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Today moviegoers complain about films being too formulaic. But in 1931, one Hollywood writer of now largely forgotten movies thought that turning screenwriting into a formula was a pretty good idea. So he invented the Plot Robot. From the March 1931 issue of Modern Mechanix magazine: Formerly robots were merely mechanical devices that could perform…
There are two things that come at a premium when living aboard the International Space Station: personal space and fresh vegetables. But thanks to an ingenious new inflatable habitat that’s currently being tested, our space-faring scientists will soon have more of both. Built by private space company Bigelow Aerospace, the BEAM (or Bigelow Expandable Activity…
Flying days don’t have to be over for elderly vets. Thanks to Reddit user Jwsimmons, who’s been visiting assisted living homes with Oculus Rift for the past year, these former pilots get to experience the planes from their glory days all over again. To bring the experience to life, Jwsimmons tweaked the massively multiplayer flight…
Everyone has a favorite local patio they like to escape to during the summer, but if your timing isn’t right, you might find yourself sipping a cold one in the shade. To ensure that never happens, some enterprising folks have whipped up a handy website that shows you exactly when your preferred summer spot is…
One of the coolest things about Hong Kong is walking around its streets packed with colorful neon sings. This short documentary shows how they make them, from the first sketches to the final piece, it’s all done manually by these skillful artisans. Sadly, their wonderful work is fading thanks to progress—neon signs might disappear soon,…
Half of what makes a paper cut so annoying and awful is that it comes from a seemingly safe and innocuous material. But designer Nadeem Haidary wants to change your opinion on the much hated accidental paper cut by harnessing it for good through an origami razor that can purportedly shave faces. Made from waterproof…
Mobile marketing companies slurp up your info during moments of desperation: When you’re scanning for a free Wi-Fi network, whether at the mall, airport, or ballgame. A small detail in iOS 8 is going to make that a whole lot harder—but Apple may have an ulterior motive. When your phone scans for networks, it sends…
Yesterday, a computer program successfully passed the Turing test for the first time. As is not uncommon for breakthroughs, it was a controversial victory, with plenty of detractors pointing out the various reasons that this wasn’t that big a deal after all. What is one to think! Let’s talk it out. What’s everyone so worked…
Coaster enthusiasts are always on the hunt for their next big thrill, and come 2016 they may be drawn back to Orlando. That’s when the Skyplex complex is set to open, featuring the world’s tallest roller coaster wrapped around its 570-foot tall tower. The Polercoaster—as it will be known—is part of a larger 495,000 square…
Motion control might not be great for precise gaming, but that doesn’t mean that everything you do needs to be controlled by your hands. SteelSeries just announced its new eye-tracking Sentry, that watches where you’re looking to help you get better at games. Built in partnership with Tobii, whose eye-tracking stuff has been alternately awesome…
On June 2, President Obama proposed new EPA regulations to reduce the carbon dioxide pollution that’s causing global warming. The new rules would reduce the carbon emissions of US power plants 30 percent by 2030. But not all plants are created equal—in fact, some are much dirtier than others. According to a 2013 report, the…
Amazon’s Gold Box is currently brimming with awesome deals on SanDisk SSDs, SD Cards, CF cards, flash drives, and more. Pretty much any device you own that accepts external storage should be covered here, so this is a great chance to stock up on bigger, faster cards and drives. We expect a lot of the…
Back in April a form of powdered alcohol was briefly approved for sale in the US—and many claims and counter claims ensued about convenience versus risks. But as this video explains, powdered alcohol is a stupid idea, offering no advantages over strong spirits based on volume, weight or ability to be concealed. Because is not…
SteelSeries’ original Stratus—a compact game controller designed to complement pocket-friendly iOS devices like the iPhone—was revealed just a few months ago at CES. But the company is already rolling out an updated version that will appeal to anyone who felt cramped using the tiny original. The aptly-named Stratus XL trades portability for comfort, with a…
Apple is adding some new functionality to the keyboard in iOS 8, but while you’re waiting for it to arrive here’s a handy trick you can use now: tapping and sliding on the keyboard lets you switch between modes and change letter case more easily. Instead of tapping the .?123 button to bring up the…
Last month we saw how a farmer turned inventor has invented a way to turn old suitcases into motorcycles. Many questions arose from the pictures: Why a suitcase? Can you still use it as a suitcase? What’s the price? This new video answers them all. SPLOID is a new blog about awesome stuff. Join us…
A group of international astronomers and astrobiologists have publishednew researchthat assesses the possibility of complex life on other worlds. Their calculation in the Milky Way alone is staggering: 100 million worlds in our home galaxy may harbor complex alien life. One. Hundred. Million. It is a lot—although maybe a bit disappointing when you consider that…
I am ashamed to say that I knew nothing about Bobby Womack or Shirley Brown till last week. I now know that both are old-timey singers who primarily sang soul. Also, I now own their entire discographies. It was a single duet they did that played on Pandora that did it for me. This is…
I binge-watched season one of Orange Is The New Black in 24 hours when it released on Netflix last year. Actually, make that 13 hours. I was hooked from pilot and literally didn’t stop watching till the end of the final episode. Season 2 is now out, so I know how I’m going to spend…
It’s a good time to be a cord-cutter in the U.S. A new study says that 47% of all American households subscribe to Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Prime or a combination of these. And almost half the country has at least one internet-connected TV set. The survey about emerging video services, published by the Leichtman…
