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Kerbals and Asteroids: What could possibly go wrong?

Good news, Kerbal Space Program rocket scientists! The Asteroid Redirect Mission is now live, available via the patcher. I won’t get a chance to play with it for a few days, but chime in with your experiences in hunting mysterious orbital objects. https://gizmodo.com/the-kerbal-space-program-isnt-so-much-a-game-as-it-is-a-1537504285 Who wouldn’t be happy adrift in space near a spikey satellite and…

Tech News Mika McKinnon Apr 1 '14

Massive Spaceships Could Be Fueled by Human Exercise

What would be the most efficient way to power a spaceship carrying hundreds of thousands of passengers? According to some newly-published calculations, the best option would be to use the passengers themselves—by harnessing the power of exercise. The paper, “Can We Power A Spaceship?” is one of the offerings in the most recent issue of…

io9 Mark Strauss Apr 1 '14

Slip Your Special Mail Into These Letter-Holder Bookends

This is just a clever use of space right here. These bookends keep your softcovers in line and your mail in order. All your favorite paper goods, all in one place, tidy and organized. Nice! I just moved apartments this weekend and am therefore very acutely aware of just how much stuff—bound, enveloped, and otherwise—I…

Books & Comics Jordan Kushins Apr 1 '14

Which State Will Get Tesla’s Gargantuan Battery Factory?

Electric car maker Tesla wants a cheaper, faster way to produce the lithium ion batteries that power its cars, and the company has settled on a gargantuan solution: the so-called “gigafactory” that, if all goes as planned, will crank out more lithium ion batteries than the entire world produced in 2013. The location for the…

Tech News Bob Sorokanich Apr 1 '14

13 Umbrellas To Keep You Dry and Looking Fly

April showers bring May flowers, but April showers are also made of rain. Spring is nice, but with it comes immense amounts of precipitation. To survive the next few weeks of rain and make it through to summer, you’re going to need an umbrella. And why not one that looks cool? We’ve rounded up some…

Tech News Leslie Horn Apr 1 '14

Was The Pringles Man Inspired By This Spider?

The kidney garden spider, or pale orb weaver (Araneus mitificus), would be a fascinating critter on its own, but the fact that it looks just like the Pringles man makes it even more awesome. These spiders have a really neat trick when it comes to their web-weaving. They leave a whole chunk of their web…

Biology Jason G. Goldman Apr 1 '14

This Is What the GOP’s War On Science Looks Like

I’ve seen some surreal moments in our nation’s capitol, but few can compare to watching Republican members of Congress lecture John Holdren last week on the meaning of “science.” Here are some highlights. Holdren, the president’s science advisor, was the lone witness at a hearing held by the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology…

io9 Mark Strauss Apr 1 '14

Hypnotic Flapping Wing Turbines Keep Working in the Gentlest Breeze

There have been many proposed alternatives to the spinning propeller blades used on wind turbines installed all over the county, but none as unorthodox as Festo’s new DualWingGenerator. Inspired by the company’s work on winged flying robots, the design keeps working when winds are as slow as nine miles per hour. https://gizmodo.com/this-delightful-dragonfly-drone-swims-swiftly-through-t-5992899 So how on…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Apr 1 '14

Under The Skin Is About “De-Eroticizing” Scarlett Johansson

The most striking thing about Under The Skin isn’t Scarlett Johansson driving around in a van picking up men on the street and taking them to her lair. Rather, it’s the film’s weirdly dispassionate viewpoint on some really upsetting scenes. We talked to director Jonathan Glazer about turning his camera into an alien eye. Minor…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Apr 1 '14

We Finally Know Why Zebras Have Stripes

Why does the zebra have stripes? It’s not a riddle — scientists say they’ve actually found an answer. And no, it’s not camouflage for hiding under a slatted roof. The stripes actually serve as an insect repellent. The study, published today in Nature Communications by a group from the University of California Davis led by…

io9 Ria Misra Apr 1 '14

Rare Photos of NYC’s Museums Under Construction

Museums are lightning rods for criticism. The most public of all buildings, they’re also the most vulnerable, and even long-accepted classics faced scorn in their infancy. Today we’re taking a look at vintage photographs of New York City’s famous museums while under construction. It’s hard to believe now, but Frank Lloyd Wright’s Guggenheim Museum endured…

Tech News Matt Nestor - Untapped Cities Apr 1 '14

Get this precious retro Hobbit game into my iPad right now

I fondly remember one of the very first games I played on the Sinclair ZX Spectrum: The Hobbit, a text adventure with crude illustrations that was probably made in BASIC. It was crap. But this Hobbit game looks great. So good that it makes me hate the Cinefix guys for making these awesome videos without…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Apr 1 '14

Use Your Favorite USB Keyboard On Your Phone With This Backup Battery

It can be hard to choose a backup battery when the market is as flooded as Bluetooth speakers and iPhone cases have become. Manufacturers are now finding ways to include added value with their emergency power supplies, like Cerevo’s new EneBrick that can turn your favorite USB keyboard into a wireless Bluetooth accessory for your…

Gadgets Andrew Liszewski Apr 1 '14

The Counter-Intuitive Way to Win Big in a Game Show

You are on a game show, and get to choose between three doors. Behind one is a grand prize. Behind the others there’s nothing. But there’s a twist — and it can double your chances of winning. Welcome to the Monty Hall Problem. Over the years the Monty Hall problem has become infamous. In a…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Apr 1 '14

No, Australia’s Dingos Are Not Wild Dogs

For over two centuries, Australians have referred to the dingo as their continent’s native dog. But as a new study shows, it’s not really a dog at all, but rather a species in its own right. The confusion started in the 18th century with a simple drawing and description made by Australia’s first governor, Arthur…

io9 George Dvorsky Apr 1 '14

Watch Every Cyber Attack in the World in Real Time

Kasperkspy Labs recently launched a beautifully terrifying interactive map that shows online threats arounds the world in real time. In practice, it’s a global visualization of cyber attacks that, Kaspersky hopes, will motivate you to buy their security software. But it’s still a hell of a spectacle. The interactive is also informative. The data displayed…

Privacy & Security Adam Clark Estes Apr 1 '14

Why Freezing Yourself Is a Terrible Way to Achieve Immortality

What happens after we die? It’s a question that has plagued the human mind since we first developed the concept of “death.” The search for an answer—and, more importantly, a means of circumventing its effects—has encited organized religion and served to shape one of the foundations of human culture. We’ve built pyramids to house our…

Tech News Andrew Tarantola Apr 1 '14

Are The Best Sentences In Science Fiction Mostly Aphorisms?

A lot of science fiction’s most quotable authors do seem to write a ton of aphorisms — Robert A. Heinlein comes to mind, for example. But over at the Guardian, there’s a discussion of the greatest sentences in genre fiction, and the question arose: are the best sentences in genre mostly aphoristic? For example, writer…

io9 Charlie Jane Anders Apr 1 '14

30 Photos Taken Straight Up

We look down at our feet all the time, while view directly above is often. Here are 30 photographs that celebrate the oft-overlooked view…no pun intended. WINNER: Notre Dame × An upshot of the Notre Dame cathedral in Strasbourg, France. A magnificent building and a must see if you get the chance. – Nils Rohwer…

Tech News Mark Wilson Apr 1 '14

Futurama, The Art of Final Fantasy, New Humble Bundle [Deals]

124 episodes and 4 feature-length adventures, all yours in one complete, attractive set for $85. We’re definitely worried about this price not sticking around. [Amazon] The Sky: The Art of Final Fantasy slipcased edition hardcover | $13 + shipping The last time we listed this it was $31, which was a killer deal at the…

io9 Shane Roberts Apr 1 '14

Kerbals and Asteroids: What could possibly go wrong?

Massive Spaceships Could Be Fueled by Human Exercise

Slip Your Special Mail Into These Letter-Holder Bookends

Which State Will Get Tesla’s Gargantuan Battery Factory?

13 Umbrellas To Keep You Dry and Looking Fly

Was The Pringles Man Inspired By This Spider?

This Is What the GOP’s War On Science Looks Like

Hypnotic Flapping Wing Turbines Keep Working in the Gentlest Breeze

Under The Skin Is About “De-Eroticizing” Scarlett Johansson

We Finally Know Why Zebras Have Stripes

Rare Photos of NYC’s Museums Under Construction

Get this precious retro Hobbit game into my iPad right now

Use Your Favorite USB Keyboard On Your Phone With This Backup Battery

The Counter-Intuitive Way to Win Big in a Game Show

No, Australia’s Dingos Are Not Wild Dogs

Watch Every Cyber Attack in the World in Real Time

Why Freezing Yourself Is a Terrible Way to Achieve Immortality

Are The Best Sentences In Science Fiction Mostly Aphorisms?

30 Photos Taken Straight Up

Futurama, The Art of Final Fantasy, New Humble Bundle [Deals]

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