Matt Novak, Author at Gizmodo

University of Toronto Defends Class That Taught Anti-Vaccine Propaganda

Are you a student looking for a great health studies course? I’d suggest steering clear of the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus. The school has recently become the laughingstock of the scientific community for a course that includes materials on the dangers of vaccines. Jenny McCarthy would be so proud. The health course was taught…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 7

North Korean TV Uses Riley the Stoned Dog to Prove America’s Decadence

You’ve probably seen Riley. He’s a dog who got internet-famous for looking super stoned at his birthday party. He’s a funny little pup. But the North Koreans aren’t laughing. They recently showed the image on state TV to prove just how decadent American culture is. As the Guardian explains: KCTV commentator Lee Chung-song claimed in…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 7

Blaine Gibson, Designer of Lifelike Robots at Disney Parks, Dies at 97

Blaine Gibson, a designer of countless sculptures and audio-animatronic figures at Disney Parks, has died. He was 97. The average visitor to Disneyland or Walt Disney World may not know Gibson by name, but they’re surrounded by his art. He worked on robotic figures for the Pirates of the Caribbean and the Haunted Mansion, and…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 6

Here’s the Government’s Horrifying New Fireworks Safety Demonstration

Do you love watching fireworks? What about watching fireworks that blow the shit out of poor, unsuspecting mannequins? Well, have we got a treat for you. The Consumer Product Safety Commission recently conducted their annual fireworks safety demonstration on the National Mall in Washington, D.C. And just like past safety demonstrations, it’s more hilarious than…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 3

Back to the Future Turns 30 Today

Back to the Future was released exactly 30 years ago today on July 3, 1985. What are you doing to celebrate? There are actually events all around the world, from Marty McFly lookalike contests to special screenings. I went to one myself on Tuesday at the Hollywood Bowl in L.A., which set a world record…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 3

Kuwait Just Made DNA Tests Mandatory For All Residents

In a move that will make privacy advocates cringe, Kuwait passed a law yesterday making DNA tests mandatory for all residents. According to the AFP, people who refuse testing will face a year in prison and a hefty fine. The draconian law will establish a comprehensive database of all residents in Kuwait, presumably making it…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 2

Where’s My Hoverboard?

Is the hoverboard just over the horizon? Not quite. But you’d be forgiven for thinking otherwise! You can’t open a newspaper, turn on the radio, or bathe in the ones and zeroes of the internet without getting inundated with promises that the world of hoverboards is upon us. So where in the kickflipping heck is…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 2

DEA Agent Who Stole Bitcoin During Silk Road Investigation Pleads Guilty

One of the two government officials charged with some shady dealings during the investigation of Silk Roadpleaded guilty today. Carl Force used to work for the DEA and during the course of his investigation was doing things that might even make the darknet blush. Force contacted Silk Road founder Ross Ulbricht under the name Nob…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 1

Google’s Top Hit For ‘Greek Bailout’ Is an Indiegogo Campaign to Fund It

What’s the top hit for a Google search of “Greek bailout”? Depressingly, it’s not a thorough economic analysis of how to get Greece out of debt. It’s a goofy Indiegogo campaign to crowdfund €1.6 billion. And the campaign is fast approaching €1 million. Yes, everyone’s heart seems to be in the right place in this…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 1

The Campaign to Crowdfund Greece’s Bailout Has Crashed Indiegogo

Yesterday we told you about a silly crowdfunding campaign to bail out Greece. Apparently there’s been so much interest that Indiegogo’s servers have been overloaded. The campaign is currently down. No joke. [Update: It’s back up and going strong.] Now, it’s probably safe to assume that the reason people were visiting the site had more…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 30

Is This Time Capsule Filled With $1 Million and a Ghost or Nah?

Does this mason jar contain a treasure map? Or maybe a million dollars? Or maybe even the ghost of a pirate that spent decades stalking the coast of Florida? No one knows for sure. All we do know is that a Florida woman recently found this old mason jar in a decaying tree trunk and…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 30

Here’s the First Teaser for Oliver Stone’s Snowden Movie

The first teaser for the upcoming movie about Edward Snowden has just been released. And frankly it’s not much to look at. But we still can’t wait. Even if Oliver Stone is a shit historian (and he really, really is) he has a fun way of turning our garbage world on its head. Simply titled…

Movies Matt Novak Jun 30

New ‘Scorpion’ Robot Will Inspect Fukushima Reactor This Summer

When the 2011 earthquake in Japan damaged the Fukushima nuclear power plant, teams scrambled to find a robot that could go where humans couldn’t. In many ways those robots failed, and ever since, there has been a focus on creating robots that can get the job done. Enter Toshiba’s “Scorpion” robot, which will make its…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 30

Did Your Drone Knock Out a Woman on Sunday? Seattle Police Want to Chat

Sunday’s Pride celebrations in downtown Seattle were going fantastically. Until a drone fell from the sky and knocked a woman out cold. If that drone was yours, the Seattle Police Department would like to have a word with you. A 25 year old woman was struck by a small 2-pound drone at the Pride parade…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 29

Someone Is Trying to Crowdfund a Greek Bailout Because Why Not

Greece is not doing well financially at the moment, to put it mildly. The country is broke and can’t repay their IMF loan, which is due tomorrow. So some folks are trying to help bail the country out in the way that the internet loves best: A silly crowdfunding campaign! The Indiegogo campaign was started…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 29

Disneyland and Walt Disney World Officially Ban Selfie Sticks

If you’re thinking of visiting Disneyland or Walt Disney World this summer you better keep your selfie stick at home. That’s right, the Happiest Place[s] on Earth have officially banned everyone’s favorite techno-panic of 2015. “We strive to provide a great experience for the entire family, and unfortunately selfie-sticks have become a growing safety concern…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 26

People Still Insist This Flying Car Will Arrive By 2017, Despite Crash

Another day, another promise that flying cars are just over the horizon. It’s like that movie Groundhog Day except Bill Murray’s character wakes up once every six months to a new world where he’s completely forgotten the media’s promises of flying cars from six months ago. From WGBH: You are now living in the future.…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 26

History Will Be Confused About The Year Marriage Equality Was Achieved

June 26, 2015 is a historic day for human rights in the United States. Marriage equality has been achieved in all 50 states. But history will probably forget the fact that prior to today’s ruling, 38 states had some form of marriage equality. Things are similarly confusing when it comes to the issue of how…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 26

For Sale: 1960s Missile Site, Bring Your Own Missiles

Looking for a new place to live? Have I got a deal for you: Single family home, good school district, 18,930 square feet. Did I mention it’s a former military base that housed Nike missiles from 1960 until 1966? Yes, this former missile site can be yours for just half a million dollars. The property…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 25

Foxconn is the 10th Largest Employer in the World

You know that company that builds all your electronics? The one that makes your iPhone and your Xbox and your Kindle and has to install anti-suicide nets to deter miserable workers from ending their lives? It’s a company known to Americans as Foxconn, and it’s the 10th largest employer in the world. The list of…

Tech News Matt Novak Jun 25

Matt Novak

University of Toronto Defends Class That Taught Anti-Vaccine Propaganda

North Korean TV Uses Riley the Stoned Dog to Prove America’s Decadence

Blaine Gibson, Designer of Lifelike Robots at Disney Parks, Dies at 97

Here’s the Government’s Horrifying New Fireworks Safety Demonstration

Back to the Future Turns 30 Today

Kuwait Just Made DNA Tests Mandatory For All Residents

Where’s My Hoverboard?

DEA Agent Who Stole Bitcoin During Silk Road Investigation Pleads Guilty

Google’s Top Hit For ‘Greek Bailout’ Is an Indiegogo Campaign to Fund It

The Campaign to Crowdfund Greece’s Bailout Has Crashed Indiegogo

Is This Time Capsule Filled With $1 Million and a Ghost or Nah?

Here’s the First Teaser for Oliver Stone’s Snowden Movie

New ‘Scorpion’ Robot Will Inspect Fukushima Reactor This Summer

Did Your Drone Knock Out a Woman on Sunday? Seattle Police Want to Chat

Someone Is Trying to Crowdfund a Greek Bailout Because Why Not

Disneyland and Walt Disney World Officially Ban Selfie Sticks

People Still Insist This Flying Car Will Arrive By 2017, Despite Crash

History Will Be Confused About The Year Marriage Equality Was Achieved

For Sale: 1960s Missile Site, Bring Your Own Missiles

Foxconn is the 10th Largest Employer in the World

First Statewide Data Center Ban Passed by Maine Legislature

FCC Exempts Netgear from Foreign-Made Router Ban for Some Reason

Jamie Dornan Is Your New Aragorn in ‘The Hunt for Gollum’

Trump’s Fed Pick Is Knee Deep in Tech and Crypto Investments

The First Trailer for ‘Godzilla Minus Zero’ Takes Terror Stateside

The Trump Phone Still Looks Like Total Trash

‘Masters of the Universe’ Really, Really Wants to Be the Next ‘Barbie’

Samsung’s Micro RGB TVs Provide So Much Color It May Be Too Much

The Crypto Bros Want to Get Their Hands on Anthropic’s ‘Super Dangerous’ Model

This Is What a Music Industry ‘Plant’ Looks Like in 2026

Sony Inzone H6 Air Review: A Perfect Case for Open-Back Gaming Headsets

Anker’s EufyMake E1 Finally Brings Printers Out of the Dark Ages

The Soundboks Mix Is Going to Make You the Most Popular Guy at the Park

Asus Zenbook A16 Review: Start Considering Snapdragon on PC, for Real

Aqara Thermostat Hub W200 Review: Almost Better than My Ecobee

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

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

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