Latest

Sundance Roundup Part 2: The Indie Movies Everyone is Buzzing About

The Sundance film festival is slowly inching towards its close, and there are more candidates for “year’s most exciting indie movie.” You’ve already seen our first breakdown of this year’s exciting science fiction and fantasy movies. Now, here’s the last collection of indie movie standouts (and fall-downs) that the critics have weighed in on. What…

The World’s Wackiest Monuments, Chosen By You

When we asked you last week to send us the weirdest monuments in your neighborhood, you not only delivered, you quite frankly freaked us out. How do you people sleep at night knowing that a giant turtle-humping statue is just down the street? https://gizmodo.com/whats-the-coolest-weirdest-or-most-overlooked-monumen-1500500337 Thanks to your hard work, here are just a few of…

The Most Impressive Costumes from Star Trek: TNG’s First 3 Seasons

Star Trek: The Next Generation had a huge legacy to live up to. Not just the thought-provoking storytelling of the original series — but also the amazing insane costumes. But TNG rose to the challenge. Here’s our roundup of the most epic costumes in the Next Generation’s first few seasons. https://gizmodo.com/weirdest-and-sexiest-costumes-from-the-original-star-tr-5969957 Random Aliens Deanna Troi…

Physicist proposes a thermodynamic explanation for the origins of life

A 31-year-old researcher from MIT believes he’s figured out the basic physics behind the origin and evolution of life in the universe, a provocative new theory of life that borrows heavily from 19th century science. According to physicist Jeremy England, the origin and evolution of life are processes driven by the fundamental laws of nature…

The Perfect Valentine’s Day Card for Our Times

You haven’t made Valentine’s Day plans yet. That’s okay! Who needs ’em? Manufactured holiday, singlehood empowerment, overpriced prix fixe menus. But if you must make a romantic gesture next month, let it be this card. It sums up modern relationships pretty much perfectly. From the inspired mind of Emily McDowell, the $4.50 greeting crams more…

AP Takes Hard Line Stance In Firing Pulitzer Winner for Doctored Photo

We all know the ethical haze around digital photo editing. Pulitzer Prize winning photographer Narciso Contreras ran face first into it when he was being fired by the Associated Press for photoshopping an image of he took during the Syrian conflict in 2012. The AP has strict rules about altering photographs, specifying that “No element…

Massive 24,000mAh Battery Pack Is Like a Tiny Reactor In Your Pocket

If keeping your smartphones, tablets, and other gear running all day long is more important to you than keeping your backpack light, the latest addition to Limefuel’s lineup of backup batteries—this 24,000mAh monstrosity—should be part of your daily kit. Surprisingly though, it doesn’t take up much space. It will certainly be heavier than those tiny…

Some jokester started a new historical pictures account on Twitter today. But unlike the dozens of inaccurate history accounts floating around, this one is intentionally (and hilariously) wrong: @AhistoricalPics

A Ghost Ship Full of Cannibal Rats Has Disappeared in the Atlantic

A massive ghost ship has been missing in the Atlantic since last February, along with its potential cargo of “disease-ridden cannibal rats,” via BBC Future. Now, it looks like it’s headed for the UK. The Lyubov Orlova was first misplaced on its way from a harbor in Newfoundland, Canada, to the Dominican Republic, where it…

A Locking Dog Leash Ensures No One Ever Pinches Your Pooch

Coming out of a store to find your car has been stolen is an inconvenience. But coming out of a shop to discover someone has taken your dog? That’s devastating. It’s upsetting to think there are actually dognappers in this world, but if you’re always tying your pup up somewhere, the lockable Safespot leash seems…

The lifecycle of a water droplet, depicted by a stop-motion popup book

“Revolution” is a lovely depiction of a water droplet’s life cycle combining a custom-made popup book with stop-motion animation. A collaboration between paper engineer Helen Friel (previously); photographer Chris Turner and animator Jess Deacon, this is some truly outstanding scientific papercraft. The making-of video lets you see just how much effort went into designing the…

This episode of Arrow made me want a Laurel Lance series

Laurel Lance has been a shaky character since the beginning of Arrow. Bearing the twin burdens of love interest and goody-two-shoes, she’s flitted ineffectively around the edge of the series. This episode, “Blind Spot,” made me want a whole Laurel Lance series – provided I could plot it. The episode of the series featured some…

Build a Classic Korg MS-20 Synth With This Kit–Plus a New Keytar!

Announced exactly a year ago, the Korg MS-20 Mini analog synth is a lovely reboot of the classic 1970’s instrument that inspired it. More than just a fun nostalgic throwback, it was a gnarly synth with an almost endlessly versatile sound. If buying an MS-20 Mini feels a little to contemporary—or the 1/8th patch cables…

Google Might Withdraw From DARPA Robotics Challenge (Phew!)

Google’s purchase of bonkers robotics company Boston Dynamics in December prompted lots of hand-wringing: owning a Department of Defense supplier doesn’t jive with many people’s concept of “don’t be evil.” At the time, Google said it wasn’t interested in becoming a military contractor, and today’s rumor seems to confirm that: according to PopSci, Google is…

2003’s Soul-Crushing Office of Tomorrow Tracked Your Every Move

Sometimes the most accurate visions of the future are also the most terrifying. Like this employee-tracking system imagined in a 2003 concept video by Accenture. Strategically placed cameras monitoring employees? Check. Mandatory name badges tracked by infrared sensors? Check. It would all be pretty humorous in that darkly dystopian way if it weren’t actually happening…

Pinterest finally supports GIFs, the internet’s version of artsy hand-crafted flipbooks. Starting today, GIFs will play on Pinterest’s web pages, with mobile support coming soon. [Pinterest via Mashable]

Is it really worth having your gut bacteria tested?

How much can you learn about your health from a dab of poop or a swab from your skin or mouth? With various scientific researchers offering to test your microbiome for a fee, it’s natural to be curious about the trillions of microbes living in your body. But is it worthwhile to get tested yourself,…

These New Black Ops Radios Are Better Than Some Cell Phones

There is no internet connectivity or cell service in the remote locations frequented by American Special Forces, so they bring their own. Using a new generation of squad-based radio technology known as wideband tactical communications networks, our secret forces can call, text, or video conference from anywhere in the world. US Special Operations Command (SOCOM)…

Your New Receiver, Roombas, Solar Power, Sony NEX-7 [Deals]

Wifi, Bluetooth, 6 HDMI inputs, 7.2 channels, 4K, 3D, HD Audio, cheap. Grab the refurb. Onkyo TX-NR626 A/V Receiver today for just 300 bucks. [Amazon] Vacuuming sucks, but we live in a world where you can outsource it to robots. If you’ve had your eye on a Roomba, Amazon is offering several models today for…

Yet another reason to be grateful that pubic grooming is on the outs

If de facto trend-barometer American Apparel is any indication, the bush is, indeed, back. That’s excellent news for American genitals. Analyses of American emergency room data indicate genital injuries related to pubic grooming had increased nearly sixfold between 2002 and 2010. Things were getting out of hand. https://jezebel.com/american-apparel-now-accessorizing-mannequins-with-full-1502658610 https://jezebel.com/pubic-hair-is-back-or-something-again-1470982238 https://gizmodo.com/what-happens-when-you-break-a-penis-5890534 https://gizmodo.com/draft-penis-captivus-is-a-real-condition-and-it-so-1494614954 Top photo by dullhunk…