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Tech NewsLos Angeles Is Hiring a Sound Artist to Help Make its Streets Safer
After years of decline, the number of deaths on American streets are starting to rise again, a troubling statistic for many cities that are working hard to get more people walking and biking. Now Los Angeles’s Department of Transportation (LADOT) is trying something new: Enlisting a sound artist to bring attention to the city’s traffic … Continued
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Tech NewsA Big LA Fire Isn’t Worse Because People Are Finally Preparing for the Worst
It had all the elements of a catastrophe: a truck hit an electrical pole in the bone-dry canyons outside LA, exploding a transformer. Winds were brisk with temperatures above 90 degrees. Despite that, the 500-acre blaze that looked particularly scary has only damaged three structures, reportedly because local residents had take the right precautions to … Continued
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Tech News
You Might Not Able to Buy a Gas-Powered Car in Norway After 2025
The oil-rich nation of Norway could be the first country to ban gas-powered cars for good. According to CNBC, that’s basically the headline on today’s Dagens Næringsliv, a Norwegian business publication. “Stop sales of diesel and gasoline vehicles in 2025” it says, noting that the four political parties have come to an agreement about making … Continued
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Tech News
How to Use Vinegar to Make Your Cocktails Taste Amazing
Vinegar is probably the last thing you’d think to reach for when you want to make a refreshing drink. But with a little sugar, a handful of past-its-prime fruit, and about a week in the fridge, vinegar can transform into one of the most complex, mixologist-approved flavors to ever grace your cocktails. Welcome to Gizmodo’s … Continued
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Tech News
Apparently It’s Possible to Live in an Apartment With Too Good of a View
A building boom of supertalls in New York City is resulting in some of the highest residential units in the world—we’re talking apartments that are at a dizzying 90 stories and higher. So where does that leave the people who live in the former-tallest residential buildings? Don’t worry, they’re just fine in their 80th floor … Continued
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EartherClimate ChangeThe Louvre Is Moving Art Due to Historic Flooding in Paris
Over the last few days heavy flooding across France, Austria, and Germany has resulted in some scary photos, including surreal images of the Seine spilling over its banks in Paris. The river is getting a little too close for comfort for the Louvre, which is relocating some of its art. The Louvre and the Musée … Continued
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ScienceSpace & Spaceflight
Evidence That Elon Musk Is an Alien
Last night, Elon Musk suggested that Earth is simply a simulation from an alien race’s video game. Why would Musk say this? Because he is one of those aliens. It’s easy to get a kick out of Musk’s quirky quotables. But the closer you look at his words and actions, the more you’ll start to … Continued
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Tech News
Elon Musk Called Apple’s Car a ‘Missed Opportunity’
At the Code conference this evening, Elon Musk joined Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher onstage to talk about his varied and eclectic pursuits. And when the talk turned to autonomous vehicles, Musk was sure to share his opinions on what he perceives to be Tesla’s biggest competition. Nope, not Google. Musk doesn’t consider Google’s self-driving … Continued
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Tech News
That Time New York City Almost Banned Cars
The public plazas and bike lanes now found throughout New York City have affectionately become known to detractors as the “war on cars.” But amazingly, a 1973 plan got very, very close to banning cars in Manhattan outright, thanks to a man known as “Gridlock Sam.” Over at The Guardian, Aaron Renn profiles Sam Schwartz, … Continued
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Tech News
The Longest, Deepest Rail Tunnel on Earth Just Opened in the Swiss Alps
After 17 years of construction, the Gotthard Base Tunnel opens today. This feat of engineering is a 35-mile high-speed rail connection beneath the Swiss Alps and is now the longest transit tunnel in the world. You better believe that Hyperloop engineers are paying attention. The Gotthard Base Tunnel is actually several tunnels—about 94 miles total—burrowing … Continued
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Tech NewsA Simple Change Transformed One of LA’s Busiest Intersections Into One of its Safest
The intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue is among the world’s most famous—you’ve seen it broadcast every year on the Oscars as the start of the red carpet. But like most celebrities, the tourist-thronged Los Angeles landmark had a very dark secret: It was known as one of the most dangerous intersections for pedestrians … Continued
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EartherClimate Change
Paris Is Now Banning All Pre-1997 Cars
Paris has tried just about everything to combat its terrible smog problem. The city has launched attempts to take half the cars off its road, introduce regular car-free days, and close famous streets to vehicular traffic—but Paris still has some of the worst pollution in Europe. Now a much bigger idea is going into effect: … Continued
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Tech News
A 67-Mile Hiking Trail Just Opened Through LA’s Urban Mountains
Los Angeles is a special place, geologically speaking: It’s one of a handful of large metropolitan areas that’s bifurcated by mountains. Not just a few big hills—an actual mountain range named the Santa Monica Mountains runs east to west across much of the city—and this week, a 67-mile trail connecting the peaks of many of … Continued
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Tech News9 Summer Drink Ideas for Your Long Lazy Weekend
Hello summer! Symbolically, at least. Every Friday around these parts, we celebrate Happy Hour, where we toss tasty booze in a shaker—or fill a glass with a fermented liquid, or pack a pipe with… something—and add a twist of science. You can catch our latest installment of substance abuse for nerds right here, which also … Continued
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ScienceHealth
That Scary Antibiotic-Resistant Superbug Is Now In The US
Earlier this month, a frightening report warned of an antibiotic-resistant superbug which might kill as many as 10 million people worldwide by 2050. Now it looks like the first case of that superbug has been documented in the US. According to a study published today by the American Society for Microbiology, a 49-year-old Pennsylvania woman … Continued
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Tech News
How Likely You Are to Get Killed by a Car, Depending on Its Speed
It’s simple physics really: The faster a car is going when it hits you, the more likely you’ll be killed. But there’s a correlation between the speed of the car and the likelihood you’ll be killed, especially when you take age into consideration. Just 5 mph can make a dramatic difference in whether you live … Continued
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Tech News
Facebook and Microsoft Will Run the Most Badass Undersea Cable in History
Investing in undersea internet cables has been a big part of data strategy plans for tech giants in recent years. Now Microsoft and Facebook are teaming up for the mother of all cables: A 4,100-mile monster that can move 160 Tbps, which will make it the highest-capacity cable on Earth. The cable even has a … Continued
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Tech NewsThe World’s Most Expensive Hallway Is Under New York City
The exorbitant costs of the new World Trade Center Transportation Hub have been well-reported: the station cost FOUR BILLION DOLLARS. As of today, New Yorkers can now walk through the station in its entirety, but they’ll want to take note of one particularly pricey element: If calculations are correct, a single 600-foot corridor is the … Continued
Alissa Walker
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