io9
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Weird archaeology
Could People With Giant Skulls Be Controlling the Weather?
Were there superpeople with mega-skulls in ancient times, or did they just have really awesome body mods? This clip from a Russian show about weird, elongated skulls discovered from the 4th Century asks that very question. via Xenophilia More » -
Disaster
Tremor-Plagued California Fault About To Unleash The Big One
Tremors are increasing near a "locked" stretch of the San Andreas fault in Central California near Parkfield. In a study released today, seismologists say this could mean the shaky state is on the verge of an enormous quake.
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Comment by Grey_Area: Oh piffle! These "seismologists" don't know anything. What's the latest data from the crop circles? that's the only way to... 10 Responses | Other threads
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space porn
Binary Star Discovery Allows Scientists To Detect Invisible "Gravity Waves"
Stars in the early universe probably formed in pairs, like the ones in this simulation created by a group of American astrophysicists. Their finding also has staggering implications: We may detect gravity waves, which has never been possible before. More »
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Comment by nonpareil: I'm still dubious about gravity waves. I understand that if they exist, they're very weak (and tough to detect), but... 11 Responses | Other threads
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Rant
The Singularity Backlash
Are you sick of the shiny, high-tech future where humans evolve into superbeings? Join the club. The latest trend is for anti-singularity futures, where tomorrow looks like yesterday. More »
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Comment by Evil Tortie's Mom: R.O.A.C.H.: Or, stuff kinda goes on at about the same rate of change as now. Sure, I've got a hi-def TV and... 18 Responses | Other threads
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Captain stargood
The Bizarre History of the 1960s Scifi Puppet Series Too "Twisted" For TV
If you were a fan of Gerry and Sylvia Anderson's Thunderbirds series, then get ready for your mind to explode. A group of intrepid fans have discovered a marionette-style show from the Anderson era, which TV execs tried to suppress. More »
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Comment by Eugenia: Ok, this ain't cool. For those who read my blog or twitter they know that I have a quite saucy... 35 Responses | Other threads
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Concept Art
The City Inside A Mountain
Over the years, erosion revealed what lay beneath the Antarctic mountains. Scientists dubbed them "habitation discs," and they were all that remained of was was once a teeming city within these frozen peaks. More »
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Comment by Zack: yikes.. the airships are almost direct pulls of some of Scott Robertson's older concept work from a Gnomon tutorial. 1 Responses | Other threads
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Mega fauna
Giant Manta Rays Are The Cylon Raiders Of The Deep
BoingBoing points out the similarities between cylon ships and these giant manta rays featured in the latest National Geographic magazine. These 2,000-pound creatures are on a krill feeding frenzy. More pictures via NatGeo, thanks to Marilyn Terrell! More »
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Comment by dssstrkl: They send cyclonic, not cylon. As in they were swimming in an ascending circle. Seeing killer cyborgs everywhere? 11 Responses | Other threads
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social control
Your Smile Will Be Monitored To Evaluate Quality Of Service
More than 500 employees of Keihin Electric Express Railway in Japan will be subject to "smile checks" every morning. Software will evaluate the quality of their grins, and alert them if they aren't looking happy enough. More »
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Comment by tmyprod: My first real job in high school was at Chuck E. Cheese. The management was really anal about always smiling... 6 Responses | Other threads
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Vacation
Wish You Were Here - On The Moon
io9 is taking the day off to explode things in the name of national liberty. Also, to kick back on this moon beach, captured here in the dappled earthlight by NASA's newly-launched Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter. More »
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Comment by Julius Seizure. (the CANUCK one): Enjoy the weekend, dudes and dude-ettes. We've got a truckload of red and white frosted cupcakes left over from Canuck Day... 7 Responses | Other threads
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found footage
The Best Ever Human-Alien Bonding Over Stabbing Other Aliens
You fools have probably forgotten the greatness that is Alien vs. Predator. I'm here to correct that by showing you two moments in this film where asskicking reaches epic proportions, along with awesome human/Predator body-modification bonding. More »
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Comment by MargaretMoony: I have a feeling that somewhere in the dark pit that is the internet, there is Alice/Predator romance fanfic. 12 Responses | Other threads
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Futurism
The Future Of The U.S. Government, According To Science Fiction
Countless science fiction stories have asked the same question: What will America turn into next? The answers fall into three major categories, some more plausible than others. Take our poll to choose your favorite option.
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Comment by CodenameV: Soviet generals and government officials shown the "Amerika" miniseries openly laughed-out-loud at how mind-blowingly implausible "Amerika" was. Their biggest... 14 Responses | Other threads
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Insect overlords
Ant Mega-Colony Covers Half The Planet
Ant colonies are often part of bigger "mega colonies" that share genetic traits and will not make war on each other. One colony got so big it now rivals the human population in its reach, covering most of the planet. More »
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Comment by 92BuickLeSabre: Not only do they have a plan, apparently they have boats! Boat Ants! Boat Ants! Boat Ants Boat Ants... 9 Responses | Other threads
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Development deal
Movie Based On Asteroids Game Will Boggle Your Mind
Though Hollywood excels in making plotless movies, the sale of Asteroids to Universal breaks new ground. The people who are bringing you GI Joe this month are about to make a movie about a triangle shooting a bunch of blobs. More »
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Comment by Camille: Uh? Why not make a movie about Tetris then? Or Pong! 13 Responses | Other threads
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mad science
A Drug That Could Give You Perfect Visual Memory
Imagine if you could look at something once and remember it forever. You would never have to ask for directions again. Now a group of scientists has isolated a protein that mega-boosts your ability to remember what you see.
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Comment by alphanumeric1971: Oooohh Annalee. The grammar police are in full force today! 20 Responses | Other threads
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retro futurism
What Happened To Russia's "Flying Car" Program?
For nearly four decades, Russian engineers tried to set up a a flying car public transportation system in Moscow and other parts of Russia. We've got the history and future of their dream, in pictures. More »
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Comment by CoffinDodger (If the typos crap. Blame my keyboard): Those crazy Russians and their 100% proof Vodka. Flying cars + crazy Russians + Intoxaction = Disaster. Still....a rusian version of... 4 Responses | Other threads
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signs and portents
Did This Jellyfish Crop Circle Accurately Predict A Solar Storm?
Discovered last month in a UK barley field, this crop circle appears to be a jellyfish. But intrepid crop circle analysts have discovered that it predicts a devastating solar storm on July 7. And they have diagrams to prove it. More »
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Comment by GayRobotsRUS: UK barley field? How did the stoned kangaroos get all the way over there? 6 Responses | Other threads
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triviagasm
Vampires - In Space! Or the Future! Or Both!
Why must vampires always appear someplace in Louisiana, Northern California, or London whining about their gothic pasts? If you're sick of the same old vamps, we've got a batch of newfangled ones for you - some from outer space. More »
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Comment by KhaiJB: what.. no Lifeforce....? how can you do vampires in space without Lifeforce! 7 Responses | Other threads
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mad neuroscience
Commonly-Prescribed Drug Significantly Reduces Memory Loss from Alzheimers
A growth hormone frequently prescribed for cancer patients has been found to significantly reduce memory loss from Alzheimers disease. The drug, which stimulates the production of red blood cells, essentially washes plaques out of the brain. More »
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Comment by tano: I come to io9 for the scifi news. Every time there is a post like this one I regret... 4 Responses | Other threads
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Concept Art
Gorgeous Short Film About a Bio-Robot With Endless Desire - For Water
Youngwoong Jang is a Korean student filmmaker whose short "Mirage," about a tiny cyborg who needs a drop of water to survive, is one of the most beautiful examples you'll see of CGI as art. More »
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Comment by BullfightsOnAcid: Great short film! I originally saw this on KQED's Imagemakers which is a showcase of short films from around the... 3 Responses | Other threads
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Maps
New Map Of Our Galactic Disc Reveals Where Future Stars Will Be Born
Members of a massive galaxy-mapping project started a few years ago have just unveiled the first of several atlases they will produce of our Milky Way's galactic disc. These images of "cold dust" in the galaxy show where stars will ignite. More »
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Comment by arthurborko: This map is gonna be very useful if we ever learn to break physics and invent warp drive :-p 5 Responses | Other threads
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Monsters among us
Public Utilities Group Confirms "Sewer Monster" Is Real, But Doesn't Know What It Is
If you've been following the ongoing sewer monster story from North Carolina, I've got some seriously crazy news for you. First of all, the video of the throbbing poop-esque creature has been confirmed as real. But what is it? More »
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Comment by Roklimber: If this is real (I'm still skeptical), why don't someone go and take a sample - better yet, one complete... 16 Responses | Other threads
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Concept Art
Tesla's Lightning-Eating Mansion in Upstate New York
It was like a haunted factory, with its massive electrical generators rising up like armored fists next what was once modest farmhouse. The locals saw how it seemed to bring down lightning during storms, and they never knew why. More »
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Comment by Paladin656: Congratulations y09. You have discovered what some of the rest of us like to call SteamPunk. .. .. .. Sarcasm aside, these are... 1 Responses | Other threads
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Monsters among us
Video Footage Surfaces of North Carolina Sewer Creatures
This is footage taken in the sewers under Cameron Village in Raleigh, North Carolina. Is it a disgusting new life form, or just a great special effect? Either way, I want to know more. [via YouTube] More »
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Comment by Pope John Peeps II: Clearly this is viral, as no sewer-cam has either the resolution, or the nice movement this has. 16 Responses | Other threads
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Futurism
Two Augmented Reality Technologies That Are About To Change The World
Augmented reality is a technology futurists and scifi authors like Vernor Vinge have been talking about for decades. Now the tech has matured and is entering the market. Two videos of new products show you the near future. More »
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Comment by Kessica: Okay, I've read a handful of Augmented Reality SciFi, and are there any out there where things actually turn out... 7 Responses | Other threads
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found footage
Mickey Rourke Is The Master of Satanic Sex [NSFW]
Getting excited for Mickey Rourke's bondage outfit in Iron Man 2? Let us entertain you while you wait for its unveiling by taking a little trip back to an out-of-control movie called Angel Heart. More »
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Comment by Lassus: Booooooo! to calling this movie bad. It was actually a pretty twisty stylish piece in 1987, decent noir with... 9 Responses | Other threads
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triviagasm
10 Best Robot Crotch Shots (And One Boob Shot)
With everybody talking about that up-skirt shot in Transformers where we see Devastator's, um, wrecking balls, it's time to consider the fine history of robot crotches in pop culture. We've got the ten best moments of robo-nethers in history. More »
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Comment by omgwtflolbbqbye: You know I swear I've seen a sentai cartoon or live action series that featured a big ass mechanical zoid... 8 Responses | Other threads
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Concept Art
A Future of Hot Air Balloons and Giant Elephant Robots
In this strange city, whose buildings are a hodgepodge of history, a passenger balloon floats across your field of vision. Miles away, a bus sails through the air and a giant elephant robot is engaged in some inexplicable construction project. More »
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Comment by 92BuickLeSabre: Why is everyone always so insistent that we missed some great moment when we abandoned balloon travel? I mean... 12 Responses | Other threads
San Francisco, 8:13 PM
Thu Jul 9
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