What happens when amateur scientists doing synthetic biology as DiY projects, building new organisms and modifying old ones? A group of scientists raised the alarm about the risks of backyard synbio in Nature recently, and it’s the topic of a lively discussion on the Guardian’s Science Weekly podcast. Check it out!

More Details About That Mysterious New Jasper Fforde Novel

Yesterday, in our guide to 2015’s science fiction and fantasy books, we included a Jasper Fforde book called Early Riser, which is coming out in June. But what’s it about? Now we know. https://gizmodo.com/mind-blowing-science-fiction-and-fantasy-books-to-watch-1679067009 Image: Snowy range, photo by greg westfall/Flickr. Fforde actually read from this book and talked about it at BristolCon, and con…

Look At These Archie Vs. Predator Comic Covers And Weep At Their Glory

When we listed Archie Vs. Predator as one of 2015’s most anticipated comics, that was before we say these two amazing comic covers. Now? Now we’re going to have to hunt them down like the Predator hunted Dutch and his fellow soldiers, meaning these comics will have to bury themselves in mud to hide from…

Blackhat Allllmost Gets Hacking Right

Blackhat is based on a good idea. Michael Mann, the director, sets out to demonstrate how actions derived from ones and zeroes in the virtual world can produce devastating consequences in the physical world, and to show his audience how hacking really works. And he gets so close you can practically taste the Tor relays.…

Low Budget TV Shows That Are Better Than Most Huge Blockbuster Series

Television has always been an expensive medium, with Lost having an estimated per-episode budget of $4 million, and Game of Thrones clocking in at a whopping $6 million. And sometimes, these hugely expensive shows fail. But here are 10 of the best science fiction and fantasy shows, which were made for surprisingly low budgets. https://gizmodo.com/the-10-most-expensive-flops-in-television-history-1649881502…

This Video Will Give You Deeper Appreciation Of Blade Runner‘s Future LA

One of the things that makes Blade Runner so great is its cyberpunk vision of Los Angeles, a mishmash of architecture, language, and culture. This fascinating video essay takes us through the various components that make up this futuristic noir city and what they suggest about the history of Blade Runner’s world. Colin Marshall, author…

Forget Skynet: How Person Of Interest Depicts A Realistic A.I. Uprising

Tons of science fiction stories have shown artificial intelligence turning against us — but Person of Interest has broken new ground in showing an A.I. takeover that most people don’t even know is happening. Creators Jonathan Nolan and Greg Plageman tell io9 why their show’s take on A.I. revolt is subtler than Skynet. Tonight’s episode…

This Interactive Map Could Help Astronomers Solve A 92-Year-Old Mystery

Since 1922, astronomers have been baffled as to the precise origin and composition of the diffuse interstellar bands seen through the Milky Way’s stellar medium. This new interactive map doesn’t solve the mystery, but it shows us exactly where these enigmatic molecules reside. Image: Lan, Zasowski & Menard In the 1920s, Berkeley graduate student Mary…

The World’s Largest Herd of White Deer Lives in New York

An odd series of events led to Seneca, New York playing host to the world’s largest herd of white deer. There’s actually an evolutionary reason why one particular set of genes for these unusual deer came to be favored in Seneca. These are not albino deer. In fact, they have the capability to produce melanin,…

2015 Is Going To Be A Great Year For Comics, But Not Your Bank Account

Are you rich? No? Well, then you have a problem. You’re about to have too many great comics to buy, as publishers have jam-packed the year with some amazing titles — and you can’t possible afford all of ’em. So take a deep breath, maybe make a budget, and use this guide to determine what’s…

Would It Have Been Better For Batman V. Superman To Be Split In Two?

Over the weekend, we had the crazy rumour (one pretty much immediately quashed) that Batman v. Superman would be split into two films. It’s not to be, but let’s have a bit of a thought experiment – what if we did get the split movies? Honestly, I think it might have been better for DC’s…

Watch a High Speed X-Ray of a Snake Sliding Through Sand

Scientists used an X-ray to understand how desert animals move through sand, and how that movement shaped their bodies over time. Turns out the trick, for the animals, was making their bodies wave, while leaving the sand undisturbed. Researchers at Georgia Tech compared the motion, and efficiency, of shovel-nosed snakes and sandfish lizards. Both “swim”…

A Special Font to Help Dyslexics? More Like Snake Oil.

The marketers for a typeface called “Dyslexie” claim the font can make reading “easy and enjoyable for people with dyslexia.” The reasoning behind the font’s design is intriguing. But before you get too excited — the scientific evidence supporting Dyslexie’s usefulness is far from conclusive. Created by Dutch designer Christian Boer, Dyslexie has been around…

Exclusive Holly Black Excerpt Reveals Why Changelings Are Always Hungry

A new Holly Black book is always cause for raucous celebration. And today sees the publication of her book The Darkest Part of the Forest, about a haunted forest, a boy in a glass coffin, and a monster that sounds like a woman weeping. And we’ve got an exclusive excerpt for you, right here! Here’s…

This Horror Movie Takes Place Entirely Online And It’s Deeply Disturbing

Unfriended is a uncomfortable horror take on the Internet and the colossal damage it can do when terrible things go viral. It’s kind of chilling in its accuracy, until it goes completely bonkers. The story very current: Someone posts a video of a student in their high school, it goes viral and the internet slut…

We Can’t Stop Watching This Video Of A Chicken That Purrs Like A Cat

This hen, a rescue animal taken in by Australia’s Manning River Farm Animal Sanctuary, enjoys purring when she’s petted … just like a cat. So zen. So happy. Reports the shelter: “She has a bit of a sore leg so we’re glad to spoil her just a little.” Via Laughing Squid. Top image via Yahoo.

This Is How Big The Ocean’s Most Gigantic Creatures Can Really Get

The gigantic sea creatures swimming in our oceans depths can reach incredible sizes. But new research suggests that we’ve been wrong for years about the actual sizes animals like the Great White Shark, the Giant Squid, and the walrus can reach. Let’s set the record straight. Lead author on the new paper, Craig McClain, assistant…

Zero Theorem Preorder Discount, Ghost in the Shell, and More Deals

Today on Amazon, you can preorder The Zero Theorem (starring Christoph Waltz!) for just $15, complete with preorder price guarantee in case it goes any lower. Curious what it’s all about? io9 interviewed director Terry Gilliam about the film back in September. http://space.io9.com/terry-gilliam-talks-about-the-message-of-zero-theorem-1635111154/+charliejane The 25th anniversary Blu-ray of Ghost In The Shell is down near…

The World’s 9 Most Haunted Bodies of Water

Ghost ships, watery pianos, vengeful spirits, shipwrecks, killer seaweed, and voodoo… haunted bodies of water come in all kinds and configurations. There’s nothing scarier than water that’s out to get you. Here are the nine most haunted bodies of water on Earth. Who’s up for a swim? Top image: Pluck and Luck Dime Novel Magazine…

New research shows that pigs, already known to be intelligent, may also be able to feel empathy. Scientists in the Netherlands used music to train a group of pigs to anticipate either food or stress, then introduced untrained animals into the mix. The end result: the “naive” pigs did seem to empathize with their trained…