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io9
The Scientist Who Almost Died While Debunking “The Hottest Day on Earth”
The world record for the hottest recorded temperature of 58°C (136.4°F) was set at Al Azizia, Libya, in 1922. This year, a team of researchers — including one who was almost killed in Libya’s 2011 revolution — invalidated that record. Here’s the harrowing story of how they did it. It’s incredibly rare for such an … Continued
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io9
How Invasive Snakes Have Turned Guam Into a Spider-Infested Horror Show
Back in the 1940s, the highly invasive brown treesnake was accidently introduced to the island of Guam. In just four decades, these snakes had wiped out 10 of 12 native bird species, with the remaining two species forced to live in small areas, protected by snake traps. The result: an island with no bird chirps … Continued
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io9Movies
This is a R2-D2 bra. And now we’ve seen it all
This R2 unit has one heck of a great motivator! Womp-Wompa. But seriously, folks — behold the wacky and unbelievable Star Wars droid bra, for geeks who like to keep their upstairs parts supported, while remaining pop-culture-savvy. Hand painted by the Etsy artist SceeneShoes and priced at the low, low price of $40, this is … Continued
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io9Television
What’s really going on with World War Z? And what’s the explanation of the latest Fringe set report?
Go deep inside this Saturday’s spaghetti Western Doctor Who episode. Get the lowdown on some rumored Man of Steel concept art. The 300 prequel gets a title, while Godzilla gets a release date. Plus Arrow adds DC Comics’ most famous playing-card-themed gang! Spoilers from here on out! Top image from Doctor Who. Man of Steel … Continued
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io9Movies
Sorry, there is no Dark Knight Rises Director’s Cut
Rumors have been spreading that The Dark Knight Rises DVD would have and extra 30 minutes of footage including more details on Bane’s origin story. Sadly those rumors are all false. https://gizmodo.com/todays-crazy-rumor-the-dark-knight-rises-dvd-will-have-5941153 The Playlist is debunking those reports, based on sources close to the director. This shouldn’t be that big of a surprise, since Nolan … Continued
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io9
A Brand New Cyberpunk Story By Lauren Beukes
Lauren Beukes’ novel Zoo City won the 2011 Arthur C. Clarke Award and was a finalist for the World Fantasy Award. And her next novel, The Shining Girls, garnered a massive deal at last year’s Frankfurt Book Fair. Here’s her short story “Branded,” which puts a South African spin on cyberpunk. It’s an except from … Continued
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io9
How to make ice that warms your hands
With vinegar and baking soda, you can make ice that warms your hands when you press them against it. Amaze your friends and make your enemies burn with envy when you master the secrets of “hot ice.” Sodium acetate is the substance that forms when positive sodium ions get together with negatively changed acetate molecules, … Continued
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io9
World’s tallest dog is a lovable monster
Meet Zeus, the Guinness World Record holder for “World’s Tallest Dog.” Which he won by starring down the judges straight in the eye, while balancing a cat on his nose. This Great Dane is 44 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds. His human pet is named Denise Doorlag from Michigan. Zeus can drink water right … Continued
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io9
Rash of demonic possessions in Poland gives rise to ‘Exorcist Magazine’
Business is good in Poland for priests who are skilled in the arts of demonic extrication. The country is in the midst of an exorcism epidemic (or boom, depending on how you feel about it.) And this has inspired Catholic priests to join forces with a publisher, and launch the world’s first monthly magazine devoted … Continued
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io9
Virgin birth has just been discovered in wild snakes. Cue Jurassic Park theme music.
Facultative parthogenesis, commonly known as “virgin birth,” isn’t unheard of in the animal kingdom, but it’s especially rare among vertebrates. And while it’s been observed in snakes in the past, never before has it been identified in any wildspecies. Until now. In the latest issue of Biology Letters, a team of researchers led by geneticist … Continued
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io9
Who would win in a fight: Dragons or Dinosaurs?
They’re both huge and awesome, but only one of them can rule. Which is more powerful: dinosaurs, or dragons? If there was an all-out war between the creatures that ruled the prehistoric Earth and the magical giant creatures of legend, who would win? It’s time to settle this age-old rivalry, once and for all. You … Continued
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io9
The Most Hipstery Superhero Makeovers
Superheroes get redesigned all the time — it’s just part of the genre. And it’s totally fine to complain about this — it’s part of being a fan. But sometimes, a superhero gets a makeover that’s not just radical, or “kewl,” but… hipstery. https://gizmodo.com/youre-not-stupid-for-being-pissed-off-when-someone-mess-5940673 Here are just a few examples of superheroes who started sporting … Continued
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io9
Scientists Now Uncertain About Heisenberg’s Uncertainty Principle
An experiment conducted at the University of Toronto has thrown a fundamental aspect of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle into doubt. For decades, we’ve believed that you can’t measure a quantum state without inducing uncertainty — but now, we’re not so sure about that. While this new discovery doesn’t overturn the uncertainty principle as a whole, … Continued
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io9Trailers
Watch the first trailer for Guillermo del Toro’s feral baby movie Mama
This trailer for the spooky wolf child flick Mama definitely comes out swinging. Watch as the couple Annabel (Jessica Chastain) and Lucas (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau from Game of Thrones) take in their newly discovered nieces — after they’ve been left alone in the forest for five years. However, the girls (who both take on the role … Continued
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io9
The most badass thing you’ll see today: a bald eagle with 3D-printed beak
Here’s some feel-good news for your Thursday, not to mention one of the most inspired applications of 3D-printing we’ve seen yet: a bald eagle with a prosthetic, 3D-printed beak. When this bald eagle, named “Beauty” by her caretakers, was shot in the face by poachers in 2005, her beak was demolished, leaving her unable to … Continued
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io9
So this new species of monkey looks exactly like Alan Tudyk
It’s not every day that scientists identify a brand new species of mammal. Rarer still is a confirmed discovery of a new species of primate — the mammalian order that encompasses humans, monkeys and apes. Now, for only the second time in 28 years, a new species of monkey has been identified in Africa. Oh, … Continued
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io9
At last, the field of physics has its own version of the urban legend
Ever heard the one about the barometer? It’s a famous physics urban legend that has been attributed to everyone from a cheeky student at MIT to Niels Bohr himself. It’s about creativity, problem solving ability, and good, old-fashioned sass. You decide whether it actually really happened! It goes like this: An instructor administering an exam … Continued
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io9
Here’s one last video of Curiosity’s landing. Because holy crap, is it spectacular.
Think you’ve seen the internet’s best video of Curiosity descending to the surface of Mars? Think again. Featured above is likely the world’s first “true motion-flow” version of Curiosity’s touchdown, and it is nothing short of remarkable. Trust us — you need to see this. It’s been over a month since Curiosity touched down on … Continued