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Ghibli’s Ghost Story When Marnie Was There Gets A Haunting Trailer

Miyazaki Hayao may have retired from filmmaking, but Studio Ghibli is still bringing us beautiful fare. The trailer for their upcoming supernatural story When Marnie Was There is packed with lovely landscapes and hints at the friendship at the heart of the film. From Wikipedia, here is the synopsis for the film, directed by The…

Archaeologists have found stunning evidence of a previously-unknown, ancient farming civilization in Peru, from the 4th-7th century CE. It predates the Inca Empire by many centuries. The find could change how we understand the way civilization developed in the area.

This Getty photo from March 13, 1957 shows caricatures of Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson printed by a Universal Automatic Computer, commonly called a UNIVAC. We often think of ASCII-style art as a modern thing, but the art form has a long history, dating back to the typewriter era. Factually is Gizmodo’s new blog of…

A Rechargeable Tower Fan That Lets You Take a Breeze Wherever You Need

A fan is only a useful way to beat the summer heat if you’re in range of its blast. So to ensure the use of this GreenFan isn’t limited by the location of your outlets or the length of its cord, it features an optional rechargeable battery so you can place it exactly where you…

Stunning Aerial Images of Hill Forts from Britain’s Iron Age

Some 3,000 “hill forts” or “defended enclosures” are scattered across Britain. The elevated land provided a defensive advantage, with lines of fortifications—such as walls and ditches—erected around the hills’ contours. Seen from the ground, they must have been imposing; seen from the sky, they’re exquisite. The site, Heritage Daily, has compiled several images of the…

A Tricorder That Automatically Counts All The Calories In Your Food

It’s impossible to know how many calories we’re about to consume just by glancing at the food on our plate. That’s why the researchers at GE are trying to build a universal calorie counter. Here’s how it would work. The quest to build a machine that can automatically count calories in any food was spearheaded…

Shooting Challenge: Fireworks GIFs

It’s the 4th of July this Friday. So grab your cameras and some fireworks. Let’s make some sparkly GIFs. The Challenge Make a GIF of fireworks—the big kind or the small kind. Good old snakes and sparklers are encouraged. Please don’t hurt yourselves. Save the file as 640 pixels wide. 3.5MB file max (but even…

The Year The Army Stopped Niagara Falls

In 1969, the Army Corps of Engineers accomplished an awesome feat: They turned off Niagara Falls. They did it to clean up the area, and check for structural integrity. Here are pictures of this bizarre episode in structural engineering history. These pictures were taken by tourists who visited the dry falls in 1969. Environmental design…

This Is Still the Most Beautiful Way to Learn How to Code

Regardless of whether or not you agree with the “code or die ” sentiment that’s been floating around the internet, if you have decided to teach yourself to code, the sheer number of learn-to-code sites alone is overwhelming. So do yourself (and your eyes) a favor and pick up Jon Duckett’s JavaScript and jQuery book…

How to Keep Your Dog Happy When Fireworks Go Off — Using Science!

Dogs are terrified of fireworks. How can you enjoy the Fourth of July while also being sensitive to your canine companions’ needs? We reached out to a group of dog scientists to get some answers. Here’s what they had to say. A More Intense Form of Terror Dr. Gregory Berns is a neurobiologist at Emory…

Should SFWA Allow Self-Published Authors To Join?

The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America has long had certain requirements for membership: You have to publish a few short stories or one novel, with a publisher paying “professional” rates. But what about self-published authors, who are making a decent living off their writing? SFWA has invited comment on how to include self-published…

It’s a myth that lightning never strikes the same place twice

You’ve probably heard the saying, “lightning never strikes the same place twice.” But it’s actually a myth. From NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center: NASA-funded scientists have recently learned that cloud-to-ground lightning frequently strikes the ground in two or more places and that the chances of being struck are about 45 percent higher than what people…

A Massive New Levee Could Add Two New City Blocks To Manhattan

The footprint of Manhattan’s been expanding since the 17th century, when early New Yorkers began their first project to infill its shoreline. A huge part of the island we know today is built on artificial pilings. Now, it might get its biggest expansion in years. Next City reports on a new feasibility study released by…

Warner Bros. is planning a big-budget adaptation of The Odyssey. Titled Odysseus, the film will be directed by Fedor Bondarchuk, who made the Russian historical epic Stalingrad, and written by Jeremy Doner, of The Killing semi-fame. Only the gods know how this thing will turn out. [Via The Dissolve]

How 70 Year Old Machines Make Chrome’s Tough, Cheap Sneakers

Cycling outfitter Chrome Industries makes solid gear that’s designed to last even the hardest rider for the long haul. To make its super tough new sneakers, it picked up 86 World War II boot making machines from Slovakia. The $85 Forged Rubber shoes they make will kick the crap out of your Chucks. The 70-year-old…

Which Horror Or Dark Fantasy Movie Has The Most Powerful Ending?

Most horror and dark fantasy movies can’t quite stick the landing, when it comes to endings. People survive, or they die. But a few great horror movies actually manage to serve up endings with real weight, and catharsis to them. Which horror or dark fantasy movie has the absolute best ending? Please include a picture…

Radar For Your Bike Gives You Long-Range Eyes on the Back of Your Head

When you’re riding a bike, the world is an endless barrage of obstacles, hazards, and other vehicles sharing the road you need to avoid. Mirrors let you keep an eye on what’s going on behind your cycle, but the Backtracker promises to spot vehicles up to 450 feet away using radar, and warn you to…

If Medical Marijuana Is Legalized, You Can Thank The Tea Party

Politics makes strange bedfellows—except for the Tea Party, which doesn’t sleep with anyone. The Conservative movement has defined itself by its “no compromise” approach toward politics. So, why did Tea Party members of Congress support Democrats on a key vote on medical marijuana? A total of 49 Republicans joined Democrats in supporting legislation, co-sponsored by…

About 90% of the movies made before 1929 are lost forever

Recognizing the importance of film preservation is a relatively recent phenomenon in Hollywood. Early motion picture film was especially prone to destruction by fire thanks to its nitrate base. And early films that haven’t yet been destroyed by fire can deteriorate in any number of other ways. In fact, it’s estimated that over 90 percent…

A Gas Station Frank Lloyd Wright Designed 87 Years Ago Is Now Finished

In 1927, acclaimed architect Frank Lloyd Wright designed a gas station for Buffalo, New York, envisioning a gleaming center of commerce and social interaction for the bustling industrial city. Almost 90 years later, the structure has finally been completed—in the lobby of an automobile museum. The Pierce-Arrow Museum has been working to build the service…