Attempting to predict the future is always a roll of the dice — even if we manage to correctly foretell where the winds will shift us, it is impossible to know what unexpected events will detour us on the way there. But what makes the technology of the future so particularly difficult to imagine?
Turns out Hollywood isn't so gay-friendly after all. A new study of 5,700 members of SAG-AFTRA found way more widespread (and blatant) discrimination against LGBT performers and other professionals than you'd have expected (or hoped.) There's a town hall about it, being livestreamed at 5:30 PST.
Here's philosopher Jim Holt delivering a TED talk with one of the TED-talkiest titles ever (just listen to the audience laugh in a paroxysm of absurd self-awareness): "Why does the Universe Exist?" And yet it's a pretty great presentation.
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This image of the gigantic dinosaur Spinosaurus, from Dinosaur Planet, is only half-right. New research shows that these massive, sailbacked animals probably didn't rear up on their hind legs much. But they did spend most of their time in the water, engaging in badass battles with sharks.
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Finally, some good news about our troubled atmosphere: A UN study shows that the ozone layer is displaying early signs of thickening after years of depletion. It's on the road to recovery — an achievement that scientists say is due to political will.
While many of us are familiar only with water towers that look like giant, featureless capsules, some folks get to gaze upon much more artistically designed water towers, with designs that would be perfect for a modern art museum, miniature golf course, or UFO.
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Ed Emshwiller was one of the all-time great cover artists of science fiction and fantasy. And over at Geeky Nerf Herder, there's an absolutely eye-popping collection of his book and magazine cover art. Including a surprisingly large number of "Santa Claus in space" images.
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Earlier this week, we saw spectacular images of Laniakea, an enormous supercluster of galaxies that also holds the Milky Way. But astrophysicist Ethan Siegel says that supercluster is a meaningless term—a measurement of cosmic phantasms that have no real structure.
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A man drives with his father to make their yearly sacrifice to some malevolent power. Fruit? Check. Animal bones? Check. But when they realize they've forgotten the most important component of their offering, they have to change their plans.
Sometimes a movie comes out and everybody says it's terrifying, so you go see it. And it's no big deal — maybe there's a jump scare or two, but basically you're unmoved. What is the worst offender in this category?
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The acclaimed author of Watchmen has recently finished his second novel, Jerusalem. Two interesting facts about it: 1) it's not set in Jerusalem, but Northampton, England, and 2) at over one million words, it's almost twice the size of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace. Moore has said he doubts people will even be able to …
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Penguin Books is releasing an updated anthology of their Doctor Who short stories written by famous children's authors to include a new story for Peter Capaldi's Twelfth Doctor - but the real star of the collection has to be these amazing new minimalist covers for each book.
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Science fiction is the literature of change and discovery. So there are no limits to how far a science fiction story can go... except for scientific plausibility. And yet, science fiction is created by and for human beings, with all our weird limitations. So here are eight paradoxes that shape our relationship with SF.
Gawker What Is Scotland? An American Guide to the Scottish Independence Vote | Jezebel When You're a Black Woman, You're Never Good Enough to Be a Victim | Kotaku The Internet Reacts To Secret Super Smash Bros. Characters | Lifehacker The Most Important Etiquette Rules Kids Should Learn | Kinja Popular Posts
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Three studies suggest that J.K. Rowling's storytelling style can sow the seeds of empathy in the minds of her readers.
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Few infographs capture the liveliness of their subjects, but Eleanor Lutz's lovely chart of 42 North American butterflies reminds us that these are living beings as each butterfly flaps its wings.
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The long-awaited television adaptation of Neil Gaiman's American Gods is moving forward, helmed by Pushing Daisies and Hannibal's Bryan Fuller. Naturally, we're nervous, but this recent interview with Fuller has calmed many of our fears. Spoiler talk ahead.
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Forget the Sinister Six; if Andrew Garfield is correct, Spider-Man's most dangerous foes may be Sony executives. The star says the reason Amazing Spider-Man 2 flopped is because of interference from the studio, which removed too much of the story and left the movie a bit of a mess.
Right now, space tourism is just for the ultra-rich. But this experimental design for a cargo plane full of spaceships could make visits to low-Earth orbit part of everyday life.
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Fantasy Flight Games have revealed a new tabletop RPG out before the end of the year set in a variety of apocalyptic scenarios - but the twist is that it stars you.
