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All The “Cry Scenes” That Prove Animated Films Are Anguish Porn

I’ve been crying a lot lately. Frozen, The Lego Movie — even the Mr. Peabody & Sherman screening had weeping into my hat. And then it became clear: all of these animated movies for kids contain at least one hard-hitting “cry scene.” Because it’s a cartoon, and they can kill all the animated animals they…

Someday, Surgeons Might Fix Your Broken Bones With Screws Made of Silk

Surgeons have used metal screws to reassemble broken bones for years, but there are drawbacks: if the metal corrodes, they’ve gotta come out. Biodegradable screws aren’t as strong, and can cause inflammation. So a team of Harvard and Tufts scientists came up with screws and plates that are as tough as metal, but biodegradable. The…

Oliver and Deathstroke go to war in this epic 3-minute Arrow trailer

If you thought Arrow has been pretty good so far this year, get ready to have your mind blown. The show just released this three-minute trailer for the rest of the season, and it looks honestly more exciting than most superhero movies. I mean, besides the creation of the Suicide Squad, the return of the…

Deformed Landscape Photos Will Twist Your Sense of Reality

Looking at the landscape photography of Laura Plageman, it can take a minute to get your bearings on what’s going on. Her technique of manipulating prints then rephotographing them not only plays tricks on your eyes, but might leave you questioning the nature of photography altogether. When we usually see a photograph, we are used…

Your iPhone Can Search These Storage Boxes Without Having to Open Them

You know that stack of storage boxes buried deep in your closet that you’re too lazy to dismantle to find that one item you’re looking for? These boxes from King Jim feature a small tag on one side that lets you catalog photos of their contents, so when it’s time to find something you can…

2030 Space Odyssey: NASA will search for alien life in Jupiter’s moon

This is amazing news:NASA is sending a mission to Europa! If everything goes well, a robotic submarine may be landing on Jupiter’s moon—the world that scientists believe is the most likely to contain life in the Solar System—by 2030, a real space odyssey. This has the potential to change the world. “Attempt no landings there,”…

A NASA Rocket Soars Into an Emerald Aurora

These are photos of a rocket from NASA’s GREECE mission blasting off into the beautiful Aurora Borealis over Venetie, Alaska earlier this week. I wish I could be that rocket. The GREECE mission, or Ground-to-Rocket Electrodynamics Electron Correlative Experiment, studies how structures form in an aurora. The sounding rocket was supposed to launch in February,…

Gmail has just updated their iOS app to finally include background app refresh, so you won’t have to sit there waiting for your new messages to come in every time you open the app. It’s not going to do anything to help your battery life, but hey—every second counts.

Smallville Complete Series, Terminator Anthology [Deals]

Smallville certainly has its ups and downs, landing on io9 lists for Best Cliffhangers and Worst Final Battles, but the show remains a must-watch for Superman fans that won’t struggle to pull on your fanboy heartstrings. Today you can pick up all ten seasons for $110, which is the lowest this set has gone for.…

How does political tension affect astronauts aboard the ISS?

Tension between the U.S. and Russia on account of the current political situation in the Ukraine has raised questions about the cooperation of Russian and American astronauts aboard the International Space Station – questions NASA chief Charlie Bolden addressed in a news conference held yesterday. Above: The International crew of the ISS poses in the…

New evidence that plants can “think” about future risks

Plants may not have a cerebral cortex, but that doesn’t mean they haven’t evolved effective forms of alternative intelligence. As a recent study of the Barberry and its parasites shows, some plants exhibit a form of memory — and even anticipate future risks. The European Barberry plant (Berberis vulgaris) has a parasite problem. The tephritid…

Boeing’s X-36 Is the Single Coolest R/C Plane in the History of Aviation

Despite the mammoth budgets assigned to next-generation military aircraft programs, the Department of Defense is always looking for ways to streamline the development process and shave dollars from a combat system’s bottom line. You’d think the DoD would take Boeing’s lead and just build quarter-sized, remote controlled flight test prototypes, like the X-36 agile fighter.…

A rocket shoots directly into the heart of an Alaskan aurora

Earlier this week, a NASA-funded sounding rocket was hurtled directly into the Northern Lights over Venetie, Alaska. The launch created an absolutely stunning visual feast, one combining fire, ice — and glowing green plasma. Called GREECE (Ground-to-Rocket Electrodynamics – Electron Correlative Experiment), it’s an effort to study auroral curls. The launch site is located at…

Every Outlet Cover Should Be an LED Nightlight By Default

It’s ok to sacrifice an outlet to a nightlight in a child’s room to scare away monsters, but elsewhere in your home they’re far more valuable for other electronics and appliances. And that’s exactly why these replacement outlet covers with built-in LED nightlights are so clever—and should eventually be standard in every home. Using a…

How the Art of Tattoo Has Colored World History

Tattoo is among humanity’s earliest and most ubiquitous art forms. Cultures from every habitable continent have embedded permanent dyes in their bodies for more than 5000 years—as mystical wards, status symbols, rites of passage, or simply as personal decoration. That tradition continues today, just with a much smaller chance of infection. The Ancient Origins of…

We will not be obliterated by an asteroid… today.

Asteroid 2014 DX110 will pass within the Moon’s orbit at 1 p.m. PST (4 p.m. EST) today. It’s not going to hit us, and we’re not going to die in a planet-wide coordinated spectacular of death. At least, not today. DX110 is about 30 meters (100 feet) across. Nothing is published about its composition, but…

Soon our roads could be made of smart solar panels

How can we turn thousands of miles of ugly asphalt roads into energy-producing powerhouses? By paving them in solar panels. One engineer’s idea of solar Utopia could be a lot more feasible than you’d think. Several years ago, engineer Scott Brusaw was talking to his wife Julie about how to wean ourselves off fossil fuels.…

17 Fantastic Completed Webcomics to Binge-Read from Beginning to End

One of the risks in following a new webcomic is that the story might never end. You might end up with a comic that goes on for years only to have the creator abandon it. But there are some great webcomics out there that have wrapped up their storylines instead of fading into oblivion, leaving…

Oculus is a strong early contender for year’s creepiest horror film

Oculus, the horror movie about an evil mirror starring Doctor Who’s Karen Gillan, has been gettingrave reviews since it hit some festivals last year. And now, here’s a trailer that shows why that is, along with explaining a lot more of the movie’s plot. Warning: trailer is spoilery! The first trailer for Oculus, which came…

The Best Way to Measure Snowfall in NYC Is This 3D Animation

It’s been a snowy winterin the Big Apple. But don’t take our word for it. Look at this great little animated infographic that the New York Times put together that shows snow accumulation since January. The GIF shows only a part of the full animation, and no, you’re not looking at a game of Minecraft.…