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The Weirdest Videos Of Planes Yanking People Into The Sky

During WWII, American and British military developed a system to retrieve people following airborne operations, without landing. Then after the war, the Americans experimented with other ways to pull people aboard a plane in mid air. Check out some bizarre videos of people being plucked into the sky. The World War II method of pulling…

Wait a Minute, Did Lexus Actually Make a Working Hoverboard?

The latest video in Lexus’ Amazing in Motion series reveals what the company is claiming is a working hoverboard that manages to float about an inch off the ground. It’s a far cry from what we saw in Back to the Future 2, but has the carmaker brought us one step closer to our dreams?…

The Rock To Star In A Movie Based On The Monster Video Game Rampage

Having just defeated an earthquake, The Rock might soon take on three even bigger monsters. The actor, better known as Dwayne Johnson, is set to produce and star in a film adaptation of the classic 80s video game Rampage. Rampage was a game where a players took control of either a giant gorilla, lizard or…

Honest trailer for Terminator 2 shows how it ruined sequels forever

Terminator 2: Judgement Day was a masterful sequel that blended special effects, a movie star at his most blockbuster-y prime and sick action sequences to make a movie that will be remembered forever. The problem with it though? It was too good. It ruined all action movie sequels after it. In trying to reach the…

The Superstitious Murderer Who Turned Her Victims Into Cake And Soap

If you search Leonarda Cianciulli on the website for Rome’s Museo Criminologico, you’ll see that her nickname was “la Saponificatrice di Correggio.” What’s so sinister about a soap maker? Well, because she crafted it out of at least one of her murder victims … and then gifted the bars to her friends. That’s right: victims.…

Tip of the Day: Don’t Commit a Crime While Wearing a Fitbit

I mean, if you want to get caught committing a crime, please do wear your Fitbit. That’s what a Florida woman learned when she told police she’d been assaulted in March — only to have them examine her Fitbit and discover that the truth was a lot uglier and more awkward. Jeannine M. Risley was…

This Agricultural Tool Invented By Archimedes Is Still In Use Today

Over two thousand years ago, Archimedes invented a tool with huge implications for ancient Greek farmers — and we’re still using it today, but in a different form. io9’s comment of the day comes from commenter operationcrossroads, who shared this diagram (above) of Archimedes’ Screw and noted that the spiral-shaped water removal tool originally invented…

What Futuristic Tech Do You Want Right Now?

Many ideas that were once the staple of speculative fiction have come into existence. VR, robot companions, advanced AIs, self-driving cars—these are now realities. But what kind of technology is still a dream, and most importantly, your dream? There was a time when I would have answered teleportation without pause. I have a lot of…

This Is The Coolest Vintage Radio Ever 

If you were a radio nerd in the 1940s, this was your dream set. Built by Kluge Electronics in Los Angeles, the “California Kilowatt” could not only send and receive messages, but it came with all the bells and whistles — including built-in speakers and an illuminated map of the world, all housed in a…

Basil Valentine’s Home Remedies Killed A Lot Of People. But Who Was He?

Basil Valentine, or Basilius Valentinius, was the name of a distinguished and learned Benedictine monk, who wrote treatises on medicinal compounds and alchemy. Except there’s no record that this monk ever existed. Back in the 1600s, the public believed that Basil Valentine was a member of the Order of the Benedictines, living in austere studiousness…

The Military’s Ranger Panties Are My New Favorite Clothes

People love Soffe Men’s Running Shorts, a.k.a. Ranger Panties. That is evidenced in their 1,250 Amazon reviews, the vast majority of which are five stars. People even like to include images of themselves wearing the comically tiny shorts, bragging about how close to exposed your penis is while flopping around on a jog. I was…

Who’s The Cleverest And Most Resourceful Young Adult Book Hero?

We don’t usually admire young-adult heroes for their brains. In fact, watching a young adventurer make mistakes can be part of the whole “growing up” storyline. But there’s also something to be said for a smart cookie. Who’s the smartest, most resourceful young-adult hero of them all? Please include a picture, book cover, poster, book…

Disney Might Make Charles Darwin Into An Action Star

As the world waits for a fifth Indiana Jones film, there may be a new adventurer on his tail: Charles Darwin. Disney has reportedly bought a pitch from Oscar-winning screenwriter Stephen Gaigan, which features Darwin as the star in a family friendly adventure tale. There aren’t many details beyond that, except that Gaigan (who wrote…

A Whole Army Of Robins Descends on Gotham in This Week’s Comics

It’s a slightly quiet week for comics—but that doesn’t stop both DC launching new series, as part of its ongoing lineup revamp, and Marvel from launching another wave of Secret Wars tie-ins. But that’s not all in this week’s newest comics: Future Mulans! Time-travel police! A sequel to Evil Dead 2! We have it all.…

France’s Three Most Recent Presidents Got Wiretapped by the NSA 

Wikileaks published a collection of secret intelligence reports on France from the National Security Agency today, revealing that the NSA spied on the phones of France’s three most recent presidents and top political players, including current president François Hollande. The collection, called “Espionnage Élysée,” include documents that reveal sensitive French political maneuvers, and it might…

Oh God, Heroes Reborn Is Already Getting Really Pretentious

I have a bad feeling about Heroes Reborn. This is likely because I watched all four seasons of the original series, which would make anyone depressed and apprehensive. But this portentous and pretentious new promo for the show is not making me feel any better — nor is the slow acoustic version of Metallica’s “Nothing…

The Best Tips on How to Make Professional Video with Your Smartphone

YouTuber Danny Winget always gives great gadget in his shows, and now he’s taking you behind the scenes. After watching this vid, you’ll know how to make your own YouTube show using nothing but a smartphone and some good advice. Want to see more of Winget’s vids? Check out his YouTube channel. Contact the author…

The Onion knocks it out of the park with this piece: “Comic Book Fans Adamant That Human Torch Be Played By Actor Whose Body Actually Engulfed In Flames.” It’s a, well, fantastic response to the uproar over Michael B. Jordan playing Johnny Storm in the upcoming Fantastic Four movie. [h/t Graeme McMillan]

The Power of Symbols: Why People Still Defend The Confederate Flag

South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham joined Governor Nikki Haley Monday in calling for the removal of the state capitol’s Confederate flag. They join the growing throng of voices demanding the flag be taken down in the wake of last week’s killings in Charleston. The cases that these voices have presented are compelling. One is left…

Tom Ford Made A Steampunk Apple Pocket Watch

You gotta hand it to designer Tom Ford. He’s a real innovator when it comes to smartwatch hacks. He’s taken away the most annoying parts of the Apple Watch—like having to wear it on your wrist all the time—and turned it into a cute little phone you can simply tuck into your vest pocket. Genius!…