Imagine Living Inside These Incredible Tower Homes

In the Middle Ages, towers were used as fortified residences of the wealthy, or strategic military outposts. But these buildings still capture our imagination in the 21st century. Here are some cool tower houses, converted from historic towers, or built in the last few years as modern reinterpretations. A modern home in Joachimstal, Germany, converted…

The Sex Scenes Are Now Officially the Only Good Parts of Lost Girl

Lost Girl’s plot thickens. Then it solidifies. It becomes an immobile mass of incomprehensible plot threads crumbling under the weight of their own entropy. This is what the heat death of a TV show looks like. But wait! There’s sex! I called last week’s Lost Girl the show’s worst episode ever. At least we can…

This Clip Shows Why People Are Comparing The Machine To Blade Runner

The British cyberpunk thriller The Machine has gotten pretty upbeat reviews, with Kim Newman calling it “brimming with ideas” and other reviewers comparing it to Blade Runner. And now here’s an exclusive clip from the film, in which you can see a hint of those big ideas for yourself. We showed you the trailer for…

Which Movie Makeover of a Superhero Made You Lose Your Shit?

Losing your shit doesn’t have to be bad. Maybe you were so excited about how a movie interpreted your favorite comic book character that you had to race to the bathroom. But maybe you lost it because you kept asking WHY DID THEY DO THAT WHY? Tell us about it. Tell us which live action…

Astronaut Neil Armstrong On Why He’s Proud To Be A Nerd

Jorge Cham of PHD Comics animated this wonderful speech the Apollo 11 commander gave back in 2000. In it, Armstrong proclaims he’s proud to be a nerdy engineer, lists engineering’s many 20th century accomplishments, and explains why he has hope for the future. It’s not just inspiring, it’s genuinely comforting.

Top Gun 2 will be Tom Cruise Vs. Drones

Top Gun is an American classic. The Tom Cruise feature had bromance, jets, motorcycles, passionate kisses, heartbreak and volleyball. Sadly the sequel sounds nothing like the original — it’s basically Tom Cruise versus the machine. And it sounds kind of terrible. In an interview with the Huffington Post mega producer Jerry Bruckheimer reveals the new…

Slip Your Special Mail Into These Letter-Holder Bookends

This is just a clever use of space right here. These bookends keep your softcovers in line and your mail in order. All your favorite paper goods, all in one place, tidy and organized. Nice! I just moved apartments this weekend and am therefore very acutely aware of just how much stuff—bound, enveloped, and otherwise—I…

Massive Spaceships Could Be Fueled by Human Exercise

What would be the most efficient way to power a spaceship carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers? According to some newly-published calculations, the best option would be to use the passengers themselves—by harnessing the power of exercise. The paper, “Can We Power A Spaceship?” is one of the offerings in the most recent issue of…

This Is What the GOP’s War On Science Looks Like

I’ve seen some surreal moments in our nation’s capitol, but few can compare to watching Republican members of Congress lecture John Holdren last week on the meaning of “science.” Here are some highlights. Holdren, the president’s science advisor, was the lone witness at a hearing held by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology…

Under The Skin Is About “De-Eroticizing” Scarlett Johansson

The most striking thing about Under The Skin isn’t Scarlett Johansson driving around in a van picking up men on the street and taking them to her lair. Rather, it’s the film’s weirdly dispassionate viewpoint on some really upsetting scenes. We talked to director Jonathan Glazer about turning his camera into an alien eye. Minor…

We Finally Know Why Zebras Have Stripes

Why does the zebra have stripes? It’s not a riddle — scientists say they’ve actually found an answer. And no, it’s not camouflage for hiding under a slatted roof. The stripes actually serve as an insect repellent. The study, published today in Nature Communications by a group from the University of California Davis led by…

The Counter-Intuitive Way to Win Big in a Game Show

You are on a game show, and get to choose between three doors. Behind one is a grand prize. Behind the others there’s nothing. But there’s a twist — and it can double your chances of winning. Welcome to the Monty Hall Problem. Over the years the Monty Hall problem has become infamous. In a…

No, Australia’s Dingos Are Not Wild Dogs

For over two centuries, Australians have referred to the dingo as their continent’s native dog. But as a new study shows, it’s not really a dog at all, but rather a species in its own right. The confusion started in the 18th century with a simple drawing and description made by Australia’s first governor, Arthur…

Are The Best Sentences In Science Fiction Mostly Aphorisms?

A lot of science fiction’s most quotable authors do seem to write a ton of aphorisms — Robert A. Heinlein comes to mind, for example. But over at the Guardian, there’s a discussion of the greatest sentences in genre fiction, and the question arose: are the best sentences in genre mostly aphoristic? For example, writer…

Futurama, The Art of Final Fantasy, New Humble Bundle [Deals]

124 episodes and 4 feature-length adventures, all yours in one complete, attractive set for $85. We’re definitely worried about this price not sticking around. [Amazon] The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy slipcased edition hardcover | $13 + shipping The last time we listed this it was $31, which was a killer deal at the…

Why a Head Injury Can Be Far Worse Than You Realize

Each year in the United States, 2.5 million people will visit the ER for traumatic head injury. Of them, 50,000 will die. And those who do recover often exhibit lingering effects. It’s a serious public health issue that’s only getting worse. Here’s what you need to know about protecting your head. The human brain is…

Intelligence‘s Season Finale Was A Parade Of The Show’s Greatest Hits

And even with an episode that seemed to bring together everything that’s ever worked on this show into one package, it was still only… adequate. Not quite horrible, but not quite enjoyable, either. On the good side, we had: Lillian being smarter than the rest of the intelligence community leaders. Mei Chen returning to kick…

A long-running study is re-affirming the life-extending benefits of calorie-restricted diets. It overturns a study from 2012 indicating otherwise. The 25-year experiment shows that rhesus macaques, when eating 30% less than normal, are twice as likely to live beyond those who could eat whatever they want. Above image: A photo taken of two rhesus macaques…

io9 Book Club Reminder: Meet 4/8 to Discuss Annihilation

This month, the io9 Book Club is reading Jeff VanderMeer’s Annihilation. We’ll meet on April 8 to discuss it. Join us! There’s still time to read the (short) book. We loved Annihilation, which is the first book in VanderMeer’s Southern Reach trilogy. We’re hoping VanderMeer will join us later that week to talk about the…

​The 12 Weirdest Comic Crossovers Ever

Crossovers are an everyday occurrence in the comics industry, where Spider-Man hangs with Wolverine, Batman stops by Teen Titans HQ, and Aliens battle Predators. But not all crossovers make as much sense as these do. Here are a dozen of them that aren’t necessarily bad, but they’re all definitely weird. 1) Archie and the Punisher…