Margherita Bassi, Author at Gizmodo

Even Minor Video Call Glitches Could Cost You a Job—or Your Freedom

Researchers found that minor connection issues during face-to-face video calls negatively impacted interpersonal judgments, with significant implications in contexts such as telehealth visits, remote interviews, and virtual parole hearings.

Internet Margherita Bassi Dec 8 '25

Scientists Are Trying to Fix the Worst Sound in the World: the Dentist’s Drill

While investigating the dentist drill's anxiety-inducing high-pitched whine, researchers revealed why it's worse for children than adults.

Health Margherita Bassi Dec 4 '25

Germaphobes, Rejoice! Airplane and Hospital Air Is Actually Pretty Clean, Study Claims

Researchers used face masks and an airplane air filter to find out what microbes are floating around.

Health Margherita Bassi Dec 3 '25

A Snorkeler in Nova Scotia Thought This Was a Leaf, but It Was Something Far Weirder

Studying Elysia chlorotica could be consequential for human industries, but the creatures have proven incredibly enigmatic.

Biology Margherita Bassi Dec 3 '25

Humans Can Detect Buried Objects Without Touching Them, Study Finds

We apparently have more in common with some shorebirds than we previously thought.

Physics & Chemistry Margherita Bassi Dec 2 '25

Diseased Baby Ants Ask Their Nestmates to Poison Them With Acid to Protect the Colony, Study Finds

Ant pupae might be less selfish than most humans.

Biology Margherita Bassi Dec 2 '25

Tropical Storms Drenched Mars for Millions of Years, Strange Pale Rocks Suggest

NASA's Perseverance rover found rocks on Mars that on Earth usually form in tropical environments.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Dec 2 '25

6,700-Year-Old Shell Trumpets Were Prehistoric Communication Tools, Study Suggests

Researchers in Spain investigated what kind of noise shells used by Neolithic societies made.

Human History Margherita Bassi Dec 1 '25

Anacondas Are the Rare Prehistoric Giants That Never Shrank, Ssssstudy Reveals

New research shows anacondas have stayed the same massive size for 12 million years.

Biology Margherita Bassi Dec 1 '25

Earthquakes Did Something Unexpected to Life Deep Beneath Yellowstone

Researchers took a look at how earthquakes change what's available on the underground microbial menu.

Biology Margherita Bassi Nov 26 '25

This Pharaoh Crashed Another King’s Tomb With His Own Afterlife Workforce

The Ushbati figurines were meant to work for the dead.

Human History Margherita Bassi Nov 26 '25

A Woman in Thailand Believed to Be Dead Woke up in Her Coffin

A staff member at a Buddhist temple heard a knock while explaining to a relative how to get a death certificate.

Health Margherita Bassi Nov 25 '25

Black Hole Simulation Interstellar Travel

Should You Be Worried About a Tiny Black Hole Hitting Your Body?

A Vanderbilt physicist has both good and bad news.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Nov 24 '25

You Won’t Believe What Archaeologists Found Beneath This Lake in Kyrgyzstan

Archaeologists recently explored a long-lost Silk Road city at the bottom of a lake, uncovering a trove of artifacts and a medieval cemetery.

Human History Margherita Bassi Nov 22 '25

North Carolina Town First in U.S. to Deploy Defibrillator Drones During Actual 911 Emergencies

Unlike emergency vehicles, drones aren't limited by roads.

Health Margherita Bassi Nov 21 '25

We Finally Know the Birthplace of the Mars-Sized Rock That Spawned Our Moon

Earth and the planetary object that gave rise to the Moon were likely born in the same region of the solar system.

Space & Spaceflight Margherita Bassi Nov 20 '25

Apes Were Kissing Millions of Years Before Humans, Study Suggests

Smooching might be a familiar behavior, but it's more mysterious than you would probably imagine.

Biology Margherita Bassi Nov 18 '25

12,000-Year-Old Artifact Depicts a Goose Having Sex With a Woman

Archaeologists in Israel have discovered the oldest known figurine representing human-animal, uh, interactions.

Human History Margherita Bassi Nov 18 '25

An AI May Be Listening to Your Next Doctor’s Appointment

Here's why you shouldn't panic just yet.

Artificial Intelligence Margherita Bassi Nov 17 '25

Archaeologists Discover an Ancient Wine Press Older Than the Pyramids

Archaeological excavations outside the ancient city of Megiddo shed light on the area's Bronze Age alcohol production and a potential folk cult.

Human History Margherita Bassi Nov 15 '25

Margherita Bassi

Even Minor Video Call Glitches Could Cost You a Job—or Your Freedom

Scientists Are Trying to Fix the Worst Sound in the World: the Dentist’s Drill

Germaphobes, Rejoice! Airplane and Hospital Air Is Actually Pretty Clean, Study Claims

A Snorkeler in Nova Scotia Thought This Was a Leaf, but It Was Something Far Weirder

Humans Can Detect Buried Objects Without Touching Them, Study Finds

Diseased Baby Ants Ask Their Nestmates to Poison Them With Acid to Protect the Colony, Study Finds

Tropical Storms Drenched Mars for Millions of Years, Strange Pale Rocks Suggest

6,700-Year-Old Shell Trumpets Were Prehistoric Communication Tools, Study Suggests

Anacondas Are the Rare Prehistoric Giants That Never Shrank, Ssssstudy Reveals

Earthquakes Did Something Unexpected to Life Deep Beneath Yellowstone

This Pharaoh Crashed Another King’s Tomb With His Own Afterlife Workforce

A Woman in Thailand Believed to Be Dead Woke up in Her Coffin

Should You Be Worried About a Tiny Black Hole Hitting Your Body?

You Won’t Believe What Archaeologists Found Beneath This Lake in Kyrgyzstan

North Carolina Town First in U.S. to Deploy Defibrillator Drones During Actual 911 Emergencies

We Finally Know the Birthplace of the Mars-Sized Rock That Spawned Our Moon

Apes Were Kissing Millions of Years Before Humans, Study Suggests

12,000-Year-Old Artifact Depicts a Goose Having Sex With a Woman

An AI May Be Listening to Your Next Doctor’s Appointment

Archaeologists Discover an Ancient Wine Press Older Than the Pyramids

Ukraine’s Zelenskyy Claims Strikes on Russian Data Centers Silenced Social Media Bots

Mark Zuckerberg: Meta Is on the Frontier Now

Hackers Overheat Fridges at Supermarkets Across France, Wasting Food and Starting Fires

Solar Orbiter Traces the Origin of a Mysterious S-Shaped Kink on the Sun

Astronomers Spot Possible Signs of Antimatter Disappearing Beyond Our Galaxy

How to Remove Your Personal Information From the Internet?

Anthropic’s AI Submitted a Fake Tip in an Unsolved Murder Case

Based AI People Are Supposedly Smoking Because AI Will Cure Cancer

The Voice of Daredevil Becomes Him in Self-Made Fan Film

Samsung B-Series Soundbar Goes From Prime Day Deal to Clearance Steal, Now Under $100 on Amazon

Eufy Omni E35 Review: Finally, a Luxury Robovac That Doesn’t Piss Me Off

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds (2nd Gen) Review: The King of Clip-Ons Is Re-Crowned

Ray-Ban Meta (Gen 3) Review: Technically an Upgrade

Lenovo Legion 5i (2026) Review: A Gaming Laptop That Epitomizes the PC Pricing Paradox

TP-Link Tapo Doorbell Pro D260 Review: Everything You Need at No Extra Cost

Sonos Beam Ultra Review: The Soundbar You Really Want

Nothing Headphone 1 Pro Review: Honest-to-God S-Tier Headphones

The Best Gadgets of September 2026

GoPro Mission 1 Pro ILS Review: A Bad GoPro and a Worse Camera

Apple Watch Ultra 4 Review: Still the Best Health Buddy for Your Wrist