The Worst Blunders People Make in Inventing Fictional Alien Worlds

We love stories that take us to alien planets and let us explore whole new environments. But not every alien planet is totally realistic, especially given how much we’ve learned about exoplanets lately. So we asked six experts to tell us the biggest mistakes they see in fictional habitable worlds — and here’s what they…

Artist makes gorgeous sculptures in collaboration with bees

Winnipeg artist Aganetha Dyck is fascinated by the power of small animals, and over a decade ago she set out to create art with the help of a bee hive. Working with bee keepers, she set up a special apiary where bees could build their honeycombs on top of dolls and other objects. The results…

Rocket Raccoon speaks in the new Guardians of the Galaxy promo

We got to see a little of Rocket Raccoon in action in the first Guardians of the Galaxy trailer, and in this Rocket-centered promo, we get to hear Bradley Cooper give him voice. Update: Now with the rest of the Guardians! https://gizmodo.com/the-first-full-length-guardians-of-the-galaxy-just-got-1525683892 Judging from the style of the promo, it looks like we’ll gradually be…

Indian history textbooks claim Japan nuked the United States in 1945

And that’s just one of the many mistakes in what Indian news organizations are calling the “Error Terror” incident. The textbooks in Gujarat also get basic facts of Indian history wrong, including when Mahatma Gandhi died. As someone says in the above video, “This is as bad as it gets.” How did this happen? Apparently…

Poster reveals that the new Godzilla is f@#$ing ENORMOUS

HOLY HELL. Look at how insanely huge Godzilla is — he’s towering over those skyscapers. He would actually have to bend down to destroy them manually. This is AWESOME. I don’t remember ever seeing a Godzilla movie where the Big G wasn’t at least eye-level with the tallest building in the city (usually so he…

A pregnant woman encounters the basilisk she defeated in her youth

What happens when a girl adventurer revisits the monsters from her past? In this brief comic, a pregnant woman decides to call upon her old foe the basilisk, and the snake is not happy. Sarah Stern wrote and drew the comic For Old Time’s Snake for a class at the Savannah College of Art and…

22 Obsolete Technologies That People Thought Would Last Forever

We live in an era of accelerating technological change, and with it, accelerated rates of obsolescence. Here are 22 antiquated technologies that are actually quite young — and which people thought would be around for much longer than they were. 1. Folding Maps The advent of GPS has all but killed the humble printed map.…

The White Walkers from Game of Thrones may be invading Stockholm

Or else HBO has really stepped up its viral marketing, because this obsidian dagger-filled glass case has popped up just outside the Swedish city with no explanation. HBO is denying it’s theirs, and I fell like they would be a little more subtle that to stick the “Game of Thrones” logo on the sign (it’s…

These Frozen deleted scenes are so damn adorable

We’ve got two Frozen deleted scenes that give us lots more time with Anna, Elsa and Kristoff. Unsurprisingly, they are all completely delightful and adorable and can we all just go to Norway and build a snowman together? I totally understand why they cut the girls’ scene — it’s more severe to have them meeting…

The Joker is all smiles as a nightmarish dragon facing the Dark Knight

In a medieval fantasy version of Batman, the Joker transforms himself into a hideous dragon, laughing gas leaking from his toxic maw. But even in his new form, the Joker still remembers to grin. See the full image below. Artist Sandara created this Batman-vs.-Joker showdown. She has a number of other magnificent dragon paintings, some…

The NSA once banned Furbies as a threat to national security

Furbys are adorable and a bit obnoxious, but could they be used as fluffy little spies? The National Security Agency once banned the electronic toys because it feared that they would listen in on classified conversations. In 1999, after the Furby craze put tons of these talking toys beneath American Christmas trees, the NSA issued…

Missouri schools may have to “alert” parents when evolution is taught

In what may be the first of its kind, a proposed bill in Missouri would require that parents be notified when evolution is being taught to their children at school. They could then pull them from the class. Critics say the bill would “eviscerate” the teaching of biology. The bill is being sponsored by State…

The Universal Shapes of Stories, According to Kurt Vonnegut

The fundamental concept behind Kurt Vonnegut’s master’s thesis in anthropology at the University of Chicago was, in Vonnegut’s words, “that stories have shapes which can be drawn on graph paper.” Vonnegut’s thesis was rejected* (“because it was so simple, and looked like too much fun,” according to him), and he left the university soon thereafter,…

What are your best tricks to get writing?

Staring at a blank page (or screen) can be an uncomfortable experience. Today we want to know what you do to get writing that works. Jessica Grose over at The Paris Review has a piece up about what happened after Amtrak responded to a tweet of hers about the perks of writing on trains by…

This may be the new Fantastic Four

Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot seems to have found its cast. The Wrap is reporting that Marvel’s first family will include (from left to right) Miles Teller as Reed Richards, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm/The Human Torch, and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm, a.k.a. The Thing. That looks like a…

This Homemade Cozy Coupe Ecto1 Is Unofficially Awesome

It’s nice to see Ghostbusters getting a lot of love in the toy world these days. First, Lego revealed it’s making an official Ghostbusters building set, and now some awesome modder has turned his nephew’s Little Tikes Cozy Coupe into an adorably miniature version of Ecto1. https://gizmodo.com/hands-on-with-legos-wonderfully-detailed-ghostbusters-1524135884 Because the Cozy Coupe has become so iconic…

The Curiosity Rover is driving in reverse to protect its dented wheels

Curiosity’s aluminum wheels have taken a beating since starting its Martian mission back in August 2012. Now, in an effort to preserve them, NASA instructed the rover to drive nearly 330 feet (100 meters) in reverse — it’s longest advance in three months. NASA’s Curiosity team is surprised at how quickly the wheels are deteriorating,…

Hints from True Blood and Arrow, plus the wildest Star Wars rumor yet!

Michael Cudlitz talks about establishing Abraham’s relationship with Rick in The Walking Dead. Bryan Singer explains what the Sentinels of X-Men owe Transformers and Pacific Rim. And Jada Pinkett-Smith joins Gotham. Plus, Once Upon a Time has given the Wicked Witch a name! Spoilers now! Top image: The Walking Dead. Star Wars Maria Alyoshina and…

An overwhelming majority of doctors and nurses think they don’t know enough about old people’s sex habits. In a recent survey, just 3% of U.S. nurses and primary care physicians felt they had adequate knowledge of older adult sexuality. (In case you had any doubts: yes, they’re having sex. And not always safely.) H/t Zhana…

Lego Movie concept art reveals the hidden secrets of LEGO LAND!

Wyldstyle was one of the most memorable new characters in The Lego Movie — and she went thorugh a lot of changes on her way to the screen. Check out official concept art that reveals the many, many different versions of Wyldstyle. Plus more concept art that reveals major spoilers for the film’s ending. The…