Write Some Six-Word Science Fiction Stories For Us!

What kind of story can you tell in just six little words? Write an extremely concise science fiction epic for us now! Last time, your six-word science fiction stories ranged all over the universe, from an astronaut who spoke too soon (“First on Mars!” *Tap on shoulder — buckgoose) to a very strange trial taking…

Here’s How This Bird Imitates A Laser Gun Perfectly

A viral video making the rounds shows a lyrebird mimicking a laser gun with incredible accuracy. So how is this possible? The video demonstrates the prevalence of mimicry in nature, where looks — and, in this case, sounds — can be deceiving. Lyrebirds, which are large songbirds native to Australia, are so good at copying…

Don’t let the simple graphics fool you: NASA’s Comet Quest is a complex and addictive online game that challenges you to perform several missions, including landing, collecting and transmitting scientific data, and keeping Rosetta safe from chunks of comet material that occasionally spews from the surface.

Can This Dog Herd Piglets, Ducks, and Goats?

Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes he can. Except for one kid, who stubbornly refuses to be herded. You go, little goat. Refuse to follow the herd! Be your own… goat. The goat video is the latest entry in Petcentric’s “Will It Herd?” series. The other two entries are below, and neither the ducks nor the piglets…

Do We Finally Know the Full Suicide Squad Line-Up?

Photos reveal an iconic Batman scene is being filmed for Batman v. Superman. The villains’ romance takes center stage in X-Men: Apocalypse. Jenna Coleman explains the role Santa has in the Doctor Who Christmas special. And new details from Peggy Carter’s appearance in the next Agents of SHIELD. Spoilers now! Top image: Agents of SHIELD…

Space Rugs and Towels For Out of This World Home Decor

(No, I’m not sorry for that pun. It’s late over here.) Not only are these beautiful, you can pair them with the bedding sets we found earlier to make your room entirely space-themed! These are available from Schönstaub and, assuming you have the cash for them, you can get the three rugs pictured above and…

The Ending That Got Cut From Guardians of the Galaxy

While the ending of Guardians of the Galaxy, with its use of “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” is very nearly perfect, James Gunn says there are scenes that got cut from the montage. They include a melancholy look at Peter Quill’s grandfather, back on Earth. Speaking to Slashfilm, Gunn says that they decided to focus…

Director Michelle MacLaren Is the Wonder Woman Frontrunner

Looks like the rumors that Warner Bros. was looking for a female director have actually born fruit: The Hollywood Reporter says that Michelle MacLaren has jumped to the top of WB/DC’s list. Apparently, her first round of meetings back in August went well, but the studio decided to widen its search. That widened search —…

xkcd Animates The Philae Comet Landing—And It’s Adorable

Today, we celebrated a monumental achievement in human history: For the first time, we landed an object on a comet. And xkcd creator Randall Munroe celebrated by creating this cartoon flipbook starting three hours before Philae’s separation from Rosetta and ending with the landing. “Landing” is a series of 142 frames following the probe’s separation…

Imagine being able to control biological processes with your mind. A new experiment suggests this is possible. By combining optogenetics and cybernetics, humans were able to use their thoughts to alter genes in mice. In future, these mind-operated implants could be used to self-treat migraines, back pain, epilepsy, and other disorders. Image: Thoughts control a…

Gotham Not Prequelly Enough For You? Then You Must Watch Gotham Begins

Even wonder what Gotham City was like before the events of the semi-hit Fox series Gotham? Then take a look at Gotham Begins, a new show from the lads over at The Warp Zone. If you’ve seen any of Gotham’s less subtle moments— like the future Riddler drinking from an “?” mug — you’ll enjoy…

An interesting twist on wildlife policy: Authorities have listed the Gunnison sage grouse (cf. the Greater sage grouse) as “threatened,” claiming conservation efforts have reduced threats enough to give the bird a “more flexibly protected status.” Environmentalists are disappointed, claiming the designation fails to reflect the bird’s true, near-extinct status.

See, This Is Why You Don’t Play With A Face-Stealing Monster

Gabby just wants her older sister Tam to play with her, but Tam wants to be left alone. So instead of playing, Tam tells Gabby about the Thing Under the Tree, and how you must never let the creature see your face. The Thing Under the Tree was director Lily Fang’s graduation film from the…

Adam Sandler’s Cobbler Trailer Can Magically Walk In Your Shoes GET IT?

Here’s the trailer for Adam Sandler’s next movie in his long line of “easy magic” films. Might as well watch the trailer now, as you’ll probably be watching The Cobbler on repeat on TNT for the rest of your miserable life. Here’s the premise: Adam Sandler is a cobbler with a magical shoe sewing machine,…

Does The Universe Need Black Holes?

Black holes are some of the most mysterious objects in our universe — but are they also among the most necessary? Image: Artist’s concept of a growing black hole at the center of a faraway galaxy. (NASA/JPL-Caltech) Astrophysicist James Geach stopped by today to answer our questions about the formation and evolution of galaxies, including…

Hermit Crabs Line Themselves Up From Biggest To Smallest To Swap Shells

Seriously, HERMIT CRABS FORM ORDERLY QUEUES. In height order. To more efficiently trade shells. I, for one, welcome our new crustacean bureaucrats. This is a segment from BBC’s Life Story, and it captures some pretty extraordinary animal behavior. When a new shell washes up on shore, these hermit crabs measure each other and then line…

Which Lovable Character Must Never, Ever Find True Love?

The best fictional heroes and villains are lovable, and inspire intense feelings of romance and adoration. But should they be happy in love? No, of course not — both because we want them to suffer, and because we want to see them adventuring rather than romancing. Which character do you hope never finds lasting, true…

The Most Frightening Witches In Art History

Some of the most terrifying supernatural imagery from centuries ago doesn’t feature demons and devils. Instead, it shows us what we did to people who were accused of witchcraft. Here are some terrifying visual records of how people imagined witches — and how they killed them. Burning witches, 14th century (via Wikimedia Commons) A witch,…

How Philae’s Comet Compares To An Imperial Star Destroyer

ESA’s Philae lander made history this morning when it landed on Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko. Here’s how big 67P/C-G is, relative to a well-known spacecraft, courtesy of theWashington Post. This is not the first size comparison we’ve seen for 67P. In the leadup to this morning’s touchdown, we’ve seen it depicted beside (or on top of) Los…

Person of Interest Goes from Whimsy to Darkness in 50 Minutes

Last night’s Person of Interest was deceptively light, following a jewel heist caper with Shaw that suddenly took a left turn. And it left us with profound questions about how far we should go to eradicate surveillance technologies from our lives. The ostensible number of the week was a hot jewel thief who blew into…