Latest

Could We Really Terraform An Asteroid?

In Kim Stanley Robinson’s novel 2312, people hollow out the insides of asteroids and terraform them. They use these “terrariums” as massive spaceship habitats. Here’s the science that could make this possible. https://maddiestone.kinja.com/life-inside-an-asteroid-the-plausibility-of-2312-1597777714

io9 Ria Misra Jul 1 '14

The Real-Life Baby Animals That Inspired Earth To Echo‘s Alien

The latest addition to the family-friendly boy-meets-alien genre is Earth to Echo, which features characters that are much more realistic than anything you’ll see on the Disney Channel. We spoke with the director about channeling authentic kid dialogue and the creation of the cutest little alien robot to ever meep. Earth to Echo felt very…

Movies Meredith Woerner Jul 1 '14

FTC: T-Mobile Took Hundreds of Millions of Bogus Charges on Phone Bills

The Federal Trade Commission has accused T-Mobile of placing hundreds of millions of dollars of bogus charges onto its customers’ phone bills. The FTC alleges T-Mobile engaged in a shady practice known as “third party billing,” or “cramming.” Customers would get charged from shifty “premium texting” third party services, like the kinds that send horoscopes…

Tech News Kate Knibbs Jul 1 '14

Plato Invented the First Alarm Clock

When you get up in the morning, take a moment to curse the ancient Greeks. One of them, Plato, invented the thing that torments you. Learn the story of the earliest alarm clocks. Despite their love of logical rigor, people weren’t always exact in the ancient world. Without easy access to precise time-keeping, it was…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jul 1 '14

I Explored Second Life’s Forgotten Worlds With an Oculus Rift

Don’t call it a comeback. Second Life has been here for years—eleven, this month—but after the virtual world’s much-vaunted debut, the online universe slowly slipped out of the cultural consciousness, now infrequently referenced more as a punchline than legitimate popular hangout. Unless you, like I did last week, have an Oculus Rift handy. You’d think…

Tech News Jordan Kushins Jul 1 '14

Why Solitary Confinement Is The Worst Kind Of Psychological Torture

There may be as many as 80,000 American prisoners currently locked-up in a SHU, or segregated housing unit. Solitary confinement in a SHU can cause irreversible psychological effects in as little as 15 days. Here’s what social isolation does to your brain, and why it should be considered torture. There’s no universal definition for solitary…

io9 George Dvorsky Jul 1 '14

Inside the Secret Building That’s Bringing Cell Service To NYC’s Subway

As Hurricane Sandy revealed almost two years ago, New York’s 100-year-old subway is not a modern and robust system. In fact, compared to other cities, it’s downright dirty, unpredictable and technologically behind. But the Metro Transit Authority is currently dragging it into the future—and I got the chance to go behind the scenes of the…

Tech News Nicholas Stango Jul 1 '14

The Sony Walkman was introduced in the U.S. as the Soundabout.

Sony first called it the Stowaway in the UK, the Freestyle in Australia, and the Soundabout in the U.S. — but eventually it would become known everywhere as the Walkman. https://gizmodo.com/stealing-my-brothers-walkman-1598510972 From Untapped Revenue: Smartphones, A Smart Move for the Music Industry by Hunter David Ripley: One of the first portable cassette players that Sony…

Tech News Matt Novak Jul 1 '14

NASA’s New Satellite Could Unravel the Mystery of Our Changing Climate

The Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 is a satellite tasked with tracking carbon sequestration around the world. It could revolutionize climate science, if only it could get into orbit. The original satellite crashed into the ocean, while the replacement’s launch was scrubbed in the final minute of countdown. Timelapse of the Mobile Service Tower (MST) rollback to…

Tech News Mika McKinnon Jul 1 '14

Watch a sneak preview of the new Monty Python show opening tonight

Monty Python’s new mostly-live-show premieres tonight at the London O2 Arena. And they just released this video to show a little bit of what a few lucky bastards will get to see. As the reader LoadStar points out, the shows will be broadcasted live here. SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us…

Sploid Omar Kardoudi Jul 1 '14

Was George Eliot The Best Science Fiction Writer Who Didn’t Write SF?

George Eliot’s work, especially Middlemarch, deals with the impact of new technologies on society. And her worldbuilding, in the sense of creating a microcosm of society, is second to none. So perhaps it’s not surprising that author Jo Walton argues Eliot had a “science-fictional mind.” Talking to David Naimon on Naimon’s podcast, Walton talks about…

Books & Comics Charlie Jane Anders Jul 1 '14

A Grandma Discovered This Untouched 1990s Arcade In Her New Building

Real estate is a fun adventure for many reasons, including the possibility that the building’s former owner may have left something behind. That was the case recently when an elderly woman bought a building in Japan’s Chiba prefecture, only to discover the perfectly preserved remnants of an old arcade on two floors. It’s like a…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes Jul 1 '14

This Wonder Woman Sweater Pattern Is A Great Excuse To Take Up Knitting

You can’t buy this star-spangled Wonder Woman sweater, but if you have the knitting chops, you can make it yourself. Natalie Bursztyn cooked up the pattern for this heroic sweater, and has posted it for free on Ravelry. Time to haul out the knitting needles—or cozy up to someone who know how to whip up…

io9 Lauren Davis Jul 1 '14

Gorgeous Topographic Tables Look Like the Earth From Above

Don’t you wish your furniture looked more like the surface of the Earth? No? Well maybe you should, because holy crap—it is beautiful when done well. And designer Greg Klassen does it well. This Washington-based furniture maker handpicks timber from around the Pacific Northwest that he sculpts into intriguingly rough yet strikingly sophisticated pieces. Klassen’s…

Tech News Adam Clark Estes Jul 1 '14

Deals: Amazon Anime Sale, PC Game Pre-Orders, Sandman Omnibus

Amazon is having a nice little sale on quite a few anime sets, so stock up. Inuyasha: Complete Deluxe Movies Box Set (Limited Edition) ($30) | Amazon Serial Experiments Lain: Complete Series($19) | Amazon Eureka Seven: Part One($21) | Amazon Eureka Seven: Part Two($21) | Amazon Heaven’s Lost Property: Season 1($19) | Amazon Heaven’s Lost…

io9 Shane Roberts Jul 1 '14

Transformers: Age Of Extinction: The Spoiler FAQ

Did you watch Michael Bay’s newest cinematic aberration this weekend and come away confused? Our patented Spoiler FAQ has the answers to every question you have about the Transformers: Age Of Extinction! (Yes, including the one about statutory rape, since Michael Bay decided to bring it up.) What is Transformers: Age of Extinction about? Nothing.…

Movies Rob Bricken Jul 1 '14

Vine Loop Counts Are Almost As Fun to Watch As Actual Vines

We’ve all see those best of Vine compilations, but until today, there hasn’t been a way to actually tell which Vines are the most-watched Vines of all. “Loop count” takes care of that. When you’re on the Vine website, the little number in the bottom right corner of a given video will actually update in…

Tech News Ashley Feinberg Jul 1 '14

Deals: A Smarter Security Camera, Wireless Charging, 4K Everything

This security camera from Foscam has night vision, on demand panning and tilting, and even smartphone monitoring. Plus, it isn’t even owned by Google! [Foscam Security Camera, $55] This Qi charging pad is slim enough to build into your furniture, and it’s only $20 today. [Anker Qi Charger, $20] If you live anywhere that experiences…

Tech News Shep McAllister Jul 1 '14

The Engineer Who Said The Ark Of The Covenant Was A Giant Capacitor

Among the many lessons to be found in the Bible, prominent among them is “Look, but don’t touch.” When an Israelite named Uzzah laid hands upon the Ark of The Covenant, he was struck down by God. But, in 1933, an engineering professor theorized that the real cause of death was 10,000 volts of static…

io9 Mark Strauss Jul 1 '14

Sonar Buoys Help Spot and Recognize Sharks Before It’s Too Late

Believe it or not, even with films like Jaws in existence, some people are still willing to swim in shark-infested waters. Spotters and underwater nets help provide some level of safety, but these new sonar-equipped intelligent buoys being developed could finally make it safe—or at least safer—to go back in the water. The Clever Buoy…

Tech News Andrew Liszewski Jul 1 '14

Could We Really Terraform An Asteroid?

The Real-Life Baby Animals That Inspired Earth To Echo‘s Alien

FTC: T-Mobile Took Hundreds of Millions of Bogus Charges on Phone Bills

Plato Invented the First Alarm Clock

I Explored Second Life’s Forgotten Worlds With an Oculus Rift

Why Solitary Confinement Is The Worst Kind Of Psychological Torture

Inside the Secret Building That’s Bringing Cell Service To NYC’s Subway

The Sony Walkman was introduced in the U.S. as the Soundabout.

NASA’s New Satellite Could Unravel the Mystery of Our Changing Climate

Watch a sneak preview of the new Monty Python show opening tonight

Was George Eliot The Best Science Fiction Writer Who Didn’t Write SF?

A Grandma Discovered This Untouched 1990s Arcade In Her New Building

This Wonder Woman Sweater Pattern Is A Great Excuse To Take Up Knitting

Gorgeous Topographic Tables Look Like the Earth From Above

Deals: Amazon Anime Sale, PC Game Pre-Orders, Sandman Omnibus

Transformers: Age Of Extinction: The Spoiler FAQ

Vine Loop Counts Are Almost As Fun to Watch As Actual Vines

Deals: A Smarter Security Camera, Wireless Charging, 4K Everything

The Engineer Who Said The Ark Of The Covenant Was A Giant Capacitor

Sonar Buoys Help Spot and Recognize Sharks Before It’s Too Late

Latest news

The Final ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Clip Teases Something Major

Pornhub Expands Access in the U.K. Thanks to Apple’s New Age Verification System

If You Plan to Get an iPhone in the Fall, Don’t Get Too Attached to ChatGPT

Nia DaCosta Is Just as Disappointed by the ‘Bone Temple’ Box Office as You Are

Coinbase to Layoff 14% of Workforce Amid AI Disruption and Crypto Volatility

This ‘Living’ Plastic Comes With a Built-in Kill Switch

‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ Used Darth Vader Damn Near Perfectly

Forget Expensive Carbon Capture—Renewables Are the Cheaper Climate Fix

Latest Reviews

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G Review: Not Worth It at Full Price

Logitech G G512 X Review: The Tasting Menu of a Pro Gaming Keyboard

Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone Review: AI Can’t Save This Robot Vacuum

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

Let us help you find what you’re looking for...

Latest

Could We Really Terraform An Asteroid?

The Real-Life Baby Animals That Inspired Earth To Echo‘s Alien

FTC: T-Mobile Took Hundreds of Millions of Bogus Charges on Phone Bills

Plato Invented the First Alarm Clock

I Explored Second Life’s Forgotten Worlds With an Oculus Rift

Why Solitary Confinement Is The Worst Kind Of Psychological Torture

Inside the Secret Building That’s Bringing Cell Service To NYC’s Subway

The Sony Walkman was introduced in the U.S. as the Soundabout.

NASA’s New Satellite Could Unravel the Mystery of Our Changing Climate

Watch a sneak preview of the new Monty Python show opening tonight

Was George Eliot The Best Science Fiction Writer Who Didn’t Write SF?

A Grandma Discovered This Untouched 1990s Arcade In Her New Building

This Wonder Woman Sweater Pattern Is A Great Excuse To Take Up Knitting

Gorgeous Topographic Tables Look Like the Earth From Above

Deals: Amazon Anime Sale, PC Game Pre-Orders, Sandman Omnibus

​Transformers: Age Of Extinction: The Spoiler FAQ

Vine Loop Counts Are Almost As Fun to Watch As Actual Vines

Deals: A Smarter Security Camera, Wireless Charging, 4K Everything

The Engineer Who Said The Ark Of The Covenant Was A Giant Capacitor

Sonar Buoys Help Spot and Recognize Sharks Before It’s Too Late

The Final ‘Daredevil: Born Again’ Clip Teases Something Major

Pornhub Expands Access in the U.K. Thanks to Apple’s New Age Verification System

If You Plan to Get an iPhone in the Fall, Don’t Get Too Attached to ChatGPT

Nia DaCosta Is Just as Disappointed by the ‘Bone Temple’ Box Office as You Are

Coinbase to Layoff 14% of Workforce Amid AI Disruption and Crypto Volatility

This ‘Living’ Plastic Comes With a Built-in Kill Switch

‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ Used Darth Vader Damn Near Perfectly

Forget Expensive Carbon Capture—Renewables Are the Cheaper Climate Fix

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G Review: Not Worth It at Full Price

Logitech G G512 X Review: The Tasting Menu of a Pro Gaming Keyboard

Ecovacs Deebot X12 OmniCyclone Review: AI Can’t Save This Robot Vacuum

The Best Tech Gifts for Mother’s Day 2026

Asus’ Dual-Display Gaming Laptop Will Ruin Your Single-Screen Lifestyle

Steam Controller Review: Trackpads Change Everything for PC Gaming

Soundcore Space 2 Review: A Shockingly Stellar Value for Budget ANC Wireless Headphones

Anker’s UV Printer Can Handle Almost Anything… If You Know What You’re Doing

Let us help you find what you’re looking for...

Transformers: Age Of Extinction: The Spoiler FAQ