Science

Webcomic Shatters Fermi Paradox

There’s a very good reason we haven’t heard a peep from an alien civilization, and probably never will. I think it has something to do with lewd remarks made to a nuclear superpower. Or something. [SMBC – Thanks, Eric]

Space & Spaceflight Jack Loftus

Deleting “Homer Simpson Gene” Creates Super Smart Mice

Much like Gizmodo editors deleting a grammatical error in one of their posts, Emory University scientists have “deleted” a gene in mice that activates a mysterious region of their brains and transforms them into little furry works of genius. The offending gene is RGS14. When scientists disabled it, the mice without its seemingly debilitating effects…

Biology Jack Loftus

A Mysterious Force Is Pulling Pioneer 10 Back Toward the Sun

I kind of dig space—especially the unexplained—so today I’m in a bit of a tizzy. Pioneer 10, you see—which left our solar system in 1983—is slowly being drawn back toward the Sun by an unknown force. https://gizmodo.com/get-ready-humanity-because-space-is-a-freak-show-5238308 No, it’s not gravity, it’s something else. Something mysterious. Something barely perceptible that is tugging at the probe…

Space & Spaceflight Jack Loftus

After Watching This Video, It’s Clear the Universe Will End Today

There are plenty of amazing time lapse videos. This is one. But when you see it paired with Hans Zimmer’s “Dream is collapsing”—from Inception’s soundtrack—it goes from amazing to holy-fuck-the-Universe-is-about-to-collapse-and-we-are-all-gonna-die amazing. Play the HD full screen. Use headphones. The time lapse segments were taken by Mike Flores and edited to match the rhythm of Zimmer’s…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

Will We Discover An Earth-like Planet By May 2011?

Using math way more complicated than I fully understand, a scientific paper predicts that we will find a potentially habitable Earth-like planet by early May 2011. Oh. Sam Arbesman and Greg Laughlin, the authors of the scientific paper, used the history and dates of previously discovered exoplanets to develop their system. What they did was:…

Space & Spaceflight Casey Chan

This NASA Hasselblad Never Saw Space, But Could Be Yours

For sale: one brand-new, never-seen-the-dark-of-space NASA-issued Hasselblad camera. From a pet, smoke and alien-free home, it can be yours for $33,751 buy-it-now. Buyer is willing to accept best offers—sadly not $10. I tried. [eBay via BoingBoing]

Space & Spaceflight Kat Hannaford

Learn 15-Minute Work-Outs Watching FITNESS Magazine’s iPhone App Video Tutorials

See that woman there? She’s high on endorphins, after doing a 15-minute “bootylicious” work-out. For $2, you could be showing off your midriff—yes you!—after some of FITNESS magazine‘s iPhone app tutorials. Workouts for specific areas target the abs, arms, bum and thighs, or even a full body work-out, with photos, instructions and video included. Even…

Health Kat Hannaford

Poo Log iPhone App Does What It Says On the Tin

At $1 for the iPhone app, and $2 for the HD iPad version, the price will quickly separate those who want to download Poo Log for shits and giggles, and those who have an actual need to track their “movements.” The App Store description says—rather optimistically—”Finally! What every iPhone and iPod Touch has been waiting…

Health Kat Hannaford

NASA’s Next-Gen Spacelaunch System Could Launch Scramjets from a Massive Railgun

With the Space Shuttle program winding down, NASA and several commercial ventures are developing technology that will hurl the next iteration of space vehicles into the sky. But NASA acknowledges that rockets aren’t the only–or the best–way to get into space. Engineers at the space agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida are exploring future space…

Space & Spaceflight Christina Bonnington

Zany Scientists Claim the Laws of Physics Change Throughout the Universe

“Mutliverse” subscribers believe there are other, crazier universes beyond ours that could potentially boast their own unique physics. That’s one theory. Another, floated this week, is that the laws of physics in this universe aren’t so constant either. Using a colorful graphic and Greek letters, like alpha, professor John Webb from the University of New…

Space & Spaceflight Jack Loftus

Make a Video About the Science Story that Inspired You and Win a Trip to New York City

The Rose Center For Earth and Space at the American Museum of Natural History is celebrating its 10th anniversary next month, and the museum wants to fly YOU and a friend out to celebrate it. All you have to do is make a video about the scientific breakthrough that has inspired you most. The science…

Space & Spaceflight Kyle VanHemert

Oh Boy, Those Astronauts Really Have the Best Views

A unique, other-worldly view of the Moon rising over our home planet, from the International Space Station.

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

Learn How to Shoot the Sky Like the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners

While each of the Astronomy Photographer of the Year awards photos are mind-blowingly good, the context surrounding each photo is perhaps even more interesting. From equipment used, to how they’d reshoot given half a chance, it’s a fascinating look sky-wards. In the gallery below you can see how the overall winner of the Royal Observatory’s…

Space & Spaceflight Kat Hannaford

Set Your Font to 282,000,000,000 to Reach the Moon

Enlarged fonts have saved the asses of many a panicked student at 3 in the morning. But besides padding essays, what can a bigger font do for you? Crank it up to the billions, and you can reach the moon. As this will be a mission of not only intrepid spacefaring, but true typography geekery,…

Space & Spaceflight Sam Biddle

Toys With Mental Illnesses—Seriously

“Oh, what gift to offer the bipolar six-year-old nephew this Christmas…I know! These German toys with mental illnesses would please the little tyke. Would he like the depressive turtle Dub, Kroko the water-phobic crocodile, or the personality disorder-affected sheep Dolly? Of course, there’s also Sly the snake, who happens to suffer from hallucinations…” Seriously, who…

Health Kat Hannaford

Researchers Successfully Translate Brainwaves Into Words

In a recent study, researchers at the University of Utah successfully translated brainwaves into words, a huge breakthrough that could eventually give paralyzed patients a new way to communicate. The trials, which involve placing a grid of electrodes directly on an epileptic subject’s brain, are preliminary—only that one individual has been tested, and when the…

Health Kyle VanHemert

NASA: Two Asteriods (sic) Passing Near Earth, No Worries

NASA tweet, just now: “Asteriods (sic) passing Earth near moon tomorrow morning..no worries.” Well, I hope the guys who calculated the trajectory of the two asteroids passing “within the distance of the moon to Earth” didn’t make any typos. Here’s the official announcement from NASA: The Catalina Sky Survey near Tucson, Ariz., discovered both objects…

Space & Spaceflight Jesus Diaz

Squirrel Falls Victim to High-Tech Bird Feeder

Don’t want vermin stealing from your bird feeder? Then do what this family did, which is to motorize the bottom of it, should something heavier than a bird (e.g. a squirrel) infiltrate. Watch what happens to the unsuspecting critter inside. Update: Via an email from a reader, more information… the bird feeder is called the…

Biology Matt Cherette

Researchers Announce First Implantable Artificial Kidney Prototype

An artificial kidney powered by the circulatory system could be the first implantable device to replace kidney donation and dialysis, scientists say. Led by a University of California-San Francisco scientist, a consortium of about 10 different research teams unveiled a new artificial kidney prototype this week, saying a room-sized version has already shown promise for…

Health Rebecca Boyle - PopSci

Surfing Earth’s Magnetic Field With a Giant Space Ribbon

A Japanese rocket unfurled a 300-metre-long ribbon in space on Monday, testing technology that could one day allow spacecraft to navigate by surfing Earth’s magnetic field. Conventional spacecraft have to burn fuel to manoeuvre in orbit. But the fuel adds weight and cost to the launch and eventually gets used up, limiting the probes’ lifetime.…

Space & Spaceflight Kyle VanHemert

Webcomic Shatters Fermi Paradox

Deleting “Homer Simpson Gene” Creates Super Smart Mice

A Mysterious Force Is Pulling Pioneer 10 Back Toward the Sun

After Watching This Video, It’s Clear the Universe Will End Today

Will We Discover An Earth-like Planet By May 2011?

This NASA Hasselblad Never Saw Space, But Could Be Yours

Learn 15-Minute Work-Outs Watching FITNESS Magazine’s iPhone App Video Tutorials

Poo Log iPhone App Does What It Says On the Tin

NASA’s Next-Gen Spacelaunch System Could Launch Scramjets from a Massive Railgun

Zany Scientists Claim the Laws of Physics Change Throughout the Universe

Make a Video About the Science Story that Inspired You and Win a Trip to New York City

Oh Boy, Those Astronauts Really Have the Best Views

Learn How to Shoot the Sky Like the Astronomy Photographer of the Year Winners

Set Your Font to 282,000,000,000 to Reach the Moon

Toys With Mental Illnesses—Seriously

Researchers Successfully Translate Brainwaves Into Words

NASA: Two Asteriods (sic) Passing Near Earth, No Worries

Squirrel Falls Victim to High-Tech Bird Feeder

Researchers Announce First Implantable Artificial Kidney Prototype

Surfing Earth’s Magnetic Field With a Giant Space Ribbon

The Head of HBO Explains What it Takes to Get a ‘Game of Thrones’ Spinoff Going

Elon Musk’s Lawyer Claims Jury’s 420 ‘Joke’ Proves He Didn’t Receive a Fair Trial

‘Mike & Nick & Nick & Alice’ Is a Genre Blending Delight

Leaked Anthropic Model Presents ‘Unprecedented Cybersecurity Risks,’ Much to Pentagon’s Pleasure

Don’t miss out: Bitdefender, One of the World’s Best Antiviruses, Is Now on Sale

The Secret to Better Sperm? It’s Probably Already on Your Schedule

Lego Is Leaning Into Your Marvel Memories With a New Helicarrier Set

Toshiba’s 65-inch Smart Fire TV Now Matches 43-Inch Pricing After 44% Drop on Amazon

Sonos Play Review: Call It a Comeback

Sonos Era 100 SL Review: The Cheapest Way Into Wired Sonos Sound

Asus ROG’s Massive Swift OLED Gaming Monitor Epitomizes Excess in the Best Way

The Ikea Varmblixt Smart Lamp Fills a Donut Hole in My Life

Nothing Headphone A vs. Headphone 1: Which Pair of ANC Wireless Headphones Wins?

Asus ROG’s Cetra Open Wireless Gaming Earbuds Might Be Better Than Wearing a Headset

Nintendo’s Talking Flower Is Annoying as Hell. I Love It

Level Lock Pro Review: As Good as a Secret Smart Lock Gets

Let us help find what you are looking for...