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Does America have the guts to boycott Russia’s bigoted Olympics?

Russia is not America’s pal. Politically, there are disputes over NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden’s temporary asylum in Moscow and Russian President Vladimir Putin’s autocratic government. But the issue that’s really souring U.S.-Russian relations is the same issue that’s still dividing America: gay rights. [Photo of Kseniya Ryzhova and Tatyana Firova kissing in protest of Russia’s…

What exactly is a Blue Moon, anyway?

Tonight you’ll have a chance to witness a rare “Blue Moon” with your very own eyes. But what does that mean, exactly? You’ve probably heard the term “once in a Blue Moon” used to refer to rare events — but just how rare is a Blue Moon, really? And what’s so special about them in…

PS4 Is Coming November 15th to North America

Playstation 4 is coming! Playstation 4 is coming! When? November 15th to North America. How much? The previously announced $400 price tag. Only 87 days to go, baby. Are we excited? Yesssss. https://gizmodo.com/sonys-ps4-is-400-512483428 Today at Sony’s Playstation Gamescom press conference, the company finally spilled the details about when we’d finally get our mitts on the…

The Real Reason Why Grown-Ups Love Young-Adult Fantasy Books

Marie Rutkoski’s young-adult novel The Winner’s Curse is already getting early raves. We’ve got the exclusive reveal of the book’s gorgeous cover, plus an essay in which Rutkoski, an English professor as well as a YA author, explains why adults love young-adult novels. Liminal Fantasy Eat the goblin fruit. Walk with the wolf. Kiss the…

3D Ads Between Suitcases Make Japan’s Luggage Carousels Far More Fun

One of the most tedious parts of air travel is waiting for your bag to arrive on the luggage carousel after a long flight. But in Japan, the wait is far more bearable because the luggage carousels are covered in fun 3D advertisements humorously selling you everything from sushi to the local produce. So here’s…

What really causes that amazing “after the rain” smell?

After a rainstorm, especially a rain storm that breaks a long dry spell, the world smells different. What causes that strange, clean, earthy smell? A few things that aren’t so clean. One of the benefits of living in California is the extraordinary smell you get after the first rain of the fall. Generally it’s in…

What Happens When You Stick Your Head Into a Particle Accelerator

Today I found out what happens when you stick your head into a particle accelerator. Exhibit A: Anatoli Petrovich Bugorski, a Russian scientist who has the distinction of being the only person to ever stick his head in a running particle accelerator. Shockingly, he also managed to survive the ordeal and, all things considered, came…

Amazon’s Bundling Conde Nast Print and Digital Subscriptions for Cheap

Internet juggernaut Amazon and print media juggernaut Conde Nast are debuting one-click print and web subscriptions to some of Conde Nast’s most popular magazines today. Buy a print subscription through Amazon All Access, and you’ll get immediate access to the web version, with six-month print plus digital trial subscriptions starting at three bucks. For now,…

Boost Your Typophile Street Cred With These Beautiful Font Flashcards

Whether you’re an old pro or just beginning to take an interest in type, Fontspotting—a downloadable font flashcard game—is so jam-packed with typographical details that you’re pretty much destined to learn something new. And the best part? It’s totally free. Of course, you’re more than welcome to make a donation to the Australia-based duo behind…

How do “Citizen Scientists” stack up against the experts?

Anybody can contribute to the progress of science! There are plenty of “Citizen Scientist” projects that let you help with scientific research. But one question lingers: How reliable are the results produced by non-experts? A new study provides some good news. The new research, which was published last month in the open-access journal PLOS ONE,…

NSA surveillance scandal: Major legal site shuts down over spying

A legal website used by attorneys to privately discuss case law is shutting down after 10 years because the owner no longer feels the site’s users are protected from government spying. After federal threats led to the closure of several secure email providers, the publisher of Groklaw closed her own operation last night, saying she…

Real-life Rapunzel has enough hair to drop down a four-story building

Is your hair driving you crazy? Be thankful you aren’t this lady, who has hair so long it could be used as a rope to climb up a four-story building. What made this Atlanta resident decide to quit getting haircuts back when Ronald Reagan was president? https://jezebel.com/meet-the-woman-with-55-foot-long-dreadlocks-1169935017

10 Influential Movies (Where Everybody Copied the Wrong Thing)

Every once in a while, a movie comes along that changes everything. A film that rewrites the rules and influences a generation of film-makers. But all too often, the people who imitate these ground-breaking movies miss the point. Here are 10 science fiction and fantasy movies from which everybody copied the wrong thing. https://gizmodo.com/19-science-fiction-movies-that-could-change-your-life-5963166 1)…

Watch Sony’s PlayStation 4 Gamescom Press Conference Live

While we already know pretty much everything there is to about the PS4, there are still a few precious details left to reveal. Here’s a stream Sony’s Gamescom press conference, which should be starting any minute now: Live streaming video by Ustream

iOS Is Getting a Fancy New YouTube App Too

You know how we said you’d have to wait and see for an iOS version? Well the wait is over, and the see should be happening a little later today. SURPRISE! https://gizmodo.com/youtubes-getting-a-functional-makeover-on-android-1168594630

Incredible Footage From a Time When Film Ruled High-Speed Photography

Digital cameras and high-speed photography go hand in hand today, with many models letting you easily adjust the frame rate to capture your own high-speed footage. But believe it or not, high-speed digital cameras are actually a relatively new technology. Up until recently this was another area of photography where film still reigned supreme. In…

Two months after announcing that it would cut back, Barnes and Noble now says that it will continue to manufacture the entire line of Nook devices. You can also expect a new Nook for the holidays. [CNET]

New high-res maps of Earth’s surprisingly inconsistent gravity field

Though it seems hard to believe, Earth’s gravitational pull is not the same everywhere you go. And as these gorgeously detailed maps now show, these variances are much greater than we thought. Top image: The low gravity atop Mount Everest (credit: GGMplus/Curtin University). Gravity varies on our planet owing to a number of factors. It’s…

This Glowing Train Is Bringing Art, Music, and Yurts to Middle America

The best music and art festival of 2013 isn’t happening in a park or on a boat. It’s taking place on a moving train. Profiled in Wired’s forthcoming Design Issue, artist Doug Aitken is packing a slew of artists and bands onto a train, crossing from New York to San Francisco over the course of…

Mike Tyson wins first combat in a decade—against his own Nintendo game

“Pum! Pum! Pum! Oh, up your ass, dude! Take this! take this!” That’s Mike Tyson winning his first combat since 2001, playing his own Nintendo game for the first time. Look at him—he’s just like a little kid with a new toy. So cute. https://kotaku.com/watch-mike-tyson-play-mike-tysons-punch-out-for-the-f-1170599272