- SciencePhysics
We Asked Celeb Physicist Brian Cox About Flat Earth Conspiracies, the Multiverse, and Ghosts
There’s a growing, bewildering movement of folks who reject the most basic learnings of science in favor of conspiracy theories and hocus pocus—as a science journalist, I regularly get emails from people who firmly believe the Earth is flat, as shocking as that may seem. I recently chatted with Brian Cox, host of BBC science … Continued
- Tech NewsGadgets
An Aspiring Rocketeer Built This 3D-Printed, Underwater Jetpack
Taking to the skies with a rocket strapped to your back is still a dangerous idea, despite how Hollywood typically portrays the stunt. So a product design student in the UK created a safer way to fly—under water—with a jetpack that can propel a swimmer at speeds of up to eight miles per hour. Archie … Continued
- Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Military Documents Stolen Because Someone Forgot to Update the Router Password
You too can have better cybersecurity than the U.S. military just by properly setting up your router. Research analysts have discovered what they believe to be sensitive documents relating to the Pentagon’s drone, tank, and tactical programs for sale on the dark web. The manuals were obtained through a common exploit that could have been … Continued
By Rhett Jones - io9Trailer Frenzy
The Dummy That Ruined Your Childhood Is Back in the First Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween Trailer
Even though Jack Black’s R.L. Stine was made out to be the star of 2015’s Goosebumps film, the character is conspicuously missing in the first trailer for the sequel, Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween. Thankfully, the true icon from the franchise, Slappy the Dummy (voiced by Jack Black) is back and terrorizing children once again. Fans … Continued
- ReviewsOther Gadgets
I Can’t Believe I’m Gonna Tell You to Buy This $200 Toothbrush
A regular old manual toothbrush can easily cost less than a dollar. You might have one in your bathroom right now, ready to tackle the plaque, and the coffee stains, and the bad breath that make its existence integral for modern living. But in our 21st-century society, it’s easy to spend much more on an … Continued
- EartherEnvironmental Justice
Japan Is Reeling From Deadliest Flood Disaster in Decades
Japan is currently dealing with its deadlist rain-related disaster since 1982. Over the past week, heavy rains have wreaked havoc across the nation but especially in the western region, causing flooding and landslides. So far, the death toll sits at 176, but more than 50 people are still missing. Some of the deceased include two … Continued
- Tech News
Here’s What Antarctica’s Hugest Iceberg Has Been Doing Since It Broke Free
It was a year ago at this time that Antarctica’s Larsen C Ice Shelf gave birth to Iceberg A-68, one of the largest chunks of ice ever recorded. A new timelapse video made from satellite imagery shows the rift, calving, and subsequent journey of the iceberg over the past 12 months. Iceberg A-68 is the … Continued
- io9Toys and Collectibles
The Very First 13th Doctor Toys and Apparel Are Here
A new Doctor on the way for the BBC’s Doctor Who can only mean one thing: fresh merchandise to go with the new look attached to the whole new incarnation of the universe’s favorite Time Lord. Jodie Whittaker’s Thirteenth Doctor is no exception—and her first batch of toys is surprisingly imminent. BBC Studios officially revealed … Continued
- ScienceArchaeology
Humans Didn’t Evolve From a Single Ancestral Population
In the 1980s, scientists learned that all humans living today are descended from a woman, dubbed “Mitochondrial Eve,” who lived in Africa between 150,000 to 200,000 years ago. This discovery, along with other evidence, suggested humans evolved from a single ancestral population—an interpretation that is not standing the test of time. The story of human … Continued
- Tech News
Live Python ‘Artfully Concealed’ in Hard Drive Enclosure Fails to Get on Plane
A snake is still stranded in the United States after airline security refused to allow it to board a plane to the Caribbean. Transportation Security Administration officers at Miami International Airport found a ball python hidden inside a hard drive enclosure on Monday. TSA spokesperson Sari Koshetz shared a photo of the bundled snake on … Continued
- Tech News
Mansion from Blade Runner and House on Haunted Hill Goes Up For Sale in Los Angeles
One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most famous mansions, known as the Ennis House, is up for sale in east Los Angeles. And even if you don’t know the house, you certainly know the movies that the famous building has appeared in, including Blade Runner (1982), The House on Haunted Hill (1959) and The Replacement Killers … Continued
By Matt Novak - EartherConservation
Looks Like Rock ‘N’ Roll Is Noise Pollution, After All
Humans and their constant barrage of noise cause all sorts of problems for wildlife. But new research suggests noise pollution may do more than impact individual animals—it can potentially modify whole ecosystems by messing with how predators interact with their prey. How did scientists figure this out? By blasting plants and insects with AC/DC, of … Continued
By Jake Buehler - How To
How to Download Everything from Your Favorite Streaming Services
Don’t let a long flight or a loss of signal get in the way of your music and video streaming: Just about all the popular services let you cache downloads for offline use, and Netflix just upgraded its download mechanism to be smarter—downloading the next episode of shows you are watching and automatically deleting the … Continued
By David Nield - io9TelevisionMorning Spoilers
Updates on Black Adam, Quantum and Woody, and More
Dwayne Johnson has another update on just where the Black Adam movie is at. The UglyDolls film is still happening. The Russo brothers’ Valiant Comics show has found a home. Jason Momoa joins Apple’s ginormous and vague slate of genre shows. Plus, new footage from Mission: Impossible – Fallout, and Stranger Things set pictures. Spoilers … Continued
- EartherEnvironmental Justice
Trump’s SCOTUS Pick Is Bad News For the Environment and Civil Rights
A new era has dawned on the Supreme Court. President Donald Trump nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh Monday night to join the ranks of the great Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. Kavanaugh still needs to secure Senate confirmation before succeeding Justice Anthony Kennedy, but the environmental community, especially those advocating on behalf of low-income and communities of … Continued
- ScienceSpace
Behold the Haunting Beauty of a Distant Star Cluster
A new image of star cluster RCW 38, an area strewn with young, hot, massive stars, is providing an unprecedented glimpse into a tumultuous region of space located 5,500 light-years from Earth. This exquisite view of RCW 38 was made possible by the HAWK-I infrared imager mounted on the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope … Continued
- Tech NewsNews
Ajit Pai’s FCC Doesn’t Want to Hear Your Complaints Unless You Pay Them $225
Ajit Pai and the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission successfully rolled back Barack Obama-era net neutrality guidelines earlier this year, but they’re not done screwing with consumers yet. According to the Verge, the FCC is now mulling a plan that could ensure its staff will only review complaints against telecoms after the complainant has paid a … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsNews
Paypal: Dying While Owing Us Money Is Unacceptable to Us
E-payments company Paypal sent a deceased customer an email more or less stating that the cessation of life functions—and thus an inability for the customer in question to clear their remaining account balance—was a violation of site policy. Per the BBC, after 37-year-old UK woman Lindsay Durdle died of breast cancer that had spread to … Continued
By Tom McKay