"Real question: does anyone I know clean their underwear in a kettle when travelling?"

Scrolling through social media this morning, these 14 words, in one foul swoop, ruined every relaxing cup of tea I've ever had in a hotel room.

My mind was racing. Who would do this? Why?

And is it really as gross as it sounds? I reached out to some experts on the matter to find out if the simple fact the underwear is literally boiling means this actually a safe thing to do, or nah.

Video: Can batteries power the world?

Here's a quick explanation of the physical and chemical limitations to electrolytic batteries, and how we might surpass the energy density and specific energy of lithium-ion batteries - like the Panasonic 18650 batteries used in the Tesla Model S, for example.

All stories about dogs should be Good Stories, which is why the situation in Taloja, India is especially heartbreaking. Recently, photos and videos of blue pooches in the industrial town have cropped up online, raising the obvious question: What the hell happened?

Flying is terrible these days. It flat-out sucks. From ballooning lines to get through security procedures that mostly don't work, to random fees and seats so small analysts believe they may be safety hazards, it really just isn't a pleasant way to spend your time.

Move over Jupiter and Saturn, a crap load of diamonds could be found in two of the most mysterious places in the Solar System: Uranus and Neptune. Researchers using the Linac Coherent Light Source at Stanford have demonstrated in the lab — with one of the brightest sources of X-rays on the planet — that the depths of these ice giants are perfect for the formation of diamonds.

Life as a Silicon Valley tech bro is awesome because you're rich, and all that sweet money buys you very expensive hobbies. The latest craze: Foiling. It evidently feels like flying except you're on the water and your bones get broken.

Image Cache: If you're reading this post, congratulations on following basic instructions and not burning out your retinas while watching today's eclipse. For a few hours, folks across America could put aside the myriad horrors of this year and stare at the hot ball of gas literally keeping us all alive. It was actually quite pleasant!

Like many, aspiring supervillain Elon Musk gazed at the solar eclipse today. But regular sunglasses and a Tesla sunroof are not adequate eye protection for staring at the Sun. Is Elon Musk using special eclipse sunglasses? Is he blind now?

Indole, an organic chemical compound that's found in our gut and contributes to the smell of poop, increases the healthy lifespan of worms, flies and mice, according to new research. Scientists say this likely applies to humans as well, and that this stinky substance could eventually be used to delay age-related diseases.

For months, even years, amateur astronomers, photographers, and anyone wanting the best possible view of today's solar eclipse have been planning trips into the phenomenon's path of totality. Now that it's over, all that's left are millions of grainy Instagram photos — and a traffic nightmare that traces the same path as the eclipse's shadow.

The US State Department has remained tight-lipped about the strange circumstances in which US diplomats to Cuba reportedly suffered permanent hearing damage from an "inaudible covert sonic device". But new details reveal that "a deafeningly loud sound similar to the buzzing created by insects or metal scraping" was also used to harass the American envoys. What's more, the number of people who were harmed is reportedly even greater than was previously known.

Astronomers, doctors and other experts alike are in total agreement on one point — don't stare at a solar eclipse without eye protection unless you want to damage your vision or go blind, you goddamn idiot.

After his vessel sank off the coast of Denmark earlier this month, Peter Madsen, the designer of what was once the world's largest privately built submarine, was charged with the negligent homicide of missing Swedish journalist Kim Wall. Initially, Madsen claimed he'd dropped Wall off before the sinking and he didn't know where she was. Now police say Madsen has admitted that Wall died in an accident on his sub and he "buried her at sea".

Oh my god, he really did it. President Trump really did the one thing you're not supposed to do during a solar eclipse.

Image cache: If you've been dealing with eclipse envy, here's some good news. Australia will get a whole bunch of them between now and 2050.

This map shows the paths they will take.

Fox News declared President Trump victorious last week, insisting that his unhinged threats against North Korea had deterred the country from planning a missile launch. North Korea had previously threatened to shoot a missile over Japan that would land in the waters near Guam. But those celebrations may have been a bit premature.

An open letter signed by 116 founders of robotics and artificial intelligence companies from 26 countries - including Elon Musk and Mustafa Suleyman - has urged the United Nations to ban lethal autonomous weapons (often called "killer robots") internationally.

Both those who signed the letter, and leading Australian experts have spoken out about the move.

We have told people not to stare at the Sun today. We have told people to use safety glasses. We have tried so very hard, and we are so very tired.

The guided-missile destroyer USS John S. McCain collided with an oil tanker near Singapore yesterday, leaving five injured and 10 sailors still missing. It's the second US Navy ship to have a major collision with a civilian ship since June and the fourth in the past year.