These Six-Word Stories Are Dispatches From A Strange Alternate Reality

Drawn from the stories you submitted to us today, these tales rewrite The Sound of Music as a horror flick, give us some etiquette tips for how to behave in front of a black hole (hint! VERY WELL), and, most alarmingly, show a timeline where our attempts to land a comet turned out very differently indeed. » 11/13/14 4:20pm 53 minutes ago

Quite Possibly the Worst Analysis of NSA Spying You Will Ever Hear

In a bizarre application of the old "blame the victim" idea, the Guardian's James Ball has decided that ordinary people with nosy neighbor syndrome are the fundamental cause of government spying. It's a classic example of confusing the cultural problem of gossip with the political problem of surveillance. » 11/13/14 4:00pm Today 4:00pm

Aerial Photographs Reveal Mysterious Faces Etched into the Landscape

We see faces everywhere – on our morning toast, in a field full of flowers, or on Mars – thanks to a psychological phenomenon called pareidolia. But there are hundreds of faces on Google Earth, too. Here are some of the most amazing ones. » 11/13/14 3:00pm Today 3:00pm

It Turns Out That "Longevity Genes" Don't Exist

Very few people live to be 110 or older. Incredibly, many of these "supercentenarians" do virtually nothing to stay healthy or fit, leading scientists to speculate that certain genes are responsible. But recent analysis of the human genome suggests this is an oversimplification. » 11/13/14 2:20pm Today 2:20pm

The Difference Between Good Worldbuilding And Great Worldbuilding

Worldbuilding is the bedrock of science fiction and fantasy. We obsess about it constantly, because characters and plots are often only as compelling as the worlds they inhabit. We've decried bad worldbuilding before — but what makes worldbuilding great? Here's one key factor. » 11/13/14 1:40pm Today 1:40pm

It's Great We're Getting A Captain Marvel Movie. It's Also Not Enough.

When Marvel announced that its next round of movies would include a Captain Marvel movie, we were thrilled. Yes, a major Marvel movie featuring a popular and wonderful female superhero. But amidst that celebration, let's not forget there are still tons of worthy female superheroes who would make excellent movie stars. » 11/13/14 12:30pm Today 12:30pm

Holy @#$%! Underoos Are Back, Adult-Sized, And Better Than Ever!

Today is a good day. Oh, I'm sure there's plenty of terrible things going on in the world right now, but today is the day that Underoos, the incredible t-shirt-underpants-minimalist cosplay underwear returns to stores! For adults even! And with awesome characters to choose from! » 11/13/14 12:24pm Today 12:24pm

Get 58% Off Limefuel's Giant 20,000mAh Dual USB Battery Pack

What's the most important thing about a backup battery pack? How much juice it holds, right? Which is why we like the new Limefuel — it holds 20,000mAh, which should be enough to recharge your phone around ten times, or an iPad Air nearly twice over. Now, io9 readers can grab one for just $34.99 – that's 58% off. » 11/10/14 11:10am Monday 11:10am

Save 10% on Unlimited Comic Subscriptions + Get $3.99 Monthly Shipping

Comic Cartel is about to be your new favorite comic book shop. Subscribe to all your favorite comics online and get them delivered right to your door. With the exclusive promo code GAWKER10 you'll receive 10% off every comic you subscribe to. Even better, your monthly shipping fee is just $3.99 (regularly $6.99,… » 11/12/14 2:32am Yesterday 2:32am