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Tech NewsSploidErupting volcano blows unbelievably perfect smoke rings
Think you’re cool cause you can blow o’s when you smoke? Mother Nature has still got you beat. Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy took a little break from erupting to blow O-shaped smoke rings hundreds of feet in diameter to make every smoker and pot head in the world jealous. Just look at it. It’s … Continued
By Casey Chan -
Tech NewsSploid
Being a paratrooper looks way more fun than any other job
If you’re sitting at a cubicle or inside one of those new age open offices or stuck in a dorm room or in class or anywhere there’s a computer on a table and you’re sitting in a chair, sorry. Because this is what Air Force paratroopers get to do at their job. My God it … Continued
By Casey Chan -
io9
Did a UFO cause this plane to crash in Argentina?
A mysterious crop duster crash in Argentina has yielded bizarre evidence of a UFO! See it there, in the upper right corner of the picture? Could aliens be trying to send us a message about the problems of factory farming? Reports Inexplicata: An unidentified flying object – presumably a “flying saucer” – was photographed by … Continued
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io9Television
What if the Bayeux Tapestry told the history of Doctor Who?
We only just saw the prequel minisode to the Doctor Who’s 50th anniversary, which turned our while idea of the Doctor’s history on its head. So this is a great time to have a refresher course in all things Doctor-related, with a Doctor Who-themed Bayeux Tapestry. This tapestry is the work of Bill Mudron, whose … Continued
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Tech NewsSploid
How the hell did they cram an aircraft engine inside this van?
This rather nondescript van is being powered by something much more beastly than your usual pistons: an actual airplane turbine engine. Seriously, over in Russia they crammed a real gas turbine engine inside this van (it fills up the whole van, basically) with gigantic hoses, an humongous fuel tank and a sweet control panel. It’s … Continued
By Casey Chan -
io9
Comment of the Day: JJ Abrams and the Case of the Disappearing Words
Today, we compared cliff notes on the classic novels we just can’t make it through, asked when we would finally be able to 3D print a wooly mammoth skeleton of our very own (today!), and weighed the truth of J.J. Abrams’ number one pet peeve about futuristic fiction. In this post, we looked at a … Continued
By Ria Misra -
Tech News
12 Years of Deforestation in One Sobering Animation
What do you get when Google, the University of Maryland, and NASA’s Landsat 7 satellite team up? A very sobering view of man’s impact on the earth. It only took us 12 years to destroy all that forest. https://gizmodo.com/the-landsat-program-is-the-closest-well-ever-get-to-cap-5982702 If the findings are disheartening, the method involved is at least fascinating. Using data from the … Continued
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io9
Here’s what it’s like to live with an invisible disability
What happens when you have a disability that’s so embarrassing that sufferers are afraid to talk about it? Tessa Miller has written an incredible essay about life with irritable bowel disease, shedding light on what it means to live with an invisible disability. Miller, who writes for io9’s sister site Lifehacker, posted her article on … Continued
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Tech NewsSploid
It’s hard to believe that this is in our planet
The ferocious teeth of the Earth dragon—the sand seas of the Namibia desert as captured by South Korea’s Kompsat-2 satellite. The complete photo at high definition and its description from the European Space Agency follows: The blue and white area is the dry river bed of the Tsauchab. Black dots of vegetation are concentrated close … Continued
By Jesus Diaz -
io9
American Horror Story resurrects a bitchy witch
Last night’s American Horror Story had all sorts of bitchy witching. So “Witch Up,” ladies, and bust out the “We don’t have the rights to Quija” board, because it’s time to fuck with some ghosts. Probably literally, knowing this show. Spoilers ahead… Last night’s historical witch flashback focused on a coven of suffragettes. And these … Continued
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Tech News
These Pencils Eventually Sharpen Into Spinning Tops
What do you normally do when you’ve sharpened a pencil down to a nub—just throw it away? That’s the most likely outcome, but if you opt for these wonderful Spincils, you’re instead left with a spinning top to add to your collection of desktop distractions. But the Spincils are beyond just recycled toys; they’re individual … Continued
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Tech News
What Finally Makes Train Travel Bearable Might Be… Starbucks?
Trains are awesome. Their serpentine strings of steel cars travel hundreds of miles an hour, yet give passengers enough stability to sip a tasty beverage. On the other hand, trains are awful. Have you ever seen the sickly cafe cars that serve those drinks? That’s all about to change, however, at least for anyone riding … Continued
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io9
The Greatest Soviet Propaganda Posters Ever
We’ve seen some space propaganda, anti-alcohol posters, and even anti-Communist political propaganda. And now, we present the very best, in high resolution, ready for your desktop. The revolution marches on, comrades! https://gizmodo.com/inspiring-and-intense-soviet-space-propaganda-posters-1213553199 https://gizmodo.com/these-soviet-anti-alcohol-posters-offer-a-lurid-view-of-451625435 https://gizmodo.com/anti-communist-propaganda-is-more-awesome-than-any-horr-1460028336 Freedom, American Style Pictured above. Top-left: “Freedom of Press” (with the words lies and slander on the ducks) Top-right: Freedom of … Continued
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Tech News
Become Internet Famous by Starring in Your Own GIF
OK, if you are one of those weirdos who thinks GIFs are irritating and pointless, this website that lets people insert their own faces into a variety of animated scenarios will not please you. Not one bit. But if you are a sane human and love the bouquet of pop culture and pixelation that GIFs … Continued
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Tech News
You Can Get the Moto X on That Insanely Cheap Unlimited Plan Right Now
Finally! Less than two months after the news that Republic Wireless, a super cheap (read: unlimited plans as low as $5/month) carrier would be getting the Moto X, arguably the best Android phone you can buy right now, the day has arrived. The confluence has occurred. The… okay, look, just go get it here. https://gizmodo.com/a-year-with-the-cheapest-unlimited-phone-plan-youve-nev-5981594 … Continued
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Tech NewsSploid
The curious story of the magical color-changing lake in Hokkaido, Japan
The locals in the remote island of Hokkaido, Japan, call this beautiful place The Blue Pond. They should call it the The Magical Lake That Changes Color With the Mood of the Weather Gods. Or That Frosty Lake Featured in Apple iOS 7’s Stock Backgrounds. I can go either way. https://gizmodo.com/why-this-magical-lake-changes-color-with-the-weather-1464549580
By Jesus Diaz -
io9MoviesWonder Twins, starring Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher?
The poster is either the best joke ever, or an early warning of the oncoming apocalypse. Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher could be playing the Wonder Twins, or it could all just be a hoax. Please be a hoax. Midtown Comics received this suspicious package in the mail from Warner Bros. heralding a Superfriends movie … Continued
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Tech News
Why This Magical Lake Changes Color With the Weather
Japanese photographer Kent Shiraishi is the author of a photograph that’s now known to millions as the background wallpaper to OSX Mountain Lion—the counterpart to Windows XP’s rolling green grass fields. But while most of us know Shiraishi’s photo, not as many know the fascinating story behind it. Blue Pond is located in Biei, on … Continued
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io9
Comet ISON Approaches
Last night, potential “Comet of the Century” ISON brightened by an order of magnitude or more as it continued on its dive toward the Sun. That means it is now visible to the naked eye. This photograph, captured by astrophotographer Mike Hankey, shows the comet as it appeared this morning, in outburst, with multiple streamers. … Continued