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Every child and every adult who wants to be a child again loves a good Nerf gun. They’re fun to shoot, whether you’re playing in your yard or across cubicles, and they’re fun to be shot at with, because Nerf guns are mostly harmless. Well, the game done changed. Mark Rober has invented the world’s…
Bentley Yoder was born with his brain outside his skull. Doctors said he didn’t have a chance, but he not only survived—he thrived. Now, some seven months later, Bentley has undergone reconstructive surgery to move his brain back into his skull. Bentley’s parents, Sierra and Dustin, both 25, found out something was wrong when they…
Google is making the best security feature, two-step verification, a little bit easier to use. This week, the company announced that it’s switching out the annoying (and hackable) six digit code with a simple “yes” or “no” button. This is a great move. The update could be a huge win for everyone’s security. The easier…
Coral reefs have been having a rough time of it lately, have you heard? They’re in the midst of the largest, longest, and worst mass die-off in history. But there’s a bright spot: when humans take action to protect reefs, they tend to do better. Sometimes, they even thrive. With seven billion humans and counting…
Fried chicken is pure comfort food, and you can reasonably expect that it will be prepared using similar methods wherever you go. Unless of course you were planning on time traveling to the 18th century. The recipe in question comes from Nathan Bailey’s Dictionarium Domesticum, and is cooked here by Jonathan Townsend whose YouTube channel…
Do you get squeamish when someone dies on Game of Thrones? Or maybe you’re worried your favorite character is about to get killed, and you can’t bear to watch. Researchers at MIT have developed an algorithm that can predict what’s going to happen next in a video, giving you an opportunity to look away first.…
The talented pilots and cinematographers of France’s BigFly skillfully piloted a camera-equipped drone through the sanctuary of the 137-year-old Église Saint-Louis de Paimbœuf. Given the church is filled with priceless art and architecture, the skills needed to ensure the drone didn’t hit anything are easily as impressive as the stunning footage they captured. [Vimeo via…
Palantir is one of the most secretive tech firms in Silicon Valley. Its clients include the FBI, the NSA, and the CIA, as well as companies like JPMorgan Chase, Walmart, and Credit Suisse. The 12-year-old big data firm has received $2.7 billion in funding, and at a valuation of $25 billion, it’s considered the fourth…
Between Android and iOS there are now over four million apps available for mobile devices, so there’s no denying that more and more, programming is becoming a useful skill. You don’t need to head back to school to learn to code, though, because a programmable remote control ball makes the process so much more enjoyable.…
A tangled mess of cords on your desk is certainly an annoyance, but on a construction site it can be a genuine safety hazard. Limits in battery technology have meant that larger tools still need to get their power from an AC outlet, but Dewalt has finally found a way to make almost every tool…
Originally designed as just a dedicated fitness tracker, Misfit’s coin-sized Shine gained some useful smartwatch-inspired features when the second version was introduced. And now its swim-friendly cousin, the Speedo Shine, is getting those same useful upgrades with the new Speedo Shine 2. Available now for $120, the thinner Speedo Shine 2 takes advantage of its…
Such is the power of Uber and Airbnb they have inspired international cooperation in this uncertain world. Mayors from 10 cities worldwide are working together to write a unified “rulebook” for how to deal with these companies. Until now, regulators have dealt with Uber and Airbnb on a city-by-city basis, which has led to a…
Like a little kid tagging along after its siblings, tumblr has decidedit wants to join the fun with live video too. The company has confirmed that it’ll launch a live broadcast feature today that maybe could compete with Facebook Live. Or Twitter’s Periscope. Or Amazon’s Twitch. Maybe it’ll take out all of them! But right…
The Air Force’s B-52 Bomber has been around since the 1950s and can hold up to 70,000 pounds of weapons. It’s a legendary beast that stretches 156 feet long, has a wingspan of 185 feet, and hits 40 feet tall. Known as the BUFF (that’s for Big Ugly Fat Fucker), it can hold nine weapons…
A classic 18th century astronomy catalog of galaxies and nebulae is the inspiration for Deep Sky Companion, a series of 110 pairs of paintings and photographs of objects visible in the night sky by artist Lia Halloran, currently on exhibit at Caltech in Pasadena California. The daughter of a physicist, Halloran’s work has always been…
It’s so interesting to watch the magic material that is graphene get made, because you can’t really see a damn thing. It’s totally transparent and only one atom thick, so it’s basically creating invisibility with the help of other materials. A copper foil sheet is used, along with argon gas, in a furnace to drive…
New details have emerged in the saga of Bitcoin’s mysterious creator Satoshi Nakamoto. Last night, the London Review of Books published an incredibly detailed, 35,000-word story about the recent turmoil of Craig Wright, an Australian businessman who claims to have invented Bitcoin. The story offers plenty of fascinating tidbits about the entire Wright saga, but…
R2-D2 and BB-8 have saved the day countless times in what will probably end up being a never-ending series of movies. But droids are an expensive companion, and you’ll never have to put up with any sass-talking from this set of lightsaber-handled screwdrivers. The $20 set, available exclusively from ThinkGeek, includes two flathead drivers with…
Every airline claims it has a better solution for the logistical hellscape that is checked luggage, from fancy new RFID tags to charging $$$ to deter the practice entirely. But the only way to never lose a bag again is to completely automate the process. Which is exactly what this adorable robot is designed to…
This week, the United Kingdom votes on whether or not it will remain in the European Union. It’s being called the Brexit, which is just awful. But if the UK does leave, what happens to the stars on the EU flag? Nothing— because the number of stars means nothing. The idea that the stars represent…
