genetics The promise and peril of reading your genome in 2017 (or for that matter, 2018) Rob Reid

futility closet Six lateral thinking puzzles Futility Closet

futility closet In 1977, architects realized that Manhattan's Citicorp Tower could be brought down by a high wind Futility Closet

futility closet The bear that inspired Winnie-the-Pooh Futility Closet

futility closet The true story that inspired Island of the Blue Dolphins Futility Closet

futility closet During WWII, mathematician Arne Beurling made "one of the greatest accomplishments in the history of cryptography" Futility Closet

cool tools Take a look at the Gonzo Gizmo author's favorite tools Mark Frauenfelder

futility closet In 1911, three men struggled for five weeks through the Antarctic winter to collect penguin eggs Futility Closet

kitchen Silicone dish scrubbers: because I'm tired of being told kitchen sponges are gross Jason Weisberger

podcasts After On Podcast: The Tim O’Reilly Interview Rob Reid

DRONES Chris Anderson: Drone mogul and former bass player for REM (no, not *that* REM). Rob Reid

futility closet One man's visit to Japan's closed society changed the country's destiny Futility Closet

futility closet "Emperor" Joshua Norton reigned over San Francisco for 21 years Futility Closet

makers I interviewed my sister for the Cool Tools podcast. Here are 4 of her favorite tools Mark Frauenfelder

podcasts What are the real risks we humans could face from a rogue AI superintelligence? Rob Reid

futility closet Did an 18th-century engineer manage to build a chess-playing automaton? Futility Closet

podcasts How Sam Harris Became Sam Harris (plus, many a thought on terrorism and AI risk) Rob Reid

Science The man who solved the problem of longitude Futility Closet

futility closet In 1913 T.J. Cobden-Sanderson threw the most beautiful type in the world into the river Thames Futility Closet

Technology Quantum computing’s terrifying promise Rob Reid