars, and there’s a duel on My Little Pony! Yeah, really. A duel. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles is off this week, but will return on December 8th.…

io9 Keith Veronese Dec 1

Bizarre study suggests men care more about their sisters’ children than their own

Are men hard-wired to put the needs of their nieces and nephews over the needs of their own children? A University of Utah anthropologist conducted a mathematical analysis that could explain why some men go out of the way to care for the offspring of a sister. Children sired from a number of partners A…

io9 Keith Veronese Nov 30

Keith Veronese

Green & Red Lanterns square off while Deathstroke appears on Young Justice

Opal Mining: A Damn Good Way to Get Yourself Killed

Armadillos, Leprosy, and… You?

Darth Maul & Savage Oppress team up with Death Watch on Clone Wars

Why did 4,000 sheep die near the United States Dugway Proving Ground in 1968?

Jake the Dog becomes Jake the Dad on Adventure Time

Let’s Celebrate the Return of DC Nation!

The Uncomfortably Common Practice of Medicinal Cannibalism

What happens if you get hit by a meteorite?

The Truth About the Culper Ring, the First U.S. Spy Family — and the Real Agent 355

Tron taggers, Spike assumes a Wookiee Life Debt on My Little Pony, plus Gotham Girls!

Family Chaos on My Little Pony plus the horrors of Christmas Cartoon Specials

What Exactly Was Carl Sagan Working on with the U.S. Military?

Leatherhead debuts on TMNT, a real-life Hobbit One Ring, plus a Rugrats Chanukah!

How Genitals Got Their Names, or Why a Penis Is Called a Pizzle

A Mœbius-inspired view of Star Wars and an alternate reality Adventure Time episode!

So you’ve decided to run away and join the French Foreign Legion? Here’s how.

Dracunculiasis – an invasion of “little dragons” – is the scariest skin disease ever

R2-D2 and a band of astromech droids fly into a secret mission on Clone Wars!

Bizarre study suggests men care more about their sisters’ children than their own

The ‘Mass Effect’ Show is Getting Rewritten to Get Greenlit

See the Early Stages of How ‘Project Hail Mary’ Brought Rocky to Life

‘Cognitive Surrender’ Is a New and Useful Term for How AI Melts Brains

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

Marshall Acton III Home Speaker Drops to a Record Low, the Deal Countdown Has Already Started

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

I’m Worried About the Helpless AI Disruptors of the Future

Russia Allegedly Swung at VPNs but Accidentally Hit Its Own Banking Sector Instead

Ryan Coogler Is Shifting ‘Animorphs’ Into a Disney+ Show

No Fooling, ‘Spaceballs 2’ Will Hit Theaters April 2027

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

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