A couple of weeks ago, the SETI Institute asked the Internet to help name two tiny moons of Pluto. Well, the voting has now closed, and while no one hijacked the polls in favor of “Alderaan,” it was a name near and dear to science fiction nerds that took the top spot: Vulcan (a write-in) pulled 174,062 votes out of 450,324 total. Read More
William Shatner, the Priceline spokesperson best known for his timeless role as the sexy/fearless/fearlessly sexy Captain Kirk in the original Star Trek, recently joined Reddit. And, as happens with many Reddit newbies, he has been immediately sucked in, perhaps to the point of obsession. In fact, dear Mr. Shatner appears to be spending a not insignificant amount of his precious time arguing with people on Reddit. Stars: they’re just like us!
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There are some Star Trek fans who really take their love for the series to dangerous extremes. This reporter may or may not have gotten her boyfriend a Star Trek bathrobe last Valentine’s Day, but stocking up on dangerous Klingon weapons seems like taking your fandom one step too far. Read More
Good news if you forgot a few holiday gifts! CNET has stumbled onto a treasure trove, in the form of sequin-encrusted, geek-themed pasties currently being sold on–where else?–Etsy. Your options include Apple logos, Grumpy Cat faces, Star Trek ensignia (also available in pink), Nyan Cats.
Sizing seems fairly standard, though you must chose between “average,” “extra pointy,” and “butt pasties.” Read More
If your futuristic dreams are populated by visions of the Star Trek Holodeck, then you might want to take a trip to good ol’ Stony Brook University. Gizmodo reports that researchers there have spent $2 million to construct a 360-degree, 1.5 gigapixel resolution display called the Reality Deck, and it’s everything Commander Riker ever wanted. Read More
Advanced 3D printing technology is getting close to resembling replicators from Star Trek and iPads look a whole lot like the gadgets Geordi was always carrying around. Now, physicists have taken another step towards making Starfleet technology a reality by inventing a working tractor beam, which is essentially a laser that can move things. Sure, currently it can only move itty bitty molecules, but the fact that it works at all opens up all sorts of exciting possibilities.
NYU professors David Ruffner and David Grier have developed a way to harness Bessel beams in order to pull particles towards a laser source. The result is the beginnings of a very tiny tractor beam capable of moving silica spheres suspended in water. Read More
OkCupid users not appreciating the way your Vulcan ears look in pictures? Match.com failing to find you a partner willing to read your wedding vows in Klingon? You’re not unlucky in love, you may just be using the wrong online dating platform.
Gizmodo published a post today about Trekkie Dating, a new online dating platform for Star Trek fans to meet significant others willing to geek out with them. “Live love and prosper,” reads the site. ”Welcome to a dating community that is light years ahead of others. Find like-minded friends, romance, & convention dates with other Trekkies TODAY!”
But given how many lonely hearts are roaming our pale blue dot, dating sites catering explicitly to Star Trek fans are not a new phenomenon. Star Trek Dating, largely populated by U.K. residents, has actually been around since 2010; Star Trek Dating.co.uk launched in June 2012 and claims to receive two million unique visitors a day. Read More
When not pissing off the cast of Star Trek: The Next Generation, Time Warner Cable execs apparently take to their evil lair to devise new schemes to wring every last penny out of their hapless customers. The latest pocket gouger? A monthly modem fee.
The New York Times reports that Time Warner is planning to charge a monthly fee of $3.95 to rent a modem from them. If you want to avoid paying the monthly fee, you can purchase a Time Warner-approved modem for $50-$137. Time Warner will then promise to set the modem up during the Harvest Moon but then not show up until the spring thaw. Read More
Winter is coming, at least according to every Game of Thrones fan on Reddit. This year, the witty folks at the Weather Channel have decided to name every winter storm. As it turns out, whoever was tasked with writing these names is kind of a huge sci fi nerd. Read More
How many of us have sat around the television during the opening sequence of Star Trek: The Next Generation, loudly singing “DUN, DUN DUN DUN, DUN DUN DUN” along with that famous brass-heavy intro? We may have all committed that now-sacred opening speech to memory, but we could’ve never done it as adorably as this 4-year-old boy. Read More
