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Taylor Swift’s Hunger Games song doesn’t have nearly enough teen murder

Check out this sweet little lullaby from Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars straight off the Hunger Games soundtrack. While we like the twang, the more tween pop they push into this movie, the more nervous we get. But who knows — this could be the after-credits tune, for all we know. Take a listen,…

Movies Meredith Woerner

George Takei’s Greatest and Weirdest Moments

It’s official: George Takei owns the internet. This is the year that Takei’s domination over our assorted cyberwebs became official and final. He’s become our greatest meme generator and his mellifluous voice turned out to be perfect for summing up the state of the world circa 2011. To celebrate our new overlord, here’s a collection…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

The ferrets whose eyes were wired to be ears

In an effort to test the plasticity of the brain, scientists a decade ago decided to scramble a ferret’s brain so that its eyes were hooked up to its auditory cortex. So clearly the ferret was blind, right? Wrong. Find out about the experiment that lead scientists to understand exactly how adaptable our brains can…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

David Fincher explains why his Dragon Tattoo heroine isn’t a superhero

We sat down with director David Fincher to discuss the inner workings of the complex character that is The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, or Lisbeth Salander. Find out why Fincher is loathe to dub the crime-fighting hacker a superhero, and what his inspiration was for the much-buzzed-about tar titles from this film. Warning spoilers.…

Movies Meredith Woerner

Before Science Fiction: Romances of Science and Scientific Romances

The origin of science fiction stories is well-known to both critics and the public: by consensus, Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818) was the first SF novel. But the origins of “science fiction” as a concept are neither well-known nor agreed-upon. The phrase “science fiction,” meaning the genre of scientifically-oriented fantastic fiction, was popularized in 1929 by…

Books & Comics Jess Nevins and Michelle Martinez

The “Winner Effect” and How to Stop It

Across the world scientists have been organizing animal fight clubs to study the Winner Effect. Winning early, easy battles causes animals to become more aggressive, and to win more often against heavily-favored opponents. This effect isn’t just psychological; it’s associated with physiological changes. And scientists have recently figured out how to reverse the effect. It…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

These bacteria are controlled by magnetic fields

Magnetotactic bacteria were first discovered back in 1975. They’re microbes that orient themselves along magnetic fields, thanks to their compartments of tiny magnetic nanocrystals called magnetesomes (the orange circles in the picture above), which force the bacteria into magnetic alignment. Unlike larger animals that navigate along magnetic fields, these bacteria can’t control their actions –…

io9 Tim Barribeau

Meet Lovecraft’s Shub Niggurath in creepy short film The Black Goat

We can’t wait to see the feature film that sprouts like an eldritch horror from this short by Joseph Nanni, based loosely on a myth first mentioned the H.P. Lovecraft tale “The Last Test.” The movie features a creature from the Cthulhu mythos called Shub Niggurath, a “Great Old One” or possibly an Elder God…

Movies Annalee Newitz

10 Fantasy Animals I’d Like as Pets

‘Tis the season for incredibly irresponsible gifts. Many people go out and get pets for a loved one, only to find that they’re stuck with a 15-year-commitment that craps behind the couch every night. If you’re going to take the pain, why not get a really good pet to go along with it? 10. Crookshanks…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Walls of Wonder: Amazing Science Fiction and Fantasy-Themed Murals

Our love for science fiction and fantasy knows no boundaries — so it’s only fitting that we cover our walls with it. Some of the coolest fan art in the universe has been painted or stenciled on walls in public spaces, as well as bedrooms. Here are just a few of the most fantastic science…

io9 Natalie Baaklini and Charlie Jane Anders

New evidence that children start forming solid memories when they are 2 years old

What’s your earliest accurate memory? Chances are, it occurred after your third birthday, and until recently, scientists assumed that this was because children do not form accurate memories until the ages of three or four. But a new study from New Zealand suggests that children can correctly recall experiences from when they were two years…

io9 Sophie Bushwick

Deranged old man Mr. Plinkett reviews Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Remember Mr. Plinkett, that disgusting old coot who dissected The Phantom Menace, Attack of the Clones, Star Trek, and Avatar? Now he’s turned his foul, critical eye toward Indiana Jones and The Crystal Skull. Learn the various plot failings of the film, all narrated in an hour-plus of horribly hypnotic geriatric slurring. I love it…

Movies Cyriaque Lamar

What are the Great Pyramids really made of?

One hundred thousand slaves tug multi-ton blocks across the desert. A complicated series of pulleys lifts each hand-cut stone into the perfect place. This is history’s image of ancient Egyptian pyramid construction. What if the Egyptians were using an easier, more efficient method? Recent theories and scientific evidence suggest that people assembled cement blocks on…

io9 Keith Veronese

How elephants evolved a sixth toe

While an elephant’s foot may seem to be a cylinder, it’s actually a fully pentadactyl cluster of toes, smooshed together into a small space. If you look at a skeleton of their appendages, an elephant is resting its immense weight on five digits, with a soft, fleshy pad rounding out the rear of the foot.…

io9 Tim Barribeau

Scientists learn the secret of a famous anti-superconductor

Magnetite is, as its name implies, one of the most naturally magnetic materials on earth. Millennia ago, it was what first clued scientists in to magnetism. But magnetite is also something of a mystery. At low temperatures, the rock completely stops all electricity. At last scientists have figured it out why. Superconductors have a perpetually…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

John Carter concept art transports you to the magnificent Barsoom

One of the main stars of Disney’s John Carter is the land of Barsoom, the fantasy version of Mars from Edgar Rice Burroughs’ famous novels. Director Andrew Stanton brought this amazing world to life using Utah and a lot of greenscreen — but it also took a lot of visualization. Some newly released concept art…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

Inflatable Tentacle Arm is the best gift of 2011

Still looking for that perfect little something for your special someone? Look no further! Behold the inflatable Tentacle arm — and it’s only $12.00. Your hand fits snugly inside, making it look as though you’re mutating into a squid-person. This is the type of investment that will last you a lifetime. Perfect for every conceivable…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Joss Whedon swears the 3D in The Avengers won’t totally suck!

That Buffy the Vampire Slayer reboot that nobody wanted? It might not happen after all. Ryan Murphy reveals the audacious, reliably insane plans for American Horror Story’s second season. Plus new images for The Dark Knight Rises and Ghost Rider 2! Happy Spoiler Days! Top image modified from Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. The Avengers…

Television Alasdair Wilkins

Picture of the Day: December 22, 2011

GANDALF MAKES HIS STAND | Production art from Ralph Bakshi’s Lord of the Rings movie, via RalphBakshiArt.com Want to read today’s io9 stories a different way? Check out our blog view. Or visit Observation Deck, our general discussion forum.

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

American Horror Story Finale: Dead Really Is Better

Last night on the season finale of the show we like to call Elderly Gay Man’s Sex Nightmare, we said goodbye to a few old ghosts and hello to some new ones. But the big takeaway of the night for the whole season boiled down to: If you want to solve all your Earthly problems,…

Television Meredith Woerner

Taylor Swift’s Hunger Games song doesn’t have nearly enough teen murder

George Takei’s Greatest and Weirdest Moments

The ferrets whose eyes were wired to be ears

David Fincher explains why his Dragon Tattoo heroine isn’t a superhero

Before Science Fiction: Romances of Science and Scientific Romances

The “Winner Effect” and How to Stop It

These bacteria are controlled by magnetic fields

Meet Lovecraft’s Shub Niggurath in creepy short film The Black Goat

10 Fantasy Animals I’d Like as Pets

Walls of Wonder: Amazing Science Fiction and Fantasy-Themed Murals

New evidence that children start forming solid memories when they are 2 years old

Deranged old man Mr. Plinkett reviews Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

What are the Great Pyramids really made of?

How elephants evolved a sixth toe

Scientists learn the secret of a famous anti-superconductor

John Carter concept art transports you to the magnificent Barsoom

Inflatable Tentacle Arm is the best gift of 2011

Joss Whedon swears the 3D in The Avengers won’t totally suck!

Picture of the Day: December 22, 2011

American Horror Story Finale: Dead Really Is Better

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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