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The Air Force is looking to hire a gardener - preferably one with ray guns. You see, just like the rest of us, the military is embarrassed by their unkempt, weed-filled backyards. They've tried spraying those pesky weeds with toxic herbicides, but chemicals are expensive and - this was news to me - apparently, when you spray Round-Up on a dandelion, it doesn't instantly turn black and swoon and shrivel up, like it does in the commercials. Manual weeding takes forever - and besides, fighter jocks aren't paid to mow the lawn. More »
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These incredible blown glass rayguns are part of a series called (appropriately enough) Raygunz, created by Canadian master glassblower Jeff Burnette. More »
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So you've got yourself a fancy new blaster. But will you know how to use it safely, and avoid melting your face? Miles Donovan with The Daily Robot has created amazing safety instructions for some of your most important science fiction gadgetry. Check out the posters for teleportation devices and bionic limbs below. More »
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We're all familiar with the sexy-as-hell ray gun collection from Weta. Well, now your very own ray-blunderbuss is available for pre-order. This ray gun is packing one hell of a muzzle, and if it's anything like its ancestor, this thing is going to spray death rays all over your enemies' faces. Prices for the “The Unnatural Selector" range from $4,500 to $7,900. [Weatanz] More »
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Welcome to The Jewels of Apator, Ann & Jeff VanderMeer's bimonthly column on the intersection of art and the fantastic. Self-described “dinosaur nerd” and “friend to robots” Greg Broadmore recently wrote and illustrated Dr. Grordborts Contrapulatronic Dingus Directory—a serious critical study of the excesses of British colonialism. Well, okay, we’re joking. There is a certain Lord Cockswain, “a blustering great white hunter and full time retard,” doing un-PC things in goofish fashion in the back of the book, but mainly Broadmore’s latest features a stunning display of steampunkish (puckish?) rayguns. Lots and lots of rayguns. With long and lugubrious names. More »
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Science fiction has three iconic images that definite the genre: aliens, rockets, and rayguns. Whether due to our obsession with phallic guns, or the idea that a laser pistol is just too cool to pass up, the scifi gun has endured since H.G. Wells introduced them as a "Heat-Ray" in 1898's War of the Worlds. As good old Han Solo would later say, "Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no match for a good blaster at your side, kid." Read on for our list of the best things that go PEW PEW PEW! More »
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