How NASA Could Build A Cloud City Over Venus

Owing to the extreme conditions on the Venusian surface, it’s going to be quite some time before a human ever steps foot on that planet. That’s why NASA is developing a plan to deploy human-occupied airships in Venus’s upper atmosphere. And yes, permanent occupation is the ultimate goal. As reported by Evan Ackerman in IEEE…

Pretty Much Every U.S. Demographic Group Believes Torture Is Justified

The good news: For those who are worried that the nation is more divided than ever, there’s finally one contentious issue that a majority of Americans agree upon. The bad news: Most people are okay with the CIA torturing suspected terrorists. According to a new poll conducted by the Washington Post and ABC News, 58%…

See The Misfits’ New Look In Exclusive Jem & The Holograms Cover Reveal

We are beyond thrilled that Kelly Thompson is writing the comic book adaptation of the beloved 1980s cartoon Jem and the Holograms. We’re debuting the second comic cover featuring the rocking Misfits, and chatted with Thompson and series artist Ross Campbell about how they’ve updated the outrageous Jem. Campbell drew the cover for the second…

Black Mirror‘s Christmas Special: A Yuletide Nightmare You Have To See

The idea of Black Mirror, the twisted British dystopian series, having a Christmas special might seem odd. But while White Christmas does give us a dark near future that’s not all tinsel and lights, its trio of tales is really all about a truly Christmassy message of compassion and empathy. Spoilers ahead… White Christmas’ dystopia…

How A Zygote Becomes A Baby In One Incredible Animation

Science-visualization wunderkind Eleanor Lutz continues to raise the bar for animated infographics with her latest creation, a hypnotizing guide to embryonic development. Lutz says she’s been wanting to do an infographic on embryogenesis for some time, but was stumped on how to present the information. A mesmerizing GIF designed by animator Nicolas Fong inspired her…

Arctic Temperatures Are Rising Twice As Fast As Anywhere Else On Earth

A comprehensive review of the state of the Arctic reveals some troubling information about rising temperature rates, which are more than double those of anywhere else on Earth, as well as some strange new habitat changes for polar bears. NOAA has released its Arctic Report Card, which analyzes the current state of the Arctic region,…

The 10 Best And 10 Worst Science Fiction And Fantasy Movies Of 2014

This was a weird year for movies. The box office was weak, but also, most films didn’t deserve love or hate. They were just… okay. But the genre movies that did stand out were either brilliant experiments, or horrible misfires. Here are the 10 best and 10 worst science fiction and fantasy movies of 2014.…

Parks & Rec Trailer Set In 2017 Shows How The New Season Will Be Scifi

Because the final season of Parks and Recreation is set in 2017, the producers have announced that the show will now be “very gently scifi.” And we get a small taste of the science fiction seeping into the sitcom in this trailer for the farewell season. Plus, there’s karate Chris Pratt! https://gizmodo.com/parks-and-recreations-next-season-will-be-very-gently-1568332560 The glimpses of…

Cowboy Bebop Price Drop, Dragon Age Inquisition, and More Deals

The must-own Cowboy Bebop Complete Series Blu-ray has dropped back down to its preorder price point. [Cowboy Bebop, $42] Dragon Age: Inquisition is down to a new low of $40. As a wise old man once said, shut up about it being backordered and take advantage of the discount. [Dragon Age: Inquisition, $40] Already included…

In 1945, Scientists Calculated How Many Nukes Could Destroy The World

A newly declassified document obtained by a nuclear historian reveals that the Manhattan Project scientists who designed and detonated the first atomic bomb estimated that 10 to 100 enhanced “superbombs” would produce enough atmospheric radiation to wipe out the human race. Although the development of sophisticated nuclear weapons was still in its infancy, scientists at…

Are Anti-ID Theft Jeans A Fashion Statement Or Paranoia?

Clothing that blocks “digital pickpocketing” is now hipster-approved. But do we really need RFID-blocking pockets in our pants? The BBC reports: A pair of jeans containing material that blocks wireless signals is being developed in conjunction with anti-virus firm Norton. The trousers are intended to stop thieves hacking into radio frequency identification (RFID) tagged passports…

Orphan Black Sneak Peek Is Filled With Clone Tension 

It’s almost time to welcome back the magnificent clone drama Orphan Black and we are absolutely mad with anticipation. And now the first image from the new season and interview with show creator Graeme Manson has raised our Season Three expectations even higher. Spoilers! Dammit, this show needs to come back right now! In an…

What Was The Psychology Behind Dueling?

Dueling works great as a dramatic device, but, legally and morally, it proves nothing. So why did so many people use it to settle scores and right wrongs? Take a look at why people would murder each other, semi-legally, on a regular basis. The Weird Origins of Dueling Dueling is and was framed as a…

What Would Happen If All The Earth’s Microbes Suddenly Disappeared?

It’s generally agreed that life on this planet would not be possible if it weren’t for microbes. In a fascinating thought experiment, a pair of biologists scrutinized this assumption to find out. As their paper makes clear, a microbe-free world would be a strange place, indeed. Top image: Nutrient rich waters off Patagonia in South…

A red-and-green rock stuffed with “30,000 teeny-tiny diamonds” was unveiled this week at the American Geophysical Union’s annual meeting. Though the sparklers are too wee to have value as gems, the unique rock, discovered in Russia’s Udachnaya mine, may help geologists better understand how diamonds are formed.

Midwives Are Often Safer Than Docs–Why Don’t They Deliver More Babies?

This month, Britain’s national health service advised women with low-risk pregnancies that it was safer to give birth under the supervision of midwives than doctors, as the latter are more likely to perform interventions like forceps deliveries and cesarean sections that carry risks of infection and surgical accidents. Photo Credit: Jaybird via flickr | CC…

Firefly Meets Alien In This Webcomic About A Spacefaring Service Rig

You’ve heard it before: a ragtag spaceship crew lives on the fringes of civilization, making enough money to just keep flying. But when the mechanics in this webcomic take a shady government job, they may have to work with their enemies against a mysterious and sinister force. Creator/writer Sal Crivelli and artist Nicolás R. Giacondino’s…

Parks and Rec‘s Vision of 2017 Is Full of Holoscreens and Drones

The year 2017: where everyone is two years older, skies are filled with drones, and Leslie Knope is President. Ok, maybe not that last one. But in season 7 of NBC’s Parks and Recreation we’ll know all the goings on of our favorite characters in the year 2017. Aside from clear hat-tip to Amazon’s drone…

Everything They Said About Making Three Hobbit Movies Was True

Remember when Peter Jackson announced he was splitting J.R.R. Tolkien’s slim volume The Hobbit into three movies? Even with Jackson’s OCD attention to detail, that seemed too much — and the entire internet worried that it would be all bloat and no heart. Well, the internet was right, at least about the third movie. The…

3D Printing Has Turned This Canine Into A Cyborg

Meet Derby, a Husky mix born with underdeveloped legs and paws. To help, tech firm 3D Systems has printed a pair of prosthetic front limbs that now allow him to outrun his owners. Derby’s previous foster-owner, Tara Anderson, is an employee of 3D Systems, which is based out of Rock Hill, South Carolina. The firm…