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Mini Versions of Classic Roland Synths Let You Recapture Analog Glory

Roland has a trio of new synthesizers called the Boutique Series. They are affordable miniaturized versions of three classic analog synths from the early 80’s. Say hello to the sweet electronic sounds of the good old days. The synths are modeled after the Jupiter 08 from 1981, the JX-3P from 1983, and the Juno-106 from…

The 12 steps that basically every hero in a movie goes through

It’s pretty simple even if we don’t want to acknowledge it: movies are pretty much set up all the same and a hero’s journey roughly follows a pretty universal 12-step process. Or at least that’s what Iskander Krayenbosch thinks in his animation The Hero’s Journey. He deftly utilizes characters from popular movies to prove his…

The Martian Is Hands Down The Best Thriller Of The Year

When it comes to edge-of-your-seat suspense, The Martian is in a class of its own. Ridley Scott’s new movie, in theaters today, is a top-notch survival thriller, full of twists and turns that’ll make you catch your breath. It’s the most exciting movie in ages. Plus it’ll make you want to be an astronaut when…

Mars Orbiter Spots a Huge Avalanche of Carbon Dioxide on the Red Planet

In another reminder that the Red Planet features a complex and active surface, the HiRISE camera aboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has captured an image of a “dry ice avalanche” streaming down a cliff. The avalanche, which measures about 65 feet (20 meters) across, was spotted on a scarp at the edge of the North…

I Know This Sounds Crazy, But Heroes Reborn May Actually Have Some Potential

Of course, the original Heroes series also used to have potential, once upon a time. So even as I watched the reboot’s third episode, “Under the Mask,” and thought, “You know, if these mysteries actually have decent answers, Heroes Reborn will have been pretty solid!” Then I remembered that answering mysteries has always been the…

The UN Is Throwing Its Weight Behind 14 Tech Startups Taking On Humanity’s Big Issues

When you think of the United Nations, you probably don’t think of emerging tech like drones or floating fabrication labs. But those are exactly what the staid international organization, which turned 70 this year, wants to use to address issues humans face across the globe. I went to the UN Headquarters for the Solutions Summit…

Check Out the Creepy New Title Sequence for American Horror Story: Hotel!

American Horror Story has always prided itself on its elaborately weird title sequences—and the upcoming one for Hotel is no exception, right down to the creepy nightmares crawling out of the beds. FX released the full sequence yesterday, full of neon signs counting down the 10 commandments in between all sorts of ghoulish sights, through…

Our Favorite Android, iOS, and Windows Phone Apps of the Week

There are some old and new faces in this week’s app roundup. But all of them have something fresh to add to the lineup. We’ve got a doodling app, an app for your health, and app for finally digitizing old photos, an app for the sports lovers out there, and more. Enjoy! Android Inkboard For…

How To Bring Back Anything You Just Typed in Android

Whether a long missive to a long-lost friend or your bank card details, losing a lot of data you’ve just painstakingly typed is not fun. Fortunately, there are tools that can help provide a safety net, including the impressive Type Machine. You are going to have to shell out a few bucks for the app,…

Superhero Watch: Updates on Captain Marvel, Batman v. Superman, Dr. Strange and Spider-Man!

Lego is making two new shows for Netflix. George Miller denies he’s involved in Man of Steel 2, while Daniel Craig says there’s at least one more Bond movie left in him after SPECTRE. An animated Ghostbusters film may be in the works. Plus clips from Doctor Who, and Agents of SHIELD. So Many Spoilers!…

Traveling Is Far More Enjoyable When Your Suitcase Turns Into a Water Park

When all you’ve got is a magazine or some over-played smartphone games at your disposal, waiting out airport delays is a nightmare. But not if your carry-on luggage opened to reveal an epic water park inside, instead of clothing. In fact, you might actually be glad to be bumped from an over-sold flight and put…

This Is the Latest Soyuz-Progress Launch — Viewed From the Space Station

The Russian space agency successfully launched its latest transport cargo spaceship on Thursday evening, and NASA astronaut Scott Kelly managed to photograph the event from aboard the International Space Station. In the combination image above you can see the late-evening launch of the Soyuz-U rocket with THC Progress M-29M unmanned spacecraft on the left. And…

This Crazy Screen Squeezes an 8K Display Into a 17-Inch Panel

Well hello there, overkill. This screen from Japan Display is a triumph in taking resolution to the extreme: it squeezes an 8K LCD module into a screen that measures just 17.3 inches. For those keen on numbers, that’s a screen that packs 7,680 x 4,320 pixels, or a staggering 510 pixels per inch. It also…

These Balls are Mini-Brains, Ripe For Medical Research

Understanding how the brain works is important, but going hands-on to test drugs or other treatments can be difficult. Which is why a team from Brown University has created these miniature ball-shaped brains for use in the lab. While these balls of brain cells don’t actually perform actual cognition, they do produce electrical signals and…

I’m a Librarian Who Banned a Book. Here’s Why.

In the library world, access to information is a human right, not to be tampered with or controlled in any way. The books that line the shelves have been carefully selected by a trained librarian to offer the reader a balanced approach to all topics – that is, we try to provide all points of…

Asus is joining the likes of Samsung, Sony, and Dell in bundling up Microsoft apps, including Office, on its Android handsets. Slowly, Microsoft is spreading its tentacles across Google’s domain.

Careful Application of Heat Could Extend the Lifetime of a Battery

Think of heat and batteries, and you probably imagine a li-on cell bursting into flames. But now researchers think that a little heat at the right time could actually be used to extend the lifespan of a battery. During the cycles of charing and discharging, li-on batteries slowly degrade. One factor involved in that degradation…

Last Night’s ISS Sunset Sure Was a Good One

This was astronaut Scott Kelly’s view from the International Space Station before he went to bed last night. Those primary colors are really quite incredible. [Scott Kelly]

Simply Counting Births and Deaths Could Solve Health Inequity in Africa

In Africa, only four countries record more than 75% of their births and deaths. This creates an unequal system and impacts on how governments plan for these citizens. For many African countries and especially among poorer communities, when people die there is no trace in any official legal record or statistic. It is common for…

Hackers Dump Entire Database of Artist Crowdfunding Website Patreon Online

It’s been a bad day for online security. Patreon, a crowdfunding website designed to let fans pay artists, has just had 15GB of its user’s data — and the site’s source code — dumped online. The 13.7-gigabyte data dump appeared on the internet today, and according to Ars Technica and security researcher Troy Hunt (of…