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Reverse Seasonal Affective Disorder: Why Do People Get SAD in Summer?

By now you’ve probably heard of SAD, or seasonal affective disorder. Each winter, some people become a little bit melancholy, perhaps owing to the decrease in daylight hours. But there’s a second group of people who become sad in the summer. How does that work? When I tell my friends that I prefer dark, cold,…

Holy @#$% These Rock Star Transformers Are The Greatest Toys Ever

No words can do these things justice, so here are the facts: Hasbro will be releasing a special set of Transformers as an ’80s hair metal band called the Knight of Cybertron as a San Diego Comic-Con exclusive. They have actual hair. They are the greatest @#$%ing toys of all time. Yes, Optimus Prime is…

These DiY Hand Axes Use Designs Created by Paleolithic Humans

Dov Ganchrow, a designer based in Tel Aviv, has combined the oldest and newest tool-making technologies to produce something extraordinary. He’s used a 3-D printer to create precise replicas of the stone flake tools made by paleolithic humans. Then he spruced them up with modern handles and grips. As DesignBoom reports, the original flint hand…

Thai Military Threatens To Arrest People For Doing Hunger Games Salute

The three-finger salute which Katniss Everdeen does in The Hunger Games has become a real-life symbol of resistance to the military coup in Thailand. To the point where the ruling junta has said it may arrest people for doing it, if they’re in a large group and refuse to lower their arms. In Hunger Games,…

New Budget Airline Seats Swap Screens For Built-in Tablet Holders

Unless you’ll be stuck on your flight for twelve hours, most of us are happy to save a few bucks on a no-frills budget airline. To help further cut costs, UK-based Monarch is introducing new seats that are not only lacking the ability to recline, they also feature a built-in tablet holder instead of a…

Falcon Could Have Been More Bird-Like In Captain America 2

Captain America: The Winter Soldier introduced us to the cinematic version of the high-flying hero Falcon. But before he could take to the screen, the filmmakers had to decide what his wings would look like. Would he look like a bird or a plane? Concept artist Josh Nizzi has loads of the Falcon and Winter…

This Secret Movie Screening Will Actually Send You Back to the Future

Did you ever dream of visiting the small town in Back to the Future? Well, now might be your chance. This summer, a group called Secret Cinema is building a full-scale version of Hill Valley in a secret London location. And rumor has it that you’ll be able to immerse yourself in not only the…

17th Century Seascape Contains a Secret Portrait of a Beached Whale

For over 300 years, this scene set by Dutch painter Hendrick van Anthonissen appeared to be nothing more than a depiction of a day at the beach. But just a few layers of paint deeper, it had a secret: A giant portrait of a beached whale. Top image: Scheveningen Sands (post restoration) by Hendrick van…

Justice! The Fire Hydrant That Earned NYC $33,000 a Year Is No More

Last month, we told you about one ambiguously marked fire hydrant that netted New York City $33,000 a year in parking tickets. (Yup, that’s more than minimal wage! For a fire hydrant!) Thanks to open data and sleuthing by I Quant NY’s Ben Wellington, the city has repainted the block. As Ben describes in his…

The New Reading Rainbow Opening Is Somewhat Disturbing

We’re as delighted as anyone that LeVar Burton has managed to resurrect the invaluable educational TV show Reading Rainbow through the power of Kickstarter. But the show’s new opening theme, which takes the original theme song to a logical but somewhat dark conclusion, leaves a little to be desired. That said, I’ll take Burton as…

5 Visions for the Future of New York City Streets

Last month, as part of our Home of the Future, we asked 10 urban thinkers to answer this question: “What should be the future of the New York City street?” From gadget-free sidewalks to self-driving cars, here are five visions for the streets of tomorrow. Andy Bernheimer: Bring Back Our Peripheral Vision As someone who…

This Self-Folding Lamp Definitely Paves the Way For Real Transformers

With countless wires protruding from the side, as a lamp, this creation from researchers at Harvard is a disappointment at best. But as a demonstration of future technologies that promise to revolutionize manufacturing—like printable, self-assembling electronics—it’s about as awesome as tech demos can get. The lamp’s flat structure, the hinges, most of the wiring, and…

Why The Bechdel Test Is More Important Than You Realize

We all talk about the Bechdel Test all the time, because it’s so simple: Does a story have two women who talk to each other, about something other than a man? But almost every time it comes up, we all dismiss it, because it’s too simple or too arbitrary. But actually, the Bechdel Test is…

42% Of Americans Believe God Created Humans 10,000 Years Ago

A new Gallup poll shows that 73% of Americans subscribe to creationism in one form or another, including 42% who take a literal interpretation of Genesis. This is a result that’s changed very little over the past three decades. The poll, conducted between May 8 to 11, asked respondents to identify which of the following…

Make Your Own Dune Pain Box

Want to put someone through “humanity test,” like the Bene Gesserit did in the Dune series? First you’ll need a needle filled with “meta cyanide.” That, I can’t help you with. Then you need a box that can cause burning pain without harm. It’s all possible if you use the “Thermal Grill Illusion.” The Thermal…

NYC Is Actually Building These Radical Storm-Proofing Systems

Nearly two years after Hurricane Sandy tore into NYC, the city’s still not much more prepared than it was then. So news that the Federal government has doled out $540 million to fund a handful of flood-proofing infrastructure projects this week is a welcome surprise. Not to mention that the systems look pretty damn cool.…

Microsoft has announced 45 apps that will soon be coming to Xbox including Vine, which can be used to share game clips on the Xbox One, and Twitter, which will let you snap hashtag-driven tweet-streams under your TVing.

Helium-3 Shortage Threatens Our Ability To Detect Radioactive Bombs

Most news stories about Helium-3 discuss its potential as a future energy source, due to its abundance on the Moon’s surface. But, here on Earth, it’s a rare substance that’s getting rarer. And that worries the Pentagon, which uses Helium-3 as a key ingredient in equipment to detect nuclear smuggling. The sensors made with Helium-3…

The Whole “Second Cousin Twice-Removed” Thing, Explained

You know how you’re related to your grandparents, and you can easily trace the family lineage separating you from you nieces and nephews, but what about the link between you and your great grand uncle? And where do you reside on your family tree relative to your first, second and third (and zero-th) cousins? Photo…

This Super-Tough Vent Camera Keeps Tabs on Undersea Aliens

One of the hottest areas of oceanic research centers around deep sea hydrothermal vents and the unique animal species that call it home. But at depths of more than a mile, donning a snorkeling mask and flippers just won’t cut it. That’s why Ocean Networks Canada has deployed a state-of-the-art camera to document life in…