Afghanistan

Geek Out

The Sad Story Of A Real Life R2-D2 Who Saved Countless Human Lives And Died

6:00AM December 29, 2011 | Brent Rose

Robots can’t have feelings. But humans develop feelings for them. You know, like R2-D2 in Star Wars. Or like Scooby Doo, a real life small robot that saved the day 19 times. This is his single-tear story. More »


Science

The Time I Planted A Pipe Bomb Under A Truck

9:45AM December 28, 2011 | Brent Rose

I almost crash into a truck, at first. I can turn on a dime and accelerate like a tiny nitrous-oxide-fueled bat out of hell — even though I’m holding a 10-pound pipe bomb, 30 per cent of my body weight. I don’t know what I’m doing, really. But by the time I get to the truck to plant the bomb, it’s easy. I know exactly what to do. Boom. More »


Geek Out

America’s Newest Killer Drone Is Headed To Afghanistan, If They Don’t Lose It

2:00PM December 14, 2011 | Sam Biddle

General Atomics’ Avenger — the newest iteration of the classic Predator — is headed to war for the first time, Danger Room’s David Axe reports. It’s got F-35 sensors, loads of stealth weapons bays, and terrain-sweeping radar. Iran: start licking your lips. More »


News

WebOS Stalling And Other Stories We Didn’t Post

5:30AM December 1, 2011 | Brian Barrett

So much news passes before our collective eyes every day that we couldn’t possibly cover it all. Mostly because much of it isn’t worth covering! But here are a some borderline tidbits we passed on, just in case. More »


Geek Out

Purple Lightning And Death From Above In Afghanistan

4:00AM November 8, 2011 | Sam Biddle

This looks like it should be airbrushed onto the side of a really tacky t-shirt, but it’s actually quite real! An Air Force F-15E near Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, illuminated by apocalyptic lightning. More »


Geek Out

Adopted War Dogs Are The Cutest War Dogs

6:20AM November 1, 2011 | Sam Biddle

You thought the war dog craze of ’11 was over, didn’t you? Surprise! KitUp’s got a nice little look at soldiers in Afghanistan, and the strategic strays they befriend. This video contains both puppies and a SAW machine gun. More »


News

US Military’s New Spy-Blimp Struggling To Find Enough Helium

12:00AM September 23, 2011 | Brent Rose

Yes, the world’s helium supply is slowly running out, and as sad as it will be to see thousands of tear-stained cheeks of balloonless birthday boys and girls, the military is already feeling the sting. More »


Science

Laser Can Detect Roadside Bombs From A Distance

4:20AM September 20, 2011 | Kristen Philipkoski

Scientists have a new laser sensor they say can detect roadside bombs, the cause of more than half the soldier deaths in Afghanistan and Iraq. More »


Online

NATO And Taliban Engage In Harrowing Twitter Pissing Match

7:00PM September 15, 2011 | Sam Biddle

NATO and the Taliban have never really gotten along — a decade of collapsed state power vacuum insurgency warfare will do that. But can’t we count on Twitter as a bastion of civility? Apparently not! The battling pair’s bickering online. More »


Entertainment

Must-See War Documentary: Hell And Back Again

10:20AM September 13, 2011 | Jesus Diaz

I can’t wait to see Hell and Back Again, the film by our friend Danfung Dennis. Not because it won the World Cinema Jury Prize Documentary at Sundance 2011 but because it looks truly extraordinary More »