- EartherEarth Science
Ancient Greenland Was Shockingly Warm, Study Finds
In the not-too-distant geologic past when global temperatures weren’t too much warmer than they are today, black flies called midges buzzed around a lake in northwest Greenland. Their discovery suggests temperatures could have routinely reached a balmy 50 degrees Fahrenheit in the summertime—a profound climactic switch that could foreshadow Greenland’s future. The findings, published Monday in … Continued
By Maddie Stone - Tech NewsNews
Homeland Security Wants New Powers to Surveil and Destroy Drones in U.S. Airspace
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security is asking Congress to pass new legislation that would expand the agency’s power to surveil, research, and attack drones in U.S. airspace. Hayley Chang, DHS deputy general counsel, testified yesterday that there are a number of things that DHS “can’t do currently” because of outdated laws that have the … Continued
By Matt Novak - io9Games
Valve Says Game Devs Can Now Put Anything on Steam Unless It’s Illegal or ‘Trolling’
Valve, the company behind the Steam platform that has achieved a near-monopoly on PC game sales, issued a blog post on Wednesday clarifying its content policies after it removed a mass shooting-themed game titled Active Shooter from its store in late May. According to Valve’s Erik Johnson, from now on the company will allow basically … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
US Hits ‘WannaCry Hero’ With More Malware Charges
Federal prosecutors charged security researcher Marcus Hutchins—better known by his online handle MalwareTech—with four new charges accusing him of creating and promoting malware used to steal financial information. Hutchins, recognized as the person responsible for stopping the spread of the WannaCry ransomware attack, called the charges “bullshit.” The new charges, introduced in a superseding indictment, … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - Tech NewsNews
Hawaii’s Kilauea Volcano Has Likely Now Destroyed at Least 350 Homes on the Big Island
A terrifying wall of lava from Kilauea volcano in its East Rift Zone has destroyed two entire tracts of suburban housing containing at least 280 units in the eastern part of Hawaii’s Big Island, Reuters reported on Wednesday, meaning that the ongoing eruption there has now claimed at least 350 homes. According to Reuters, the … Continued
By Tom McKay - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Government Researchers Say It’s Only a ‘Matter of Time’ Until a Commercial Airline is Hacked
Here’s a fun thing to think about as you plan your next vacation: researchers at a number of government agencies including the Department of Homeland Security believe that a cyberattack against an airplane is inevitable and could lead to a “catastrophic disaster.” Have a nice trip! Motherboard got its hands on a number of government … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Soldier Who Stole ‘Tank’ Was Anti-Social Justice Coder Who Threw Support to Alleged Rapist
A National Guard Soldier arrested Tuesday after stealing an armored personnel carrier Tuesday was cheered on by crowds online and even drew comparisons to Marvin Heemeyer (he of Killdozer fame). But after authorities identified Joshua Philip Yabut as the Fort Pickett soldier involved in the mid-speed chase, his face and name were quickly recognized by … Continued
By Dell Cameron - Tech NewsPrivacy and Security
Trump Is Saving China’s ZTE for Some Reason and Congress Can’t Do Jack Shit About It
Chinese telecom ZTE faced almost certain death after the Department of Commerce slapped it with a seven-year ban on purchasing or using parts from US manufacturers earlier this year amid allegations it violated sanctions on North Korea and Iran. In May, the company ceased business operations—only to soon be brought back from the brink by … Continued
By Tom McKay - io9
In Black Panther, Wakanda’s Majestic Canyons and Waterfalls Only Existed in a Computer
When characters are fighting to the death in a shallow pool of water perched on the edge of a cliff that’s halfway down the side of a towering canyon where a waterfall normally gushes… it’s safe to assume there’s some Hollywood magic at work. But as Scanline VFX reveals in this behind-the-scenes look at the … Continued
- Tech NewsNews
No One Can Explain the Strange Sounds Making US Diplomats Sick in China
The US State Department evacuated at least two diplomats in China following a mysterious illness experienced after hearing strange noises—the latest in a series of unexplained sicknesses that have hit American diplomats and their family members in recent years. According to the New York Times, the State Department has flown in a medical team to … Continued
By AJ Dellinger - io9
You Can Now Own the Adorable Baby Velociraptor From Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom
One of the standout moments in the trailers for Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom was footage of Chris Pratt’s character training baby velociraptors. Do they become lethal killing machines when fully grown? Yes. But as babies? They’re adorable! Who wouldn’t want a tiny velociraptor of their own? Well, now, short of finding some dino-DNA and engineering … Continued
- io9
The Hulk Is Back From the Dead, and More Dangerous Than Ever
Two years ago Bruce Banner died, and with him, the Incredible Hulk. And then suddenly, that wasn’t the case. Bruce Banner came back, and brought the Hulk with him—but death changes a person, and that remains the case whether you’re a man or a gamma-irradiated monster. Although the Hulk has actually returned again since Secret … Continued
- ScienceHealth
The More Educated We Get, the More Nearsighted We Become
It’s taken as a given that the more schooling we get, the better off our lives will be across the board. But a new study published Wednesday in The BMJ reaffirms a hidden health risk of higher education. The more years of school someone gets, it turns out, the greater the chances of them becoming … Continued
By Ed Cara - ScienceHealth
Dr. Oz’s Latest Health Advice: Check Your Horoscope
Dr. Mehmet Oz is at it again. The infamous snake oil salesman tweeted today, asking his followers to learn more about the link between a person’s astrological sign and their health. After a brief paroxysm of screaming, I clicked through the slideshow to learn that, as a Capricorn, I am so ambitious and take on … Continued
- Tech NewsNews
Homeland Security to Test Face Recognition at U.S.–Mexico Border
Beginning in August, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will begin piloting a new face recognition system at the Mexican border. Using a series of cameras, the CBP plans to use face recognition to remotely check the identifies of both drivers and passengers. Called the Vehicle Face System (VFS), the program will track drivers and … Continued
- ScienceHealth
Texas Man Nearly Dies After Being Bitten by Severed Rattlesnake Head
A Texas man thought he had bested a rattlesnake by decapitating it, but when he tried to pick up the slain serpent’s head, it bit him and released a potentially fatal dose of venom into his body. His wife Jennifer Sutcliffe told local news station KIIITV that doctors said he might not survive, but he … Continued
- io9
Dryden Vos’ Star Wars Collection Is Most Impressive
The importance of the link between Star Wars and its merchandise really can’t be overstated. Star Wars basically created movie merchandising, and it’s one of the things that’s kept Star Wars alive for decades. And while most may think Steve Sansweet at Rancho Obi-Wan has the biggest and best Star Wars collection out there, we … Continued
- io9
Humans Explores What Happens When Your Toaster Gains Sentience and Then Kills Thousands of People
Humans, a collaboration between AMC and the British Channel 4, is back for its third season, conveniently airing a few nights after that other show about robots who gain sentience. But while Westworld is exploring what happens when the bots in Farmville that can be murdered and sexed gain sentience and partake in their own … Continued
By Alex Cranz - Tech NewsNews
Dave and Buster’s Promises ‘Truly Memorable’ VR Rides That Definitely Won’t Involve Puking
If you’ve ever wanted to look like a jackass in public and maybe take home a case of conjunctivitis for the memories, well, Dave and Buster’s has a deal for you. On Monday, the arcade and food franchise announced that it will deploy the “the largest commercial VR arcade partnership launch” in history. More than … Continued
By Rhett Jones - io9
The Victorian Fantasy Serial Creatures of Will & Temper Continues Here
io9 is proud to present Part Two of our free serialization of Molly Tanzer’s excellent novel Creatures of Will & Temper, where two sisters learn that beneath Victorian England’s veneer of absolute propriety lies deceit, decadence, and demons alike. Did you miss Part One? That’s easily fixed: https://gizmodo.com/hey-free-book-read-the-victorian-fantasy-novel-creatu-1826431421 And now, Ms. Tanzer offers a preview … Continued
By Rob Bricken