Bookmarks (940)

While it's great to get a full gym workout, most people don't have the space or the money to put all that equipment in their home. The GymPad Bench is the latest product to offer a solution to that problem, by packing multiple exercise machines into one compact package.Continue ReadingCategory: Health & Wellbeing, LifestyleTags: Home Gym, Exercise, Fitness, Rowing, Kickstarter

A remarkable semi-submersible ecotourism concept that takes passengers above and below the water has just received a zero-emission boost thanks to a new partnership between Platypus Craft and electric outboard manufacturer Evoy.Continue ReadingCategory: Marine, TransportTags: Platypus, Underwater, Electric Boats, Boat, Trimaran, Tourism, Eco-Friendly

Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses recently completed a new model named the Bandelier. Though it only has a modest length of just 28 ft (8.5 m), the tiny home is cleverly designed to offer a comfortable interior for two – plus guests – that has a well-proportioned living area, and even a bathtub.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, LifestyleTags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, House, Home, Micro-House

For the first time, the fully mechanical heart made by BiVACOR, which uses the same technology as high-speed rail lines, has been implanted inside a human being. The feat marks a major step in keeping people alive as they wait for heart transplants.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: Artificial organs, Organ donation, Transplant, Surgery, Titanium, Texas Heart Institute, Heart, Heart Disease

The official definition of a “planet” could be set to change again soon. Last time that happened, Pluto was kicked out of the club, but the new proposed definition is designed to be more inclusive.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Planet, Dwarf planet, Pluto, Astronomy, Exoplanet, Solar System

Ocean Energy has deployed its 826-tonne wave energy converter buoy OE-35 at the US Navy's Wave Energy Test Site off the coast of the island of Oahu ahead of it being hooked up to Hawaii's electricity grid.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, ScienceTags: Wave Power, US Marines, US Navy

The recognition of same-sex marriage across the European Union has had a negative impact on the US economy, causing the number of highly skilled foreign workers seeking visas to drop by about 21%, according to a new study.Continue ReadingCategory: LifestyleTags: Washington State University

MIT scientists have discovered an intriguing new way to produce hydrogen fuel, using just soda cans, seawater and coffee grounds. The team says the chemical reaction could be put to work powering engines or fuel cells in marine vehicles that suck in seawater.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, ScienceTags: Hydrogen, Hydrogen-powered, Aluminum, Fuel Cell, MIT, Coffee, Alloy, Energy, Reactors

Speaking a language with different words for different color shades allows the brain to perceive those shades quicker than using a language with only one word for that color, according to new research. The findings highlight the important interaction between language and perception.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Language, Brain, Color, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, University of Oslo

People may joke about tight jeans being "spray-on pants," but Swiss brand On's new Cloudboom Strike LS is a spray-on running shoe … sort of. Its LightSpray production process is said to be much faster and greener than traditional methods, resulting in an ultra-lightweight finished product.Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, LifestyleTags: Shoes, Footwear, Environmentally-friendly, Robotics

Finding that many ebike riders prefer to throttle through commutes and urban adventures, LA-based startup Owlet opted to ditch the pedals altogether for its upcoming One model – a high-torque angular beast with attitude.Continue ReadingCategory: Urban Transport, TransportTags: Electric Vehicles, ebikes, Scooter, Mobility

Tycho Brahe is best known as a Danish Renaissance astronomer. But he was also a bit of an alchemist, and a first-ever analysis on shards found at his former home from the 1500s has shed some light on just what he was up to in his basement lab.Continue ReadingCategory: HistoryTags: Archaeology, Chemistry, Astronomy, University of Southern Denmark

Scientists at Berkeley Lab have used a titanium beam to make atoms of element 116. Not only does this represent a new way to make the super rare element, but it stands as a proof-of-concept that they could soon potentially create the as-yet-undiscovered element 120, which may be stable.Continue ReadingCategory: Physics, ScienceTags: new element, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Atoms, Titanium

In a fascinating discovery, scientists have pinpointed what happens in our brains when we're expecting pain relief but are given a placebo, unknowingly, instead. It not only confirms 'the placebo effect,' but offers clues into how powerful the mind is in mitigating physiological functions such as pain.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: University of North Carolina, Pain, Neuroscience, Brain, Treatment, Chronic, Stanford University, Howard Hughes Medical...

A new report has sounded the alarm on the evolution of the avian influenza virus, with comprehensive genome sequencing showing that the current strain is now capable of multidirectional infections across species. While human-to-human risk remains low, it's a worrying step towards the virus honing its transmission ability.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Cornell University, avian-influenza, Virus, pandemic, University of North Carolina, Artificial Intelligence, Disease

China's Tsinghua University has scored a world first by demonstrating the inherent safety of the first operating commercial pebble-bed nuclear reactor by shutting off the power and letting the passive systems maintain control of the reactor core.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, ScienceTags: Tsinghua University, Nuclear, Safety

Earth saw its hottest day on record this week – twice. According to the Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) data, Sunday claimed the top spot for highest global average temperature since the records began in 1940, only to be broken again on Monday.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, ScienceTags: Climate, Climate Crisis, Global Warming, Temperature, World, Record, Records, World Records, Copernicus

Aeon – a major Japanese supermarket chain – has implemented a new AI system that evaluates and seeks to "standardize" employee smiles.Continue ReadingCategory: TechnologyTags: Facial Recognition, Artificial Intelligence, Japan

Pickup camping toppers are a great lightweight RV solution that'll get you up out of the ground tent and into a more stable, better-protected vehicle. But they typically lack any amenities beyond a basic mattress to sleep on. Nevada-based Catapult Adventure Vehicle Outfitter has a more comprehensive solution that makes the pickup bed as versatile and comfortable as a small modular camper van. Its...

As if Komodo dragons didn't seem ferocious enough already, scientists have now discovered that the reptiles tear through flesh using a coating of iron on their teeth. It is now believed that dinosaurs such as Tyrannosaurus rex may have been similarly endowed.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: King's College London, Imperial College, Reptile, Dinosaurs, Teeth

For the first time, researchers found that chickens fluff their facial feathers and blush in response to varied stimulation, likely as a way to reveal their inner emotional states. The link could help improve our stewardship of the birds.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Farming, Chicken, Emotions

Sometimes a forward-facing-beam flashlight is what you need, while other times a side-facing beam is more appropriate. The Wuben X2Pro combines the two in one device, plus both of its beam modules are multi-functional.Continue ReadingCategory: Outdoors, LifestyleTags: Flashlights, Torch, Kickstarter

Vayu Robotics has today unveiled its first delivery robot. The One can follow staff around stores to load up customer orders, before autonomously navigating city streets at speeds up to 20 mph to deliver the goods. Commercial deployment has begun.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: Delivery robots, Autonomous Vehicles, Artificial Intelligence

If you've ever wanted to own a fallout shelter of your own to ride out the inevitable nuclear/virus/zombie apocalypse, this might be your chance: a bonafide UK nuclear bunker dating back to the Cold War is about to head to auction, starting at approximately US$20,000.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, LifestyleTags: Building and Construction, Shelter, Auction

Though it might be tempting to stump up serious cash for a crazy powerful electric unicycle, learning on such a beast is probably the wrong move. InMotion's beginner-friendly E20 promises to have you gliding in minutes, and won't cost a packet.Continue ReadingCategory: Urban Transport, TransportTags: Unicycle, Self Balancing Unicycle, Electric Vehicles, Learning, Reviews

In the Belgian North Sea, maintenance vessels are now able to tether to an automatic cable at a wind farm to get their batteries topped up. The innovative system is the first of its kind and a major step in keeping electric vessels as green as possible.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, ScienceTags: Shipping, Offshore Wind, Wind Power, Wind turbine, Green+Energy, Electric Boats, Recharging

Conventional helicopters have a built-in speed limit, imposed by the physical limitations of their top-rotor lift systems. This fascinating Airbus project has found a way to break through that speed limit, and it's already done it in flight testing.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: Airbus, Helicopters, Helicopter, High-speed, Aircraft

A unique material inspired by a pigment in the skin of octopus, squid and cuttlefish has been harnessed to boost the skin-protecting active ingredients in sunscreen, as well as providing a shield against skin damage. And while it comes with all the benefits to humans, including antioxidant properties, it's harmless to the environment, which could revolutionize not just sun protection but skincare in general.Continue...

Researchers have combined the bacteria-killing actions of two classes of antibiotics into one, demonstrating that their new dual-action antibiotic could make bacterial resistance (almost) an impossibility.Continue ReadingCategory: Health & Wellbeing, LifestyleTags: Antibiotic, Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, University of Illinois

One dose of a new treatment, delivered by nasal spray, clears away build-ups of the toxic tau protein associated with Alzheimer’s disease from inside brain cells, improving memory, according to new research. It paves the way for new treatments for the debilitating disease.Continue ReadingCategory: Health & Wellbeing, LifestyleTags: Alzheimer's Disease, Immunotherapy, antibodies, University of Texas

Born from the high-powered world of electric jetboarding, ZeroJet is now channeling all its energy into building performance electric boat drives. Its very first outboard combines drop-and-drive convenience with a superior power-to-weight ratio ready to give small boats a quiet but potent boost.Continue ReadingCategory: Marine, TransportTags: Electric Boats, Outboard Motor, Electric Motors

In another step toward practical battlefield energy weapons, the UK has for the first time tested a laser weapon mounted on a British Army Wolfhound armored vehicle as part of the Land Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) Demonstrator program.Continue ReadingCategory: Military, TechnologyTags: Laser, Laser weapon, Weapons

Soft materials and stiff materials both have their uses, but the two properties typically aren't seen in one substance. RoboFabric is an exception, then, in that it can be switched back and forth between soft and stiff states.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: Nanyang Technological University, Biomimicry, Wearable, Smart Fabric, Assistive Technologies

As we move to a zero-carbon transport future, Kawasaki is testing the waters of greener and cleaner motorcycle technologies. Following the reveal of a hydrogen-powered Ninja H2 SX last year, the prototype has made its first public appearance in Japan.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Kawasaki, hydrogen-engine, Hydrogen-powered, Kawasaki Ninja, Supercharged, Prototype

Tiny house designers never seem to run out of ideas to make their models stand out. The latest example of this is the Overlook, which provides a small and simple take on tiny living that's enlivened by an eye-catching cantilevering sleeping area.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, LifestyleTags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, House, Home, Micro-House

A new material tackles the carbon problem of concrete production and usage by employing a pretty unusual workforce: cyanobacteria. The bio-cement these micro-organisms help to produce harnesses a process that's existed in nature for 3.5 billion years.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: Carbon capture, Carbon Zero, Carbon Sequestration, Climate Solutions: Cement, Concrete, Building and Construction, Fraunhofer

At the time of writing, there were an estimated 8,123,518,311 living humans on Earth – roughly the most there has ever been. But as fertility and birth rates continue to freefall, the numerical peak of humanity is quickly approaching.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: United Nations, Human, Fertility, Global

If an apple a day keeps the doctor away, then a new study suggests upsizing this to a fruit salad may offer even more – by significantly lowering the risk of depressive symptoms with age. It's the latest in a growing body of evidence that points to the long-lasting and wide-reaching health benefits of incorporating fruit into any diet.Continue ReadingCategory: Health & Wellbeing, LifestyleTags:...

One of the more interesting teardrop-sized off-road camping trailers to make its way across our computer screen in recent years, the Goliath G-47 is a towable juxtaposition that pairs one of the hardest-wearing exteriors out there with a cozy living concept all kitted out with features like a flip-up rainfall shower, off-grid electrical kit and swing-out grill. Hitch it up to a Land Cruiser...

Rolls-Royce has received an additional £4.8 million (US$6.2 million) in funding from the UK Space Agency (UKSA) to develop key technology for a nuclear micro-reactor that could one day power lunar bases and spacecraft propulsion.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Rolls Royce, Nuclear, Moon, Rocket

While the quest for pulling more megawatts from wind turbines has generally led to bigger and bigger rotors on turbines of conventional design – like this monster 22-MW number in China – Norway’s Wind Catching Systems (WCS) has taken a different path. It claims its mega-array of smaller rotors arranged in a grid would achieve up to 126 MW, or five times the energy...

In some good news for nearly half the world's men, scientists have found that a naturally occurring sugar in humans and animals could be harnessed as a topical treatment for male pattern baldness. This discovery could deliver a non-invasive, inexpensive and safer alternative to leading treatment minoxidil.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical, ScienceTags: University of Sheffield, Baldness, Sugar, Hair

If you're looking for a weird watch, you'd be hard pressed to find anything more unique than the MS1001-Ti. Currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, it uses two auger-like screws to tell time.Continue ReadingCategory: Wearables, TechnologyTags: Watches, Wristwatch, Time, Titanium, Kickstarter

Let's be honest … general-use ebikes are often pretty clunky, with their utilitarian welded aluminum construction. The limited-edition "monocoque-look" Avian definitely bucks that trend, as it sports what is claimed to be the world's lightest titanium ebike-specific frame.Continue ReadingCategory: Bicycles, TransportTags: Eurobike 2024, ebikes, Titanium, World's Lightest, Cycling

In the world of dogs and cats, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that canines seem more optimistic and felines less so. But a dog's optimism can apparently be dampened by their human's emotional state, according to new research.Continue ReadingCategory: Pets, LifestyleTags: Dogs, Odor, Stress, Smell, University of Bristol

Whether due to mobility issues or just not liking the idea of climbing up a ladder to get into bed, not everyone is cut out for the typical tiny house lifestyle. With this in mind, the Casuarina is arranged all on one level and provides a comfortable home for one or two people, plus guests.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, LifestyleTags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint,...

Swiss clean-energy aviation startup JEKTA has announced a partnership with fuel-cell powertrain developer ZeroAvia to extend the flight range and payload capacity of an upcoming electric amphibious passenger aircraft called the PHA-ZE 100.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: Hydrogen-powered, Hydrogen Aviation, ZeroAvia, seaplanes, Amphibious, Fuel Cell, Electric Aircraft

Disney Research Hub has different priorities to other robot developers; its robots need to move effectively and efficiently – but also with a ton of style and personality. This super-cute biped, based on the BD-1 droid, is a perfect example.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: Disney, Disney Research, Robot, star wars, Entertainment

A fascinating new insight into elephant communication has been uncovered, with researchers finding that a group of males will harmonize a rumbling sound, from one to the next, to signal that it's time for everyone to move on. They liken it to the way a barbershop quartet builds a chorus from one voice to the next.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Stanford University, Elephant, Communications, Animal...

Time is relative, and not only in an astrophysical sense – we’re all familiar with that feeling that time drags when we’re bored and flies when we’re busy. New analysis of brain activity patterns shows how our brains track time, and some intriguing insights into how cells handle it.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Neuroscience, Brain, Memory, Time, University of Nevada Las Vegas