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Continuum Could Develop Into One Of TV’s Sharpest Political Dramas

Continuum has always had some really interesting political questions at its core: the rise of corporate power, the independence of the police, and the morality of trying to preserve a flawed status quo. But the barbed latest episode proves this show might be ready to delve deeper. Spoilers ahead… The above clip shows my absolute…

There’s tons of talk about fitness trackers, but do any of them live up to the hype? Where did the internet phrase “me IRL” come from? What’s the internal pressure of a decomposing whale? Answers to all this and more, in this week’s Tech Reads. Nick Bilton takes a long hard look at fitness tracking…

Amalia the Expectorating Guanaco Regrets Nothing

Look at her face. Look at it. Is that the face of a penitent guanaco? No it is not. Amalia makes her home at Tucson, Arizona’s Reid Park Zoo. According to Neatorama, guanacos “are a species related to the llama, and are even more likely to spit on you.” NatGeo confirms. [Reid Park Zoo via…

Want to edit a Google Drive document from your mobile device? Now you’ll need not one, but three apps: Google just removed editing capabilities from the Drive app. You’ll have to install Docs or Sheets to get your editing powers back. [Android Police via TechMeme]

Alan Shepard: Astronaut, Pilot, Golfer

While astronauts are by definition cool, Alan Shepard holds a special place in my heart for his unique style. He was one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, and the only one from the group to make it to the moon. …where he played golf, because he’s awesome. A very happy pre-launch Alan Shepard is…

The Chemistry of Skunk Spray

Why does skunk spray make you want to tear off your own face? The answer lies in two simple atoms which pull together and hitch a ride on other molecules. We’ll tell you what they are, and how you can neutralize them. Personally, I find the faint odor of skunk quite pleasant. I never knew…

What Are Fractals, And Why Should I Care?

Fractal geometry is a field of math born in the 1970s and mainly developed by Benoit Mandelbrot. If you’ve already heard of fractals, you’ve probably seen the picture above. It’s called the Mandelbrot Set and is an example of a fractal shape. This article originally appeared on George Dallas’s blog, which you should absolutely go…

Astronaut-History 2048

It looks like we’ve got another astronomy-themed version of the addictive 2048, this time for astronaut-history of who walked on the moon. With no dead ends, it’s less tricky than the stellar nuclear fusion version, but I can’t object to anything that honours moon-golf. Alan Shepard is a strong contender for my favourite astronaut ever,…

Reminder: Apple vs. Samsung Is Just a Professional Fanboy Fight

Yesterday, a verdict came down in the long, long line of Apple vs. Samsung patent disputes. But before you go thinking this is some huge deal, it’s important to note that nothing’s really solved and nothing will change. And that’s fitting, since this is just a giant fanboy fight. The accusations are big… This is…

Pyramids, Tunnels to Nowhere, Gizmodo’s Home of the Future, and More

What a week it’s been! We tested out strange new shaving implements, strolled through NYC’s newest subway tunnel, and learned how to win every single game of Rock, Paper Scissors. We also announced Gizmodo’s Home of the Future. What’s that? Read on and see. Save the Date: The Gizmodo Home of the Future is May…

8-bit super-hero poster makes me dream of perfect adventure games

I’m such a sucker for old superheroes and retro games that these Pixel Nostalgia posters by BrazilianBoo! Studioare a perfect storm of melancholy and awe to me. Looking at them makes me long for an Avengers or X-Men adventure game—one made by ex-Lucasarts’ Ron Gilbert, Tim Schafer and Dave Grossman. Check out their huge poster:…

The National Parks are Stunningly Beautiful

The National Park system in the United States provides affordable access to gorgeous and dramatic landscapes around the country. Amateur photography from the annual Share the Experience contest showcase beautiful places to tempt you to visit for your summer vacation. Double rainbows over the dunes in Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. Photography credit:…

How to Fly a Prizewinning Racehorse to the Kentucky Derby

When the crowds and hats and bourbon descend on Churchill Downs for the Kentucky Derby, all eyes will be on the thoroughbred racehorse—horses that have traveled thousands of miles for the two-minute race. How do elite racehorses fly? Well, let us ascend into the world of equine air travel. FedEx is probably the international authority…

During The Zombie Apocalypse, A Dog Just Wants To Get Back To His Boy

In most zombie apocalypse stories, the protagonist is focused on their own survival. But in the short film Steadfast Stanley, a loyal Corgi just wants to reunite with the boy he loves. Third year CalArts student John Cody Kim made Steadfast Stanley with its wonderfully scribbly zombies. He even got a real Corgi to provide…

Taking Notes On Your Laptop Could Be Ruining Your Test Scores

Many people take notes during interviews, presentations and lectures not with pen and paper, but with a laptop. But a newly published study concludes that people actually remember better when they’ve taken handwritten notes, rather than typed ones. In fact, studying from typed notes could actually hurt your test scores. Photo Credit: Laura Kishimoto //…

How to Set Up a Remote Desktop and Control Your Computer from Anywhere

Desktop computers aren’t just antiquated behemoths quietly gathering dust in your parent’s house. They also offer an often overlooked processing resource for mobile users and a viable alternative to cloud-based storage. All you need is a means of accessing it remotely. For three of the most common consumer operating systems—Windows, Mac, and Chrome—the initial setup…

Salt Ponds at the Dead Sea

The evaporation ponds at the south end of the Dead Sea produce both sodium chloride and potassium salts. The pond size, and thus salt production, has expanded substantially in response to global demand for salts used in industrial processing. Salt ponds photographed in March 2012. Photography credit: NASA Salt ponds around the world have been…

Natural Disasters, Locks, Tires: What’s Ruining Our Cities This Week

On this week’s What’s Ruining Our Cities: Locks are the key to Paris’s downfall and tires are popping up in the most unexpected places in Detroit. Plus, a new exhibition is focused exclusively on ruined cities—and the designers that work to save them. Designers are making sure disasters don’t ruin cities We talk a lot…

Developers, Developers, Developers…

Our pal Jason Howie asked Cortana, Microsoft’s answer to disembodied smartphone voice assistants like Siri and Google Now, what she thinks of recently-departed Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Turns out Cortana’s not afraid to poke a little fun at Microsoft’s sweaty, revved-up champion of developers. If you’re not sure what she’s referring to, check out this…

Scientists Have Confirmed the Heaviest Metal Ever Observed: Ununseptium

An international team of researchers has just published a paper confirming the existence of element number 117—ununseptium. It’s the heaviest element ever created, with an atom of ununseptium outweighing an atom of lead by 40 percent. Make some room on your periodic table, there’s a new metal in town. Seventy-two scientists and engineers from 16…