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io9TelevisionSalem Finally Introduces A Genuinely Frightening Puritan
Somehow Cotton Mather continues to be the most reasonable, rational person on Salem—and it’s pretty weird. But at last we’re getting a Puritan who kills accused witches first, asks questions later, and quite literally expects God to sort them out. One of the oddities of Salem is how little we’ve gotten to know the village … Continued
By Lauren Davis -
Tech News
A Giant Fake Wall of Amps and Speakers That Will Never Blow a Fuse
If your tastefully decorated apartment doesn’t quite reflect the rock star lifestyle you’ve always fantasized about, here’s an easy way to add a little bit of rock and roll to your abode. What looks like a wall covered in stacks of loudspeakers and amplifiers is actually just a clever wallpaper design that brings no risk … Continued
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Tech News
WWDC 2014 Roundup: Everything Apple Announced Today
Today’s keynote marked day one of Apple’s giant developer love fest, and while we didn’t actually get any new hardware, Tim Cook and co. tossed a whole mess of long-awaited goodies to their legion of loyal followers. So in case you didn’t happen to spend the afternoon glued to your screen, these are the best … Continued
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io9
She Walked Inside the Tree Trunk, and Found Herself in a Maze
What had seemed like a bunch of fallen logs from the outside slowly resolved itself into a series of tunnels that seemed lined with the castoff boards from a thousand cheap construction projects. The further she walked, the more confusing the passages became. At last she came to a crossroads. This is the work of … Continued
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Tech News
How to Get iOS 8 Right Now
You could (and probably should) wait for the wide release this fall before downloading iOS 8. But if you absolutely can’t wait, here’s how to get Apple’s brand new iOS 8 beta on your phone right now. Before you do anything, backup your device. It’s a good idea anyway before updating, and considering how temperamental … Continued
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Tech NewsThis Museum Gave Kids Crayon Helmets And Let Them Go Wild
If drawing on the walls at home is a no-no, drawing on the walls at a museum is a massive don’t-even-think-about-it. Or it was, until the playful design duo behind Matheny Studio teamed up with Melbourne’s National Gallery of Victoria to create a new on-site space where kids can strap on crayon studded helmets, shoes, … Continued
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io9Books & Comics
That Time Will Eisner Drew An Oversexed M-16 Comic Book for the Army
The M-16 was billed as a wonder weapon—a light, lethal rifle that would give U.S. troops a battlefield advantage in Vietnam. But soldiers initially encountered problems with the new rifle, prompting the Army, in desperation, to hire Will Eisner to create a comic book training manual. As the blog War Is Boring explains, the M-16 … Continued
By Mark Strauss -
Tech NewsSploidMega-sandstorm turns Tehran into apocalyptic landscape, kills four
In a freakish and honestly terrifying turn of events, a giant cloud of sand enveloped Tehran today. The temperature plunged from over 90 F to the 60s in minutes. Winds whipped at 70 mile per hour. Trees fell. The power went out. Tehran looked like an apocalyptic horror show. Although this sandstorm was especially severe, … Continued
By Sarah Zhang -
Tech News
The Future of Apple Design Is Hidden Inside OS X Yosemite
Today at WWDC, Apple gave OS X a design overhaul that’s just as huge as its namesake. Yosemite is bright, sharp, and flat as hell. But while OS X now looks more like iOS, iOS and OS X are also more alike than ever. Apple is finally—finally—establishing a consistent design language across its platforms. OS … Continued
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io9TrailersTrue Blood Finale Trailer Tries To Get You To Love Vampire Bill Again
Loads of new footage in this True Blood trailer heralds the return of fun Bill Compton. Remember him? Of course not, it’s been 10,000 years since the old bag of bones has “dropped fang” in a fun way. Either way, we missed you non-god complex Vampire Bill! Also, Alcide doesn’t have a shirt on in … Continued
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io9
Does 0.999… Really Equal 1? A Mathematician Explains
When you have an infinitely decreasing number does it ever hit a point where it is indistinguishable from the number it’s approaching? Does 0.999999999…, for instance, ever finally just become 1? A mathematician has an answer for us. Mathematician Jordan Ellenberg joined us today to take our questions about math in everyday life, including one … Continued
By Ria Misra -
Tech NewsSploidSupercell timelapse looks like a portal to Heaven—or Hell
Nice one, nature. Could there have been a better spot for this whirling, swirling supercell to form into a wild in-air vortex than over Climax, Kansas? Photographer Stephen Locke captured the explosive event in a timelapse that shows just how impressive the great outdoors is, in all its grand, au naturel glory. Locke’s stellar storm … Continued
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ScienceBiology
NASA Satellite Spies on the Tiniest of Sea Critters from 450 Miles Up
Plankton are tiny. With the exception of critters like jellyfish and cephalopods, which are technically “megaplankton,” most plankton are smaller than 2 millimeters long. Phytoplankton, the plants of the plankton world, are microscopic. But when plankton hang out in large aggregations, you can see it from space. The mind reels at the notion that those … Continued
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Tech News
Sorry, But Your iPhone 4 Just Became Obsolete
At Monday’s WWDC keynote, Apple announced a flurry of fun new features. With OS X Yosemite and iOS 8, your Mac and iPhone are closer than ever, opening the door to the Future of Computing. Too bad iPhone 4 users won’t get to enjoy any of it—and neither will anyone with an even older phone. … Continued
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io9The Greatest, Most Scientifically Accurate Dick Joke Of All Time
Whether you’re a fan of Mike Judge’s late-night HBO comedy Silicon Valley or not, you should know it has contributed the greatest dick joke of all time to pop culture. Why? Because it uses math. Watch above and learn, my friends. The best part? Actor/comedian Kumail Nanjiani, who plays Dinesh on the show, revealed it … Continued
By Rob Bricken -
Tech News
What’s a Better Word for Selfie?
Love it or hate it, the concept of taking a picture of oneself and sharing it with the world is a phenomenon that refuses to die. But for the love of all things holy, can’t we find a better name than ‘selfie’? There is, arguably, nothing wrong with self-portraiture; after all, nobody slagged off Rembrandt … Continued
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Tech NewsThe Brilliant, Plunger-Free Way South Korea Unclogs Toilets
As far as necessary tasks go, unclogging toilets is without question one of the most unpleasant. Which is why South Korea’s fully sealed, minimal-contact alternative is a stroke of genius. Warning: Before you hit play, know that that is an actual toilet clog. So feces-sensitive, you’ve been warned. The mechanics appear to be largely similar … Continued
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Tech NewsSploidRoller coaster ride looks like a trip out of this planet
Ignacio Ferrando got into a roller coaster with six Go Pro cameras. The cameras filmed a 360-degree view as the roller coaster zoomed through twists and loops. Then he inverted the resulting panorama into an spherical projection that makes it look as if you are leaving Earth. Or ate some mushrooms. SPLOID is a new … Continued
By James Baker -
io9
Scientists have teleported quantum information between two bits of diamond located 10 feet apart. It’s a prime example of “spooky action at a distance” — and an achievement that could lead to quantum networks exponentially more powerful and secure than today’s supercomputers. Image: Artistic impression of quantum teleportation of a spin state between two distant … Continued
