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Republican Bills Would Strip the FCC of Its Power to Regulate the Web

Republicans in the House and Senate have introduced net neutrality bills that would strip the Federal Communications Commission of its ability to effectively regulate the internet. The new legislation is, at its root, a way to deregulate the telecom industry by curbing the FCC’s powers. And unsurprisingly, this kind of legislation is being championed by…

NYC’s Newest Skyscraper Won’t Stop Raining Down Hunks of Metal and Rock

432 Park Avenue, the tallest residential building in the Western Hemisphere, is many things: A billionaire magnet; a vessel for the world’s fanciest bathroom; a dormitory for “maids.” Oh, and a serious hazard for anyone walking near it. Earlier today, we took a look at the very rational reasons that pieces of metal keep falling…

Artist Paints On Old Photographs And Turns Victorians Into Monsters

Old-fashioned cabinet cards get a second life in the hands of artist Colin Batty. He paints onto the old photographs, turning their unsmiling subjects into vampires, aliens, sharkmen, and all other manner of bizarre monster. Vampire Girl Blazin’ Groom Bug Ladies Hooded Killer Mr. Dorsal The Root of Evil Snake Boy I’m Your Puppet CentiPatty…

These Circular Runways Were Designed To Catapult Planes Skyward

The January 10, 1960 edition of Arthur Radebaugh’s Sunday comic “Closer Than We Think” includes a curious invention that was supposed to literally catapult us into the Jet Age: The circular runway. From the Chicago Tribune: The heart of tomorrow’s airfield may be a circular catapult-like mechanism for sending planes into the air. It would…

This Chart Shows The Worst Diseases That Don’t Get Enough Research Money

Do the diseases that claim the most years of our lives really get the most research funding? This chart takes on that question — and reveals which diseases we may need to focus more on. The chart is the work of Catherine Richards a staff scientist at the Hutchinson Institute for Cancer Outcomes Research on…

On This Week’s Archer, Sterling Meets An Old Foe, Becomes A Verb

The second Archer episode of its sixth season is even better than the first, and it hints at what’s to come in its title: “Three to Tango.” A trip to Argentina perhaps? Spoilers ahead! https://gizmodo.com/archer-is-back-and-were-cautiously-optimistic-about-it-1678561812 At the behest of the CIA and Christian Slater (playing a version of himself that enjoys sports metaphors and insists…

The Weirdest Alcohol Laws in America

Growing up in New England, I got used to seeing the supermarket beer aisle shrouded in white plastic every Sunday, lest the alcohol tempt us at a sacred time (thanks Puritans!). The region certainly has some pretty restrictive alcohol laws, but they’re hardly the oddest. For that, let’s take a tour around the country to…

io9 Newsstand: Favorite Podcasts for January 1 – 16

Happy New Year! A little belatedly, I know. The first of the year is busy busy busy, and not just for me. I hear tell of changes in editorial staff at at least two major SFF magazines. And award season is upon us! More on that next week. This week it’s all about the podcasts.…

And Now, A Fully Functioning R/C SHIELD Helicarrier

Why yes, that is an R/C plane launching off a working, flying R/C Helicarrier. What a marvellous world we live in. This incredible feat of R/C vehicle-stroke-comic-book madness comes from the fine folks at FliteTest, who have been working on their Helicarrier build for a while now – but judging by their latest youtube video,…

This Toaster Turns Tortillas Into Tasty Taco Shells

As far as kitchen unitaskers go, Alton Brown would be horrified at this toaster that’s actually only able to turn fresh home-made flour or corn tortillas into hard-shelled tacos. You cram a piece of bread in there and you’ll probably be getting a (much appreciated) visit from your local fire department. But since soft tortillas…

This 3D-Printed Vase Shows Different People’s Faces As You Turn It

You may be familiar with the “vase or two faces” images (known as Rubin’s vase), where a single image looks like both a vase and two faces in profile. This oddly shaped vase goes much farther than that. It shows two profiles at a time, but those profiles change as the vase spins around. Gif…

Oculus Rift Could Make Music Software Way Easier to Use

Design student Bryon Mallett might be onto something with this impressive virtual realty rig for playing and composing music. Finally somebody’s building something actually useful for Oculus Rift that’s not just a damn advertisement. Music production software can be really complicated to use, which is why most people attach all kinds of external control surfaces.…

What did we do to deserve this? Whatever it is, we’re really, really sorry. We swear we won’t do it again. But our remorse is as naught, for lo — they are making a sequelto the shittastic Ouija movie.

The Most Common Misconceptions About Getting Sick, Debunked

In the latest installment of Mental Floss’ debunk-tastic series Misconceptions, Elliott Morgan serves up factual counterpoints to ten of the most common misconceptions about getting sick. It’s all in here – from food poisoning myths to false notions about the common cold. For my money, the most interesting myth on this list is the one…

This Is a Tripod Desk. And Yes, You Need One Too.

This is my tripod desk. There are many like it, but this one is mine. Actually, that’s a lie: I’ve never seen anyone else with a tripod desk, and that’s crazy to me. Do you want a standing desk that improves your posture, or maybe that you just can’t stop forcing into casual conversation? This…

Ernie Cline Is Writing Another Ready Player One Novel

We still don’t know when Armada, Ernie Cline’s next book, is coming out. But now we have something else to look forward to — he’s writing a followup to his novel about people in a dark future who are obsessed with 80s video games, Ready Player One. Top image: Ready Player One movie promo artwork…

Chuck‘s Zach Levi Joins Heroes Reborn In Attempt To Make It Watchable

Zachary Levi is returning to NBC, but not as the super-spy Chuck. This time he’ll be the lead of the upcoming Heroes sequel series, which is possibly the only casting announcement the show could have made that makes me slightly less apprehensive about this probably trainwreck. Levi is an intensely likable lead, which is not…

The Most Ingeniously Cheapskate Props And Sets From Classic Movies

Some of the best TV shows were made for a song — but did you know that some of your favorite movies have featured ridiculously cheap scenery and props, as well? We’re not just talking 1950s “B” movies, but more recent stuff. Here are some of the most wonderfully cheap sets and props from classic…

Every State Should Make the Bold Internet Investment New York Just Did

Good news if you live in New York! Your internet is about to get faster and cheaper, and all it took was the shuffling of funds from big corporate banks to companies working hard to improve infrastructure for the good of the people—if you live in New York. Good job, New York. Your turn, every…

Everything You Need To Know About Cyberterrorism In One Chart

I don’t know how we missed this chart on its first go-around (it was created by Eli Dourado in May 2014, using data extrapolated from a 2013 op-ed by Jon Mooallem, who spent the summer of that year keeping track of power outages caused by squirrels), but it is everything, and you deserve to know…