These Amazonian ants build one of the freakiest deathtraps in the animal kingdom
The Amazonian tree known Hirtella physophora looks rather unassuming, but it is the site of several grisly spectacles. Amid its leaves and branches, an animal, a plant and a fungus conspire to create a nightmarish trap where trespassers become meals, robbers get the death penalty, and assassins are assassinated. Top image: A wasp tries to…
Here’s the Plan to Fly Missile-Packed Blimps Over Your Home
Upstart Virginia aerospace firm Mav6 is offering to install guided missiles on the massive, robotic spy blimp it’s building for the Air Force. The idea would only be slightly terrifying, if the massive airship was headed to Afghanistan, as originally planned. But Mav6 and its CEO, a respected retired Air Force general, are also promoting…
Never-Before-Seen Concept Art from David Cronenberg’s Total Recall!
You might have heard that body-horror mastermind David Cronenberg was originally in line to direct Total Recall, before he left the project and Paul Verhoeven took over. Now, for the first time ever, artist Ron Miller shares a ton of the concept art he created for Cronenberg’s version… including a very different-looking version of the…
Lightspeed Presents… “Nightside on Callisto” by Linda Nagata
io9 is proud to present fiction from Lightspeed Magazine. Once a month, we’ll be featuring a story from Lightspeed’s current issue. This month’s selection is “Nightside on Callisto” by Linda Nagata. Enjoy! Top image via NASA. Nightside on Callisto by Linda Nagata A faint, steady vibration carried through the igloo’s massive ice walls-a vibration that…
SpaceX Forced to Delay Launch to Space Station
SpaceX has once again been forced to delay the launch of its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft. The latest launch date was scheduled for Monday, May 7 from Cape Canaveral in Florida and a new date hasn’t been set. Issues with the software responsible for controlling the automated spacecraft have caused several of the…
