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Does Binge-Watching Netflix Mean You’re Depressed?

The way we consume television changed with the introduction of online streaming. Before, maybe a favorite show would run a marathon now and then, and there was always a chance you’d turn off the TV because”nothing good was on.” Now, with almost any series on demand whenever you want, psychologists are becoming increasingly concerned. The…

Did You Know Soviet Cosmonauts Carried A Bear-Killing Shotgun To Space?

Anything can happen during a launch or landing of a crewed spacecraft, and just in case the crew would end up stranded in a remote area of the world, astronauts and cosmonauts undergo survival training and carry survival kits. The kits contain items such as food rations, water, extra clothing, items for making a shelter…

Childhood Stripped Of All Joy By ‘Where’s Waldo’ Search Algorithm

‘Where’s Waldo’ used to be a simple pasttime for toddlers, a beacon of innocence and simplicity in a sea of iPads. But no more. Now it is just another problem to be disrupted along the path to endless efficiency. Allegedly snowed in last weekend (a likely story), computer science researcher Randal S. Olson decided to…

A Behind-The-Scenes Look At The (Awesome) Life Of A Ski Photographer

Photographing backcountry skiing isn’t the easiest of jobs — mess up the shot, and you’ve got a lot of hiking to do again (not to mention the wasted powder). But it also has its benefits, like skiing endless laps of perfect snow. This GoPro video details a day in the life of Christoph Oberschneider, a…

Secret stash of Moon artifacts found hidden in Neil Armstrong’s closet

These are the contents of a mysterious white bag found hidden in Neil Armstrong’s closet: Weird looking lamps, wrenches, utility brackets, sights, and a film camera that later was identified as the one that captured the famous Apollo 11’s descent on the Moon’s surface. Nobody knew about it, including his widow. According to NASA, Carol…

These Are The RadioShack Stores That Are Closing

Yes, it’s true: after somehow clinging on for the last few years, RadioShack is finally, officially bankrupt. But that doesn’t mean that every single store will be vanishing — far from it, in fact. There’s now a list of all the stores that will be going in the next few months. RadioShack has around 5,000…

You Can Visit Panem Now, Because Hunger Games Tourism Exists

Where popular movies are filmed, fans who want to experience the locations for themselves will follow. Would-be Katniss Everdeens are flocking to Atlanta, to take tours of the filming spots for all of the Hunger Games sequels. Atlanta Movie Tours, a company which also offers Walking Dead and Gone With the Wind-themed tours, as well…

NYPD Uses Social Media To Bust Terrorists, Loud Parties

That the NYPD has a crack Social Media Squad stalking your every move is old news, but a recent Freedom of Information request sheds new light on exactly how the cops use their Facebooking powers. The answer? They’re on the lookout for terrorists, cop killers, and um, loud parties. Back in December, MuckRock requested the…

This Is The Icy Beauty Of Northern Canada

The northern reaches of Ontario are home to stark, beautiful landscapes. Snow, ice, water, and rock create a dynamic and mesmerizing texture. The confluence of the Mattagami River (top right) and Missinaibi River (bottom right) flow into the Moose River (left) in northern Ontario, captured by European Space Agency astronaut Paolo Nespol on January 11,…

Oh Great, The Robots Can Ski Now

Up until today, my plan for the robot takeover had been to flee to northern Canada, where deep snow and grizzly bears would keep me safe from Skynet. But not any more, because some smartass decided to teach the droids to ski. Great work, guys. This stellar piece of robotics hails from the University of…

SpongeBob Spoofs 50 Shades Of Grey

The new SpongeBob SquarePants movie scored a big, $15-million opening Friday, and is projected to pull in $55-million over the weekend. We’re not saying the film’s success had entirely to do with this spoof on 50 Shades of Grey, but it certainly couldn’t have hurt, right?

Leonardo da Vinci’s Hand-Written Resume Will Make You Feel Inadequate

Today, Leonardo da Vinci is renowned for being one of the Renaissance’s most illustrious polymaths – but back in the late 15th Century, the artist, inventor and all-around genius still had to job hunt like the rest of us. And yes, his resume was… intimidating. “Before he was famous… Leonardo da Vinci was an artificer,…

This App Tells You The Probability Of Your Plane Crashing

‘Rational expectations‘ is a term commonly thrown around by economists trying to work out why people do stuff. It’s based on the idea that individuals weigh up the pros and cons of a certain action, and use that to make a decision. It’s one of the fundamental underpinnings of a free market economic model, but…

Do Those Household Life Hacks Really Work? See 30 Of Them In Action

We love seeing those little life hacks that are supposed to make everyday tasks — from painting your walls to scooping ice cream — just a little bit easier. But how many of them really work as well as their proponents claim? This video puts 30 supposed life hacks to the test. John Green, author…

This Short Is A Brilliant Example Of Silent, CG-Animated Storytelling

The premise of the animated short film Le Gouffre is simple: two friends need to get across a broad chasm, so they start to build a bridge from one end to the other. But over the course of ten minutes, we’re treated to a beautiful, wordless drama about friendship, filled with plenty of tense action.…

The Battle For Emoji Diversification Is Almost Over

The fight for emoji diversity is one with a long and storied history, but it looks like victory might be on the horizon: in the latest version of OS X, Apple is giving you more choice than just white emoji or racist emoji. In case you’re not up to speed on the battle for #emojidiversity,…

Drinking Can Help Boost Your Immune System, And Other Wellness Fun Facts

Does chicken soup really have healing powers? Does an apple a day really keep the doctor away? And what’s so special about garlic, anyway? This short video from AsapSCIENCE breaks down the science behind sick remedies that work (and don’t). Via Laughing Squid.

No, this isn’t some hi-tech torture dungeon: it’s the Maxwell Test Chamber at the European Space Agency in the Netherlands. It’s used to simulate the dead of space for satellites. Inside, no-one can hear you scream. The spikes are made of foam, and serve to absorb any internal signals from satellites that are being tested.…

Decoding The Internet’s Hidden Infrastructure

The internet has obviously changed our virtual lives beyond recognition — heck, no-one had ‘virtual lives’ before the internet — but it’s also had a marked, if more subtle impact on our physical surroundings. Ingrid Burrington’s project ‘Networks of New York’ is an attempt to decode some of the internet infrastructure hiding in plain sight…

Is There Really Any Such Thing As A Do-Over On 12 Monkeys, After All?

Syfy’s TV version of 12 Monkeys continues to play around with the question of whether Cole’s time-travel is changing the past, or whether it “already happened.” That ambiguity leads to some pretty interesting story possibilities, as last night’s episode “Atari” demonstrates. Spoilers ahead… The heart of “Atari” has to do with Cole thinking he’s able…