Japan Turns Sole Surviving Tsunami Tree Into Gigantic Sculpture

Two years ago today, Japan was ravaged by a horrible tsunami. Now, there’s a new memorial dedicated to the tragedy: the “miracle tree” that survived the surge has now been converted into a sculpture.
Japan Turns Sole Surviving Tsunami Tree Into Gigantic Sculpture

SXSW Begins And Other News You Need to Know

Welcome to this morning's edition of "First To Know," a series in which we keep you in the know on what's happening in the digital world.
SXSW Begins And Other News You Need to Know

How to Change Hidden Advanced Settings in Any Browser

Browsers are packed with settings and options, many of which are hidden. Each browser has a place where you can change advanced settings that aren’t available in its standard options window.
Note that changing some of these settings could negatively affect your browser’s performance, stability, or security. Many of these settings are hidden for a reason.
How to Change Hidden Advanced Settings in Any Browser

Quiz Reveals Likelihood You'll Die by 2023

t would be great if we could live forever. But unless you’re swept up in a rapture, you’ll likely die. Some of us sooner than others. A new mortality index released by the University of California, San Francisco, School of Medicine allows people older than 50 years old to take a quiz and find out their odds of meeting their maker by 2023.
Quiz Reveals Likelihood You'll Die by 2023

Here Is What Lake Eyre Looks Like From Space Over Five Years

Like any lake, Australia’s largest lake, Lake Eyre, fills and empties in a cycle. Usually it happens so slowly that you don’t notice it, but what if you could watch five years of tidal activity in one minute, all taken from space? One Aussie Redditor has combined all the images from the Terra EOS AM-1 satellite taken since 2008 to cram it into one awesome minute.
Here Is What Lake Eyre Looks Like From Space Over Five Years

Eat A Banana To Remedy Over-Caffeination

Getting too juiced up on caffeine happens more often than people often think. Maybe you made a pot and nobody wanted it but you. Perhaps you got lost in a great conversation. In any case, baristas and amateur nutritionists suggest one possible remedy: eat a banana. Yes, a banana.
Eat A Banana To Remedy Over-Caffeination

The Complete Guide To Switching From iPhone To Android

Sick of Apple’s restrictive operating system but haven’t yet made the jump from iPhone to Android? Here’s what to expect, how to adjust, and how to cope with certain app withdrawal.
The Complete Guide To Switching From iPhone To Android

This Jaw Dropping Canyon Cliff Rope Swing Will Give You Vertigo [VIDEO]

YouTuber "Devin Super Tramp" and his friends must have some relation to Toy Story's Buzz Lightyear because they've truly mastered the art of "falling with style."
This group of extremely brave individuals turned the canyons of Utah into their personal swing set and let loose in some amazing jumps and stunts that will have you dizzy.
This Jaw Dropping Canyon Cliff Rope Swing Will Give You Vertigo [VIDEO]

Attention Pet Owners: You Need These 3 Apps

Mashable and Purina recently co-hosted #TailsandRails, a pet-friendly hackathon at New York's Soho Grand Hotel. We brought together coders and animal lovers who want to build a better life for their furry friends.
Attention Pet Owners: You Need These 3 Apps

The Giant Security Hole That Facebook Doesn’t Care About

You probably assume hackers are using all sorts of devious viruses, obscure scripts, “exploits” (whatever that means, right?) and other complex means to break into accounts. But often the means of entry are stupid simple. Facebook has a huge one — and doesn’t care about fixing it.
The Giant Security Hole That Facebook Doesn’t Care About

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

The odds of it happening are extremely small, but the shortest possible Monopoly permutation goes like this, according to a Notre Dame professor.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

How to Capture Stunning Snaps of Your Kids

It maybe a cliche, but kids really do grow up too fast. This makes it vital to capture as many childhood moments as you can.
How to Capture Stunning Snaps of Your Kids

Erasing Your Data from the Internet

The Internet is among the best thing that has happened to humanity, but cool as it is, it too has severe problems – problems with security, problems with privacy, problems with identity and sometime the stuff associating to you.
Erasing Your Data from the Internet

In Case You Forgot, the Sun Is a Giant Ball of Fire

The bubbling tumult of the sun's surface regularly produces some pretty jaw-dropping sights, but it's rare that we get to see something like this — and in motion to boot.
In Case You Forgot, the Sun Is a Giant Ball of Fire

Inside a nuclear fusion research lab

In downtown Cambridge, Mass., there's a research laboratory where scientists create plasma — the superheated, energy-dense gases that make up the Sun — and then try to manipulate that matter in ways that could, someday, be useful to the human race. Last week, the folks at The Physics Central Buzz Blog went inside this facility.
Inside a nuclear fusion research lab

An Animated Guide to Becoming the Next Pope [VIDEO]

Now that Pope Benedict XVI has resigned from his position, he's left a wide open hole at the top of the Catholic Church ladder. Time for you to make your move and rule the world — or at least Vatican City.
An Animated Guide to Becoming the Next Pope [VIDEO]

Abbott & Costello's classic "who's on first?" routine wonderfully retold in a children's book

TIME Magazine called Abbott and Costello's "Who's on first?" routine "the best comedy sketch of the twentieth century".
Abbott & Costello's classic "who's on first?" routine wonderfully retold in a children's book

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Plants, presidents and cute animals turned evil await you in this week's edition of Reddit Facts.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 3/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 3/2013

3 Companies You Hate But Investors Love, and Vice-Versa [INFOGRAPHIC]

There's a disconnect between companies that are popular with consumers and companies that are popular with investors. This infographic sets out to show you a microcosm of that phenomenon, picking out three companies that are loathed by many but the favorite of many investors, and three companies that are loved by consumers but might cause investors to be more wary.
3 Companies You Hate But Investors Love, and Vice-Versa [INFOGRAPHIC]

HadOneJob: photos of monumental cockups

HadOneJob.com is a collection of images showing massive, inexplicable cockups that appear to be the result of terrible negligence and/or deliberate sabotage.
HadOneJob: photos of monumental cockups

Huge Meteor Explodes Over Russia.

Apparently, at about 09:30 local time, a very big meteor burned up over Chelyabinsk, a city in Russia just east of the Ural mountains, and about 1500 kilometers east of Moscow. The fireball was incredibly bright, rivaling the Sun!
Huge Meteor Explodes Over Russia

Passenger Records His Own Plane Crash

When Jonathan Fielding heard that the carburetor of the plane he was in had iced over, his first inclination was to grab his smartphone.
Passenger Records His Own Plane Crash

Amazon Tops Apple and Google as Most Reputable Company in U.S.

Amazon edged out Apple to become the most reputable company in the U.S., a new study suggests.
Amazon Tops Apple and Google as Most Reputable Company in U.S.

The science of magic

The old cups-and-balls "shell game" trick so effectively exploits the human brain's ability to be deceived that, even when the cups are see-through, you can still get played.
The science of magic

North Korea Doing Terrifying Things: A Brief Timeline

Last night, North Korea unexpectedly decided to test a nuclear bomb without the common courtesy of telling anybody first. But it’s just the latest in a long line of terrifying things the country has done.
North Korea Doing Terrifying Things: A Brief Timeline

Belgium to Introduce Postage Stamps That Taste Like Chocolate

Belgium, known for its confectionery treats, is planning to release postage stamps that smell and taste like chocolate on March 25. The Belgian Post Office has issued chocolate-scented stamps before in 1999 and 2006. But, as Creativity Online points out, this is the first time flavor has been added to the mix. How do they taste? Even if you don't live in Belgium, you can sample them by emailing philately@bpost.be.
Belgium to Introduce Postage Stamps That Taste Like Chocolate

New titles coming | National Library of Australia

The following titles are intended to be made available to the public during the current financial year. Multiple titles may be processed and made available at any given time. Dates of when specific issues will be available unfortunately cannot be provided.
New titles coming | National Library of Australia

Litterplugs: where the trash gets wedged

Cabel's got a great name for those odd gaps in buildings and street-furniture where people shove their garbage. He calls them "Litterplugs," and boy does he have a lot of great photos of them.
Litterplugs: where the trash gets wedged

Pope Benedict XVI to Resign on February 28

Pope Benedict XVI will resign on February 28, the Vatican has announced.
Pope Benedict XVI to Resign on February 28

Here’s Just How Close Fire Came To Claiming Australia’s Greatest Observatory

The clean-up has well and truly begun at Siding Springs Observatory which last month survived one of the fiercest bushfire seasons by the skin of its teeth. Three ancillary buildings were lost in the blaze but the brave tale of how fire service men and women and how they saved the greatest astronomy telescopes in the country is one you need to read. Clean-up crews have taken some photos of the site, and it’s incredible to see how close the facility came to its almost certain doom at the hand of vicious fire.
Here’s Just How Close Fire Came To Claiming Australia’s Greatest Observatory

Helicopter Crash Caught on Camera During Filming of Top Gear Korea

A race between a supercar and a helicopter on Top Gear Korea got just a little bit too dramatic when the helicopter crashed into the ground.
Helicopter Crash Caught on Camera During Filming of Top Gear Korea

Bing May Have Revealed Secret U.S. Drone Base

Whoever says Google search is better than Bing has never tried tracking down a secret American drone base in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia.
Bing May Have Revealed Secret U.S. Drone Base

Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

Emperor penguin colonies are not easy to find: Their breeding grounds are remote, icy expanses, that are unobservable at distances greater than just a few kilometers due to the curvature of the Earth.
Images From Space Lead to Discovery of 9,000 Penguins

What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

A 'shiny protuberance', spotted on Mars by Curiosity Rover, has had the internet aflutter for days.
What on Earth is that thing on Mars?

20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

Viewer discretion advised! Do not scroll down unless your brain is made of steel and your nerves are Teflon. Some people simply cannot stand optical illusions.
20 Optical Illusions That Might Break Your Mind

5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

The Beatles officially broke up in Disney World.
5 Fascinating Facts We Learned From Reddit This Week

Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Imagine standing on the road one day and having a sinkhole suddenly swallow you whole. Or imagine sitting in your house and having a giant sinkhole vaporise your entire building. That’s what happened in China.
Giant Sinkhole Swallows Entire Building In China

Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

Today one of America's busiest railroad stations, Grand Central Terminal in New York, turns 100 years old. The iconic structure, located in the heart of Manhattan, serves thousands of passengers every day and is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the world. Originally built by the New York Central Railroad, today it is used exclusively by Metro-North Railroad, New York's regional commuter rail line.
Grand Central at 100: Cool Stuff You Didn't Know

This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

This video is stunning. Made by visual effects artist Mark Gee, the real-time video shows the moon rising over Wellington, New Zealand. It’s incredible to see the dark sky filled with the gigantic glowing orb. Just seeing that off-white colour float up makes me more excited than any sunrise ever.
This New Zealand Moonrise Might Be Better Than Any Sunrise

ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

The free scanner checks whether your network-enabled devices might be vulnerable to attack through the UPnP protocol.
ScanNow for Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)

A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

In the construction industry, a “firewall” is a specially-built wall designed to stop a fire from spreading between sections of a building. The term spread to other industries like car manufacturing, and in the late 1980s it made its way into computing. On one side of the wall is the seething electronic chaos of the Internet. On the other side is your powerful but vulnerable Web server.
A Comprehensive Guide To Firewalls

Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Men lie, women lie, number’s don’t. PBS takes a look at the sheer ridiculousness of some numbers and then compares them against each other.
Understanding Humans And Life With Numbers Is Overwhelming

Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

Leandro Almeida of Rio de Janeiro was cleaning out a storeroom at his family's home when a neighbor noticed a tortoise in a box meant for the trash. Turns out, the tortoise was Manuela, a family pet who they thought escaped back in 1982.
Lost pet tortoise found in family storeroom 30 years later

For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact

In 1978 a team of Russian geologists took a helicopter to a remote part of Siberia and encountered a family that had not had contact with anyone for 40 years. The family were Old Believers -- members of a "fundamentalist Russian Orthodox sect, worshiping in a style unchanged since the 17th century." They fled to Siberia in 1936 to escape persecution.
For 40 years, this Russian family was cut off From all human contact, unaware of World War II

See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Freeze-dried Neapolitan ice cream often comes to mind when we think about what our astronauts are eating high above Earth in the International Space Station. But the extraterrestrial culinary world is a bit more refined these days.
See What Astronauts Really Eat in Space

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

The latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 2/2013

Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

ASAP Science definitively answer the question of which came first — the chicken or the egg.
Science Proves Whether The Chicken Or The Egg Came First

This Is The New South Pole

There’s a new Geographic South Pole Marker, a pretty shiny metal pole that marks the actual geographic pole. Since the ice sheet that covers Antarctica moves, the previous marker moves along — about 10m from its real position. So the scientists from the Amundsen-Scott base celebrate each New Year by unveiling a new pole in the actual geographic pole position.
This Is The New South Pole

Spotting science mistakes in the movies

Today's movie-watching tech makes it easier to spot flaws, and the Internet makes it easier to share them. But different people notice different kinds of flaws, in different contexts. In a post from 2010, journalist Colin Schultz writes about a study that examined the differences between the kinds of scientific movie mistakes that men noticed, and the kind that women found. Everybody saw the errors, but the context was different.
Spotting science mistakes in the movies

Which Country Has The Fastest Internet, And How Does Australia Compare?

Akamai ranks countries based on their broadband speeds every quarter. In its latest report for Q1 2013, the top-ranking country has an average peak connection speed of 54.1Mb/s. Which country do you think that would be? Hint: Its the third time in a row to be in first place.
Which Country Has The Fastest Internet, And How Does Australia Compare?

The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl

Larry Ferlazzo: Friday is one of the days my Intermediate English class spends a period in the computer lab, and I thought it would be a good opportunity for them to spend a few minutes learning about the Super Bowl (which is being played on Sunday). Here are my picks for The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl:
The Best Sites Where ELL’s Can Learn About The Super Bowl

These Amazing Optical Illusions Are Simply Beautiful

I love the work of Shintaro Ohata. His canvases are beautiful on their own but, when he mixes painting and sculpture, he creates optical illusions that take his art to a whole new level.
These Amazing Optical Illusions Are Simply Beautiful

Earthereal: A Time Lapse Trip Around the Earth

This stunning video is a combination of dozens of time lapse sequences shot by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, all artfully spliced and set to a musical score.
Earthereal: A Time Lapse Trip Around the Earth

Australian Library Moves All Lance Armstrong Titles to Fiction Section

Following Lance Armstrong's doping confession to Oprah on Thursday, an Australian library has moved all books about the American cyclist from the nonfiction section to the fiction section.
Australian Library Moves All Lance Armstrong Titles to Fiction Section

Foolproof card trick your kids will love

Here's a great self-working card trick to teach your kids. If they are old enough to spell, they will love performing it for their friends.
Foolproof card trick your kids will love

Radio Telescopes and Star Trails: A Time-lapse Video

This beautiful time-lapse video frames Australia’s newest radio telescope array against a backdrop of stars.
Radio Telescopes and Star Trails: A Time-lapse Video

Moon landing not faked

FStoppers has the story and the proof. "Mr. SG Collins makes a pretty compelling argument claiming that neither NASA nor Stanley Kubrick were actually technologically capable of producing a video that could stand up to modern scrutiny.
Moon landing not faked

Take Mensa’s Free Test And Find Out If You’re A Genius

Mensa — the club for people who know they’re smarter than you — is offering its home test for free during the month of January. It’s an IQ test that takes 32 minutes to complete and will tell you whether you’re Mensa material.
Take Mensa’s Free Test And Find Out If You’re A Genius

Useful words with no English equivalent

Surprisingly, they're not all long, Germanic compound words (generally a font of useful no-equivalent words).
Useful words with no English equivalent

Shipment of 18 human heads intercepted at airport

Because the shipment's paperwork was not in order, agents confiscated the heads and sent them to the Cook County Medical Examiner for safekeeping.
Shipment of 18 human heads intercepted at airport

NASA Unveils Last Moon Video by Doomed Spacecraft

A NASA probe recorded a spectacular flyover video of the moon's far side shortly before intentionally slamming into a lunar mountain last month.
NASA Unveils Last Moon Video by Doomed Spacecraft

How To Fix Every Common Zipper Problem

Zippers haven’t changed much since they were first invented, and neither have the problems we all have with them. From stuck zippers to teeth that just won’t clinch, here’s how to fix all of the common problems.
How To Fix Every Common Zipper Problem

10 Commonly Used Expressions and Their Bizarre Origins

Some of them are odd, and some are very funny. Here's a top ten of the most commonly used expressions.
10 Commonly Used Expressions and Their Bizarre Origins

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 1/2013

he latest issue of new Family Friendly sites listed on The Black Stump.
Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 1/2013

Watch This Skateboarder's Near-Death Experience

If you're a skateboarder, the YouTube video above shows why you shouldn't bomb down steep hills that lead directly to busy cross streets.
Watch This Skateboarder's Near-Death Experience

Oscars 2013: Here Are the Nominations

Oscars host Seth MacFarlane and actress Emma Stone revealed the nominees for the 85th Academy Awards on Thursday at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, Calif.
Oscars 2013: Here Are the Nominations

Fires, warnings & incidents - CFA

There are a range of information sources to help you stay aware of local fire conditions. View the low bandwidth warnings and incidents page, call The Victorian Bushfire Information Line on 1800 240 667, follow CFA on Twitter - twitter.com/CFA_Updates or Facebook - facebook.com/cfavic and listen to ABC local radio, Sky News and other emergency broadcasters.
Fires, warnings & incidents - CFA

Drive Thru Employees Stumped by Hilarious Invisible Driver Prank [VIDEO]

Magician and YouTube prankster Magic of Rahat stumped drive thru workers by pulling up to the window in a suit that camouflages him with the car seat. Watch as employees go through a variety of emotions, ranging from spooked to questioning their mental health.
Drive Thru Employees Stumped by Hilarious Invisible Driver Prank [VIDEO]

Coastal landslide caught on film

When a large crack rang through the air, followed by a rumble, Robert and Chris Wills knew to grab their cameras and start shooting. Chris, a geologist, and his son Robert knew they were in for the show of a life time.
Coastal landslide caught on film

Phrases used by corporate fraudsters

The FBI and Ernst and Young have released a list of top-ten phrases that indicate corporate fraud, based on data-mining evidence from real corporate fraud investigations.
Phrases used by corporate fraudsters

KFC Customer's Disgusting Photo of Chicken Brain — or Kidney — Goes Viral

Demonstrating the power of one disgusted customer, a U.K. teen's photo of either a brain or a kidney within his KFC meal has gone viral and prompted the chain to apologize.
KFC Customer's Disgusting Photo of Chicken Brain — or Kidney — Goes Viral

4 Minutes of Dad Jokes Is Surprisingly Hysterical

Knock knock. Who's there?
Just every dad joke in the world crammed into one video.
Don't even bother shopping for a Father's Day present this year, just send your dad this video and then regret the next 53 days because this guy has found what seems to be every corny, obnoxious or cliché joke around.
4 Minutes of Dad Jokes Is Surprisingly Hysterical

1984 and 1985 – Hawke government – National Archives of Australia

Cabinet records for 1984 and 1985 have been released!
1984 and 1985 – Hawke government – National Archives of Australia

Bushfire Warnings: The Sites And Apps You Need

Bushfire season is in full swing, and knowing the location of potentially risky fires is essential, especially if you live in a rural area. Fire services make full use of technology to keep Australians informed, with all offering online updates and many offering specific apps as well. We’ve rounded them all up to help you keep safe this summer.
Bushfire Warnings: The Sites And Apps You Need

A video featuring "Vomiting Larry"

Larry is used to study the way particles of puke become aerosolized, and how those particles spread and help infect other people. That's important, because it explains one of the ways that viruses spread by vomiting manage to end up in everyday things like, say, frozen raspberries. Aerosolized vomit isn't something you can spot. It doesn't clean up easily. And even just a drop of it can pass on plenty of viruses.
A video featuring "Vomiting Larry"

Top words of 2012 capture 'impending doom'

The Global Language Monitor announced that "apocalypse" is the top, or most influential, word for 2012 in its 13th-annual global survey of the English language.
Top words of 2012 capture 'impending doom'

63 Essential Things To Learn Before You Start 2013

We learned a lot last year — and we shared a lot of it with you. Here’s the complete collection of everything we explained, defined, spelled out and broke down in 2012.
63 Essential Things To Learn Before You Start 2013

50 Most Memorable Tweets of 2012

Twitter now has 200 million monthly active users, up from 100 million in late 2011. As the number of users in Twitter's birdcage grows, so does the number of memorable tweets.
50 Most Memorable Tweets of 2012

Smart mice doing tricks

This guy trains his pet mice to collect coins, fetch a tossed bead, play basketball, ride a tiny skateboard, and more.
Smart mice doing tricks

A toast to physics

You will be pleased to note that multiple physicists are at work on the problem of why a piece of falling toast tends to land with the butter side down.
A toast to physics

Oxford American Dictionary names GIF word of the year

The humble GIF gets a makeover with the advent of GIFing, which is to use this 80s graphic technique to create a meme. Not sure of the meaning of meme? Check the dictionary!
Oxford American Dictionary names GIF word of the year

A Complete History Of US Nuclear Explosions In 90 Seconds

On July 16, 1945, the US Army destroyed a small part of New Mexico by testing the first nuclear bomb in human history, the most powerful weapon of all time. It then proceeded to blow up 1054 more.
A Complete History Of US Nuclear Explosions In 90 Seconds

5 Custom Searches You Should Enable In Your Browser Right Now

Custom search engines are one of the coolest features of any modern browser. With just a few keystrokes, you can search Wikipedia right from your address bar, do a custom Google search for Lifehacker articles, or even get driving directions to a specific location. Here are five searches you should enable right now.
5 Custom Searches You Should Enable In Your Browser Right Now

The Black Stump on Facebook

Don't forget to check us out on Facebook!
The Black Stump on Facebook

Scientific American picks top 5 space stories for 2012

The magazine Scientific American announces its most important space stories for the year 2012, with the discovery of the Higgs Boson topping the list.
Scientific American picks top 5 space stories for 2012

Shopping mall shark-tank ruptures

Shanghai's Orient shopping centre experienced disaster on Dec 18 when a huge aquarium filled with lemon-sharks, turtles and fish ruptured, hurting 16 people and killing three sharks and "dozens of turtles and small fish." The tank's failure was blamed on a combination of cold temperatures and substandard materials.
Shopping mall shark-tank ruptures

These Astounding Satellite Images Are The Best Bird’s-Eye-Views Of 2012

Our daily does of satellite imagery through services like Google Maps have made looking down at Earth seem rather hum-drum at times. But there are still magical and majestic sites to be hold, as seen in this selection from 2012.
These Astounding Satellite Images Are The Best Bird’s-Eye-Views Of 2012

Unpublish old tweets with the Shame Eraser

Now that Twitter's finally made old tweets available, you might be inclined to nuke a few. Developer Benjamin Jackson created a tool that makes it seem easy: the Shame Eraser.
Unpublish old tweets with the Shame Eraser

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2012

Family Friendly sites listed on Blackstump Australia Issue 18/2012

Bye Bye TOPICA

Important note if you subscribe to our site updates via TOPICA Their service stopped working in early November and has still not been fixed.  Their recommendation was to start a new list which I did and quite a number of people signed up again. That new list also does not work. Apologies for apparently wasting your time! Hence, I'm abandoning TOPICA as a mailing list alternative effective immediately. Please refer to the Newsletter Signup page for a number of other options that actually work. Apologies to the TOPICA subscribees and Merry Christmas to you all!

R.I.P.: 10 Products That Were Discontinued in 2012

This year, quite a few products disappeared from the market, as technology inevitably marches on. Whether they got pulled for being faulty or just weren't commercially successful, these 10 examples have virtually expired.
R.I.P.: 10 Products That Were Discontinued in 2012

2012's Biggest Winners and Losers

The end is near. I mean the end of 2012, not the world, as dunderheaded Mayan-acolytes believe. Even without looming global annihilation, it’s been the most manic of annums, with extreme highs and heartbreaking lows.
2012's Biggest Winners and Losers

The Most Amazing Science Stories Of 2012

2012 has been a big year for science: people sank to record depths, a private company made it into space, NASA landed something the size of a car on Mars, and physicists finally found the particle that could unify science once and for all. Here are 12 of the most exciting science stories we’ve covered this year.
The Most Amazing Science Stories Of 2012

Seinfeld Plays Ball in 'Who's on First?' Remake [VIDEO]

Bud Abbott and Lou Costello's iconic "Who's on First?" comedy routine from the 1930s just got a refresh from a few of today's funnymen.
Jimmy Fallon, Billy Crystal, Jerry Seinfeld as well as Late Night with Jimmy Fallon announcer Steve Higgins and writer A.D. Miles took a crack at the baseball skit in the video below.
Seinfeld Plays Ball in 'Who's on First?' Remake [VIDEO]

What is this bizarre Indian "health gadget" from 1950s Bombay?

Very rare and old Twin Transilluminator in Box from India 1950 in good condition. Its medical Instrument for sinuses and Eye therapy. Its made of steel and backlit. its electrical. on box has some description and photos about how to use this Instrument. Its rare and unique medical Instrument and must for medical instruments collectors. The size of box is 9 inch in length, and its width is 5 inch.
What is this bizarre Indian "health gadget" from 1950s Bombay?

Boeing Creates 360° 'Dream Pass' Video of its 787 Dreamliner

Attention wannabe pilots: Here's your chance to experience the next best thing to flying Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner. The company created the Boeing 787 Dreamliner "Dream Pass," a 360-degree online video that lets you take an immersive virtual ride in the plane's flight deck, and tour its wings and engines.
Boeing Creates 360° 'Dream Pass' Video of its 787 Dreamliner

The Newest Gmail And Google Drive Tricks

Gmail and Google Drive are both popular choices amongst Lifehacker readers. The Google Australia team recently shared a list of some of the changes to those products over 2012 with us, ranging from big additions to small tweaks. Ready for an update? Let’s review.
The Newest Gmail And Google Drive Tricks

Golden eagle snatches kid

One second this eagle is gliding around above a park, majestic, then moments later it swoops down and tries to grab a toddler. It's just so sudden and unexpected: the bird looks small when it's far away, but oh god nope that's one of those Hobbit-carrying guys and little red monkey hat is off to Mordor.
Golden eagle snatches kid

Handy Flowchart Picks a Christmas Film for You

If you’re having trouble picking a holiday film, this handy flowchart can help. Need a film with just the right touch of animation and creepiness? Belief in Santa Claus and swimming pools? The chart has you covered.
Handy Flowchart Picks a Christmas Film for You