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Would a Soviet Moon landing have forced the US to go to Mars?

Yuri Gagarin’s historic flight was just one of many Soviet victories in the Space Race, but the United States still won the big victory when they landed on the Moon. But what if the Russians had gotten there first? That’s the question explored by Piers Bizony, co-writer of the Gagarin biography Starman, as well as…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

A Touchable GPS Watch for Runners

Having a watch with GPS powers can be invaluable for a runner, now able to track their position, speed, and a multitude of other stats with precision. But do you really want to be fussing around with buttons? No way. Garmin’s Forerunner 610 negates, for the most part, having to fiddle with the annoying parts…

Tech News Sam Biddle

So long Being Human, and thanks for all the vampire hairstyles!

Last night was the season finale of Syfy’s Being Human. Lives were lost, secrets were revealed, and flashbacks were flying. Here’s what we loved and what we didn’t. Until next season! Spoilers ahead… Last night, “A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To Me Killing You” wrapped up a great first season for the Americanized…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Gorgeous concept art shows the Space Shuttles’ final destinations

One of the four space shuttles could soon be appearing at a museum near you. NASA has decided which institutions will win the fierce competition to host the Enterprise, the Endeavour, the Atlantis and the Discovery. The above concept art shows how the Space Shuttle Enterprise will look in New York’s Intrepid Museum. According to…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

What really happened to cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, who died crashing to Earth in 1967?

One of the most horrific and mysterious deaths in space is that of USSR cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, a close friend of Yuri Gagarin. Some historians say Komarov was sent to space in a craft that officials knew could never return. Last month, NPR’s Robert Krulwich reported on a theory about how Komarov was set up…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Will a Martian Chronicles movie finally get off the ground?

One of the all-time classics of science fiction could be getting a movie adaptation at long last. After a few failed attempts by different producers to make a Martian Chronicles film, Paramount has greenlit a version with producer John Davis. Getting Martian Chronicles onto the screen has been a tricky process. There was a disappointing…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Buzzkill of the Day: U.S. Marijuana Industry Responsible for $5 Billion in Energy Consumption

It might be all-natural, but that joint you’re smoking has a serious carbon footprint: marijuana growth uses 1% of all U.S. energy. Buzzkill, stoner pals. Your weed is really bad for the environment. Only the stuff that’s grown inside, to be fair—the kind of boutique-y, mind-blowing pot preferred by many marijuana dispensaries. It’s responsible for…

Tech News Ariel Schwartz - Fast Company

How to make classic time-travel stories acceptable to Chinese censors

You may have heard that the Chinese government has recently put a moratorium on films and television shows featuring time travel. How come? They’re dismayed by the many historical inaccuracies perpetuated by popular time-travel dramas. It’s unclear if this ban will extend to already released time-travel tales, but if it ever should, here’s a handy…

Movies Cyriaque Lamar

Movies That Show The Cramped Loneliness of Space Travel

Yuri Gagarin only wished he could have a big flight deck, like the spacious bridge of the U.S.S. Enterprise, when he went into space. Real-life space travel remains claustrophobic and lonesome, as every inch of space inside the vehicle counts. Here are some movies (and a few television shows) that actually come close to showing…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders

Postagram for iPhone

Instagram has helped foster an impressive community of iPhone photographers, but it’s a community whose body of work is almost entirely digital. Which is a shame! Thankfully, Postagram will let you send real, printed postcards of your Instagram masterpieces for a buck a pop. What is it? Postagram, Free, iPhone. Instagram’s instant gratification photography is…

Tech News Kyle VanHemert

A Tribute to the Vostok 3KA: the Craft That Carried the First Man Into Orbit

Everyone is paying tribute to cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin today, and with good reason: he was the first man to travel into space. But let’s not forget the craft that got him there, the Vostok 3KA. The Vostok was built in 1960, and under the name Vostok 1K, flew in six unmanned test missions prior to…

Space & Spaceflight Adrian Covert

Everything you need to get into space and land safely again

So, you want to take a short trip into space? Seems easy enough – hop in your rocket, aim it at space and lift off, right? If you want to survive, it will take a little more planning than that. Luckily, we’re here to help. Space is inhospitable to humans. It’s too cold, has nothing…

io9 Ed Grabianowski

A Carbon Fiber Bluetooth Headset for Weight Freaks

Is the iron load clipped to your ear too much to bear? Are you a sucker for anything crafted from carbon fiber? Blutrek’s Carbon earpiece might draw you in, weighing only a scant quarter ounce, with Bluetooth 3.0 support. Personally, in the rare few times I’ve ever used a Bluetooth headset, weight hasn’t really been…

Tech News Sam Biddle

This Cosmically Gorgeous Watch Honors Yuri Gagarin for All Time

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic journey into space, Bernhard Lederer has designed the Gagarin Tourbillon watch. How does a lux timepiece pay tribute? The design itself is inspired by Gagarin’s Vostok space capsule, while a orbital flying tourbillon rotates counterclockwise around the face in 108 minutes—precisely the amount of time it…

Tech News Brian Barrett

A drug that could reset your sleep schedule, and send you to bed earlier

As people get older, their sleep cycle start to shift, which means older people tend to go to sleep at much earlier times. Here’s the crazy part: a little blood-related trickery can make young people sleep just like the elderly. Our sleep cycles are governed by the circadian genes in our cells. These genes are…

io9 Alasdair Wilkins

First video from the UK’s Batman Stage Show: Turn On The Camp!

In the wake of the Spider-Man musical’s total disaster, somehow the Batman Live Arena Tour has gotten a free pass. But just check out these photos. Nothing good can come of a stage show with Schumacher undertones. Or can it? The cast and crew of the Batman Live Arena Tour teased the UK press with…

io9 Meredith Woerner

Whole New MeeGo Surfaces In Fancy Oak Trail Tablet

MeeGo sure has changed a lot since when we first got a good look at it, and regardless of how you feel about the changes, lets hope that the adjustments indicate a broad release is near. And in the meantime, let’s sit back and appreciate our first look at the Oak Trail (Atom Z670 1.5GHz…

Tech News Brian Barrett

Celebrate Yuri’s Night with art inspired by the first human in space

Tonight, across the world, people will be going to space-themed parties to celebrate Yuri’s Night, an annual event honoring Yuri Gagarin – the first person to survive space flight. Here is a gallery of art celebrating his great adventure. 50 years ago today, Yuri orbited the Earth. He returned home to his native Soviet Union…

io9 Annalee Newitz and Robert T. Gonzalez

Forget the Sun, LEDs Are the Future of Farming

What if 20 years from now, major agriculturial business didn’t depend on large swaths of farmland, favorable weather and sunlight? What if they just occupied LED-lit buildings set to a precise temperature and humidity? In the Netherlands, it’s already happening. As the AP tells it, a Dutch research outfit called PlantLab has had success growing…

Tech News Adrian Covert

Top Stories: Tuesday April 12, 2011

Would a Soviet Moon landing have forced the US to go to Mars?

A Touchable GPS Watch for Runners

So long Being Human, and thanks for all the vampire hairstyles!

Gorgeous concept art shows the Space Shuttles’ final destinations

What really happened to cosmonaut Vladimir Komarov, who died crashing to Earth in 1967?

Will a Martian Chronicles movie finally get off the ground?

Buzzkill of the Day: U.S. Marijuana Industry Responsible for $5 Billion in Energy Consumption

How to make classic time-travel stories acceptable to Chinese censors

Movies That Show The Cramped Loneliness of Space Travel

Postagram for iPhone

A Tribute to the Vostok 3KA: the Craft That Carried the First Man Into Orbit

Everything you need to get into space and land safely again

A Carbon Fiber Bluetooth Headset for Weight Freaks

This Cosmically Gorgeous Watch Honors Yuri Gagarin for All Time

A drug that could reset your sleep schedule, and send you to bed earlier

First video from the UK’s Batman Stage Show: Turn On The Camp!

Whole New MeeGo Surfaces In Fancy Oak Trail Tablet

Celebrate Yuri’s Night with art inspired by the first human in space

Forget the Sun, LEDs Are the Future of Farming

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