Back in November, we learned that the State Department’s unclassified networks had been hit by an unidentified group of hackers, causing the department’s email and websites to go offline, and prompting some awkward conversations with the IT guys. And according to a WSJ report, the State Department still hasn’t managed to clean up the mess.…
This week’s writing prompt, by artist Alexandra Khitrova, features an apparently tiny creature who has found itself a comfortable little home. Check out the full image below and take a crack at writing a story about this little fellow. Khitrova goes by GaudiBuendia on deviantART, and you can see more of her work there. In…
A black hole and its galaxy are locked in a cosmic struggle, evolving in tandem and balancing each other’s growth. In this artist’s recreation, you can see cosmic winds howling out of supermassive black hole PDS 456. These winds are so strong that they prevent the galaxy from forming new stars. NASA’s NuSTAR telescope and…
Ever wanted to go to Amsterdam? Maybe sit at a cafe or tour the Red Light District? You monster. It took two horrific floods, which re-sculpted the coast of Europe, to make Amsterdam into a city worth visiting. Life wasn’t much fun in the Middle Ages. On the plus side, few people had to endure…
What if instead of being haunted by the fictional superhero Birdman, an actor was being stalked by his alter ego, Big Bird? That’s the premise of this absolutely perfect spoof from Sesame Street, “Big Birdman,” featuring Caroll Spinney.
What do Star Trek and Arrow have in common? It’s not a trick question; the show’s Executive Producer tells us about the secret connection that popped up in the most recent episode. Plus he tells about the one reference that no one has yet caught! After reading our recap of the latest episode of Arrow,…
The many space agencies of Earth have sent out a number of probes over the years to explore our solar system and beyond. Now Spacehack founder Ariel Waldman and SETI web developer Lisa Ballard have created a helpful guide to all our currently functioning probes — along with amazing minimalist designs for each one. The…
Robotic birds are notoriously difficult to make, because the complex motion required brings mechanical weight penalties that are difficult to balance with the modest thrust of the flapping wings. But this new avian bot uses lightweight 3D-printed parts to reduce weight and turn it into an acrobat. Update: We actually wrote about a much earlier…
Robins aren’t naturally nocturnal. But lately, in urban areas, they’ve been staying up all night singing. Some research has suggested it’s due to the fact that cities are so damn loud. But a new study has given weight to another cause: cities are so damn bright, the birds believe it’s daytime all the time. And…
A bright street lamp can ruin a night of stargazing, saturating your retinas with light and washing out the comparatively faint glow of constellations and meteors. Here’s a handy hack you can use the next time you need to put one temporarily (and reversibly) out of business, courtesy of NASA astronaut Don Pettit. Pettit shows…
In the United Arab Emirates, falconry is one of the oldest and most treasured traditions. The sport dates back to an age when falcons were used to hunt food. Today, it’s a social affair. Even the drones join in the fun. Getty photographer Dan Kitwood recently went to Abu Dhabi, where he spent time with…
If you want some epic disaster tales this evening, you can watch this How Stuff Works podcast about possible causes of the five mass extinctions that nearly extinguished all life on Earth. After that cheerful topic, I also talk about why scientists believe we’re heading into a sixth mass extinction. I’ve been obsessed with mass…
While the first season of The 100 was all about the children on Earth and the adults still in space, this season the adults have tried to take control of the ground. But in this episode, a few adults must decide if they can turn over the reigns and let the children lead them. Alright,…
When he’s not busy with his job as co-founder of Wolfram Research, Theodore Gray makes a lot of incredible things. Sometimes they have to do with metal and fire. But fairly regularly, he uses a robot to make a quilt. And this is the quilt which rules them all. You can see more of Gray’s…
Japanese artist Haroshi combines his fascination with skateboarding with a traditional method of wooden mosaic common in Japan’s Buddha statues. He recycles old skateboards, cuts, shaves, and polishes them to form colorful three-dimensional sculptures. Skateboarder’s unity Big Apple Life with Pain Hammer Head Shark Agony into beauty Skate Rat Gary Cat Plant Possessed to Skate…
It’s probably true that every generation thinks it’ll be the last—I mean, the Doomsday Clock has been ticking since 1947. And though I accused us millennials earlier today of being the “generation that cried apocalypse,” I fully admit there are some damn legit reasons for that cry currently brewing. A report out this week from…
An incredible deal. The latest Humble Book Bundle, focusing on Subterranean Press, is just chock full of greatness. Including Connie Willis, Dan Simmons, Harlan Ellison, Cherie Priest, Jack Vance, Ted Chiang, and tons more. [h/t Reddit]
Behold a German film that was made by human beings titled Alien Tampon. And yes, the premise is mostly centered around a tampon. However, I have a few issues with Alien Tampon. First up, women don’t just shove things up into our lady bits willy nilly. I don’t live in a world where I drop…
Reconstructions of human evolution are prone to simple, overly-tidy scenarios. Our ancestors, for example, stood on two legs to look over tall grass, or began to speak because, well, they finally had something to say. Like much of our understanding of early hominid behavior, the imagined diet of our ancestors has also been over-simplified. Top…
As we get closer and closer to the release of Age of Ultron, the Avengers are infiltrating more and more random places in the continued bid for merchandising goodness. We’ve had toys of all sorts of sizes, horrifying Halloween costumes, and now, they’re coming for your phone! The series is by Beast Master, and will…
