How To Get Into The Witcher Novels

If you play video games, you might be familiar with The Witcher. But before Geralt of Rivia dazzled gamers in CD Projekt Red’s series, he was the star of Polish writer Andrzej Sapowski’s hit fantasy novels. Want to know more about the literary origins of the Witcher? Here’s everything you need to get started. Origins…

Islamic State Forces Have Seized The World Heritage Site Of Palmyra

Five days after capturing the Iraqi city of Ramadi, ISIS forces have now taken the historic desert city of Palmyra in central Syria. Given Islamic State’s penchant for destroying historical artifacts and ancient monuments, there’s now concern that these ruins, a UN World Heritage site, could be destroyed. Top image: Zeledi/CC. Credit: Aotearoa/CC. Here’s what…

9 Great Science Fiction Books For People Who Don’t Like Science Fiction

So there’s someone in your life who doesn’t like science fiction. Nobody’s perfect. But the good news is, genre is expansive, and there’s almost always a little corner of it where even the most science fiction-averse person can curl up and enjoy themselves. Here are 10 science fiction books for people who don’t like science…

First Trailer For Maze Runner Sequel The Scorch Trials Is Crazy As Hell

Hey, so I don’t know if you read James Dashner’s dystopian scifi YA novel The Maze Runner. Hit book, hit movie, big-ass maze involved. Well, the first trailer for the movie sequel, subtitled The Scorch Trials, is here, and I don’t know what the hell is going on. Also, I’m pretty sure there’s no more…

We’ll Need Science Fiction To Imagine The Mind-Boggling Future Of War

A Greek writer taps away on his typewriter by candlelight,trying to make sense of the cyber war that started with a hacked pacemaker. AnAmerican major awaits trial for treason as the Pacificdescends into war. Russian forces attack adarkened Estonia. These aren’t science fiction stories — they’re entries in the Art of Future Warfare contest. All…

The LHC Just Shattered Its Previous Record For Energy Output

Late yesterday, CERN scientists made history by using the most powerful particle accelerator in the world to hurl beams of protons together at the record-breaking energy of 13 TeV (tera-electronvolts) — a full 5 TeV higher than the previous standard. Top image: Protons collide at 13 TeV sending showers of particles through the ALICE detector.…

What’s The Best Book To Read On Vacation?

Summer’s coming up, and with it, hopefully some time to settle into the sunshine with a good book. But which book? Tell us in the comments about your favorite summer vacation read (whether or a beach, in the mountains, or just in your room with the a/c on high). And, of course, let us in…

The Wrong Drug Reaction Could Literally Make Your Skin Peel Off

Good morning, and get ready to get a bad case of internal shivers! This morning’s body horror is provided by toxic epidermal necrolysis, which can be induced by… so many things. So many things. Toxic epidermal necrolysis begins when angry red patches erupt on the skin on your face. And your chest. Also your genitals.…

How do you spot—and then stop—scientific fraud? Simple, you just follow the math. Nautilus has a pieceon how the researcher with the most retractions ever (183!) was finally caught. The story not only includes plenty of sick science burns, it also details a statistics-based procedure to catch future frauds.

The One Actor You Never Expected To See Again In The Flash Season 2

James Gunn’s new horror film casts one of its leads. See Captain America and Crossbones duke it out in new Captain America: Civil War set pictures. Plus, Steven Moffat discusses The Doctor and Clara’s relationship and his most challenging Doctor Who script yet. Spoilers Now! Top image: The Flash. Independence Day 2 Vivica A. Fox,…

Here’s One Way to Stop Being Ticklish

For some of us, being tickled by so-called “friends” and “family” is a nightmare. But can we use the fact that we can’t tickle ourselves to stop being ticklish when other people come at us, grinning? According to Dr. Emily Grossman, yes. Yes we can. Of course, the method presented in this video does presume…

The Easter Egg Hidden In Ex Machina‘s Source Code

You cannot accuse Alex Garland’s Ex Machina for ignoring the details. Even a glance at a page of code was an Easter egg. Redditor Infintie_3ntropy was annoyed when some code that appeared on the screen had nothing to do with the actual film. But once the code was run in python2.7, the result was the…

On iZombie, Liv’s In Danger All of Her Own Making

iZombie is gearing up for a big finale, and Liv and everyone she knows is in danger. Zombie danger. And Liv’s caused all of it herself. Spoilers… There are only two episodes left in iZombie’s first season, and “Mr. Beserk” both followed up on the ending of last week’s episode (Noooo, not King Arthur!) and…

Transformers Spinoff Grabs The Walking Dead‘s Robert Kirkman As a Writer

Transformers is going the way of a shared universe, and last month it announced that Akiva Goldsman would head up a writers room full of talent to oversee a new shared universe. And the people they’ve picked have very recognizable names. Deadline reports that Goldsman will be joined by Robert Kirkman (The Walking Dead), Zak…

This Short Film Chronicles The Entire Rise And Fall Of An Alien Species

The Globosomes are orb-like creatures that live on a distant planet, and in this short animated film, we witness everything from the birth of their planet, through the appearance of Globosome intelligence, and to the death of the entire alien species. Sascha Geddert wrote and directed The Rise and Fall of Globosome, and Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg…

This Self-Regulating Temperature Contraption Is Ridiculously Neat

This simple device regulates its own temperature. Currently, it does nothing more than that. Still, it’s the kind of ridiculously clever machine that will brighten your day, provided you’re a Wallace & Gromit fan. This is a Leidenfrost Thermostat. The Leidenfrost Effect is a phenomenon that happens when a relatively cool liquid meets a much,…

These Animal Hatching Videos Could Inspire Some Freaky Horror Films

If you want to design a truly bizarre alien creature, you really don’t need to look farther than our own animal kingdom for inspiration. And some Earth-dwelling critters look especially odd when they’re first hatching into the world. Don’t believe us? Check out these videos of not-so-cute hatchlings. Baby black widows hatching Platypuses hatching A…

In The 18th Century, Wig-Stealing Bandits Roamed England’s Countryside

You may have heard tales of the highwaymen who, long ago, roved the old British highways in search of gold and silver coins to steal. But, it turns out, that there was also another treasure they sought: wigs. In response to a piece on status symbols that have since fallen out of favor, commenter kernow…

Our Best Glimpse Yet Of The Stunning Medusa Nebula

Located 1,500 light years away and measuring four light-years across, the gorgeous Medusa Nebula offers a sneak preview of what our Sun will look like when it finally enters into its final death throes. This image, captured by the Very Large Telescope in Chile, is the most detailed yet of the Medusa Nebula. Though relatively…

Which Superpower Would Make Someone Basically Unstoppable?

Fantasy and science fiction stories are full of people who have incredible powers — and yet, they’re not just ruling over the rest of humanity, or luxuriating in untold wealth and luxury. Which superpower would make someone basically an unstoppable ubermensch if you took it to its logical conclusion? Please include a picture, poster, clip,…