This 1973 Star Trek PSA Is One Of The Earliest Depictions Of Space Junk

Star Trek predicted a lot of things we take for granted now — everything from tablet computers to cellphones. But this 1973 public service announcement, featuring the voices of the original cast, is one of the first depictions of the huge problem of space junk. Star Trek: The Animated Series only ran from 1973-1974. But,…

Everyday Things You Didn’t Know Were Invented By NASA

When you think of the US space program, spaceships and satellites may be the first thing that comes to mind, but there are plenty of mundane items that we take for granted that we have thanks to NASA and its contractors. Here are just a few examples of how NASA has improved life on Earth.…

I love this weird idea. A design group in Hong Kong has come up with a concept design for “parasitic robots” that would roam the city at night drawing power from annoying neon signs and sucking up carbon to feed little plant farms growing on their bodies. I want to live in a world where…

The Largest Solar Plant In The World Is Now Operational

Called Topaz, it’s located in San Luis Obispo County, California. The plant recently completed its final 40-megawatt phase, making it the first 500-plus megawatt solar farm to come online in the United States — and the largest online plant in the world. Topaz, which is manufactured by First Solar, is a $2.5 billion project that…

Super Spoilery Jupiter Ascending Trailer Finally Explains The Plot

This spoiler-filled trailer to the Wachowskis’ long awaited Jupiter Ascending drama literally spells out the entire premise. And I’m still kind of confused. Earth is part of an industry? Whatever, Eddie Redmayne is fabulous. The movie was originally going to premiere this year, but has been pushed back to Feb. 6th, 2015, and we cannot…

Which Movie Subplot Do You Wish Had Gotten More Screen Time?

Sometimes a movie has subplots that are better off left on the cutting-room floor because they drag the whole thing down. But sometimes, a subplot adds a lot of depth, and you only get to glimpse how wonderful it could have been. Which science fiction or fantasy movie had a subplot you wish you could…

​It’s 2.4 Miles Across, 8,650 Years Old, and It Lives in Oregon

No, it’s not hipster Cthulhu. Known as “honey fungus,” this huge underground organism is the world’s biggest living thing. And its life cycle is incredible. Photo of honey fungus by Stu’s Images The fungus lives largely underground, but it grows fruiting bodies above the soil that look like creamy yellow mushrooms. If you were picking…

Star Wars Deleted Scenes Reveal The Utter Disaster That Could Have Been

The documentary Star Wars: Deleted Magic shows a version of Star Wars: A New Hope that never made it to theaters, one filled with deleted scenes. And watching the entire thing made me realize one of the more miraculous things about A New Hope is that we got such a wonderful movie instead of a…

New Clues Point To The Origin Of Poland’s Mysterious ‘Vampires’

Unconventional burial practices to prevent vampires from rising up from the grave were common in post-medieval Poland, but historians aren’t entirely sure why certain people were targeted more than others. A new study is the first to perform a chemical analysis of the remains to find out. These deviant burials, or apotropaic funerary rites, occurred…

Ugh, Salem, Why Are You Making Me Watch A Boy Lick His Mother’s Cheek?

Welp, the trailer for the second season of Salem has arrived and it looks like the witchy show will continue to be wildly inappropriate—and not in a fun way. This show is seriously a pile of “Why the hell am I watching this?” Season Two finds us with Mary Sibley as queen of the witches…

In Blood Freak, Marijuana And Mutant Turkeys Lead To Awesome Carnage

Forget Charlie Brown — one movie ought to be your family’s Thanksgiving tradition. We’re referring, of course, to Blood Freak, the 1972 horror movie about smoking too much weed and waking up with a turkey head. Brad F. Grinter and Steve Hawkes’ craptacular masterpiece offers an ultra-low-budget cautionary tale about the evils of weed and…

​The Harrison Wells Mystery Deepens In A Charged Episode Of The Flash

Notice I swapped my usual running metaphor headline for an electricity pun? This isn’t because this week’s episode featured an Electro-esque freak o’ the week. No, I’m feeling jovial because after last week’s stinker, The Flash is back on track, courtesy of one Mr. Harrison Wells. I had expected “Power Outage” to be a regular…

This Starts As A Cute Toy Soldier Movie—Then Reveals The Terrors Of War

In order to cope with the battle around him, the soldier in this short film imagines a land where toy soldiers kill only balloons, shoot daisies from their rifles, and receive chocolate coin medals. But even in his imagination, he can’t escape the horrifying truth about war and what it costs the people who fight.…

[UPDATED] Why the U.S. Is One of the Cruelest Places in the World for Lab Animals

The United States prides itself on being a country of animal lovers. But when it comes to the ethical treatment of lab animals, few countries perform worse. Here’s how the U.S. practices measure up to the rest of the world. [UPDATE: io9 has editorial concerns with this article.] https://gizmodo.com/animal-welfare-science-an-apology-and-an-analysis-1665259272 Before you read further, please bear…

A Terrible Rumor About Fracking Wrecks Scientific Research

Researchers recently published a study about how to trace fracking fluid. The idea was to figure out how to identify potential groundwater contamination. And then the media spin cycle created a giant mess. The problem was a media rumor that all the fluid used in hydraulic fracturing operations is harmless. But the scientists at the…

A Simple Problem That Shows Just Why We Need Posted Calorie Counts

Quick, how many calories would you say are in an order of cheese fries with a side of accompanying ranch dressing? What about a burger and plain fries? Keep those numbers in your head for a minute, you’ll need them to solve this problem. The new calorie count regulations handed down by the FDA today…

Game Of Thrones Season 5 Teaser Shows Arya Stark Falling Into Darkness

Here is a teeny, tiny look at the new season of Game of Thrones — and HBO wants you to know they are all about Arya Stark in the new year. The teaser is entirely focused on Arya, and we think that’s just great — because now is her time to rise up and shine.…

10 Monarchs Whose Madness Changed History

In fiction, kings and queens who succumb to madness are a great time. In reality, not so much. It’s no fun having huge chunks of the world controlled by someone who is irrational and unstable. Here are ten kings and queens whose craziness changed the course of world events. 10. Ivan the Terrible’s Fits Ushered…

Dogs And Humans Process Speech In Remarkably Similar Ways

In what will come as a surprise to virtually nobody, a new brain study shows that dogs don’t just respond to our words, they also respond to how we say them. It’s a finding that suggests dogs evolved their keen listening skills as a result of domestication. When we’re listening to someone, we’re not just…

That Time NASA Asked Schoolchildren To Hunt For Moon Rocks In Iowa

In 1964, NASA tried to obtain lunar rocks without actually going to the Moon. The initiative, called Project Moon Harvest, enlisted the aid of farmers and schoolkids to dig around western Iowa in search of possible lunar meteorites. As Air & Space magazine reports, the project was based on the then-popular belief that tektites (a…