What the Hell Is HDR?
If you followed the news out of CES closely you probably heard the word HDR tossed around a lot. This coming year we’ll…
What Is Concrete?
The most popular artificial material on Earth isn’t steel, plastic, or aluminum — it’s concrete. Thousands of years…
Why Daylight Saving Time Is Pointless
Ugh. You’re up an hour early, your body hates you for it, and even a gallon of coffee can’t get your day on track.…
Why Algae Could Be the Greatest—and Trickiest—Fuel Source of All
From powering airplanes to replacing nuclear energy, algae has been touted as a green energy miracle. So if our…
Why People Think Friday the 13th Is Unlucky
Being wary of Friday the 13th is much more than a quaint superstition observed by a few uneducated people in distant,…
How Many Laser Pointers Would It Take to Kill a Human?
Everybody knows not to shine laser pointers in your eye. They could damage your vision! (Emphasis on could, since your…
Everything You Should Know About the New EMV Chip Credit Card Payment System
Today is the deadline for US retailers to switch over to a payment technology called EMV. That means you’ll have to…
How Hormones Make You Feel Hungry and Full
The need to find fuel to generate energy is a profound drive within the biology of all living organisms: we all need…
Why Do People Take Selfies In Emergencies?
When a United Airlines flight made an emergency landing this summer due to medical situations on board, as the oxygen…
How the Middle Finger Emoji Finally Got the Thumbs Up
“Screw you Apple, where the goddamn hell is my middle finger emoji?” can soon be conveyed in far fewer characters,…
Why We Always Want to Push the Big Red Button
Whatever you do, don’t press that button. It’s a trope that’s spanned pop culture for generations—and the real world,…
Here Are the True Radiation Dangers in Your Environment
People are terrified that they’re being exposed to radiation all the time, whether from a distant nuclear accident or…
Could You Charge an iPhone with the Electricity in Your Brain?
Ever since Morpheus explained how the machines use humans as batteries in The Matrix, we’ve been fascinated by the…
9 Facts About Computer Security That Experts Wish You Knew
Every day, you hear about security flaws, viruses, and evil hacker gangs that could leave you destitute — or, worse,…
Why Are URLs Full of So Many Garbage Characters?
#?&%! Why do some URLs look like cuss words in comic books? We have the answer.
Your Fear of Radiation Is Irrational
Radioactivity stirs primal fears in many people—but an undue sense of its risks can cause real harm.
You're Using Neural Networks Every Day Online—Here's How They Work
If you use Google’s new Photos app, Microsoft’s Cortana, or Skype’s new translation function, you’re using a form of AI…
How Did We Get to Pluto So Fast?
On July 14th, the New Horizons spacecraft will make history when it sails past Pluto, formerly known as the ninth…
The Plan to Feed the World by Hacking Photosynthesis
With the world population projected to soar past the 11 billion mark by 2100, we’re going to need to find some creative…
What Is Airplane Smell?
You know the smell. It’s hard to describe, but the second you step on an airplane, a flood of familiarity flies up your…