In Brett Ratner's new big-budget flick Hercules, the title star portrayed by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson battles mythical creatures, including a three-headed dog, giant boars and lions, and multi-headed serpents. Mike Seymour shows how the visual effects experts at Double Negative created the complicated, yet lifelike beasts.

When it comes to film adaptations of comic-books, the source material should always be treated as gospel, right? Wrong. Angry Nerd explains why, and shares his concerns for Frank Miller's upcoming Sin City: A Dame to Kill For—which could end up being too faithful for its own good.

It took almost a year to arrange to interview and photograph Edward Snowden in Moscow, where he has sought asylum. Author James Bamford and photographer Platon reflect back on their encounters with the elusive whistleblower.

What inspires a 17-year-old to go into cancer research or a 19-year-old to develop an obsession with astrophysics? Find out, as the 2014 Thiel Fellows explain how they first discovered their passions and why they've decided to turn them into careers.

BBC America is hedging their bets on Intruders, a new show about a secret society whose members can jump into other people's bodies. And while body swapping is nothing new in the cinematic world, the trope tends to work better on TV, than on film. Angry Nerd explains why.

Watch WIRED editor in chief Scott Dadich take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge—while doing the math behind how long it would take for every person in the world to have completed the challenge. (Want to check our work? Go to http://wrd.cm/icebucketmath.) Scott's donated to help put an end to ALS. Go to alsa.org to learn how you can help too. Thanks to GQ’s Michael Hainey for the nomination. Scott’s paying it forward: Consider yourselves challenged, Chris Hardwick, Cindi Leive, and Carlton Cuse!

The Indie Machines’ Erik Beck and Justin Johnson are here to destroy your electronics—all in the name of science. Watch as they put each gadget through a 3-part destruction test, like taking a sledgehammer to a Nintendo Game Boy and dropping a cinder block on an iPad.

We go inside the latest addition to a fleet of lighter-than-air vehicles—the most advanced blimp in the air.

Architect Michelle Kaufmann explains the convergence of technology and building design, and the importance of using software and data to create green, affordable homes for the global population.

Find out how the tech, aviation, and design of Goodyear's new airship stack up to its predecessors.

Mike Seymour breaks down the tech behind the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles flick, including the facial animation effects. Plus, find out how an improvised, off-camera moment turned into one of the funniest scenes in the movie.

In the upcoming thriller Before I Go to Sleep​, Nicole Kidman stars as a woman who's grappling to remember what happened in her past. The amnesia plot line works, as it does for every film centered around memory loss, because it puts the protagonist on the same level as the viewer. Angry Nerd explains why.

You commented, we listened. Find out if your gadget was chosen as one of our next tech tests on Battle Damage.

Based on the hit YA novel of the same name, the upcoming flick The Maze Runner takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. To create the vast maze and relentless mechanical creatures called Grievers, FX experts Method Studios used technical and complicated special FX. Mike Seymour breaks down the tech behind the film.

The new Denzel Washington crime thriller, The Equalizer, is based on the 1980s show of the same name. And while Angry Nerd doesn't really remember much about the show, he does remember the killer opening title sequence.

Thanks to 40 years of increasingly cheap and tiny processors, new software, cheap sensors, and digital manufacturing, we can build products that seemed impossible a decade ago. WIRED has dubbed this new design renaissance Silicon Modern. Our editors collected 10 great exemplars of this movement, encompassing big ideas, inspiring projects, and new forms of expression. Silicon Modern is here, and design will never be the same. Original Composition by Nico Bergmann Recorded at First Voice Studio

Atari founder Nolan Bushnell and game developer Dong Nguyen join author David Kushner to talk about the ingredients for a successful video game and how the industry has transitioned from being a hobby to a full-blown business.

Released in 2006, the Microsoft Zune was intended to be a competitor to Apple’s iPod. It didn’t stand a chance then and it doesn’t stand a chance now. See what happens when we go medieval on this week’s gadget, as recommended by Mark and Todd from Barely Political.

Steve Aoki talks with famed futurist Ray Kurzweil about how technology will shape our future, in terms of creativity, consciousness, and the coming singularity.

It’s the most requested gadget we’ve received by far and we’ve finally put it to the test. See what happens when the Nokia “Brick” phone goes swimming in a vat of liquid nitrogen.

The British are coming. Can the new crime drama Gracepoint (based on the U.K. hit Broadchurch) find success stateside and join the shortlist of Brit expats that found their footing on red, white, and blue T.V.s, like The Office, House of Cards, and Shameless?

A new company called LIM is radically rethinking the way prosthetics fit the human body, so that wearers of artificial legs can walk farther than ever before.

Dinosaur. Treasure Planet. Home on the Range. For years, Disney Animation churned out duds. Then Pixar's masterminds took over and we got blockbusters like Wreck-it-Ralph and Frozen. In the November issue, WIRED senior editor Caitlin Roper talks to Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studios' Ed Catmull and John Lasseter about their latest film, Big Hero 6, which proves the magic is here to stay. Also this month: what's inside a flu shot; the NBA's money ball moment; the future of AI.

Angry Nerd is sick of the latest crop of cliché killer movies. Do we really need Michael Bay bringing another Hasbro product to life with “Ouija"? Who asked for the new wannabe “Blair Witch Project” called “Exists”? Angry Nerd explains why the only frightening thing this Halloween is the surplus of crappy horror flicks.

The technological upgrades on the U.S. Navy-owned Alvin submersible allow the deep-sea diving vessel to go to new depths. Reaching 98 percent of the sea floor, the submarine is able to explore complex hydrothermal vents and ecosystems.

Architect Bjarke Ingels at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Mythbuster Adam Savage at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Dava Newman and Gui Trotti at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Designer Ethan Imboden at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Greg Petroff at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Jake Barton at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

The technological advances in remotely operated vehicles (R.O.V.) have allowed researchers to uncover new ocean depths, like the 1986 footage of the Titanic by the Alvin submersible. Find out what lies ahead for the future of deep-sea exploration from the scientists who are taking the plunge.

Sarah Stein Greenberg at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

The original came out nearly 20 years ago, yet now is when we’re finally getting the follow up to “Dumb and Dumber.” Angry Nerd explains why the new Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels release has already missed the mark in terms of historical relevancy, and why it’s destined to fall victim to the curse of the long-delayed movie sequel.

Michael Hendrix at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Natasha Jen at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Why turn one book into one movie, when you can turn it into two? Despite “Mockingjay” being the weakest book in “The Hunger Games” series, movie execs have decided to translate it into a two-part film. Angry Nerd explains why the stretch from one to two is a terrible trend that needs to end.

“Please leave a message after the ….” It’s a phrase we all know, but in 1971 the PhoneMate 400 took voicemail to the next level. Find out why the hi-tech machine changed the answering machine game.

David Chang at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Erik and Justin test out the most stylish gadgets available at this year’s WIRED Store. See what happens when the two get their hands on a Dyson handheld vacuum, the Ballo stool (a sleeker update to the balance ball chair), and a modern, Bluetooth-controlled gramophone.

Our friend Jake over at Vsauce3 dared us to put the two biggest gaming consoles up against each other for our first-ever knockout episode. Find out whether the Xbox One or PS4 ends up being the toughest and which one gets the chainsaw in our season finale.

Christina Tosi at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Jennifer Colliau at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

On ABC’s “Once Upon a Time,” Disney characters like Snow White, the Queen of Hearts, and Peter Pan are set against a modern backdrop. Realistic visual effects bring to life the magic and mystery of Storybrooke—the town they now inhabit. Mike Seymour from fxguide goes behind the stunning FX and animation that are needed to create the fairytale mashup.

It’s that time of the year when networks drop sickly sweet holiday cartoons. When it comes to animated specials Angry Nerd typically loathes them, but will things change when he gets a visit from the Ghost of Christmas Specials Past?

Dan Winters at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Commune at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

Carl de Torres at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com

T.V. may be in a golden era, but that’s no excuse for you to skip out on the best movies of the year. Angry Nerd names the 10 most underrated movies of 2014, including “Only Lovers Left Alive,” “Snowpiercer,” “The Raid 2,” and “Edge of Tomorrow.”

Ije Nwokorie at WIRED by Design, 2014. In partnership with Skywalker Sound, Marin County, CA. To learn more visit: live.wired.com