TECHNOLOGY

An Edison phonograph exhibit with a talking doll in Paris, 1889.

Listen to Thomas Edison’s Eerie Talking Dolls Speak After More Than a Century of Silence

Modern technology has helped these dolls find their voices—and when they speak, it’s downright creepy.

Emojis transcend language in a way that 'lmao' can't.

From ‘DWL’ to ‘MDR’: See How People Laugh Online in 46 Different Languages

Maybe you already know the meaning of 'jajaja.' But what about all these other expressions of online laughter?

How Wind Phones Are Helping People Connect With Lost Loved Ones

Wind Phones originated in Japan in the 2010, and have since spread around the world.

You should always tip in this situation.

This Interactive Survey Shows How Your Tipping Habits Compare to the Rest of America’s

The Pew Research Center polled thousands of U.S. residents to find out how often people actually tip for various services.

What Does ‘Military Grade’ Really Mean?

Is calling something ‘military grade’ legit? Find out the truth behind this marketing strategy and how it's applied to products.

Sam's Club shoppers can now make a quick exit.

Exit Strategy: Sam's Club Will Stop Checking Your Receipt at the Door

The warehouse club is eliminating the indignity of getting stopped at the exit.

This Website Lets You Create Your Own Ambient Noise Blend

Ambiphone is the DIY white noise machine you didn't know you needed.

First MUZZY Commercial - Je Suis La Jeune Fille!

Remembering Muzzy, the Clock-Eating Alien Who Haunted ’90s Kids

If you watched television in the 1990s, you probably saw an ad for a green blob that could teach you French.

Search of the Internet Revealed No Evidence of Time Travelers

The researchers analyzed search engines, search data, and social media in hopes of turning up evidence of time travelers.

Some iPhone users are getting compensation for a years-old controversy.

Apple Is Now Sending Customers Money to Settle Its $500 Million Battery Scandal

In 'Batterygate,' allegations of planned obsolescence led to a cash payout for iPhone users.

10 Awesome MS-DOS Games You Can Play in Your Browser

The Internet Archive has more than 8500 MS-DOS games online, and they’re playable in nearly any browser. Prepare to kiss your free time goodbye.

The oldest members of Generation Alpha are officially teens as of 2024.

Everything You Need to Know About Generation Alpha—The Children of Millennials

Generation Alpha—the children of Millennials and the kid siblings of Generation Z—was born the same year the iPad was released.

Here's What the 'A' Button Does in Your Car

Worried about pressing strange buttons in your new car? Us, too. But you'll probably like this one.

Barbie and Ken are just two members of the Barbie bunch.

Our 26 Favorite Stories of 2023

From Celine Dion’s “erotic motorcycle” to the crafty female platypus who faked a pregnancy in order to bust out of the Bronx Zoo, 2023 was full of some pretty great stories.

A TSA agent examines a passenger for any remaining dignity.

You May Soon Be Able to Screen Yourself at Airports

New technology will soon allow travelers to pat themselves down at airport security checkpoints.

The Fourth Doctor (Tom Baker) battles the Daleks.

8 ‘Doctor Who’ Aliens That Used Surprisingly Realistic Technology

‘Doctor Who’ has featured hostile aliens using advanced technology to attack Earth since the BBC show premiered back in 1963.

Caricature by James Gillray of Perkins Tractors being administered to a patient.

8 of History’s Greatest Charlatans

One scam was convincing enough to fool George Washington.

Since when is Netflix a social media app?

The World’s 25 Most Popular Apps by Download

This list of the world’s most downloaded apps includes everything from TikTok to Candy Crush.

25 of the Most Confusing Acronyms and Initialisms

You’re not the only person who has Googled “NPC meaning” of late.

100 Facts That Will Make You Go “WTF”

Weird but fascinating facts about everything from the guy who dragged cars with his nipples to frogs shedding (and eating!) their own skin.

One Minute of Music: Remembering the HitClips Fad of the Early 2000s

The tiny chips held just 60 seconds of pop music, but kids still couldn’t get enough.

Why Is Opening an Umbrella Indoors Supposed to Be Bad Luck?

When it comes to superstitions about bad luck, indoor umbrellas are right up there with broken mirrors and black cats.

Still from 'The Day the Earth Stood Still' (1951) beside illustration of a theremin.

Audio Invasion: How the Theremin Went From Soviet Labs to Hollywood

The theremin—a spooky instrument that scored the biggest sci-fi films of the 1950s—was invented by accident.

How Phone Hackers Paved the Way for Apple

The ‘phone phreakers’ of the 1960s and 1970s indirectly led to the tech boom of today.

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