what was it

How a RadioShack Computer and AOL Viruses Led to the Creation of GroupMe

I got exposed to computers in elementary school, where I learned to type and play games like Oregon Trail. I quickly fell in love with technology and unsuccessfully asked my mom for a home computer. I begged and begged and begged, and finally my mom broke down and got me a 25 MHz Tandy computer…

Tech News Steve Martocci Aug 16

Talk to the Man Who Led Curiosity to the Surface of Mars: Adam Steltzner

By now you probably know his story: he’s the man who went from sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll to science’n’engineering, from playing the bass guitar in the Bay Area to the genius who led Curiosity to the surface of Mars, turning seven minutes of terror into total triumph. https://gizmodo.com/the-inside-story-on-how-nasa-invented-curiositys-insane-5932811 His name is Adam Steltzner, and he’s…

Tech News Jesus Diaz Aug 14

Ask Bas Lansdorp, founder of the Mars One Project, about his plans to put humans on Mars by 2023

Bas Lansdorp has big plans for Mars, not to mention the human race. By 2023, the Dutch entrepreneur intends to colonize the Red Planet in the first of a series of one-way human missions. It’s all a part of Mars One, a project he founded, and one that he hopes will soon become a “global…

io9 Bas Lansdorp Aug 9

How Craig Newmark Went from Craigslist Creator to Internet Do-Gooder

Craigstlist: it’s the place we find apartments, pets, and love connections. Started by its namesake, Craig Newmark, in 1995 as an emailed newsletter circulated among friends, it’s grown to become the proxy classifieds page for people all over the world. Craig isn’t running things there anymore, but he’s still very much involved in the company.…

Tech News Leslie Horn Aug 9

Jill Tarter, inspiration for the movie Contact, tells us about her journey to SETI

Jill Tarter is the holder of the Bernard M. Oliver Chair for SETI, and the inspiration for Jodi Foster’s character in the movie Contact. When we asked her what turned her towards the sciences, she gave us one of the most epic answers we’ve ever received. The SETI Institute is one of those rare institutions…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Aug 7

Talk to the Man Who Drives the $2.6 Billion-Dollar Mars Curiosity Rover

Matt Heverly has one of the coolest jobs in the Solar System: he drives rovers. On Mars. He drove NASA’s Opportunity rover for four years and now he’s getting ready for the biggest mission in the history of NASA’s planetary exploration—driving the $2.6-billion car-sized Curiosity rover after it lands this Sunday (I will be covering…

Tech News Matt Heverly Aug 2

How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

Prior to becoming a futurist, Ramez Naam was a well respected and successful software developer and professional technologist. He was involved in the development of such products as Microsoft Internet Explorer and Microsoft Outlook. His future in the software industry certainly looked bright. But it was during this time that he decided to switch gears…

io9 George Dvorsky Jul 31

The Technology That Turned Joe Quesada into a Legendary Comic Book Artist

Joe Quesada is Marvel Comics’ Chief Creative Officer, and one of the most respected artists in comics. But he’s also a tech geek at heart, and here’s what got him started. Joe is back answering questions below this evening. He’ll be here until at least 6PM—longer if you bring the good stuff with questions. Gizmodo:…

Books & Comics Kyle Wagner Jul 31

How Top 10‘s Zander Cannon fell in love with science

Zander Cannon is best known for his stellar artwork for Alan Moore’s Top 10, the story of a superhero police force handling day to day problems in Neopolis, where everyone has super powers. But over the years, Cannon has become involved with creating graphic novels about factual science subjects. Cannon and longtime collaborator Kevin Cannon…

io9 Keith Veronese Jul 27

How Gödel Saved Mark Changizi from Physics

Evolutionary neurobiologist Mark Changizi is obsessed with asking the question, “why?” — and as a scientist, it’s served him well. His questioning of virtually everything has led him to investigate why it is that we think, feel, and see the way we do — a set of inquiries that has led to important discoveries on…

io9 George Dvorsky Jul 26

How Flash Gordon Inspired Charles Bolden To Become the Head of NASA

When Charles Bolden enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy for college, he was absolutely sure of two things. The first was that he was never, ever going to fly airplanes. The second was that he was definitely not joining the Marine Corps when he graduated. Bolden would, of course, go on to do both those…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jul 25

Ask Charles Yu what inspired him to be a science fiction writer

Charles Yu is the author of one of the best SF novels of 2011, How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe, and this week he’s published a new book of short stories, Sorry Please Thank You (you can read one of the stories in it for free, here). https://gizmodo.com/escaping-the-time-machine-in-charles-yus-how-to-live-s-5614184 https://gizmodo.com/read-a-thoughtful-story-about-gaming-from-charles-yus-n-5926890 Today he’s joining…

io9 Annalee Newitz Jul 24

Why the American Museum of Natural History’s Ellen V. Futter Chose to Dedicate Her Life to Science

You don’t become president of one of the greatest institutions for scientific research and education on Earth without harboring a serious passion for science and education, so where did Ellen V. Futter — who practiced law and served as president of Barnard College before taking over the American Museum of Natural History in 1993 —…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jul 23

What First Got You Interested in Technology?

In our “What Was It” series, we’ve been talking with notable people about what first piqued their interest in technology. People like Steve Wozniak and Alexis Ohanian have shared what pushed them into this field. Last night, at the American Museum of Natural History, Neil de Grasse Tyson told us what got him hooked on…

Tech News Leslie Horn Jul 20

Neil deGrasse Tyson decided to become a scientist when he was “starstruck” by a planetarium show

Last night at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, I had the pleasure of chatting on stage with Neil deGrasse Tyson about what inspired him to become a scientist. He told a packed crowd about how he fell in love with the stars — in the Hayden Planetarium that he now runs.…

io9 Annalee Newitz Jul 20

First Comes the Dream at the American Museum of Natural History: An Evening of Innovation and Imagination

There’s a spirit of imagination that we all have as children. At a certain point, it can fade. But those dreams and aspirations never become less crucial to innovation, and that’s why, last night, we brought together some of the greatest minds in science and technology in New York City to collectively remind ourselves how…

Tech News Gizmodo Jul 20

How An Outgoing Disposition Can Help You Become a Professional Scientist

Today’s What Was It comes from Laurel Fiske. She’s the person who actually does the groundwork for all those neat studies that show up in journals, and occasionally in newspapers. She’s also proof that not all science nerds are locked up in a sunless room hissing at intruders. When anyone has a problem with the…

io9 Esther Inglis-Arkell Jul 19

First Comes the Dream

Tonight at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, Gizmodo is co-hosting First Comes The Dream. The event will bring together scientists like the host of Cosmos, Neil deGrasse Tyson, astronauts such as NASA Administrator Charles Bolden, software architects like Foursquare‘s Dennis Crowley, and the writers, designers and artists who inspire them. The…

Tech News Nick Denton Jul 19

How Improbable Research’s Marc Abrahams Finds the Humor in Science

In 2008, a team of Japanese researchers developed a way to extract vanilla flavoring from cow dung. In 2003, scientists at the Cornell Food Lab investigated the limits of human appetites, by feeding people with self-refilling, bottomless bowls of soup. And in 2010, investigators from the Zoological Society of London perfected a method for collecting…

io9 Robbie Gonzalez Jul 18

Monster-Hating Nuns and Arrowheads in LA: How Mike Novacek Became a World-Famous Dinosaur Hunter

You probably don’t know Mike Novacek by name, but he’s one of the most important paleontologists in the world. If you ever yearned to go off into the wilderness and hunt down dinosaur fossils as a kid, Mike Novacek is living your dream. Dr. Novacek has worked at the American Museum of Natural History since…

Tech News Kyle Wagner Jul 18

what was it

How a RadioShack Computer and AOL Viruses Led to the Creation of GroupMe

Talk to the Man Who Led Curiosity to the Surface of Mars: Adam Steltzner

Ask Bas Lansdorp, founder of the Mars One Project, about his plans to put humans on Mars by 2023

How Craig Newmark Went from Craigslist Creator to Internet Do-Gooder

Jill Tarter, inspiration for the movie Contact, tells us about her journey to SETI

Talk to the Man Who Drives the $2.6 Billion-Dollar Mars Curiosity Rover

How a Rat With a Brain Sensor Turned Ramez Naam From a Technologist into a Renowned Futurist

The Technology That Turned Joe Quesada into a Legendary Comic Book Artist

How Top 10‘s Zander Cannon fell in love with science

How Gödel Saved Mark Changizi from Physics

How Flash Gordon Inspired Charles Bolden To Become the Head of NASA

Ask Charles Yu what inspired him to be a science fiction writer

Why the American Museum of Natural History’s Ellen V. Futter Chose to Dedicate Her Life to Science

What First Got You Interested in Technology?

Neil deGrasse Tyson decided to become a scientist when he was “starstruck” by a planetarium show

First Comes the Dream at the American Museum of Natural History: An Evening of Innovation and Imagination

How An Outgoing Disposition Can Help You Become a Professional Scientist

First Comes the Dream

How Improbable Research’s Marc Abrahams Finds the Humor in Science

Monster-Hating Nuns and Arrowheads in LA: How Mike Novacek Became a World-Famous Dinosaur Hunter

Ryan Coogler Is Shifting ‘Animorphs’ Into a Disney+ Show

No Fooling, ‘Spaceballs 2’ Will Hit Theaters April 2027

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The First ‘Maul: Shadow Lord’ Reactions Are Most Solid

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