The 10 geekiest Twitter accounts you should follow
It happens to everyone -- you look at your Twitter feed and feel just a little bored.
No need to let that persist, though. The internet is bountiful. If you're looking to refresh your feed, here are 10 accounts to consider following. They cover nerdery ranging from space, to DIY, to the government, to words you've never heard before (impress your friends by casually using the word callymoocher!).
Wil Wheaton
For the more pop culturally inclined, there are few prouder geeks than Wil Wheaton, formerly of Star Trek: The Next Generation fame. He writes, he acts, he hosts things, he's popped up on television shows like The Big Bang Theory and Eureka. Generally, he seems like a busy guy.
Example tweet: Boy the devs made Outside really beautiful today. Great work on the sky, team!
Instructables
Instructables tweets out some pretty cool DIY projects every day. Projects range from kid-friendly activities like making rock candy, to constructing a portable hot tub that takes roughly a half hour to build.
Example tweet: Beer Koozie Mittens: warm extremities and beer *can* go hand-in-hand!
InfoSec Taylor Swift
InfoSec Taylor Swift is something of a more recent darling of the tech geek Twitter world. It's a really active account running on the idea that T. Swizzle has some serious security concerns. And sometimes screencaps from The O.C. Also, there's a good bit of complaining.
Example tweet: If you put two Thought Leaders in a room, does one become a Thought Follower?
Fake Grimlock
He's barely coherent, and his caps lock keys appears to be busted, but Fake Grimlock is still the funniest robot startup founder on the internet. Also, he's occasionally thoughtful: THIS JUST IN: MOST PEOPLE ONLY CARE ABOUT MEANINGLESS CRAP. THAT WHY THERE SO MUCH OF IT.
Example tweet: IF UNSUBSCRIBE AND CANCEL ACCOUNT STILL RESULT IN GET EMAILS, YOUR PRODUCT DOING IT WRONG. UNLESS KEY METRIC IS EVERYONE HATE YOU.
CIA
If you're into unexpected humor and some pretty interesting history, the CIA is a good bet. Recent tweets include background on the CIA's efforts to smuggle books into Bolshevik Russia, and a picture of a pair of cufflinks that were also compasses.
Example tweet: #1 most read on our #Bestof2014 list: Reports of unusual activity in the skies in the '50s? It was us.
HaggardHawks Words
If you're the wordy sort, Haggard Hawks Words is definitely worth following. The account tweets out strange words like kalopsia ("the delusion that things are more beautiful than they actually are"), and other language-related trivia ("Music ALBUMS are so-called because the cardboard sleeves LPs were sold in were originally thought to resemble books of photographs.")
Example tweet: If you're RUMBUMPTIOUS then you're pompous and haughty.
Curiosity Rover
Mars is a tweet away. To keep up with the latest adventures of the Mars Curiosity rover, and see its selfies, of course, follow rover's Twitter account. Posts include all the images of the Martian surface you've been jonesing for. Some of the tweets are even in first person.
Example tweet: Certified organics! I detected organics for the 1st time on the surface of Mars #AGU14 http://go.nasa.gov/1A5NeSQ
Neil deGrasse Tyson
This is a no-brainer. If you're not already following him, you should probably turn in your geek card. Tyson tweets about science and has been known to lay down some truth about the portrayal of science in popular culture... like 2013's Sandra Bullock movie Gravity: "Mysteries of #Gravity: Nearly all satellites orbit Earth west to east yet all satellite debris portrayed orbit east to west."
Example tweet: Occasionally I wonder what a football game would be like if played by Zombies. Would be slower, but oh so much more violent.
Google Facts
Why wait for your cubicle mate to enlighten you with random facts when you can get them delivered to your Twitter newsfeed? For example, did you you know that the average American male lives about 3,962 weeks?
Example tweet: Researchers have found that the average person will form about 400 friendships during a lifetime, but only 33 will last.
Bored Elon Musk
Does Elon's Musk's brain ever take a break? This parody account wagers no. Forget rockets and warnings about artificial intelligence. Bored Elon wants to sell you on the idea of a TSA metal detector wand with a lint roller attachment, or a mobile app that lets you scan a barcode to see an estimate of how much it actually costs the manufacturer to make the item -- I'd say that last one is pretty smart.
Example tweet: Upgraded TV package that gives you a live broadcasts 10 seconds earlier so you have time to craft a funnier tweet than everyone else.
