Robbie Gonzalez, Author at Gizmodo

This stunning moonrise is an optical illusion

Holy crap. This, everybody, is a Moonrise. The image was captured last week in Cape Sounion, Greece, by photographer Chris Kotsiopoulos, and it’s one of the most mindblowing images of the Moon we’ve seen in in quite some time. Just look at it looming there — it’s freaking enormous! So how did it get to…

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Could giant asteroid Vesta actually be a planet?

For years, scientists have been calling Vesta an asteroid. Granted, it’s a big asteroid — at 330 miles across, it’s the second biggest in the solar system — but NASA’s Dawn spacecraft recently got its closest look at Vesta yet, and according to Dawn’s principle investigator Christopher Russel, astronomers have been finding it hard not…

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Flag Designs for Earth & The Solar System in 2020 and Beyond

Redittor thefrek has designed a kick-ass series of flags for the Solar System and its planets. But flags, as we all know, change over time. So he’s also created possible revisions for those flags reaching as far as 800 years into the future. Below you’ll find thefrek’s concept designs for “Earth/Solar flags throughout the future,”…

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These are the places in America where alcohol is still banned

The year was 1933. America’s fourteen-year experiment in sobriety was over; the federally mandated ban on the sale and manufacture of alcohol had been lifted. All across the U.S., people welcomed the repeal of prohibition with open arms and flowing taps. Or rather, most of them did. Meet the counties where America’s “noble experiment” never…

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Ask nicely and this baby sea otter will deign to let you groom her luxurious coat

Face it. You are not worthy of grooming this obscenely adorable baby sea otter. But Cayucos (that’s her name) is a kind and loving sea otter, and she will allow you to groom her if you absolutely insist upon it. All jokes aside, sea otter pups like Cayucos here actually have to be groomed by…

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Even Mars has cloudy days

It can be easy to forget, but Mars has clouds very similar to the the ones you find here on Earth. Don’t believe me? Here, check out the first photograph ever taken of an overcast Martian sky; or this picture of some stratus clouds, captured about 40 minutes before a Martian sunrise. The thin sheets…

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Science Brings Us One Step Closer to Implanting False Memories

Researchers say they’ve succeeded in giving mice a “hybrid” memory that blurs the lines between fantasy and reality. They forced the mice to recall memories while they were already busy forming new ones, by reactivating specific neurons in their brains. This could even represent a step towards implanting full-blown false memories. And this could mean…

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These carefully crafted photo-sculptures look like portals to another world

Captivating photography will often convey a sense of depth. Raleigh-based artist Scott Hazard extends this concept to a literal conclusion, merging photography with sculpture to create 2D scenes with 3D elements. Hazard uses carefully torn, layered photographs to represent clouds, smoke, and portals — adding a weird, transdimensional element to his work that is at…

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Google Street View is now available for the Amazon rainforest

Last summer, Google took its Street View cameras to the Amazon, looking to capture the same 360-degree vistas that have made the technology so useful in cities all over the world. Yesterday, the project went live. There goes the rest of your week. You can now wander around the Amazonian jungle — exploring its rivers,…

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And now, a baby elephant gallivanting around at the beach

What’s cuter than a baby gray whale swimming by to say hello? A baby elephant playing on the beach. End of discussion. [Buzzfeed] https://gizmodo.com/there-are-few-things-cuter-than-a-baby-gray-whale-swimm-5895133 Photos by Willy Thuan via Phuket101 [facebook | blog ] Photos by Willy Thuan via Phuket101 [facebook | blog ] Photos by Willy Thuan via Phuket101 [facebook | blog ] Photos…

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How can America remain the leading superpower in space? Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson has a message for everyone concerned about America’s continued supremacy as a space-faring nation: “Stop whining and start innovating.” The message comes wrapped in an in-depth opinion piece, prepared by the renowned science communicator for the latest issue of Discover Magazine. The article — which you can read here — outlines…

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Behold, the first-ever geologic map of volcanic moon Io

Feast your eyes on the volcano-covered surface of Io, the innermost of Jupiter’s four Galilean moons. We’ve been snapping photo’s of Io’s stunning surface features for decades, but only recently did the US Geological Survey team up with NASA to create a detailed “global” picture of the moon; what you see here is the product…

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Nokia has filed a patent for vibrating, magnetic tattoos

No, seriously. Go read the patent for yourself. The company is proposing “a material attachable to skin [that is] capable of detecting a magnetic field and transferring a perceivable stimulus to the skin, wherein the perceivable stimulus [e.g. a vibration] relates to the magnetic field.” Such an “apparatus,” explains the patent application, could come in…

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Meet the camera that allows you to see around corners

Researchers have already developed a device that allows you to see through eight-inch-thick concrete walls, but now, scientists have devised another way to reveal objects that are hidden from view: a camera that can see around corners. https://gizmodo.com/scientists-at-mit-have-developed-a-device-that-allows-y-5851279 The novel imaging tool works a lot like sonar, which uses echoes to determine the position and…

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Why true bionic limbs are out of reach . . . for now

Researchers continue to make remarkable headway on the path to developing next-generation prosthetic limbs, but when you get right down to it, there’s still a monumental gap separating us from a truly bionic replacement for arms and legs. Such an appendage would be capable of responding to mental commands with grace and fluidity, handling objects…

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Here’s how to catch NASA’s rocket-powered light show tonight

NASA has scheduled an atmospheric light show for the wee hours of Wednesday morning, when the Agency intends to launch five sub-orbital rockets (complete with luminescent chemical tracers) in an experiment designed to test the flow of jet streams on the edge of space. Best of all? A good portion of the East Coast is…

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These steampunk Portal Boots would do 19th-Century Chell proud

All the gadgetry in Portal and Portal 2 make these video games excellent subject matter for steampunk artists and illustrators, but examples of well-done steampunk portal cosplay can be hard to come by. https://gizmodo.com/windows-to-other-worlds-a-gallery-of-portals-in-scienc-5812238 Enter DeviantART user batman-and-bananas, who not only crafted a wicked steampunk version of Chell’s handheld portal device (see below), but also…

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Neil deGrasse Tyson to host tonight’s Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate, watch it live on io9

Every year, in memory of Isaac Asimov, the American Museum of Natural History invites leading scientists from around the world to debate the finer points of questions and problems that are emerging at the frontiers of scientific discovery. This year’s Asimov debate will center on the recent observation of neutrinos that appear to be travelling…

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James Cameron says today’s ocean exploration is “piss poor.” He’s right.

James Cameron is unhappy with the present state of ocean exploration. He’s so unhappy that he’s taken it upon himself to spearhead an effort to return to Challenger Deep, the deepest known point in all the world’s oceans. In fact, he’s making the trip this week — and he’s making it alone. To clarify, Cameron…

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Watch a series of seven brilliant lectures by Richard Feynman

Richard Feynman was obviously famous for his work as a physicist, but he’s also widely regarded as one of the most lucid and effective lecturers to ever address an audience. So renowned, so readily accessible were his presentations, that his introductory physics lectures (which he delivered to undergraduates at Caltech) have since been immortalized in…

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Robbie Gonzalez

This stunning moonrise is an optical illusion

Could giant asteroid Vesta actually be a planet?

Flag Designs for Earth & The Solar System in 2020 and Beyond

These are the places in America where alcohol is still banned

Ask nicely and this baby sea otter will deign to let you groom her luxurious coat

Even Mars has cloudy days

Science Brings Us One Step Closer to Implanting False Memories

These carefully crafted photo-sculptures look like portals to another world

Google Street View is now available for the Amazon rainforest

And now, a baby elephant gallivanting around at the beach

How can America remain the leading superpower in space? Neil deGrasse Tyson weighs in.

Behold, the first-ever geologic map of volcanic moon Io

Nokia has filed a patent for vibrating, magnetic tattoos

Meet the camera that allows you to see around corners

Why true bionic limbs are out of reach . . . for now

Here’s how to catch NASA’s rocket-powered light show tonight

These steampunk Portal Boots would do 19th-Century Chell proud

Neil deGrasse Tyson to host tonight’s Isaac Asimov Memorial Debate, watch it live on io9

James Cameron says today’s ocean exploration is “piss poor.” He’s right.

Watch a series of seven brilliant lectures by Richard Feynman

Tesla Goes Ahead and Admits Its Robotaxis Are Sometimes Fully Human-Controlled

School Forced to Replace Toilets After Kids Flush Vapes

‘Scream 7’ Just Won’t Stop Making Money as ‘Scream 8’ Gets Started

The Curtain Has Closed on Meta’s Movie Rating-Inspired Content Filters

Good News! You Can Finally Change That Ridiculous Gmail Address

ExpressVPN Just Launched ExpressAI: Your Prompts Are Now Invisible

VR Just Took Another Massive Body Blow

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

‘Supergirl’ Will Feature David Corenswet’s Superman in a Sort of Big Brother Role

Report: FDA Set to Unban RFK Jr.’s Favorite Peptides

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

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