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Ranking the World’s Most Influential Thinkers

By using a network analysis similar to the page-rank algorithm used by Google, Swiss researchers have compiled a “Thought Leader Map.” As their results show, the era of the great authorities appears to have come to an end. Perhaps surprisingly, this may be the first truly systematic analysis of its kind. Most lists, like TIME’s…

Unrealistic movie about tiny blue elves accidentally includes female

Smurfs are some kind of idiot garbage from Nazi Germany. A company got the (presumably cheap) rights to make bad cartoons from these blue toys, and the resulting movies are predictably terrible. One funny part is there is just one female Smurf, who must be the sex interest and also the mother of all the…

An iPhone-Thin Battery Perfect For Charging Your iPhone’s Thin Battery

There are almost as many external battery pack options for your smartphone as there are cases, and given the multitude of options there are probably two important factors to seriously consider: capacity and design. And a leading contender for both these considerations is the new Jackery Air. The battery measures in at just slightly thicker…

Google: Non-Gmail Users Have No Legitimate Expectation of Privacy (Updated)

Here’s some more bad news to add to the pile of concern over email vulnerability, a brief filed by Google’s attorneys has just surfaced and revealed that Gmail non-Gmail users who exchange emails with a Gmail user should have “no legitimate expectation of privacy”—ever. https://gizmodo.com/another-secure-email-service-silent-circle-is-shuttin-1075763867 The brief, unearthed by Consumer Watchdog, was filed on July…

The cast of Kick-Ass 2 explain their new powers, cuss us out

We spoke with the newly-rebooted Motherfucker (Christopher Mintz-Plasse), the brand-new super Dr. Gravity (Donald Faison) and new Kick-Ass 2 character John Leguizamo all about blood, guts, costumes, and swear words. It was awesome. Behold the next group of little ass kickers from Kick-Ass 2. Christopher Mintz-Plasse: The first movie was just bubble gum and blood……

Rare Photos of Paris’s Mechanical Moving Sidewalks from 1900

It may not be quite as fast as Elon Musk’s plan for the Hyperloop, but back at the turn of the 20th century the moving sidewalk was The Future™! I was doing some research on World’s Fairs at the L.A. Library this past weekend when I found an absolutely gorgeous rare book from 1900. Paris…

Carrots don’t help your eyesight: it’s a WW2 British Intelligence ruse

Radar was the key technology to win the Battle of Britain against the Nazis. To protect their secret weapon, British Intelligence invented a propaganda campaign that claimed their pilots could see in the dark because they ate a lot of carrots. https://gizmodo.com/youve-been-lied-to-about-carrots-your-whole-life-becau-1124868510

Why Smoking a Bowl Makes You Tired and Lazy

Even as the body of evidence of cannabis’ potential as a potent medical precursor grows (especially with the development of CBD-rich strains), smoking it is not without long-term side effects. And we’re not just talking about munchie-induced weight gain, either. A number of recently published studies suggest habitually getting high not only kills your motivation,…

This noctilucent cloud video is the perfect vacation for your brain

Noctilucent clouds are some of the most poorly understood meteorological phenomena on Earth. High-hanging and electric-blue in hue, the ethereal, night-shining formations feature prominently in this beautiful film by photographer P-M Hedén. https://gizmodo.com/these-remarkable-clouds-look-even-more-incredible-from-5921350 https://gizmodo.com/the-mystery-of-clouds-that-glow-at-night-5971438 Shot earlier this summer for The World A Night (TWAN) during a month-long visit to Sweden, Hedén’s short combines a smattering…

12 Reflected Revelations and Reveals

Indirect glimpses of skylines, sailboats, signage, and selfies. Sometimes the indirect approach can yield amazing results. WINNER: Fist So I saw the guidelines and realized I was going on vacation to see my family, and so I’d have access to my camera and my dad’s. We went around the Chicago Museum of Art looking for…

This Google easter egg takes you from London to a very secret place

Fans of British sci-fi series Dr. Who will ooohaaah endlessly at this amazing easter egg in Google Streetview. Put your Chrome in incognito mode and follow these instructions to get from the real world Police Box at Earl’s Court tube station into the TARDIS, the Timelord’s spacetime craft. https://jalopnik.com/google-maps-has-an-incredible-dr-who-easter-egg-1121878011

Learn to fight the Shatner way with Captain Kirk’s Top 10 Fight Moves

I sincerely hope this video results in a nation-wide line of official William Shatner Dojos. More people need to know how to perform the “Wall of Destruction” properly… although I imagine anyone teaching the “Kiss and Dismiss” is going to get arrested. [Via Geeks Are Sexy]

You’ve Been Lied to About Carrots Your Whole Life Because of Nazis

You’ve probably heard the myth that eating lots of carrots will magically improve your vision. The bad news is that it’s a total lie. The good news? It’s one that helped the Allies defeat the Nazis. Here’s the truth: Carrots are rich in beta carotene (Vitamin A), and thus, eating lots of carrots helps promote…

Facebook is testing out a new VIP-only app that encourages celeb(rity publicist) interaction with fans. By trying to get famous Facebookers to interact with the people liking and sharing their statuses and photos, Facebook hopes to foster some Twitter-style conversation. [Valleywag]

Scientists Just Grew Human Heart Tissue That Beats With Total Autonomy

Coming fresh on the heels of the news that scientists are successfully 3D printing live, working, mini human kidneys, a new report in Nature is giving another burst of hope to the future of organ transplants. For the very first time, a research team has been able to grow human heart tissue that beats totally…

Dealzmodo: $144 Chromebook, 4TB USB3, Kindle Fire HD, Breaking Bad

At a mere $144, “impulse buy” would be an understatement when describing this refurb used Samsung Chromebook deal. Priced at $26 below our last deal of the day mention, we obviously have no trouble recommending it. [Amazon] Update: I’m not actually sure what Amazon Warehouse’s process is, I’ll look into it, but we’re gonna go…

A new scientific explanation for near-death experiences

Many people on their deathbeds report seeing a long corridor with a brilliant light at the end of it. Could it be heaven? Probably not. New research shows that these near-death visions may be linked to intense electrical surges that cause “hyper real” thoughts in our brains. A team of researchers found that during “clinical…

A straw that will prevent you from ever being roofied

Now you don’t have to worry whether somebody has slipped roofies into your drink. A group of engineers have founded DrinkSavvy, a company that makes cups and straws that change color in the presence of common date-rape drugs GHB, Rohypnol, and Ketamine. It’s far too common for people to be unwittingly drugged at a bar…

Sleazy college football star comes from family of cockfighters

Johnny Manziel is a college football star currently in trouble for allegedly selling his own autographs. Yet his Texas family is supposedly loaded with cash, from Texas redneck pursuits such as oil drilling, small-time scams and … cockfighting. [Photo via Shutterstock.] https://deadspin.com/the-long-con-how-the-manziels-conquered-america-1040593220

Battery-Free Wireless Devices Let You Send Texts After Your Phone Dies

We’re one step closer to a true internet of things with the development of new technology that lets devices communicate with each other using existing TV and Wi-Fi signals. The most impressive part? They don’t require batteries. https://gizmodo.com/will-the-internet-of-things-make-our-lives-any-easier-508710992 A team of researchers from the University of Washington just unveiled this new communication technique that doesn’t…