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Syphilis may not have come from the New World after all

Some say Christopher Columbus brought syphilis back with him from the Americas. But was the so-called “French Disease” already in Europe by the time of his return? Biology PhD candidate Katherine Wright cracks open this epidemiological cold case in a short but captivating piece currently featured at The Guardian. The article was selected from more…

Chinese commandos get underwater machine guns

This is the first look of China’s new underwater assault rifle, now in the hands of their special forces. It has been under secret development for a long time. The weapons—which use the technology of this 800-rounds-per-minute Russian underwater rifle—were shown for the first time on Central China Television:

7 Home Improvement Apps to Help Your Inner Handyman

Whether you’re remodeling your kitchen or just fixing a leaky faucet, keeping up with your house’s basic maintenance is an essential part of home ownership. And with these helpful mobile apps in your tool-belt, you’ll be able to tackle virtually any project without having to get your contractor’s license. Inspiration You never know where you’ll…

On Witches of East End, magic works in whatever way the plot requires

The good news: The plot of last night’s Witches of East End was way more coherent than any of the previous outings. The bad news: The show still has a tone problem. And it’s already clear the magic’s made out of pure plot convenience. But hey, CGI bugs crawled all over Julia Ormond’s face, and…

The 5 Biggest News Websites of 2010 (As Predicted in 2000)

Back in the year 2000, futurist Frank Feather looked into his crystal ball and predicted that Quixtar would be one of the biggest retail websites of 2010. Needless to say, it wasn’t. But Feather’s predictions weren’t all bad. Especially when it came to the future of news. https://gizmodo.com/the-50-biggest-websites-of-2010-as-predicted-in-2000-1445142253 Feather’s 2000 book, FutureConsumer.com: The webolution of…

Death Star Owner’s Manual will help you get it Fully Operational

No Bothans had to die, in order for you to get your hands on the plans to the Death Star from Star Wars. Instead, you can just buy the Imperial Death Star: Owner’s Workshop Manual — published by Haynes, the same folks who did the Millennium Falcon owner’s manual. We’ve got an exclusive sneak peek…

Attack the Block‘s Joe Cornish may be the director of Star Trek 3

He’s been rumored to be in the running for a while now, but apparently Joe Cornish — director of the British scifi hit Attack the Block and co-writer of the CG Tintin movie and Edgar Wright’s upcoming Ant-Man film — is Paramount’s #1 choice to take over directing duties for the Star Trek movie franchise.…

You want urban reads? We got your urban reads right here. On this November day: Icelandic elves, Lou Reed, the lost & found art of walking, what “smart city” really means, and an adorable dancing traffic cop. Icelanders still believe in invisible elves—which is very good for the environment [The Atlantic] Part of the English…

Here’s what we really know and don’t know about alien civilizations

George Dvorsky explores some of the most plausible scenarios for alien civilizations based on what we know about life and the Universe—which is not a lot, but enough to make some educated guesses. https://gizmodo.com/some-of-the-most-plausible-scenarios-for-alien-civiliza-1458148674

The coming food riots of the twenty-first century

The next century could witness the rise of severe localized famines, leading to food riots, vulnerability to pandemics, and other problems. A leaked intergovernmental report suggests that famine is a likely scenario for the near future. Several journalists, including the New York Times’ Andrew Revkin, have posted a leaked version of a report from the…

Tesco to Use Face Scanners at Gas Pumps for Better Ad Targeting

Pumping gas at Tesco is about to get a lot more personal, thanks to new ad-targeting software that the grocery chain is installing at 450 stations in the United Kingdom. The new system will scan consumers’ faces and then feed them customized ads based on their age and gender. No permission necessary! This is obviously…

This Group Wants to Build a Museum of Science Fiction in Washington DC

Yesterday, a non-profit group in Washington, D.C. started a crowdfunding campaign on IndieGoGo with the hopes of building a new science fiction museum. Or at least a preview of one. According to a press release, the museum’s executive director, Greg Viggiano, explained that Washington, D.C. seemed to be a natural place for a sci-fi museum.…

Nexus 5 Review: The Best Android Can Offer (Especially For the Price)

This year, after having leaked more than a shot-up sieve, the long-awaited Nexus 5 is here with Android 4.4 (KitKat) in tow. It’s most definitely one of the best phones you can buy, even if it doesn’t quite meet its inflated expectations. https://gizmodo.com/did-google-accidentally-leak-the-next-nexus-phone-1247836161 What Is It? It’s the new Nexus, baby. It’s a smartphone from…

Some of the Most Plausible Scenarios for Alien Civilizations

We have yet to make contact with an extraterrestrial intelligence, making it exceedingly difficult for us to imagine what an alien civilization might be like. But that doesn’t mean we can’t make some educated guesses. Here’s what we know — and don’t know — about aliens. Top image: Filip Dudek via Concept Ships. Right at…

Audio-Technica ATH-ANC9, Pebbles, Kindles, Chromecasts, Moto X [Deals]

Audio-Technica has announced that they’ll be offering a $50 rebate on their fantastic ATH-ANC9 headphones. I’m currently wearing a pair of ATH-M50’s, which are my favorite headphones ever, one of the most popular items we ever listed deals on, and the headphone of choice around the office. Wireless, or wired with phone controls, can be…

Steven Universe is a show about “fantasy’s love affair with reality”

Rebecca Sugar was a crucial ingredient in Adventure Time, as an artist, writer and songwriter. And tonight sees the debut of her show Steven Universe, in which a little boy lives with a group of superpowered women. We talked to Sugar about why this show turns the usual relationship between fantasy and reality on its…

Super-Bugs Inadvertently Created by Spacecraft Sterilization Protocols

The European Space Agency has been collecting examples of “spacecraft-associated biology” in a small collection housed at the Leibniz-Institut DSMZ in Brunswick, Germany. 298 strains of “extremotolerant” bacteria, isolated from spacecraft-assembly rooms because they managed to survive the incredible methods used to clean spacecraft, are now being studied for their biological insight. How on earth…

These Guys Just Built the Website Healthcare.gov Should Have Been

Calling the launch of Healthcare.gov a complete and utter disaster may sound a bit dramatic—but unfortunately, it’s also pretty accurate. With only six people able to actually enroll out of the 4.7 million unique visitors the site saw on launch day, something clearly needs to change. And since the government has its hands full with…

Why This Glow in the Dark Ice Cream Costs $225 a Scoop

Of all the unique varieties that Ben & Jerry’s has concocted over the years, nothing can come close to the wonderful absurdity that is this glowing ice cream created by Charlie Francis. Using a synthesized version of the luminescent proteins that cause jellyfish to glow when they’re agitated, this gleaming frozen treat actually gets brighter…

The 9 Least Incredible Adventures the Incredible Hulk Ever Had

The Hulk is the strongest superhero of them all, but he’s not the smartest. And what he has in sheer power he often loses in common sense, decency, and overall dignity, as evidenced throughout his lengthy comics career. Here are nine stories of the Hulk that are incredible only in the sense that they are…