Maddie Stone, Author at Gizmodo

Google Deploys Person Finder Tool to Aid Victims of Nepal Earthquake

As reports of the devastation from this morning’s earthquake in Nepal continue to roll in, Google has launched Person Finder, a crowdsourced, missing persons database to help victims of the quake track down their loved ones. Rescuers clear the debris at Durbar Sqaure after an earthquake in Kathmandu, Nepal, Saturday, April 25, 2015. (AP Photo/…

Tech News Maddie Stone

Here’s How to Turn Your Apple Watch Gold

Wanna look like a Wall Street tycoon who just purchased a $10 thousand dollar Apple Watch, but only got, say, $400 to show for yourself? Take a cue from Casey Neistat, who released this video yesterday showing us how any commoner with a steady hand can turn an ordinary Apple Watch gold. Sure, it may…

Tech News Maddie Stone

This Tiny Shark Has Only Been Seen Once Before

This very small (and adorable) shark is only the second of its kind ever discovered, and he’s showing scientists how much we still have to learn about life under the sea. The first pocket shark find was 36 years ago off the coast of Peru. This second specimen, a 5.5 inch long juvenile, was discovered…

Biology Maddie Stone

Medical Robots Can Be Hacked During Surgery, Researchers Find

Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle have just hijacked a teleoperated surgical robot, demonstrating major security weaknesses in the machines that may eventually replace a surgeon’s hands in hospitals worldwide. Yikes. When trained surgeons are a plane ride away, remotely operated surgical bots can save lives. Doctors have been performing telesurgical procedures since…

Privacy & Security Maddie Stone

Artist’s Trash Exhibitions Depict A Planet Colonized By Plastic

Landfills, E-waste piles, and ocean garbage patches are a part of our world we’d rather not see, but these eyesores aren’t going away. Rather than simply accept that our planet is being swallowed by garbage, one artist has started turning this discarded junk into something beautiful. The landscapes shown here are the work of Alejandro…

Tech News Maddie Stone

Sorry Trekkies, Tau Ceti Probably Doesn’t Harbor Alien Life

The number of exoplanets that might harbor alien life grows every year. But now, astronomers now think we can check one of science fiction’s most beloved staples off the list: Tau Ceti. Tau Ceti, a sun-like star system only 12 light years away, has long been considered one of the first places we might discover…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone

Norway Will Be the First Country to Turn Off FM Radio in 2017

Norway’s Minister of Culture announced this week that a national FM-radio switch off will commence in 2017, allowing the country to complete its transition over to digital radio. It’s the end of an era. As Radio.no notes, Digital Audio Broadcasting (DAB) will provide Norwegian listeners more diverse radio channel content than ever before. Indeed, DAB…

Tech News Maddie Stone

The 10 Most Pedestrian-Friendly Cities In America

For many of us, cities that are easier to traverse on foot are better places to live. If you’re one of those people, you might be curious to know which of America’s cities actually are the most walkable. A new study by the real estate and brokerage website Redfin breaks it down. Surprise! New York,…

Tech News Maddie Stone

Enceladus’s Ice Volcanoes Are Feeding Saturn’s Rings

Saturn’s ice moon Enceladus is being slowly devoured by the gas giant’s rings, according to a series of new NASA images that show ghostly tendrils escaping the moon’s cryo-volcanoes and shooting off into space. Whoa. Enceladus may be a 310-mile across baby of a moon, but it’s been enjoying a lot of buzz lately. Like…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone

Russian Siri Was a Homophobic Jerk Until a User Called Her Out

Welcome to Reading List, a weekly collection of great tech reads from around the web. This week explores how Russian Siri was a homophobic jerk (until Apple set her straight last week), how the digital era has transformed pregnancy, and more! Enjoy. Apple’s new Russian-language Siri was apparently treating “gay” like a swear word, until…

Tech News Maddie Stone

New Self-Administered Blood Collection Device Could Replace Needles

Nobody really likes getting blood drawn. Best case, it’s painless and you’re out of the doctor’s office quickly. But then there are those instances where you end up killing an afternoon at the clinic, only to have an intern stab your arm in five different places before hitting a vein. A new DARPA-sponsored company would…

Health Maddie Stone

Battery-Powered Rocket Promises Cheap and Frequent Launches

The world’s first battery-powered rocket not only sounds like something straight out of science fiction, it could very well upend the space industry by ushering in a new era of frequent and (relatively) low-cost rocket launches. The carbon composite “Electron,” unveiled last week by the Auckland-based company Rocket Lab, claims to be a radical departure…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone

Researchers Are Scanning Forests With Lasers to Monitor Their Health

It looks like a work of art, but the image shown above is the 3D structure of an actual forest, reconstructed from sophisticated laser scans that scientists now hope can be used to quickly check a forest’s vital signs. Kinda like a tricorder IRL. A research team based in Hungary and Vienna is fine-tuning an…

Tech News Maddie Stone

FBI’s Ocean’s Eleven Ruse Went “Too Far,” Judge Says

On Friday, a federal judge ruled that FBI agents had gone too far last summer when they cut off the Internet service to Paul Phua’s Las Vegas hotel room, posed as repairmen, and entered the room without a search warrant. According to NBC News, the FBI received a tip last July that Phua, a 50-year…

Privacy & Security Maddie Stone

The Star Wars Teaser Trailer Has Added $2 Billion to Disney’s Value

The new Star Wars teaser trailer is so awesome, it’s already given Disney’s stock a $2 billion boost, indicating the excitement among investors (nerds) over the upcoming movie. And this is just the beginning. Analysts are already saying we could witness a repeat of A New Hope’s 1977 box-office-obliterating success when Star Wars: The Force…

Tech News Maddie Stone

Sony Hack Reveals Intent to Acquire Super Smash Bros. Film Rights

Included in the deluge of Sony executive emails, memos, PDFs and presentations released on WikiLeaks earlier this week is one little nugget that will warm your inner child’s heart: Sony may be trying to nab film rights to the Super Smash Bros. series. On Thursday, WikiLeaks unveiled a new portal for the entire archive of…

Tech News Maddie Stone

Zombie Worms Feasted On The Bones of Ancient Marine Reptiles

There’d be a lot more plesiosaurs in the fossil record, if it wasn’t for all the damn zombie worms. At least, that’s one interpretation of a new study which shows that Osedax, better known as the zombie worm, devoured the bones of marine reptiles 100 million years ago. Osedax is a fascinating (horrifying) creature that…

Tech News Maddie Stone

NASA Says Nobody’s Getting to Mars Without Its Help

NASA really wants humans make it to Mars, and it also really wants to be the one that gets us there. In fact, NASA administrator Charles Bolden went so far as to say that “No commercial company without the support of NASA and government is going to get to Mars.” Bolden made the blunt statement…

Space & Spaceflight Maddie Stone

This Shape-Shifting Sofa Stacks Itself Like Suitcases

If you already loved rearranging furniture, this shapeshifting sofa will take your addiction to a whole new level. At the Milan 2015 Furniture Fair this week, French designer Matali Crasset debuted her latest creation, which she dubs “The Self Made Seat.” (I like “The Optimus Prime of Sofas”, myself.) As you can see, this clever…

Tech News Maddie Stone

FBI Accosts Security Researcher Over Fear That He Hacked His Flight

When airport security researcher Chris Roberts tweeted about his ability to hack the in-cabin control systems aboard his Boeing 747 flight, he probably wasn’t anticipating the quip would get him detained by the Feds. Only some jokes, the FBI doesn’t find very funny. The tweet may be rather meaningless to the average Joe, but the…

Privacy & Security Maddie Stone

Maddie Stone

Google Deploys Person Finder Tool to Aid Victims of Nepal Earthquake

Here’s How to Turn Your Apple Watch Gold

This Tiny Shark Has Only Been Seen Once Before

Medical Robots Can Be Hacked During Surgery, Researchers Find

Artist’s Trash Exhibitions Depict A Planet Colonized By Plastic

Sorry Trekkies, Tau Ceti Probably Doesn’t Harbor Alien Life

Norway Will Be the First Country to Turn Off FM Radio in 2017

The 10 Most Pedestrian-Friendly Cities In America

Enceladus’s Ice Volcanoes Are Feeding Saturn’s Rings

Russian Siri Was a Homophobic Jerk Until a User Called Her Out

New Self-Administered Blood Collection Device Could Replace Needles

Battery-Powered Rocket Promises Cheap and Frequent Launches

Researchers Are Scanning Forests With Lasers to Monitor Their Health

FBI’s Ocean’s Eleven Ruse Went “Too Far,” Judge Says

The Star Wars Teaser Trailer Has Added $2 Billion to Disney’s Value

Sony Hack Reveals Intent to Acquire Super Smash Bros. Film Rights

Zombie Worms Feasted On The Bones of Ancient Marine Reptiles

NASA Says Nobody’s Getting to Mars Without Its Help

This Shape-Shifting Sofa Stacks Itself Like Suitcases

FBI Accosts Security Researcher Over Fear That He Hacked His Flight

Do ‘Disclosure Day’ Prep With a Spielberg Sci-Fi Marathon

How to Watch the F1 Japanese GP 2026 on a Free Channel

Ranking 2016’s Superhero Debuts, 10 Years Later

Fourth Most Populous Country in the World Bans Most Social Media for Kids

How to watch UFC Fight Night Adesanya vs Pyfer live this Saturday

‘Steel Ball Run’ Will Return This Year…Eventually

‘The Mummy 4’ Is Getting the Family Back Together

JD Vance Says UFOs Are Actually Demons

Breville Barista Express Espresso Machine Hits Its Lowest Price of the Year for Amazon’s Big Spring Sale, Cut Your Daily Coffee Costs at Home

Amazon Clears Out Govee LED Smart Light Bulbs (2-Pack) at a Record Low, Each Bulb Costs Just a Few Dollars

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