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This Nature Documentary Was Made Inside the World of Grand Theft Auto

Lots of things are wrong with the Grand Theft Auto franchise – violence, sexism, and so on – but I think it’s still pretty cool that the GTA 5 universe has wildlife running (and swimming) around. A YouTuber recorded the CGI wildlife and created a tribute to the Attenborough “grandeur of nature”-style documentary. It’s not…

Biology Jason G. Goldman

Earthly Physicists Designed the Perfect Cup for Space Espresso

The International Space Station is due to get a special delivery: An Italian astronaut arriving at the station will eventually bring along the first espresso machine in space. But enjoying espresso in zero gravity is easier said than done—and a team of Portland-based coffee fans (and physicists) have developed a special cup for the stuff.…

Space & Spaceflight Kelsey Campbell-Dollaghan

Animal Welfare, Science, an Apology and an Analysis

On Wednesday, we published an article about animal welfare in research experiments. It was biased, factually incorrect, and should not have appeared on io9 in that form. As io9’s editor-in-chief, I’m the one who screwed up, and I’m sorry. Here’s how this mess happened, and what we’re doing about it. https://gizmodo.com/why-the-u-s-is-one-of-the-cruelest-places-in-the-world-1663761458 Image by Tashatuvango via…

io9 Annalee Newitz

Here’s What To Expect During The First Orion Test Flight

The very first test flight for NASA’s Orion spacecraft is Thursday December 4th. Here’s the nitty-gritty details of how the 4.5 hour test flight will put the service module, launch abort system, heat shield, and parachutes through their paces as the craft launches, completes two orbits, and returns to Earth. Orion on the launch pad…

Tech News Mika McKinnon

Every Ship That Has Carried Humans Into Space, In One Chart

Space is big, humans are small, and spacecrafts, well, vary more in size than you might think. Redditor Heaney555 has compiled an a chart, to scale, of every rocket, spacecraft, and space station involved in human spaceflight. And man, Saturn V is huuuuuuuge—it’s as long as the whole International Space Station. Designed to launch the…

Space & Spaceflight Sarah Zhang

Here’s How We Force Ourselves to Believe the Lie

When you’ve finally made up your mind about something, do you want it unmade? Of course you don’t, and whether you know it or not you make sure that everything in your brain stays the way you left it. This is where “selective exposure” comes in. Selective exposure is a pretty simple concept. We choose…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

Review: Lego Friends, Star Wars, City advent calendars

It is December 1st and that means it is time to start opening the Lego Advent calendars that have been gathering dust in my Lego hoard for several months now. I will be opening the corresponding day panels on the Friends, City and Star Wars advent calendars each day until Christmas Eve. These advent calendars…

Reviews Michael Schulte

The Common Mistakes That Make Your “Strong” Passwords Weak

By now, you probably think you know the drill when it comes to passwords: Avoid pet’s names, mix up letters, change your password regularly, blah blah blah. We might think we’re being clever, but according to State of the Net, the tricks we’re using to make our passwords strong these days can actually make us…

Privacy & Security Leslie Horn

Human Anatomy-Inspired Accessories Are the Stuff of Nightmares

Imagine walking down the street carrying a backpack that looked exactly like a human back. That would be creepy! And now, thanks the Ukranian designer Konstantin Kofta, you can do just that. Kofta’s accessory lines—Hug, Born, and Roots—blend the practical with the uncanny in some sort of attempt to say something. What exactly? It’s incredibly…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes

New Report Says Federal Agents Who Transport Nukes Have Anger Issues

The U.S. nuclear weapons program has been plagued by failings such as misplaced weapons, drug abuse and a cheating scandal. And now, the Energy Department’s Office of the Inspector General tells us, some federal employees who transport these weapons have engaged in “unsuitable behavior” such as “uncontrolled anger.” The new report focuses on the Office…

io9 Mark Strauss

Humanity is doomed – Behold the Terminator Robocop!

Part cop. Part time travelling human killing machine. 100% ridiculously brilliant. This custom 7″ figure is from John Mallamas, aka Toy customiser Jin Satome, and riffs off of the old Robocop vs. The Terminator video game for the Sega Genesis and SNES back in 1992. It’s a pretty simple custom – Mallamas hollowed out a…

Tech News James Whitbrook

12 Lunatics Who Shouldn’t Have Access To Giant Robots

Anime has taught us that teenagers are always the best giant robot pilots, but do they need to be crazy? Because it sure seems like a lot of insane people manage to get in the cockpits of Gundam, EVA Units, and the like. Here are a dozen maniacs who shouldn’t be trusted with scissors, let…

io9 Rob Bricken

No, Walt Disney Isn’t Cryogenically Frozen

It’s one of those urban legends that just won’t die. Was Walt Disney actually cryogenically frozen after he died so that he could be reanimated in the future? No. This urban legend seems to have its origins in the late 1960s and early 1970s, when people were really getting interested in the futuristic science of…

Tech News Matt Novak

Yes, You Can Buy the Scent of Rain in a Desert

You know that scent of the first rain after a very long dry spell? Two Australian researchers tracked it down and called it “petrichor.” The name means something like “the essence of a stone.” And you can buy it. I’ve done entries in the past about what goes into making the scent after a rain.…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell

FingerKey Lets You Login to Your Mac with TouchID

Apple loves giving its new gadgets TouchID. Apple loves it so much, sometimes it’s the only thing it adds, but Macs have yet to receive any TouchID love. That’s where FingerKey steps in. Right now for only iOS and Macs (though Windows and Linux are in development), FingerKey is a $2 app that lets you…

Tech News Darren Orf

On Constantine, Children Are The Creepiest Monsters Of All

What happens when you take one scared child and add a vengeful, parent-hating spirit and telekinetic powers? You get one of the creepier foes to grace the on-screen version of Constantine so far. We open this week’s mystery with a young girl who telekinetically batters her parents, and then nearly does the same to a…

Television Lauren Davis

You Can Already 3D Print Yourself a Copy of That Star Wars Ball Droid

If you’ve foolishly gotten yourself all excited for Star Wars: The Force Awakens after just the teaser trailer (really? did no one else watch Lost?) you’ll be ecstatic to hear that you can already 3D-print yourself a copy of that adorable rolling ball droid we barely got a glimpse of. The 3D model comes courtesy…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski

Was Britain’s WWI Blockade The First Atrocity Of The 20th Century?

From 1914 to 1919, the Allied powers restricted the maritime supply of raw materials and foodstuffs to the Central Powers. The policy is often called a key component in the Allied victory, but it resulted in hundreds of thousands of civilian deaths, and introduced the world to a terrifying new kind of warfare. The Great…

io9 George Dvorsky

Obama Calls For $75 Million In Funding for 50,000 Police Body Cameras

Today President Obama proposed $263 million in funding for law enforcement to help avoid another disaster like the ongoing mess in Ferguson, Missouri. The proposed three-year funding package contains $75 million for a Body Worn Cameras Partnership, which would help states purchase and store the new equipment. It’s important to note that the funding comes…

Tech News Mario Aguilar

The Visual Artists Who Shaped The Work Of J.G. Ballard

Everybody acknowledges the huge influence that writer J.G. Ballard continues to have on science fiction and our visions of the future — but we don’t pay enough attention to one of Ballard’s own main influences. Over in The Arts Desk, there’s a great look at the visual artists who influenced Ballard. Above is the poster…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders

This Nature Documentary Was Made Inside the World of Grand Theft Auto

Earthly Physicists Designed the Perfect Cup for Space Espresso

Animal Welfare, Science, an Apology and an Analysis

Here’s What To Expect During The First Orion Test Flight

Every Ship That Has Carried Humans Into Space, In One Chart

Here’s How We Force Ourselves to Believe the Lie

Review: Lego Friends, Star Wars, City advent calendars

The Common Mistakes That Make Your “Strong” Passwords Weak

Human Anatomy-Inspired Accessories Are the Stuff of Nightmares

New Report Says Federal Agents Who Transport Nukes Have Anger Issues

Humanity is doomed – Behold the Terminator Robocop!

12 Lunatics Who Shouldn’t Have Access To Giant Robots

No, Walt Disney Isn’t Cryogenically Frozen

Yes, You Can Buy the Scent of Rain in a Desert

FingerKey Lets You Login to Your Mac with TouchID

On Constantine, Children Are The Creepiest Monsters Of All

You Can Already 3D Print Yourself a Copy of That Star Wars Ball Droid

Was Britain’s WWI Blockade The First Atrocity Of The 20th Century?

Obama Calls For $75 Million In Funding for 50,000 Police Body Cameras

The Visual Artists Who Shaped The Work Of J.G. Ballard

Latest news

Mamdani Lifts NYC TikTok Ban for City Employees, but with Some Unusual Restrictions

Tesla Goes Ahead and Admits Its Robotaxis Are Sometimes Fully Human-Controlled

School Forced to Replace Toilets After Kids Flush Vapes

‘Scream 7’ Just Won’t Stop Making Money as ‘Scream 8’ Gets Started

The Curtain Has Closed on Meta’s Movie Rating-Inspired Content Filters

Good News! You Can Finally Change That Ridiculous Gmail Address

ExpressVPN Just Launched ExpressAI: Your Prompts Are Now Invisible

VR Just Took Another Massive Body Blow

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The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

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Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

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Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

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Latest

This Nature Documentary Was Made Inside the World of Grand Theft Auto

Earthly Physicists Designed the Perfect Cup for Space Espresso

Animal Welfare, Science, an Apology and an Analysis

Here’s What To Expect During The First Orion Test Flight

Every Ship That Has Carried Humans Into Space, In One Chart

Here’s How We Force Ourselves to Believe the Lie

Review: Lego Friends, Star Wars, City advent calendars

The Common Mistakes That Make Your “Strong” Passwords Weak

Human Anatomy-Inspired Accessories Are the Stuff of Nightmares

New Report Says Federal Agents Who Transport Nukes Have Anger Issues

Humanity is doomed – Behold the Terminator Robocop!

​12 Lunatics Who Shouldn’t Have Access To Giant Robots

No, Walt Disney Isn’t Cryogenically Frozen

Yes, You Can Buy the Scent of Rain in a Desert

FingerKey Lets You Login to Your Mac with TouchID

On Constantine, Children Are The Creepiest Monsters Of All

You Can Already 3D Print Yourself a Copy of That Star Wars Ball Droid

Was Britain’s WWI Blockade The First Atrocity Of The 20th Century?

Obama Calls For $75 Million In Funding for 50,000 Police Body Cameras

The Visual Artists Who Shaped The Work Of J.G. Ballard

Mamdani Lifts NYC TikTok Ban for City Employees, but with Some Unusual Restrictions

Tesla Goes Ahead and Admits Its Robotaxis Are Sometimes Fully Human-Controlled

School Forced to Replace Toilets After Kids Flush Vapes

‘Scream 7’ Just Won’t Stop Making Money as ‘Scream 8’ Gets Started

The Curtain Has Closed on Meta’s Movie Rating-Inspired Content Filters

Good News! You Can Finally Change That Ridiculous Gmail Address

ExpressVPN Just Launched ExpressAI: Your Prompts Are Now Invisible

VR Just Took Another Massive Body Blow

The Best Gadgets of March 2026

AirPods Max 2 Review: Still Ridiculously Expensive and Ridiculously Nice

DJI Osmo 360 Review: The Best 360 Camera for the DJI-Pilled

Aqara Smart Lock U400 Review: Hands-free Unlocking at Its Best

MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ Review: A Solid 2-in-1 Laptop With Some Glaring Flaws

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

Let us help find what you are looking for...

12 Lunatics Who Shouldn’t Have Access To Giant Robots