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This color—Pantone 448C—is considered to be the ugliest color in the world, according to an Australian survey, and it’s easy to see why. It looks like a combination of dirt and mucus. But what is the point of a color so appalling? Well, countries like Australia and the United Kingdom are covering cigarette packages with…
Stick out your tongue and wiggle it around a bit. Notice how unique and strong this muscle is, and how much it does for you. It’s one of the reasons why scientists are pioneering research into tongue input technology. According to Motherboard, scientists at the Laboratory for Advanced Brain Signal Processing in Tokyo, for example,…
In tests to determine if the northern Marshall Islands are safe for resettlement after nuclear testing nearly 70 years ago, scientists discovered that the areas are worse off than previously thought. A team of scientists from Columbia University published a study in June in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that hammers home…
It’s kind of impossible to say which superhero is the best, since there’s just too many of them to count, but a seven-year study at the University of Leicester purports to help shine a light on the debate. Coming as a surprise to no one, the student-lead research determined that Superman is the “best-equipped” superhero…
As thousands were evacuated across multiple counties in Texas due to horrible flooding, one man and his family are living high and dry thanks to something he bought on the internet. Randy Wagner, a resident of Rosharon in Brazoria County, took a chance on a product he found online called an AquaDam, which the site…
The busiest shipping port in the US will soon be home to even more activity, thanks to plans to open a state-of-the-art ocean research facility by 2023. AltaSea released architectural renderings last month, designed by Gensler, for a 35-acre “campus of innovation” at the historic Port of Los Angeles. In a press release, AltaSea said…
After being called off due to poor weather conditions, the US National Reconnaissance Office is set to try launching a new spy satellite again today [Update: the rocket launched as scheduled at 1:51 p.m. EDT]. https://gizmodo.com/watch-the-worlds-largest-rocket-launch-a-top-secret-spy-1781515547 Satellite NROL-37, a top secret “national security payload,” was scheduled to be launched on Thursday by the United Launch…
In preparation for a full-scale push of the Moments app, Facebook has issued users an ultimatum: download the app, or risk losing many of your photos forever. Sometime this week, Facebook users (and considering the statistics, I assume that’s most of you) may have received an email stating that some privately synced photos would be…
Those black wings aren’t just for show. This manned, prototype aircraft utilized solar panels to keep itself afloat for around 20 minutes on Friday. In its quest to bring Internet access to third-world countries, Long Island-based Luminati Aerospace LLC said it successfully tested a new solar-powered, VO-Substrata aircraft on Eastern Long Island, according to the…
It was the perfect afternoon for day drinking: Not too warm, a pleasant breeze, the weekend within easy reach. On a sun-dappled Los Angeles patio around 3:00 p.m., I found myself pleasantly buzzed from both alcohol and cannabis. But I didn’t even have to resort to chugging a beverage while surreptitiously toking under the table—it…
We’ve seen exoskeletons before, but nothing quite like this one. The new brace, developed by Spanish researchers, will help children with spinal muscular atrophy. The 26-pound device consists of long support rods and are adjusted to fit around a child’s legs and torso. A series of motors mimic human muscles in the joints, endowing the…
There’s about five pounds of salvageable copper inside your typical photocopier (mostly in the power supply and the motor’s copper windings). Copper, that can be mixed with zinc to create brass. Brass, that can be shaped out to make a trumpet. It’s the circle of life! Check out the improbable journey that is a photocopier…
Does searching for “how to join ISIS” seem like a bad idea that will have a SWAT team banging your door down in the middle of the night? How about letting a potential mate use your computer after looking up “smelly penis cure urgent”? Then do not click on this link which takes you to…
For the past few years the future of the most famous temporary city on Earth has been in limbo. The annual Burning Man festival has grown larger than its site can feasibly accommodate from an environmental perspective, causing some Burners to break off and start their own events. Now, the acquisition of property nearby might…
Using the CRISPR gene-editing tool, scientists from Harvard University have developed a technique that permanently records data into living cells. Incredibly, the information imprinted onto these microorganisms can be passed down to the next generation. CRISPR is turning into an incredibly versatile tool. The cheap and easy-to-use molecular editing system that burst onto the biotech…
Hey, have you read the news? Gizmodo and io9’s parent company Gawker Media Group is filing for Chapter 11. What this means, in short: The company continues normal operations while restructuring itself, and while the highers-up do the restructuring, we’ll focus on the normal operations part. If you had any doubt: Gizmodo and io9 are…
When looking for a place to live, people are generally looking for three things: affordability, a strong economy, and good quality of life. Most US cities can only claim excellence in one of these areas. A dozen cities specialize in two. But if you truly want it all, you only have three choices. And they’re…
Watch this drone footage of Hawaii, California, and Utah and then ask yourself what the three most beautiful states in the United States are. I mean, it’s hard to beat the islands of Hawaii, the geology of Utah, and the, well, everything of California, right? Does anything even come close? I guess, the green of…
Lego and Ghostbusters is usually all it takes to get someone to watch your stop-motion animated film. But this short from Digital Wizards Studios—made from $100,000 worth of Lego bricks animated over 2,000 hours—also features numerous cameos from The Simpsons, Doctor Who, Batman, Star Wars, Marvel, and Scooby-Doo. It’s just too bad it’s only five…
You probably never stop to think about just how nightmarish the Mushroom Kingdom is while playing any of the Super Mario games. But this real-life version of Super Mario Maker really puts things into perspective. If this is what a plumber’s life really is like, it’s far more intense than just fixing pipes and unclogging…
