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A Nut-Cracking Hammer That Stops Shell Shrapnel

Although the nutcracker seems like an outdated piece of technology given you can buy nuts with the shells already removed, a small chunk of the population seems to still prefer doing it themselves. So nutcracker makers keep plying their trade, coming up with better and better designs, like this satisfying hammer that prevents shattered shells…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Sep 19 '14

Amazing video of people dancing on the wall of a building

This is Amelia Rudolph and Roel Seeker suspended on the wall of Oakland’s City Hall, dancing like some kind of fairies or angels. The effect of them moving over the building’s façade as it if were the ground is disoriented but really beautiful. I can watch them doing this forever. SPLOID is a new blog…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Sep 19 '14

The GIF Party Starts When You Get Here

This GIF Party is waiting on only one thing: You! What have you been up to this week? Send your news, life updates, any upcoming plans, and your new and old favorite GIFs into the comments. This party starts now. GIF by Charles Eubanks, via FrankN.Stein.

io9 Ria Misra Sep 19 '14

The Design of Spoons and Knives Can Change the Way We Taste Food

Chances are, you’ve spent more time thinking about the specs on your smartphone than about the gadgets that you use to put food in your mouth. But the shape and material properties of forks, spoons, and knives turn out to matter—a lot. Changes in the design of cutlery have not only affected how and what…

Tech News Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley, Gastropod Sep 19 '14

You Know About A Supernova. What About An “Unnova”?

The supernova is a well-publicized and frightening phenomenon. There’s also a phenomenon known as an “unnova.” You don’t want it in your backyard any more than you want a supernova. But to properly understand what an unnova is, you need to know what a star is like at the end of its life. For one…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Sep 19 '14

This Stained Glass Stormtrooper Helmet is actually a gorgeous Lamp

Never have the footsoldiers of a fascist interstellar empire looked so stylish as they do in this amazing life-sized recreation of Star Wars’ Stormtroopers by Etsy user Midian Craftworks. The work gone into the piece is nothing short of incredible – Nikita Leigh, the maker, had to cut each piece of glass (over 500 in…

Tech News James Whitbrook Sep 19 '14

How Far Off Is Star Trek 3? Plus Details Of The Arrow/Flash Crossover!

Rian Johnson explains how much leeway Disney’s given him for Star Wars. Ridley Scott’s The Martian is looking to cast another female character. Gotham walks a thin line between iconic moments and original takes. And details about Arrow and Agent of SHIELD’s new characters. Spoilers now! Top image: The Flash Star Wars Rian Johnson spoke…

io9 Katharine Trendacosta Sep 19 '14

7 iPhone 6 Plus Cases That Don’t Suck

Earlier this week, we asked you to help us prepare for today’s big iPhone release by hunting down those few and far between cases that don’t offend our most base sensibilities And you, dear readers, did not disappoint. Other than Apple’s own, proprietary fare (which is actually pretty nice!)—and also discounting this, which is our…

Tech News Ashley Feinberg Sep 19 '14

Bond Girls transformed into gorgeous Bond novels titles

British artist Michel Gillette got inspired by Ian Fleming’s seductive Bond girls to make these instantly classic book covers in 2009. They are now available for sale as a limited, hand-numbered high quality series printed on 100% cotton, hand torn paper. Each print is signed and numbered in pencil by Gillette. Individual prints are available…

Sploid Omar Kardoudi Sep 19 '14

Conan Thinks Apple Should Have Released an All-Encompassing U2-Remover

Despite how edgy and “punk rock” U2 thinks burdening millions of iPhones with its latest album was, there was still enough public outcry for Apple to create a custom tool to get that “music” off a user’s device. But did Apple go far enough? Conan thinks it shouldn’t have stopped at just getting U2 off…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Sep 19 '14

Behold The Rare One-Horned “Unicorn” Rhino

It’s one of the rarest rhinos in the world, but in Nepal’s Chitwan National Park, a former royal hunting reserve, almost 500 of the mythical beasts live mostly in peace. [Earth Touch]

Biology Jason G. Goldman Sep 19 '14

The four more likely places to host alien life in the Solar System

NASA’s astronomy picture of the day is nothing especial today. At least for more people. For me it is special because I like to look at the four moons that tantalize Earth scientists with the possibility of life—four moons that we should explore soon, shown here to scale. So beautiful, they never get old. The…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Sep 19 '14

Amazing aerial view from the top of the Swiss Alps

Mammut is celebrating its 150th anniversary climbing 150 peaks around the world and capturing stunning images like this one: A group of mountain climbers atop one of the highest peaks in the Bernese Alps, in Switzerland. This is how they made it: SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us on Facebook

Sploid Omar Kardoudi Sep 19 '14

What Does This Game Reveal About Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar?

As is his wont, Christopher Nolan’s been close-lipped about what happens in his next film Interstellar. But now there’s a free game based on it available at the official website, and it reveals a tiny bit more about the film. In a neat bit of marketing, Interstellar’s made a game that combines a planet maker…

Movies Katharine Trendacosta Sep 19 '14

Fingertip Sensor Makes Robots Better (And Far Scarier)

Good as robots are at repeating the same motion over and over, they can’t adapt to situations nearly as well as good ‘old flesh-and-bones. That’s where MIT’s new fingertip sensor comes in. The technology employed to make a robot version of our fingertips is sophisticated, but surprisingly simple. It uses an existing project called GelSight,…

Tech News Chris Mills Sep 19 '14

Cool retro soul music video is worthy of its own James Bond movie

Jazz singer Kellylee Evans has a great new video directed by Julien & Quentin for her song My Name Is, from the album I Remember When. Retro soul at its best with visuals to match. Worth of a James Bond movie. Or perhaps Peter Sellers. Canadian musician Kellylee Evans sings jazz and soul music like…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Sep 19 '14

This must-watch PSA has left me speechless

More than a hundred NGO’s—including Oxfam, Save the Children, and Amnesty International—have united to put pressure on next week’s United Nations General Assembly meeting with this shocking PSA. As the slogan says: We can’t reverse what’s happened in Syria but we can change how the story ends. I really hope they will. The director of…

Sploid Omar Kardoudi Sep 19 '14

12 cars drifting on a racetrack at the same time looks like a lot of fun

Some of the sequences in this video featuring Ryan Tuerck and 11 other formula drift drivers—filmed at Pat’s Acres Racing Complex in Canby, Oregon—reminds me of those old 8-bit top perspective racing games from the 80s. I want to grab a joystick and play Super Off-Road all day now. SPLOID is a new blog about…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Sep 19 '14

This Incredible Aurora Is 2014’s Best Astronomy Photograph

Another year, and another set of winners of the Royal Observatory’s Best Astronomy Photographer. This year’s overall winner is this insane shot of an aurora captured over a glacier, which is so other-wordly it looks like it was made with special effects. The winning shot was captured by the UK’s James Woodend over the Vatnajökull…

Space & Spaceflight Chris Mills Sep 19 '14

A flight emergency landing can’t be more chilled out than this

This video shows the emergency descent of Jetblue flight 1416, which happened yesterday, September 18. Seeing those oxygen masks going down as the cabin fills up with smoke—after one of the engines stops!—is the beginning of one of my worst nightmares. Yet, all passengers seem completely calm about it. Even the guy holding the camera…

Sploid Jesus Diaz Sep 19 '14

A Nut-Cracking Hammer That Stops Shell Shrapnel

Amazing video of people dancing on the wall of a building

The GIF Party Starts When You Get Here

The Design of Spoons and Knives Can Change the Way We Taste Food

You Know About A Supernova. What About An “Unnova”?

This Stained Glass Stormtrooper Helmet is actually a gorgeous Lamp

How Far Off Is Star Trek 3? Plus Details Of The Arrow/Flash Crossover!

7 iPhone 6 Plus Cases That Don’t Suck

Bond Girls transformed into gorgeous Bond novels titles

Conan Thinks Apple Should Have Released an All-Encompassing U2-Remover

Behold The Rare One-Horned “Unicorn” Rhino

The four more likely places to host alien life in the Solar System

Amazing aerial view from the top of the Swiss Alps

What Does This Game Reveal About Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar?

Fingertip Sensor Makes Robots Better (And Far Scarier)

Cool retro soul music video is worthy of its own James Bond movie

This must-watch PSA has left me speechless

12 cars drifting on a racetrack at the same time looks like a lot of fun

This Incredible Aurora Is 2014’s Best Astronomy Photograph

A flight emergency landing can’t be more chilled out than this

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