The "close-door" button in the elevator, the crosswalk button at the intersection, even the thermostat in your office — there's a good chance that they're all placebos. Over the last 20 years or so, many (though, weirdly, not all) of these buttons have become technically useless, but are left in place both because it's expensive to replace existing equipment and because, psychologically, they still serve a purpose.
Placebo buttons
Backyard astronomer captures astonishing video of huge fireball whacking into Jupiter (video)
Amateur astronomers captured incredible video (example below) of a fireball smashing into Jupiter on August 28. According to Kyoto University astronomer Ko Arimatsu—who leads a program in which backyard astronomers… READ THE REST
Fascinating look at the decomposition of a partially-frozen sheep
This poor sheep drowned while trying to cross a channel. As sad as the linked image is, it's also fascinating to see what happens when an animal dies of natural… READ THE REST
A handsome and mesmerizing perpetual motion simulator
Steve Mould explains and extols the virtues of a wonderfully-designed perpetual motion simulator (previously at BB) crafted by William Le. He even commissioned a transparent version that shows the clever… READ THE REST
Save 10% on a Victrola Wireless Turntable for a limited time only
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. TL;DR: Victrola's impressive line of wireless… READ THE REST
For $359, this Lenovo ThinkPad T480 + Microsoft Office Pro (2021) combo can be yours
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its view TL;DR: This two-for-one Lenovo ThinkPad480 + Microsoft… READ THE REST
Cut the cords and clutter with this $32.99 3-in-1 wireless charging pad
We thank our sponsor for making this content possible; it is not written by the editorial staff nor does it necessarily reflect its views. TL;DR: This 3-in-1 magnetic wireless charging pad is the… READ THE REST
