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The Instagram of Dorian Gray and other imaginary updated novels

Now that Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility have been taken over by zombies and sea monsters, respectively, and Huck Finn is being rewritten to replace Jim’s character with a robot (because then nobody could possible be offended. Ever.), which classic novels are next for a 21st Century update? Writing for the National Post,…

Books & Comics Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

An autistic savant spent 20 years designing an entire city on paper

The French city of Urville exists in two places: in the mind of Gilles Trehin and in the elaborate drawings Trehin created. But what’s incredible isn’t just the detailed designs he created for the city’s architecture and layout, but the entirely plausible history for his fictional city. When Trehin was 12, he began working on…

Books & Comics Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Pentagon’s Project ‘Avatar’: Same as the Movie, but With Robots Instead of Aliens

Soldiers practically inhabiting the mechanical bodies of androids, who will take the humans’ place on the battlefield. Or sophisticated tech that spots a powerful laser ray, then stops it from obliterating its target. If you’ve got Danger Room’s taste in movies, you’ve probably seen both ideas on the big screen. Now Darpa, the Pentagon’s far-out…

Tech News Katie Drummond - Wired Feb 19 '12

British intelligence investigated whether Charlie Chaplin was a secret Frenchman

Here’s a curious tidbit from spy history: in the 1950s, American intelligence asked Britain’s MI5 to investigate the actor Charlie Chaplin on suspicions that Chaplin was a dangerous communist. But the intelligence agencies were unable to confirm that Chaplin was born in England, leading to an investigation into whether Chaplin was a completely different person…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Live-action Akira gets a teaser trailer — but this one’s fan-made

The on-again-off-again live-action Akira movie is probably not meant to be, but that isn’t stopping some fans from imagining just how a live action version might look. This fan-made trailer does whitewash at least its Tetsuo character, but manages to strike a gloomy tone. This trailer was directed by Fabien Dubois who also worked that…

Movies Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Eight sexy webcomics to read with the door locked

This week, io9 is hosting a week of posts about the science of sex, starting off with a post that focuses more on the sexy stuff than the science. We’ve rounded up eight of the steamiest and raunchiest webcomics this side of a paywall. Enjoy them when you have a little time to yourself. All…

Books & Comics Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

The streets of London reimagined with Venice-style waterways

What if the waters of the Thames rose so high that the streets of London turned into waterways? This series of images envisions turn-of-the-century London as a second Venice, with gondolas cruising past the familiar landmarks. This comes from the same Harmsworth’s Magazine series as “If London Were Like New York,” but instead of an…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Could you have passed Thomas Edison’s job interview test?

Some companies are known for their legendary job interview questions — brain teasers, trivia questions, moral thought problems. In the 1920s, Thomas Edison was himself famous for the interview exams he administered to eager job applicants. But could you have passed Edison’s test? Disappointed by the lack of knowledge among his prospective employees, Edison would…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Dark Knight/Prestige trailer mashup explains Nolan’s three-movie magic trick

Mashup trailers can be a lot of fun — especially when they involve making ponies say things ponies wouldn’t normally say. But there’s a special layer of depth to this trailer, which places Michael Caine’s narration from The Prestige over footage from Christopher Nolan’s Batman movies to comment on the three acts of the Dark…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

What if Pokemon had been designed for Golden Books?

What if Pokemon were a bit less Pikachu and bit more Poky Little Puppy? Adventure Time cover artist Becky Dreisdadt and her collaborator Frank Gibson are designing a series of collectible critters with a children’s book flair. Dreisdadt, who also collaborates with Gibson on the webcomic Tiny Kitten Teeth, is hand-painting 151 of these “Capture…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 19 '12

Bean Bag Padding Protects Your Noggin Better Than Foam

It turns out the same material that makes college dorm furniture cheap and comfortable also works quite well when it comes to protecting your head. So Vaco12 has turned simple bean bags into an innovative padding technology. While foam linings in a helmet have obviously been effective at absorbing the shock of impacts for years…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Feb 18 '12

Best of the Week: February 11-February 17, 2012

THE OATH OF BLOODY VENGEANCE | Awesome barbarian art by Toasty, just one of the barbarian artworks in our gallery here. Why Mass Effect is the Most Important Science Fiction Universe of Our Generation https://gizmodo.com/why-mass-effect-is-the-most-important-science-fiction-u-5886178 Mass Effect is epic. It’s the product of the best parts of Star Trek, Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica and more…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Feb 18 '12

Ridiculous Fur Case Adds Brushing To Your iPhone Cleaning Ritual

My iPhone already has no problem attracting all manner of mysterious dirt and crap, so the last thing I need is one of these Monster fur cases that’s going to turn it into a magnet for dust, lint, and fuzzballs. As it stands a good portion of my day is spent cleaning grease and grime…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Feb 18 '12

Android Anatomy illustrations get beneath robotic characters’ skin

Yves Joe Malgorn peels back the skin (metallic or otherwise) on robotic characters, exposing their mechanical innards. He even draws out the inner workings of some unlikely androids. In addition to adding Mickey Mouse and Marilyn Monroe to his robot roster, Malgorn features some original characters on his website. If you head over there, just…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 18 '12

Classic Fringe Themes That Last Night’s Episode Gave New Life To

One of the real pleasures of watching Fringe is seeing the same themes and ideas brought up again and again, in new and interesting ways. Over time, these themes start to reveal more surprising facets, and you glimpse a greater meaning to the show. When people look back at Fringe in the years to come,…

Television Charlie Jane Anders Feb 18 '12

Ageism: Why Does This Vette Bed Only Come In Kid Sizes?

I’m not claiming that toy maker Step2 is deliberately guilty of age discrimination, but when they go and make a racing car bed inspired by the Corvette Z06, they had to realize it would appeal to more than just kids. Now admittedly, any adult who chooses to sleep in a race car bed is probably…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Feb 18 '12

Can you name all 26 movies featured in this video?

Here’s a little movie quiz to get your brain moving this weekend. Animator Evan Seitz created ABCinema, a video compiling signature images and sounds from 26 classic films — including many scifi and fantasy movies. There’s one for each letter of the alphabet. Can you name them all? [via Neatorama]

Movies Lauren Davis Feb 18 '12

Low-tech designs for keeping food fresh in the post-apocalypse

Even if you’ve got a generator running in the post-apocalypse, chances are you’ll still want to lay off on running your refrigerator as much as possible. But how can you keep your food fresh without keeping it cold? Designer Jihyun Ryou created the series “Save Food from the Fridge” to examine the possibility of zero-energy…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 18 '12

The 3D Is Probably Not the Reason People Are Staring At Your Dress

Oh sure, people might claim they’re staring at the 3D skeletal print you’re wearing, but I’m fairly certain most of the eyes you’ll attract while in this skintight dress won’t be from people wearing blue and red glasses. It’s available from BlackMilk, the same folks who brought us those Tetris leggings, for about $106. And…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Feb 18 '12

Scifi characters invade Tatooine, Where’s Waldo-style

Mos Eisley becomes the nexus of all science fiction realities in this giant print from artist Ulises Farinas. How many out-of-place characters can you find? Farinas is selling extra-wide prints of this Easter egg hunt on his website, and I hope he includes a list. Check out the full-sized version to seek out a Terminator,…

io9 Lauren Davis Feb 18 '12

The Instagram of Dorian Gray and other imaginary updated novels

An autistic savant spent 20 years designing an entire city on paper

Pentagon’s Project ‘Avatar’: Same as the Movie, but With Robots Instead of Aliens

British intelligence investigated whether Charlie Chaplin was a secret Frenchman

Live-action Akira gets a teaser trailer — but this one’s fan-made

Eight sexy webcomics to read with the door locked

The streets of London reimagined with Venice-style waterways

Could you have passed Thomas Edison’s job interview test?

Dark Knight/Prestige trailer mashup explains Nolan’s three-movie magic trick

What if Pokemon had been designed for Golden Books?

Bean Bag Padding Protects Your Noggin Better Than Foam

Best of the Week: February 11-February 17, 2012

Ridiculous Fur Case Adds Brushing To Your iPhone Cleaning Ritual

Android Anatomy illustrations get beneath robotic characters’ skin

Classic Fringe Themes That Last Night’s Episode Gave New Life To

Ageism: Why Does This Vette Bed Only Come In Kid Sizes?

Can you name all 26 movies featured in this video?

Low-tech designs for keeping food fresh in the post-apocalypse

The 3D Is Probably Not the Reason People Are Staring At Your Dress

Scifi characters invade Tatooine, Where’s Waldo-style

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