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How much stuff is in a light-year?

Imagine taking the distance that light travels in an entire year. Now turn that distance into a cube, each side one light-year across. How much “stuff” would be in there? And how empty would it be? It all depends on where you put your massive cube. Top image: Messier 15, an ancient globular cluster. Even…

Zeiss Brings New 50mm f/2.8 Macro Lens to Mirrorless Cams

Zeiss is expanding its lineup of APS-C lenses for Sony E-mount and Fuji X-mount with a new Touit 50mm f/2.8 macro lens. There’s no reason not to expect the utmost quality from the new lens, as previous offerings in the Touit line have been great, including the 12mm f/2.8 and 32mm f/1.8 lenses that debuted…

Despite the trash and half-finished buildings, some parts of Sochi’s Olympic park are coming together: The main Olympic venue, Fisht Stadium—designed by the US-based sports venue specialists Populous—is opening its doors just days before it will host the Opening Ceremonies. [Olympic.Org]

Here’s a 1976 letter from Neil deGrasse Tyson to Carl Sagan

When Neil deGrasse Tyson was applying to colleges, Carl Sagan went out of his way to make the budding astrophysicist feel especially at home at Cornell University, where he taught. Tyson would ultimately attend Harvard, but not before writing this letter to Sagan explaining his decision. https://gizmodo.com/neil-degrasse-tyson-shares-the-most-astounding-fact-abo-5890874 https://gizmodo.com/carl-sagans-message-to-future-explorers-of-mars-will-co-5932534 Tyson remembers his first meeting with Sagan…

Incredible new video of Felix Baumgartner’s space jump

You’ve seen Felix Baumgartner’s harrowing jump from 128,1000 feet above Earth’s surface, but you haven’t seen it like this. This new exhilarating video shows you what it was like from Felix’s point of view with perfect clarity. Fast forward to the 1:40 mark for the action. The feat is just as incredible now as it…

Yes, There’s Going to Be a Back to the Future Musical

If you adore everything about Back to the Future except the lack of subordinate harmonies, today is a good day. The movie you love will officially be a musical you endure as of 2015. The news comes from straight from the mouth of Bob Gale, who co-wrote the original series with director Robert Zemeckis. The…

Is Gambit the next X-Men movie, and does it already have its star?

Plus, there’s a ton of rumors about the plot of Days of Future Past, including one involving parallel realities. And while Billy Dee Williams is up for Star Wars Episode VII, it looks like the Benedict Cumberbatch rumors can be put to rest. Chris Evans describes how Captain America and the Falcon meet in The…

7 of the World’s Weirdest Water Towers

Middle America’s decorative water towers—not those nasty things in New York—hold a special place in the annals of Americana history. They serve as both a public utility and as a community’s spiritual centerpiece—like a Midwestern totem pole, highlighting and reflecting the local cultural identity. https://gizmodo.com/nycs-charming-water-towers-are-actually-bacteria-fille-1509759091 So what do these strange towers say about their towns?…

Watch the Guardian Destroy the Computers Containing Snowden’s Leaks

On July 20th, 2013, two technicians from the UK’s intelligence agency GCHQ looked on as Guardian editors destroyed the computers which contained the encrypted files leaked by Edward Snowden. Now, you can watch them do it. Stepping out their usual routine of reporting, the journalists found themselves in the basement of the Guardian’s office in…

Report: Windows 8.1 Update May Scrap Tile Interface By Default

Windows 8 is an OS struggling to capture the imagination of the masses, and now rumors suggest that Microsoft may alter the way its Start Screen works in Windows 8.1 Update 1. https://gizmodo.com/hp-would-very-much-rather-you-buy-a-windows-7-pc-1504977965 When Windows 8.1 landed last year it included an option to bypass the Metro interface. But now “sources familiar with Microsoft’s plans”…

Were Footballs Ever Really Made of Pigskin?

These days, footballs are typically made from cowhide or vulcanized rubber, making their nickname “pigskins” somewhat ironic. Football fans often perpetuate the idea that footballs used to be made of pigskin, which is how they got their nickname, but it turns out this isn’t the case. In fact, “pigskins” were originally made out of animal…

This Is What a Ground-Penetrating Nuclear Bomb Impact Looks Like

A ground-penetrating nuclear bomb has been slammed into the surface of the US for the first time in six years—but, fortunately, without its nuclear warhead in place. These images are the result of new tests by Sandia National Laboratories of the B61-11 nuclear bomb. Picked from a stockpile of US weaponry, it was fitted with…

Why You Actually Use Online Pizza Delivery Trackers

Don’t worry, everybody does it. And look at it this way: at least it means the delivery guy never gets an unwelcome surprise. [Doghouse Diaries]

Apple Patent Reaffirms Rumors of Pressure-Sensitive Touchscreens

Last year, Bloomberg reported that Apple was working on enhanced sensors capable of detecting different levels of pressure. Then, a patent popped up adding weight to the rumor. Now, a second patent lends the idea of pressure-sensitive touchscreens yet more credence. https://gizmodo.com/report-apple-working-on-two-big-iphones-for-whatever-1461762060 The new patent, published by the US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday,…

The FCC Is Beta Testing the Future US Phone Network

We already knew that the FCC had plans to rewrite the technology that supports the nation’s ageing landline phone network, and now its decided to start beta testing new infrastructure to ensure it can deliver. https://gizmodo.com/the-fccs-new-chairman-wants-to-rewrite-how-phones-work-1468085859 A unanimous vote at the FCC on Thursday approved trials intended to study how shifting all the nations land…

The Weirdest Thing on the Internet Tonight: How to Be

Mixing stop motion animation and time-lapse photography with Cetranger’s haunting melodies, Maxim and Katia Mezentsev create a surreal world simultaneously frozen in time and as fleeting as the life of a tongue-bound snowflake.

Seeing a whole car get destroyed by a giant shredder is oddly enjoyable

I’m not sure what it is about seeing a giant piece of metal being swallowed by another giant piece of metal but it’s almost therapeutic. It’s like seeing insect fights on YouTube but on a more gargantuan, real life Transformers level. Whatever it is, I can’t get enough. Here’s the Hammel Red Giant Car Shredder…

I can’t believe these crappy Star Wars props looked so great in movies

We’ve really come a long, long way when it comes to special effects in movies. It makes sense that today’s movies look great because of all our computer whiz processing power animation software. Back in the old days though? We had to rely on the magic of the movies. Seriously. Turning scale models that look…

What is the world’s most polluted city?

Here’s a hint: It’s not Beijing. (Or anywhere else in China, for that matter.) https://gizmodo.com/its-so-smoggy-in-beijing-the-only-way-to-see-the-sunri-1503511957 https://gizmodo.com/chinas-air-pollution-as-seen-from-space-1482191912 Top Photo: The Presidential Pallace in New Delhi, enveloped in smog | Altaf Qadri/Associated Press According to a study published by India’s Center for Science and Environment, the city with the poorest air quality is actually Delhi, where air…

Man pretends to be shot by violent movie posters

There’s a lot of violence in movies and TV shows. Guns, blood and murder are welcomed into the family living room by the bleary eyes of desensitized souls. But it’s entertaining! But it’s also pretty ridiculous how un-shocking it is to see. We can pass violent ads without giving it a second look. This artist…