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You probably know that Frank Herbert's Dune teaches that "fear is the mind-killer." But what else can you learn from Dune about the power of using your mind and avoiding negative thoughts? Psychologist Maria Konnikova delves into the real-life neuroscience that Paul Atreides taps into. More »
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Behold a collection of lovely images from the second season of George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones. Get your first look at Bran Stark's new legs, Hodor, Balon Greyjoy, Brienne and a whole new clan of Baratheons. More »
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Like many people, I've been slowly rewatching Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ever since it popped up on Netflix. And one thing becomes clear: in many ways, 2012 has already overtaken DS9 as The Future goes — barring, of course, space travel and replicators. Culturally, at least, we've zoomed right past Star Trek's version of the 24th century, by the second decade of the 21st. More »
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Fringe keeps proving over and over that everybody's sexier when they come from a dark, dystopian alternate universe. But it's basically a law of science fiction that the evil twin is always the sexier one. More »
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In the summer of 1997, the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration picked up a sound from deep beneath the Pacific. The sound seemed to come from an animal far larger than any we've ever seen. This was the Bloop. More »
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Gary Oldman reveals a hint about the end of The Dark Knight Rises. Marc Webb and Andrew Garfield explain how they approached reinventing Spider-Man. The Hobbit gets a much-needed infusion of Scottish. Plus Game of Thrones, The River, and more! More »
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Adventure Time has gone from a shiny new distraction to a major freaking part of our lives. We can no longer remember a time before Adventure Time, and it feels as though Finn and Jake are more real than most of our friends. More »
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Author Brian Azzarello's Wonder Woman has been one of our favorite books of the DC Comics relaunch, what with its profoundly creepy take on Greek mythology and the Olympic pantheon's political machinations. More »
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Aphrodisiacs have a rich and often-told history — but what about their opposite? Throughout history, people have tried to find ways to suppress sexual desire. People have used methods ranging from saltpeter to cornflakes to modern-day chemical castration, with mixed success. More »
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Even though it's still impossible to clone a Woolly Mammoth we may not need to — because a Woolly Mammoth has been spotted and captured on tape in Siberia. Behold the undeniable proof that the Mammoth lives — or that bears love to fish. You be the judge! More »
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When you think about science fiction theme tunes, chances are there are a few that are especially stirring and heroic. Star Wars. 2001: A Space Odyssey. Star Trek: The Next Generation. Superman: The Movie. And all of these theme tunes have something in common: they rely on the same basic intervals. More »
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Not every scifi film can star a Brobdingnagian shark or lizard. Some movies must make due with giant livestock, vermin, and apes who aren't named King Kong. Here are 10 of the most superfluous creature features ever made.

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Bacillus anthraces — more commonly known as anthrax — is not to be trifled with. Once the bacterium enters the blood stream, it releases a lethal cocktail of toxins that spreads rapidly throughout the body, leading to severe tissue damage, bleeding, and respiratory collapse. The fact that anthrax spores can infect a host via inhalation have made it a popular biological weapon in recent years. More »
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Sure, M.I.A.'s waggling middle finger caused a grand mal kerfuffle among the 37 Super Bowl viewers who were still sober enough to notice it. But far more insidious symbolism was at play during the 2012 halftime show. We are referring to, of course, the subliminal Satanic-Illuminati-Freemason messages that permeated Madonna's set. More »
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Check out our first proper look at Rufus Sewell as a vampire in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and find out why Lincoln hates vamps. A producer sets the record straight about Ridley Scott's Blade Runner follow-up. The Wolverine sets a release date. Karen Gillan discusses her Doctor Who departure. Plus the single most ridiculous Once Upon a Time casting update ever! More »
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Why haven't we cured cancer yet? It seems like almost every day, we hear about another miraculous advance in cancer treatment. Drugs that cause tumors to shrink, gene therapies, and even a possible vaccine. And yet, our loved ones keep dying of cancer. More »
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You've seen the exceptionally moody and action-packed new trailer for The Amazing Spider-Man. But what secrets does it hide about the Lizard and Spider-Man's parents? More »
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Back in December, CERN physicists announced that they had probably spotted the long-awaited Higgs boson - at least, there was a 99.7% chance that they had. Now they've examined the data again, and it's looking even better for the Higgs. More »
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Hollywood loves to give us happy endings — but often as not, when the good guys scrape a last-minute victory in the face of incredible odds, you're left wondering how long it'll last. Maybe part of the reason why that victory seems so miraculous is because it'll never work. More »
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13,000 feet beneath the surface of Antarctica's vast ice sheet rests the otherworldly Lake Vostok. Home to some of the most extreme conditions on Earth, Vostok has remained isolated from the rest of the world for 20 million years, and completely inaccessible to mankind. Until now. More »
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Film analyst Rob Ager has turned his focus on the "enduring and enigmatic enigma" of The Shining in an attempt to uncover the cryptic narrative tucked betwixt Stanley Kubrick's strange inconsistencies and the meaning behind the infamous black-and-white shot. More »
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A ticket to a 3D movie can cost $15. Tickets to a Friday night showing cost $10.50 at one theater and $12 at the cineplex down the block. A seat for a matinee costs $5. That's quite the variation! But if tickets do not cost the same from time to time and from theater to theater, why measure movie success in terms of money? Let's take a look at how box office gross is reported, some alternative metrics of movie success, and the growing importance of the international movie market.

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Sigourney Weaver reveals her future in the Avatar movies. Andy Serkis discusses returning to Gollum in The Hobbit. Check out new photos for John Carter and Dredd. Plus get the latest on Fringe, Alcatraz, The River, and The Vampire Diaries! More »
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Almost 30 years after Daniel Shechtman noticed something weird in his lab, he finally won a Nobel Prize for chemistry. But before that, his strange discovery resulted in him being asked to leave the lab for bringing disgrace upon his colleagues. More »
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You may recognize artist Keith Thompson's work from Scott Westerfield's Leviathan books and as those creepy doodles from the remake of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark. In addition to those projects, Thompson's crafted a nightmare fuel gallery of necrotic creatures with pedigrees in both science fiction and fantasy. Just behold that stomach-churning Pripyat Beast above. We're sorry. More »
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Today The Amazing Spider-Man launched an international press day, with cast members and director Marc Webb. And not only did they premiere a brand new trailer, but we saw a giant sizzle reel. What did we think of Hollywood's new Peter Parker, and what did we see? We describe our first impressions for you, below! More »
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It's tough to be a fan sometimes — there are so many famous characters, who have been going for so long, that it's hard to be an expert on all of them. And what's the fun in being a fan without being an expert? More »
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Last night we saw a ton of new movie trailers during the Super Bowl — including one amazing long look at The Avengers. We rounded up all the spots and stripped them of all their secrets in this five-part gallery. See what the aliens in Battleship look like, get a better look at a lady Thark from John Carter, and behold the secret new villains in Joss Whedon's Avengers! More »
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It's Monday. For most of us, that means it's back to the grind — whether that grind be work, school, or some other scheduled obligation. Unfortunately for weekend warriors everywhere, these obligations typically require us to get up earlier than we'd choose if it were up to us. More »
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The Walking Dead comes back this week, and the show's creators are promising the fast-paced action you've been craving. But that's not all television has in store for you — there's also the series premiere of The River, a unique horror series from the creator of Paranormal Activity. Find out why we thought The River's first episode was the best pilot we've seen in ages. More »
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In December 2009, South African maskandi singer Khulekani Kwakhe "Mgqumeni" Mseleku died after consuming a poisonous potion brewed by a healer. But last week, the singer returned from the dead in the town of Mquthu, much to delight of his fans, who descended upon the village in cheering throngs. More »
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In comics, Spider-Man is always ready with a snappy and/or terrible one-liner, but we haven't seen that side of him in the movies... until now. Director Marc Webb reveals why a wisecracking Spidey is essential to his more realistic vision! More »
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The fierce ultraviolet radiation given off by the young stars of NGC 3324 has carved this giant cavity in space. And, thanks to our old friend pareidolia, that boundary between different gases looks an awful lot like a person's profile. More »
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They're not appropriately dressed, but these ladies are managing to get by in the apocalypse all the same. Illustrator Andrew Tarusov created a doomsday calendar, with a different gal and a different apocalypse for every month of the year. More »
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Today, the New York Giants and the New England Patriots battle for football supremacy, while fans sit at home with their lucky jerseys and their game day rituals. But some teams need a bit more mystical help than others. In 2000, the New Orleans Saints called in the big guns to combat the ghostly curse on their football stadium. More »
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There's a popular claim that the seven billion people alive today outnumber all other humans who have ever lived. It's meant as a stark reminder of humanity's population explosion over the last 200 years...but is it true, or total crap? More »
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In 1986, Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker's Heritage USA was the third most-visited amusement park in the US, behind only Disney World and Disneyland. Now the park that once entertained millions of guests is falling to pieces, and looks more like the scene from a post-apocalyptic movie than a place for family fun. More »
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I was excited as the next Star Wars fan to get a sneak peek this week of the new "The Dog Strikes Back" Volkswagen ad that's set to debut at the Super Bowl. Like the big hit of last year, "The Force," a clever ad that featured a Darth Vader-dressed kid frustrated when his Dark Side powers don't work (until Dad makes his day by starting up the family's VW Passat with his remote), I was thrilled to see how my beloved Star Wars franchise might be subtly referenced this year. More »
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After a hurricane wiped out all the lizard species on certain islands in the Bahamas, scientists re-populated the small islands with two lizards of each kind. They then sat back and watched how those lizards evolved to get an up-close look at the Founder Effect. More »
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It's time again for the Concept Art Writing Prompt, where we ask you to write a piece of flash fiction in response to an unusual piece of artwork. This week, we're headed into the desert, where, of all things, a submarine lies rotting. You're the author, so tell us: How did it get there? More »
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