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An Archaeological Site Was Accidentally Torched At Israel’s Burning Man

So much for leaving no trace: The Israeli Antiquities Authority is accusing the organizers of Midburn — the Israeli affiliate of Burning Man — of accidentally torching ancient remnants dating back to Paleolithic and Epipaleolithic periods. The recently concluded Midburn Festival drew some 6,000 people to the Negev Desert in southern Israel from May 20…

Scientists Hope Tiny Asexual Animals Can Teach Us Why Sex Works

Sex is how most animals reproduce, so you might wonder why some scientists are using a tiny asexual animal to study it. In an article published last winter at Quanta, Emily Singer explains that the way bdelloid rotifers manage their genes has scientists asking what the term “sex” really means. From the article: A recent…

How to Track Your Travel Plans With Google’s Inbox App

Amid all the news and noise coming out of Google I/O yesterday, you might have missed the announcement that Inbox by Gmail is available to anyone who wants it, no invitation needed. There are a handful of new features to take advantage of too—and one of these makes it easier to keep an eye on…

Looks Like Russian Hackers Stole 100,000 Americans’ Tax Returns Online

The Internal Revenue Service suspect that Russian hackers are the culprits who stole the tax records of at least 100,000 people this year, and—yep, you read that right. Russian hackers! If you’re getting déjà vu, that’s because this marks the third time in very recent history that US government websites have been preyed upon for…

Watch how seeds grow into vegetables in these fascinating time lapses

It’s shameful but I think it’s true for most of us city dwelling non-farmers: almost all of our experience with fruits and vegetables come from the grocery store. We’re completely clueless on how things grow and what they look like in the farm. Here’s a few quick time lapses that show how radishes and broccoli…

The Analog Origins of Google’s Material Design

As part of I/O, Google is giving us a closer look at the fairly old-school tools and ideas behind Material Design—and for anyone with an appreciation for a good X-Acto knife, a color wheel, or a crisp fold of paper, this is going to be deeply satisfying. As yesterday’s keynote ended, Google released a crop…

This Luke Skywalker Wants To Be A Pricey Toy, Like His Father Before Him

Now that Hot Toys are done turning as many Avengers as they can into gloriously pretty (and expensive) action figures, it’s time for them to return to Star Wars and do pretty much the same thing — and they’re back with a pretty great recreation of everyone’s favourite farmboy. Based on Luke’s appearance in A…

This GIF Party Cannot Be Contained

Guys, guys. Do you hear that? Over in the bushes? Something’s out there. It’s the GIFs! They’ve found us — and they have come to party. What kind of news do you have from your week? Tell us all about your life updates, pending moves, personal triumphs, secret world domination schemes, and cool summer plans…

There’s a Toy Fire Truck, Excavator, and Blimp Hiding In This Giant Book

The words “some assembly required” often strike fear into parents when they’ve bought their kid a new toy, but that’s half the fun with Phil Conigliaro’s new book called Colossal Paper Machines. The 128 pages of the massive tome are filled with pre-cut, punch-out paper parts that can be folded, glued, and assembled into ten…

Onions Work As Blood Thinners (Sometimes To A Dangerous Degree)

If you are older, and are taking blood thinners, if you have a disease or condition that keeps your blood from clotting properly, or if you are soon having surgery, you may find yourself with some unexpected dietary restrictions. Onions and garlic, especially raw onions and garlic, are off the plate. Why? Because they keep…

This Tiny Self-Folding Robot Will Destroy Itself When Its Job Is Done

Not content with creating a robot cheetah that can run and jump over obstacles at astonishing speeds, researchers at MIT have also developed this incredibly tiny origami robot that can not only fold itself, it can also walk, swim, and then destroy itself when it’s no longer needed. The tiny robot, made from a magnet…

Proof that all movie trailers use the same new damn sound

Before it was that Inception horn. You know the one, that BRAAAAM sound that strategically tingled your spine because you know something action packed yet suspenseful is going to happen. And now there’s a new favorite sound for movie trailers: it sounds a lot like pulling the power on something and hearing the noise get…

The Goonies’ Sloth and Chunk Make For an Adorable Pair of Plush Toys

Can you believe that in just a week The Goonies is going to be 30 years old? To help commemorate the film’s anniversary there’s actually going to be a celebration in Astoria, Oregon, in early June, where you can also buy these adorable stuffed (and officially licensed) versions of Chunk and Sloth from Gordos Plush.…

These Electrical Overload Videos Are Explosively Satisfying

Mad scientists have a home on YouTube. Whether they’re building lasers or performing controlled explosions on the back patio, they’re raking in millions of views. Add Photonicinduction to the list of ridiculously rad YouTube channels with a taste for the combustible. The star, Andy (aka Photon), whose YouTube page states he has 25 years of…

Are You Ready To Watch Star Trek‘s Chris Pine Romance Wonder Woman?

Get a look at Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2’s new Karai. A Gotham star gets promoted to season regular. M. Night Shyamalan wants an Unbreakable TV show. Plus new clips from Inside Out and The Messengers, a new Ant-Man poster, and teasers for Game of Thrones. Behold, Spoilers! Wonder Woman Chris Pine is allegedly in…

Inside California’s Forgotten Grasslands

Filled with hidden canyons created by the San Andreas fault and home to the only antelope in Southern California, the Carrizo Plain is a fascinating, inhospitable, alien world. And one you probably haven’t heard of, much less visited. Let’s change that. No one would ever hold it against you for not knowing that the Carrizo…

Scientists Have Worked Out Why Swiss Cheese Has Holes

The holes in Swiss cheese lend it a very distinctive appearance. But new analysis reveals that they’re not a result of gas produced bacteria in the cheese, or cheeky nibbling by mice—but something else entirely. Researchers at Agroscope, a Swiss agricultural research center, have discovered that the holes are in fact a result of tiny…

How Men and Women Really See Each Other When Online Dating

In the world of online dating, nothing is as it seems. But that doesn’t stop many of us from leaping to the wrong conclusions about people. A recent paper presented at the Annual Conference of the International Communication Association and reported on in the press suggested that when evaluating photographs from online dating profiles, men…

USA has put the pilot of its hacker TV show, Mr. Robot, onYoutube. You’ll have to wait until June 24th for the series to properly premiere on TV.

This Online Font Lets You Write in Instagram Pictures

Like our new logo? Just kidding: this is one of the many results you can achieve if you type a string of letters into Type to Design’s new site, which renders your text in carefully selected Instagram photos. The online app, made by the creative agency SuperHeroes, randomly chooses images to represent your typed characters…