Inside the high-tech fortresses of the super-rich

The mega-rich are building houses with security that far eclipses anything seen in The Purge. Including a 2,500-square-foot ballistics-proof house inside the main house, called the “safe core.” And a helipad on the roof. And infrared detection of anyone approaching, up to 15 km away. Dystopia now! Top image: WSJ Forbes has a pretty hilarious…

Why Isaac Asimov’s famous dystopia is still relevant today

There’s a must-read piece at Slate on Isaac Asimov’s classic novel The Caves of Steel, part of a trilogy of novels about societies where everybody lives hundreds of years and relies on robots for everything. After a terrific summary, Konstantin Kakaes explains why it’s all still relevant. In a nutshell, Caves of Steel is a…

The Kids’ Trick That’s Actually a Complicated Philosophical Paradox

Ever heard of Opposite Day? I’m guessing you have — during every game of tag in elementary school. It turns out, that this idea isn’t just a way to make other kids miserable. It’s part of a whole category of “exception paradoxes.” If you’ve spent any time at an elementary school, you’ve probably heard of…

The new Ghost Rider is ditching his motorcycle for a car

When Ghost Rider drives back into comic stores next year, he won’t be doing it on his iconic bike. Now the skull-headed purveyor of vengeance drives a classic Dodge Charger — don’t worry, the wheels are still on fire. Actually, the driver will also be new — writer Felipe Smith and artist Tradd Moore are…

Saudi government censors science fiction novel. According to Boing Boing, the government of Saudi Arabia is suppressing H W J N by Ibraheem Abbas on the grounds of “blasphemy and devil-worshipping.” The book includes jinni as science-fictional beings, one of whom has a romance with a human.

How did these long lost treasures get rediscovered?

The past is full of buried secrets — and sometimes, it opens its mysteries to us. Lately, thanks to high technology and a lot of luck, some priceless treasures that were lost to time have been found again. Check out a gallery of astonishing artifacts that have been returned to us recently. Top image: The…

This could be the earliest flowering plant ever found in North America

Quite by accident, a Smithsonian researcher has uncovered the remains of what appears to be an early Cretaceous-era flowering plant. The remarkable fossil was originally uncovered back in 1971, and it may be the oldest example of its kind from North America. Flowering plants first emerged from now-extinct plants related to conifers, ginkos, cycads, and…

Our new favorite Twitter account finds faces in the strangest places

The twitter account @FacesPics exists for the sole purpose of rounding up one of the Internet’s all time favorite things: photos of inanimate objects that look like faces. The account’s been around for less then a month, but already it’s approaching 200k followers. Which kind of makes sense, if you think about it, because spotting…

Sensing your own body is more complicated than you realize

Close your eyes and touch your nose. If everything is working properly, this should be easy because your brain can sense your body, as well as its position and movement through space. This is called proprioception. But how does this “sixth sense” work — and what happens when it clashes with other senses? Top image:…

The Joker’s 1989 Macy’s Day Parade appearance is pretty messed up

Back in 1989, during the annual Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade, an actor impersonating Jack Nicholson’s Joker from Tim Burton’s Batman rode a parade float and sang a little song. Which is pretty fucked up, if you think about it. Normally the Macy’s Day parade is dominated by SpongeBob balloons and unrecognizable “pop stars.” But during…

What is the worst episode of your favorite TV show?

This weekend is all about the DVD marathons, and chances are you’ll be revisiting your favorite TV show. Except for that one episode, the one you always leapfrog over. You know the one. So tell us. What’s the most horrible episode of your favorite show? Please include a clip or picture of this travesty of…

More British science fiction TV coming? Satellite broadcaster Sky One wants “quick-witted” science fiction shows, and fantasy series with “layer upon layer of lore.” Meanwhile, BBC 2 also has ambitions to launch more genre programmes.

This video is so viscerally satisfying, my body is actually tingling

For the weekend: a ridiculously satisfying video of a ravioli can being overtaken by a blob of oozing lava. Not since the disappearing styrofoam have we found ourselves so unaccountably moved by a video so simple (though, admittedly, lava does tend to have this effect on us). https://gizmodo.com/we-could-watch-acetone-devour-styrofoam-all-day-long-1273402903 https://gizmodo.com/what-lava-looks-like-when-poured-over-ice-615928722 More giddying video goodness here, here,…

China’s ‘Jade Rabbit’ Rover Heads For The Moon On Sunday

The Yutu “Jade Rabbit” rover will lift off from China this coming Sunday as a part of the Chang’e-3 mission. It’ll be the first soft landing on the Moon since Russia’s Luna-24 in 1976 — a drought of 37 years. The target launch is scheduled for Sunday November 29. The rover is expected to explore…

Why Robotech is the greatest love story of the 20th century

Literary types often regard Vladimir Nabokov’s Lolita as the greatest love story of the 20th century. They’re close, but it’s actually the ’80s cartoon series Robotech. Specifically, it’s the Macross section of Robotech, based on the 1982 anime Super Dimension Fortress Macross, the first of the three Japanese cartoons that were cobbled together and re-edited…

Watch the first episode of Dan Harmon’s new show Rick and Morty

Dan Harmon returns to Community this January, but you can see his latest creation right now! The entire first episode of the animated comedy Rick and Morty is online, for your viewing pleasure. Here’s the official synopsis: After missing for nearly 20 years, Rick Sanchez (Justin Roiland) suddenly arrives at his daughter Beth’s (Sarah Chalke)…

“Zombie” Comet ISON Refuses to Die!

Reports of Comet ISON’s death from NASA, the European Space Agency and others may have been greatly exaggerated. As it turns out, Comet ISON – or some part of Comet ISON – appears to have survived. It’s a Thanksgiving Day miracle! https://gizmodo.com/has-comet-ison-broken-up-1473255092 Above: ISON emerges from its close encounter with the Sun a white smear,…

GIANT CAT SHAPED COUCH! GIANT CAT SHAPED COUCH!

Throw away your crappy regular shaped couch, and get a CAT COUCH. Finally a cat creation that will cuddle you back for hours, before you finally crawl away in a puddle of your own tears. This is Felix Domesticus, created by Unfold, a design studio in Antwerp, Belgium. It’s just one of their many cat…

Could a cybernetic implant really help you lose weight?

Forget about fad diets and surgery. Researchers from ETH-Zurich have come up with a potential high-tech solution to the ongoing obesity epidemic: An implantable slimming aid that monitors fat in the blood. In response to elevated levels, it produces a substance that tells the body that it’s not hungry. The implantable genetic circuit, which has…

The 10 Types of Teen Heroes, Ranked According to Wish-Fulfillment

Everybody loves teenage heroes. Grown-ups and teens alike snarf young-adult novels. Katniss is owning the cineplex. But which kind of teen protagonist offers the most escapist bang for your buck? Here’s our survey of the 10 types of teen hero, ranked by pure wish-fulfillment. https://gizmodo.com/how-does-your-hero-measure-up-on-our-wish-fulfillment-c-5028956 #10: The Tool of the Man Upsides: You get to…