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Here’s what third-century China thought about the Roman Empire

Third-century China got around the ancient world. They even made it to the Roman Empire, and wrote down their thoughts on these strange foreigners in the Weilüe, a third-century C.E. account of the interactions between the two nations. Here’s what China had to say about their imperial neighbors! From a translation by the University of…

The 233-Year History of the Bicycle In One Handy Chart

For those who live and breathe by two-wheeled transportation, bicycles are more than just a way to get from here to there. The immediate, wind-on-your-face freedom of pedaling fast is a feeling that just can’t be matched by wandering around, road-tripping, or pretty much any kind of public transport. For their latest foray into in-depth…

How to Make a Watermelon Smoothie Using Just a Drill and a Coat Hanger

Now that it’s September, you probably want to soak up as much of the summer as possible. And nothing says summer like watermelon. YouTube’s favorite hacker Mark Rober just posted a video showing you how to make a watermelon smoothie in under two minutes. Get it while you can. Just one question: What happens with…

The Greatest Google Doodles From Each Year of Google History

Today marks the official 15th birthday of everyone’s favorite startup search engine turned tech giant turned Big Brother. And even though many have had their gripes, it’s hard not to look back at our Google-fueled time online with a sense of fondness. Because no matter where you might find yourself in life, you know that…

When Food Goes Bad: Binge Eating, Reward, and the Brain

Food is more than what we like or don’t like. It’s also more than a relationship between our stomach, our tongues and noses. There is a very strong relationship between food and your brain, and when it goes wrong, the results can be devastating. This post originally appeared on Scientific American’s SciCurious blog, as part…

We’re getting a Max Steel movie instead of a Thundercats movie

Max Steel — a cartoon that looks like Tron but isn’t — is getting its own movie. Seriously, who do we have to jazz-dance seduce to get a live-action Thundercats movie instead? Max Steel is an action figure line from Mattel, which spawned an animated series that ran from 2000 to 2002, and a reboot…

A Brief History of Buildings That Melt Things

In London this week, a parabolic “death ray” of sunshine—reflected off of London’s newest skyscraper—is destroying luxury cars, starting fires, and frying eggs for comedic effect (oh, England). It’s a sensational story, but this isn’t the first time an architectural laser has literally burned the hair off of passersby. The offending tower—better know as 20…

Dealzmodo: Belkin USB Surge Protector $10, Vizio 60″ Smart TV

This 3 outlet, 2 USB port Belkin Surge Protector is your impulse purchase of the day. I own one and find it incredibly useful, both at home and for travel. The plug rotates, so you can orient it any way you like. Comes highly recommended by Lifehacker and many other publications. Only $10. [Amazon] Almost…

Galaxy Gear Hands On: More Watch Than You’ll Ever Need

Samsung’s smartwatch is really real. And really awkward. We got some hands on time with the brand new ticker—called Galaxy Gear—and these are our first impressions. https://gizmodo.com/galaxy-gear-everything-you-need-to-know-about-samsung-1252036188 Design Galaxy Gear comes in six different colors that are reminiscent of playful Swatch wristwear. But Gear is a lot heftier than any old Swatch ticker. It has…

If you own Photoshop CS3 or higher—the time might be rip for an upgrade to the Creative Cloud version of the application. If you sign up for a Adobe Photoshop CC subscription by the end of the year, you’ll only pay $10 per month--forever. Usually a membership costs $20/$30 per month depending on whether you…

Pioneer’s New HUD Brings Augmented Reality to Cars for Less Than $1,000

Just a couple of years ago, the idea of a device projecting information driving directions onto a car’s windshield seemed super futuristic. Now they’re becoming a reality, with the European release of Pioneer’s NavGate head-up display the latest. And believe it or not, this one’s actually pretty affordable. The new but long-awaited augmented reality NavGate…

What to do in September to save money in the next few months

Back to school, holiday travel, holiday gifts, year-end tax planning… September is a crucial month if you want to save a lot of money in the coming months till May, the other crucial financial month. Here’s a good list of things to do. https://lifehacker.com/the-financial-moves-you-should-make-in-september-1250711845

The first smart watches are as stupid as I imagined

After the commoditization of phones and tablets, companies are desperate to find the next big thing. Some believe that people really want smart watches. The only problem is that smart watches are stupid. Smart watches are like the old 1980s Casio calculator watch but without the tiny buttons and sightly smarter. Take the Galaxy Gear…

A Dirt Savvy Vacuum That Greenlights a Clean Floor

It’s easy to tell when hardwood floors are clean, but it’s not so obvious when it comes to carpets. Who knows how much dust, dirt, and debris are hidden amongst those fibers? So instead of randomly running a vacuum over every inch of your living room, hoping it’s clean, Samsung’s new Motion Sync vac tells…

Qualcomm Has a Smartwatch Too and It’s the Anti Galaxy Gear

Happy smart watch day! Let’s have a hearty welcome for our newest party guest: Qualcomm. That’s right, the Snapdragon chipmaker will be peddling its own watch—the Toq—direct to consumers. And it’s a way different take than Samsung’s Galaxy Gear. On the spectrum of standalone to accessory, Qualcomm’s Toq skews enthusiastically toward the latter. Think “watch…

How to Spot Comet ISON in the Early Morning Sky

OK, you’ve waited patiently for “Comet of the Century” ISON to brighten and reappear in the dawn sky. Now it has. Now you’re chomping at the bit for a look at it in your telescope. Before you set the alarm and venture into the night, let’s prepare for what to expect. The better you know…

22 Tantalizing Photos of Tattoos

Tattoos are painful. They’re also beautiful—an aesthetic commitment that someone chooses to adopt forever. And in photography, they can make a wonderful bridge between the human form and the artistic touch. WINNER: Personal Compass Camera: Olympus E-500 ISO 400 f/3.5 1/400 sec I took my son to the beach later in the late afternoon on…

Campbell Award winning writer Mur Lafferty is here today! Talk to her!

In August, the io9 book club read Mur Lafferty’s hilarious fantasy novel The Shambling Guide to New York City. Since then, she’s won the coveted Campbell Award for best new author. Now, Lafferty is here today from 12:30-1:30 PDT to chat with you! Just jump into comments and ask questions, and Lafferty will get to…

Watch Simon Pegg trick his Trek castmates into wearing “Neutron Cream”

When Star Trek Into Darkness came out in May, Simon Pegg was constantly talking on the publicity circuit about how he pranked his fellow actors by claiming their were dangerous ions on the set, and they needed to wear “neutron cream” to prevent any negative affects. Now we have behind-the-scenes footage of Pegg’s deception in…

Samsung’s new Galaxy Gear smartwatch, Galaxy Note III, and Note 10.1 will be out on September 25. Update: The Note 3 and Gear will be out some time in October for the US and Japan—the Sept. 25 date was for the rest of the world. Gee, thanks, guys. [Liveblog]