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Hugo Awards namesake suggested chasing criminals using airplane-mounted gun-bobsleds

This invention is such a unabashedly terrible idea, but if I were a criminal, its sheer awesomeness would cow me into surrendering. Witness the apocryphal adventures of the Dieselpunk Deputies and their patented Anti-Gangster Gondola™ (by Hugo Gernsback)! This article by the godfather of science fiction comes courtesy of the February 1936 issue of Science…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar

The loneliness of the long-distance exoplanetary anthropologist

There are two kinds of offworld anthropology: Near Distance and Long Distance. With typical Earth-centrism, the “distance” is measured in light years from the Blue Marble. Try explaining to a Gorgolian that he’s “Long Distance” when you’re on his doorstep. At least Gorgolians won’t spit in your face when you try to interview them about…

io9 Annalee Newitz

R.I.P. Ingrid Pitt, Britain’s Queen of Horror

Ingrid Pitt survived a Nazi Concentration Camp and evaded the Communist police to become one of Britain’s most beloved horror stars, reigning over Hammer films like The Vampire Lovers. She also rocked Doctor Who. She died last night, aged 73. Pitt was born in 1937, and her mother was of Jewish descent. Her birth came…

Movies Charlie Jane Anders

Is Zack Snyder trying to “Avatar-ize” the new Superman movie?

Rumor has it director Zack Snyder visited Avatar’s special effects crew, because he wants his version of Superman — rumored to be Watchmen’s Matthew Goode — to be fully CG. Has Snyder been smoking the Ava-crack? Movienewz is reporting that director Snyder, “has plans to rely heavily on CGI for the Man of Steel.” Which…

Movies Meredith Woerner

Superman reboot might focus on a young Clark Kent. And Aronofsky’s Wolverine may not be what Fox expected.

Zack Snyder’s Superman might be exploring how Clark Kent really became Superman… plus another possible actor for Lois Lane. Darren Aronofsky says Wolverine will still be a Darren Aronofsky movie. Plus Tim Burton talks Dark Shadows, and more! Spoiler rampage! Superman Reboot Reports of a basic plot synopsis have surfaced, supposedly based at least in…

Television Alasdair Wilkins

O Gather ‘Round Ye Comcast Yule Log On Ye 3DTV

It’s true—Comcast’s infamous yule log TV channel has gone 3D for the festive holiday season. Tune in, spike the eggnog and cop off with your sister’s best friend. It’s how Father Christmas would’ve wanted it. [Comcast/Image: Patrick Cecilian]

Television Kat Hannaford

On “The Event,” a meeting of the National Association Of Non-Human Real Estate Agents

I don’t want to say I told you so, but The Event has rolled out yet another conspiracy. Not only that, but it turns out the aliens/people of the future/whatevers are actually real estate agents! Just kidding. Real spoilers ahead! Most of last night’s episode of the The Event was frustrating nonsense, but it did…

Television Annalee Newitz

A fresh take on the “great responsibility” of superheroes in No Ordinary Family

Tonight’s No Ordinary Family episode was another strong entry for the show. We got failing powers, deceitful romances, and some rather clever thoughts on the nature of responsibility. This show really might be getting good after all. I was a big fan of last week’s episode, and my biggest concern heading into “No Ordinary Accident”…

Television Alasdair Wilkins

What the astronauts found when they got to Earthlike world Gliese-D

After the water wars, and the fall of the cities, one young woman becomes an astronomer – and has the chance to save humanity. In this new story from Genevieve Valentine, we get a poetic look at the dying Earth. The story, on Clarkesworld this month, is called “Seeing,” and it’s as much about the…

io9 Annalee Newitz

A first look at Tinkerballa from Felicia Day’s The Guild, taking aim

Here’s an exclusive first look at the cover art for Dark Horse Comics’ upcoming comic book The Guild: Tink by none other than Felicia Day. This one-shot delves into the history of The Guild’s most enigmatic character. And here’s the solicitation info: The Guild: Tink Writer: Felicia Day Penciller: Kristian Donaldson, Jeremy Bastian, Wellinton Alves,…

Books & Comics Cyriaque Lamar

The latest dystopian movie from Gattaca’s Andrew Niccol — What’s it really about?

Andrew Niccol is the master of dystopia — he wrote The Truman Show and directed Gattaca. His latest dystopian film, Now, stars Amanda Seyfried and Justin Timberlake. We’ve read a huge chunk of the juicy, twisty script. Spoilers ahead. Just like with the screenplay for Rian Johnson’s Looper last week, we got hold of some…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

When fruit flies attack, it’s usually about sex

With just a little genetic tinkering, it’s possible to make a male fruit fly attack the female he just mated with, and then court a male. It turns out that changing a fly’s sexual orientation also changes whom he’ll attack. A group of intrepid neurobiologists announced in PLoS Biology today that they’d figured out how…

io9 Annalee Newitz

The worst and weirdest food disasters you’ll ever experience

Food is a hoot to eat, but it’s significantly less fun when it’s exploding or drowning you or turning you into a psychedelic werewolf. Here are seven kinds of real-life food disasters that will make you lose your appetite…forever. 1.) The Alcohol Still Explosion Massive amounts of pressurized, highly flammable chemicals are going to explode…

io9 Cyriaque Lamar and Michael Ann Dobbs

Futurama celebrates the holidays with Al Gore, global Armageddon and oil-wrestling robots

Futurama aired its special holiday episode on Sunday, presenting three tales that put a crazed 31st century spin on Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa. The episode celebrated not just the holidays, but also the show’s characters…in the most lethal way possible. “Holiday Spectacular”, like the earlier “Anthology of Interest” episodes and The Simpsons’s “Treehouse of Horror”…

Television Alasdair Wilkins

Watch the Lizard’s kid piss off Daddy in his Spider-Man audition

We’re pretty excited about the return to classic Spider-Man villains in Marc Webb’s Spider-Man movie. Especially when they involve the Lizard’s dark origin story. Check out this possible inside look at Spider-Man as one kid auditions to play Billy Connors! Comic Book Movies stumbled across this child actor’s audition for the role of Billy Connors,…

Movies Meredith Woerner

J-Pop Embraces The Posthuman (And Has Been Doing So For Decades)

You may have seen this mind-boggling concert footage of Hatsune Miku, the first 100% CGI Japanese pop idol. But she’s been around since 2007, and is only one of many virtual J-pop idols. Here are some more of the best. Hatsune Miku is a product of Crypton Future Media (and how awesome is that corporate…

io9 Phil Freeman

Dish Network Access (Finally) Hits Your Android

Dish Network watching Android owners are no longer in the “TV anywhere” dark—a new app for your phone will turn it into a remote control, manage your DVR from afar, and (best of all!) stream video. Remote video will require a compatible Sling device at home, but works over WiFi or 3G, which is a…

Television Sam Biddle

Incredible panoramic, time-lapse views of plants, carnival construction, and Mars

There’s a cool new bit of photographic magic from the same group of imaging geeks who created the program GigaPan, which creates perfect panoramic photographs with the help of a robot-controlled tripod. Now you can see panoramas change over time. GigaPan creators Randy Sargent and Illah Nourbakhsh, formerly of NASA, perfected the GigaPan software at…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Latest Symphony of Science auto-tune jam will warm your heart and mind

The next Symphony of Science jam session is out titled, “A Wave of Reason.” Listen to Bertrand Russell, Carl Sagan, Carolyn Porco and others sing about “scientific reasoning and skepticism in the face of growing amounts of pseudoscientific pursuits.”

io9 Meredith Woerner

Inexplicably Awesome Geek Image Of The Day: Torchwood With Muppets and Lightsabers!

Three Torchwood stars pose with lightsabers and a group of muppets puppets from Avenue Q. What’s going on here? Which one of these puppets is Captain Jack going to try and seduce? So many questions! [FuckYeahJohnBarrowman via Hell Yeah!]

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Hugo Awards namesake suggested chasing criminals using airplane-mounted gun-bobsleds

The loneliness of the long-distance exoplanetary anthropologist

R.I.P. Ingrid Pitt, Britain’s Queen of Horror

Is Zack Snyder trying to “Avatar-ize” the new Superman movie?

Superman reboot might focus on a young Clark Kent. And Aronofsky’s Wolverine may not be what Fox expected.

O Gather ‘Round Ye Comcast Yule Log On Ye 3DTV

On “The Event,” a meeting of the National Association Of Non-Human Real Estate Agents

A fresh take on the “great responsibility” of superheroes in No Ordinary Family

What the astronauts found when they got to Earthlike world Gliese-D

A first look at Tinkerballa from Felicia Day’s The Guild, taking aim

The latest dystopian movie from Gattaca’s Andrew Niccol — What’s it really about?

When fruit flies attack, it’s usually about sex

The worst and weirdest food disasters you’ll ever experience

Futurama celebrates the holidays with Al Gore, global Armageddon and oil-wrestling robots

Watch the Lizard’s kid piss off Daddy in his Spider-Man audition

J-Pop Embraces The Posthuman (And Has Been Doing So For Decades)

Dish Network Access (Finally) Hits Your Android

Incredible panoramic, time-lapse views of plants, carnival construction, and Mars

Latest Symphony of Science auto-tune jam will warm your heart and mind

Inexplicably Awesome Geek Image Of The Day: Torchwood With Muppets and Lightsabers!

Up to $1,550 Off on pCloud: Pay Once, Protect Data Forever for World Backup Day

National Film and Sound Archive of Australia Adds ‘Succulent Chinese Meal’ Guy

Feds Sniffing Around Polymarket After Suspicious Bets

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

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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