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Could a robot gorilla be more useful than a humanoid one?

There’s a pretty fascinating stuff. Robot designer Davide Faconti was working on a robot for DARPA’s robotic design challenge, which had to be capable of “driving a vehicle, opening doors, climbing ladders, and using tools.” But after working for a while on a humanoid robot, Faconti’s team switched to an ape robot called the Silverback…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Booty Ring Toss, Cthulhu Panties and Racist Cookies: Comic-Con Badvertising!

Comic-Con is an ocean of advertisements and in-your-face marketing. Some ads are supremely clever — but others are cringe-inducing monster that make us want to bury our heads in the lawn outside Hall H. We’ve rounded up the worst of the worst advertisements, for your enjoyment. The Booty Bus! Nothing says Comic-Con like a horrific…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Breathtaking Google Street View Pictures of Antarctica (including the South Pole)

Can’t afford a trip to the South Pole? It’s cool, neither can we. Fortunately, Google’s got us covered. Today marks the launch of Google’s extensive collection of panoramic street view imagery from Antarctica — including the most accurate, hi-res data available for some of the continent’s most noteworthy destinations. Writes Google Technical Program Manager Alex…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

How much would it cost to be Batman?

With The Dark Knight Rises hitting theaters in a few days, your desire to put on a cowl and get out there and bust some heads in the name of great justice will be renewed, like a mighty fire. But how would you go about becoming the Caped Crusader for real? The part about being…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

What Is the Best Nikola Tesla Biography?

Our Special Projects Editor Chris Mascari is on something of a Nikola Tesla kick right now, but isn’t sure what biography is the best one to sate his curiosity about the physicist/engineer/inventor. We figured we’d ask you, the readers to help us out on this one. So, what’s your favorite Tesla bio?

Books & Comics Adrian Covert

Views of the Northern Lights don’t get much better than this

Feast your eyes on this mind boggling view of the Northern Lights, captured in the pre-dawn hours of July 15th by photographer Brad Goldpaint. Goldpaint told io9 in an email that he photographed this particular display over Sparks Lake in Central Oregon. At latitudes that far south, it can be hard to spot aurorae this…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

This Wednesday, a new (and old) Captain Marvel hits comic shops

It’s the week after Comic-Con, so the Gods of the Longbox are seemingly taking a break this week. In terms of new series, Kelly Sue DeConnick and Dexter Soy kick off a new Captain Marvel series (below) today — “Carol Danvers has a new name, a new mission, and all the power she needs to…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

Predicting “record years” and climate change with easy math

Random events, like high or low temperatures, rainfall (or lack of it) per year, and overall crop production, are unpredictable. And yet, within a certain space of time, there are ways of predicting how often record-breaking weather will come around. Call it the easy math of climate change. There are ways to tell when some…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Rebels threaten a glittering, post-cataclysmic society in Tom Hanks’ animated webseries Electric City

After a disaster causes civilization to collapse, a seemingly idyllic city rises from the ashes, powered by electricity and a strong sense of community. But the Electric City is also carefully controlled by a shadowy matriarchy, which uses propaganda and violence to keep everything moving slowly. Their most powerful weapons in this battle for stability…

io9 Lauren Davis

Nick Denton is here to talk about how Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels inspired him

Most people know Nick Denton as the founder of io9’s parent company, Gawker Media. Today he’s a notorious media entrepreneur, but his inspiration began with science fiction. My first conversation with him was about the Syfy series Battlestar Galactica. Later, he revealed that he’d read Isaac Asimov’s celebrated Foundation series as a teenager, and it…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Eureka comes to a fitting, emotional conclusion

Yesterday, Eureka brought its five-season journey to a close. The finale gave us callbacks and cameos galore, happy endings for all the townspeople, and one last chance for Sheriff Carter to be the big dumb hero. Basically, it was perfect. Spoilers ahead, assuming that still matters… Give the Eureka creative team plenty of credit for…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

A world with more William Gibson LEGO sets is a world we can live in

When it comes to literary characters to depict in LEGO, you can’t beat Jones, the cybernetic, heroin-addicted dolphin from William Gibson’s 1981 tale Johnny Mnemonic. Explains sculptor Cole Blaq: What does a heroin junky dolphin do in Nighttown? Well I guess dreaming of electric sheep or riding the horse. But hey, what else could a…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

An aquatic robot that devours plastic junk in the ocean

Autonomous drones typically get a bad rap, but a new design by Elie Ahovi actually looks like it could be genuinely helpful. Concerned about rising levels of plastic waste in the oceans, Ahovi put together a design for an underwater drone that can search for and gobble-up ocean garbage. It’s hoped that this device, when…

io9 George Dvorsky

Watch Mr. Wizard act like a dick to dozens of children

If this supercut is to be believed, Don Herbert — TV scientist and educational programming host of Watch Mr. Wizard and Mr. Wizard’s World — might not have been that good with children. Check out Diane Bullock and Mike Schuster’s hilariously out-of-context clip show of Herbert hectoring his tiny co-hosts. Be sure to stick around…

Television Meredith Woerner

Contact with Curiosity may be lost during its descent to the Martian surface

As NASA prepares for the August 6 landing of the Curiosity rover on Mars, its scientists have made the disturbing realization that communication will likely be lost during its harrowing seven minute descent to the surface. Engineers attribute the fault to a critical support satellite, Odyssey, which is currently stationed in orbit around the red…

io9 George Dvorsky

Which of your favorite characters will return to Warehouse 13?

After the explosive events of Warehouse 13’s third season, where does the show go from here? The WH 13 cast and crew came to San Diego Comic Con to talk a bit about what’s coming up, who could come back, and Brent Spiner’s new role. Also, they dream up the ultimate Comic Con artifact. Spoilers…

io9 Lauren Davis

10 Limits to Human Perception … and How They Shape Your World

Every human has limits. You can only run so fast, jump so high, and go for so long without water. But what about restrictions upon our five senses, those tools that we use to perceive and understand our surroundings? Here are ten limitations on human perception that have a direct impact on how we understand…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez

We talk with the minds behind Adventure Time about the sunshiny post-apocalypse

One of the biggest draws at this year’s Comic-Con was Cartoon Network’s unapologetically bizarre animated show Adventure Time, in which the human boy Finn and his trusty dog Jake navigate the magical Land of Ooo, long after human civilization has disappeared. The show — which is currently airing its fourth season — lured throngs of…

Television Cyriaque Lamar

Neil Gaiman signs five book deal

If you have a shelf dedicated to the works of Neil Gaiman, then it may be time to add a second! Gaiman just signed a five-book deal with Harper Collins Children’s Books. In case you’ve been keeping score at home, in the next couple years we’re also expecting his non-fiction travel book about China, his…

io9 Michael Ann Dobbs

Once Upon A Time Season 2 trailer reveals a new big bad!

The first-ever teaser trailer for the wonky fairy tale series Once Upon A Time has appeared. And oh holy-stripper-heeled-fairy-dust, it’s even more deliciously cheesy than we expected. Check out the brand new Disney villain who’s stopping by this year. I’m taking guesses on which fairy tale character will be playing Henry’s Father, but my money…

Television Meredith Woerner

Could a robot gorilla be more useful than a humanoid one?

Booty Ring Toss, Cthulhu Panties and Racist Cookies: Comic-Con Badvertising!

Breathtaking Google Street View Pictures of Antarctica (including the South Pole)

How much would it cost to be Batman?

What Is the Best Nikola Tesla Biography?

Views of the Northern Lights don’t get much better than this

This Wednesday, a new (and old) Captain Marvel hits comic shops

Predicting “record years” and climate change with easy math

Rebels threaten a glittering, post-cataclysmic society in Tom Hanks’ animated webseries Electric City

Nick Denton is here to talk about how Isaac Asimov’s Foundation novels inspired him

Eureka comes to a fitting, emotional conclusion

A world with more William Gibson LEGO sets is a world we can live in

An aquatic robot that devours plastic junk in the ocean

Watch Mr. Wizard act like a dick to dozens of children

Contact with Curiosity may be lost during its descent to the Martian surface

Which of your favorite characters will return to Warehouse 13?

10 Limits to Human Perception … and How They Shape Your World

We talk with the minds behind Adventure Time about the sunshiny post-apocalypse

Neil Gaiman signs five book deal

Once Upon A Time Season 2 trailer reveals a new big bad!

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Don’t Get Too Attached to Any AI App

‘Paradise’ Writer Teases What’s Coming in Season 3 After That Huge Twist

Trump’s New White House App Is Mildly Concerning and Weird for a Lot of Reasons

Bloodsucking Ticks Can Survive Inside Your Home Longer Than You Might Think

The Best New Toys of March 2026

Judge Denies Liking LinkedIn Post Critical of Elon Musk But Reassigns His Cases Anyway

Amazon Slashes 50% Off Keurig K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker, Now a Budget Alternative to Breville and Nespresso Espresso Machines

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

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