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Instagram Is Censoring the Eggplant Emoji Because Well You Know Why

Instagrammers with weiner on the brain will have to look elsewhere: Instagram announced yesterday it’s adding emoji hashtags, but you can’t search for photos hashtagged with the eggplant, a vegetable considered more penile than produce these days. You might know it as aubergine, the nightshade species solanum melongena, or as delicious with parmesan, but sexters…

Convicted Silk Road Kingpin Ross Ulbricht Won’t Be Getting a Retrial

The Silk Road’s convicted kingpin won’t get a new trial, a judge ruled today. A motion for retrial filed by Ross Ulbricht’s defense team was rejected by Judge Katherine Forrest. Forrest rebuffed several arguments about why Ulbricht needed a retrial, even after two of the federal agents working to convict him were caught stealing bitcoin.…

Gotham Is Getting Kind Of Ridiculous Again, Thank Goodness

Guys, I’m worried that I have been instantly Stockholm Syndromed by Gotham, much as the evil Ogre did to our non-beloved Barbara Kean. Because I actually kind of liked “The Anvil or the Hammer” — or at least parts of it. The insane parts, specifically. Please don’t mistake me for thinking this was a good…

Airplane Cabins Could Be 100X Quieter With These Rubber Mufflers

The dull throbbing hum that accompanies you on your jet-setting adventures might be quieted in the near future. Scientists from MIT and North Carolina State University collaborated on a thin rubber membrane that can be installed throughout the body of a plane like acoustical tiles, essentially sound-proofing the interior. To keep the plane’s weight low,…

How does evolution work? One way to get a real sense of how the process has unfolded is with this videogame from NOVA Labs, which lets you build an evolutionary tree of how different species emerged. The best part is their “Deep Tree” which maps relationships between 70,000 different species. For instance, above you can…

My Wink Smart Home Is Just Plain Braindead Now

I recently took my first vacation in two years. It was fun! But I was excited to get home, raise my shades and relax in the finicky but sort of useful smart home I’d spent the past few months building. When I walked in the door, all of the automation was gone. The light on…

Which Stand-Alone Book Do You Most Want A Sequel To?

One of the hardest parts of writing is knowing exactly where to stop. But which book do you think stopped just a little too early? Today, we want to know about the books that left you needing to know a little more. Whether you were waiting for a full sequel or just a bit of…

Watch DARPA’s Scary Self-Guided Bullets Swerve to Hit Moving Objects

Military researchers at DARPA have been developing ammunition which can change its path in mid-air to ensure it always hits its target. Now, it can even correct itself mid-flight to hit a moving target. The Department’s Extreme Accuracy Tasked Ordnance (EXACTO) is a .50 caliber bullet that maneuvers itself as it travels through the air.…

10 Tricks to Make Yourself an iTunes Master

Apple’s venerable media suite isn’t everyone’s favorite bit of software, but there are more functions and features available here than you might have realized—from desktop shortcuts to hidden columns to Android support, we’ve picked out 10 noteworthy tricks you can make use of in the latest versions for Mac and Windows. 1. Use Up Next…

There’s More To Hyperion’s Weirdness Than Its Sponge-Like Surface

Aside from having the coolest name for a moon ever, Hyperion is known for its potato-like shape and a surface that looks — and even acts — like a sponge. But as the Cassini spacecraft discovered back in 2005, this Saturnian moon also packs an unexpected punch. The image above was captured by Cassini at…

Video: Exploring an active dam on foot is not for the faint-hearted

I think my heart it outside my body now because it tried to leap out of my throat an uncountable number of times as I was watching James Kingston explore the Sepulveda Dam in LA from his point of view. Narrow beams, far jumps, high walls, obstacles, fear, normal human weaknesses don’t seem to apply…

10 Tricks to Make Yourself an iTunes Master

Apple’s venerable media suite isn’t everyone’s favorite bit of software, but there are more functions and features available here than you might have realized—from desktop shortcuts to hidden columns to Android support, we’ve picked out 10ten noteworthy tricks that you can make use of in the latest versions for Mac and Windows. 1. Use Up…

X-Men Apocalypse Set Pictures Offer A Glimpse Of The New Jean Grey!

Marvel’s Spider-Man movie may have a revealing title. The Flash reveals a glorious look at Gorilla Grodd in action. Captain America: Civil War’s ultimate villain is confirmed. Plus, teasers for what’s to come on Game of Thrones, Outlander and more. Behold, spoilers! Top image: The Flash. Captain America: Civil War Chris Evans teases his filming…

This Crazy Face Makes For A Great Darth Maul Figure

For what little time he graced the screen in The Phantom Menace, any sort of emotion that wasn’t “stoic” or “oh crap I just got chopped in half” was rarely seen on the visage of Darth Maul. However, this new figuarts toy from Bandai looks so wonderfully demented, it makes for a lovely figure. The…

Snapchat’s Delivering the News, and Everything Else You Missed Yesterday

The app that’s been the sexting ticket for tweens worldwide has been aggressively repositioning itself, recently as a news source. Find out more about Snapchat’s plans—and other tech news you might’ve missed—in today’s BitStream. Apps and Devices Snapchat launches a—wait for it—news division. And they’ve landed CNN political reporter Peter Hamby to head up the…

This Is What’s Happening In The Aftermath Of Nepal’s Earthquake

Severe shaking from Saturday’s earthquake in Nepal lasted less than two minutes, but the true impact of this disaster is still getting worse. In some ways, it isn’t as bad as scientists expected. In others, it’s far worse. https://gizmodo.com/the-m7-9-earthquake-in-nepal-is-going-to-be-really-rea-1700132994 Residential buildings in Trishuli Bazar were severely damaged by Saturday’s earthquake, while damage to the road…

These Are the Best Microscopic Videos of the Year

Every year, Nikon’s Small World in Motion Competition rounds up the best microscopic videos from scientists across the world. The results are strange but beautiful—and the winner could help your hearing. Nikon’s competitions always throw up great images, but this year’s videos are really lovely. The overall winner was produced by Dr. Mariana Muzzopappa from…

Spectacular aerial photos of Los Angeles shows it like you never seen it

Photographer Vincent LaForet took his camera and a helicopter and captured the City of Angels at night like no one has ever done before. The detail in each shot is unbelievable and the colors almost feel unreal. It’s like seeing a neon glow spread itself all across the giant, beautiful city that is Los Angeles.…

This Kentucky Hydro-Power Dam Is a Beautiful Building Site

There’s something serene about this panoramic view of the large scale construction site lit by the morning sun. The Smithland hydroelectric facility in Kentucky has been under construction since 2010—but as of this year it will generate 72 MW of new, renewable energy for the region. This hydropower dam will be about the 30th major…

How to Save the Planet: An Interview With Two Iconic Scientists

What happens when two iconic scientists talk about saving our planet? Read on to find out what happened when E O Wilson and Sean Carroll—two giants in their field—sat down to discuss just that. Edward O Wilson made his name by arguing that two apparently disparate things – human society and the natural world –…