New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News

Record-breaking volcanic eruption somehow cleaned up its own pollution

Mike McRae — Tue, 12 May 2026 13:21:45 GMT

Volcanoes are messy things, what with all that ash, water vapor, sulfur, and greenhouse gases polluting the atmosphere.

Tags: volcano, Methane, Global Warming, Emissions, Atmosphere, University of Copenhagen

Affordable tiny house squeezes two bedrooms into just 160 sq ft

Adam Williams — Tue, 12 May 2026 13:12:04 GMT

With its modest length of just 20 ft (6 m), the Tulsi doesn't have a whole lot of room for life's luxuries. Still, the tiny house manages to fit the essentials for downsizing into its compact towable frame – and does so at an affordable price.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

Vancouver community hub pairs exposed mass timber with ultra-green design

Stefan Ionescu — Tue, 12 May 2026 10:36:43 GMT

A new community center is nearing completion in Vancouver's Oak Park, and it has done something quite rare. It has combined mass timber construction with hyper-efficient Passive House engineering and a LEED Gold sustainability rating. The Marpole Community Centre, which was designed by Diamond Schmitt, proves that public buildings can be kind to the planet while also being beautiful.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: Community, Building and Construction, sustainable design, Canada, Timber, Wood

Harley-Davidson may revive the 883 Sportster with a $10,000 price tag

Utkarsh Sood — Tue, 12 May 2026 04:03:00 GMT

Harley-Davidson has been on an interesting trajectory of late. The company seems to have put big, heavy, chrome-laden cruisers on the back burner, at least for the time being, to focus more on lightweight, entry-level motorcycles. From the surprisingly capable Pan America 1250 to the India-developed X440, Harley’s newer strategy increasingly revolves around accessibility, affordability, and broader appeal rather than pure old-school Americana.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Harley Davidson, Harley, livewire, V-Twin, Affordable, Roadster

Infections around pregnancy have a lasting effect on kids' mental health

Chelsea Haney — Tue, 12 May 2026 03:01:31 GMT

Pregnancy is filled with small moments of anticipation: the first flutter of movement, the sound of a heartbeat, the quiet question of whether everything is unfolding as it should. At the same time, much of what shapes development is happening out of view, long before those milestones arrive. And even before those moments are felt, the environment surrounding pregnancy is already beginning to shape how the baby's brain develops.

Category: Mental Health, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: McGill University, Pregnancy, Suicide, mental health, Infections

Plants may literally hear the sound of approaching rain, study finds

The Conversation — Tue, 12 May 2026 01:06:08 GMT

Stuart Thompson, University of Westminster, The Conversation

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Plants, Sensory, Hearing, xxSyndication

250cc V-twin cruiser makes a lot of sense, but you'll likely never get one

Utkarsh Sood — Mon, 11 May 2026 21:30:00 GMT

In a land far, far away is a motorcycle brand that has been around for longer than anyone can remember, yet it has spent the better part of the last few years in the shadows. I’m talking about Hyosung, which was born in South Korea in the late 1970s, building Suzuki-derived motorcycles under license.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Hyosung, V-Twin, Cruisers, Japan

Radically rethought hydration pack is a 'masterpiece of minimalism'

Ben Coxworth — Mon, 11 May 2026 19:51:10 GMT

According to the folks at Colorado-based RSVR Hydration, traditional hydration packs are basically backpacks with bags of water in them. The company's new pack is claimed to be different, however, in that it's made to be sleek and light.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, Hydration

Bacteria-boosted 'living plastic' breaks down on command

Etiido Uko — Mon, 11 May 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Living things degrade, die, and decompose. Even when we turn plant and animal material into furniture or clothes, the process is inevitable. On the other hand, left alone, plastics are practically indestructible. Scientists are rethinking this characteristic with a simple but consequential question: What if plastics were alive?

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: American Chemical Society, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Biodegradable, Plastics, Bacteria, Pollution

Extra-wide tiny house skips loft bedroom for comfortable small living

Adam Williams — Mon, 11 May 2026 14:27:00 GMT

Aging in a tiny house might not be easy if you have to contend with ladders and low ceilings, but with its extra-wide, primarily single-floor layout, the Rose has been designed from the ground (or wheels) up for long-term small living.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Tiny Footprint, Building and Construction, Micro-House, House, Home

JWST discovers a galaxy that doesn’t spin in the early Universe

Mike McRae — Mon, 11 May 2026 13:41:41 GMT

Observations of a far-distant galaxy several times the size of the Milky Way reveal a surprising stillness overcoming the sea of early stars.

Category: Astronomy, Science

Tags: Galaxy, JWST, Big Bang Theory, University of California, UC Davis, Space exploration

First hydrogen helicopter just proved it can fly a real mission

Omar Kardoudi — Mon, 11 May 2026 12:36:22 GMT

Last month, a modified Robinson R44 lifted off from Roland-Désourdy Airport in Bromont, Quebec, and completed what may be the most consequential short flight in rotorcraft history. It was the first hydrogen-powered helicopter to complete a full operational circuit – takeoff, climb, pattern flight, approach, and landing – under real-world conditions.

Category: Aircraft, Transport

Tags: Hydrogen-powered, Hydrogen Aviation, Helicopter, Climate Solutions: Aviation, Fuel Cell

Do heights make your feet buzz? An expert explains why

The Conversation — Mon, 11 May 2026 04:46:53 GMT

Michelle Spear, University of Bristol, The Conversation

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Fear, Neurological, Sensory, proprioception, xxSyndication

10-year experiment reveals why gravity is so hard to measure

Toluwalogo Niji-Olawepo — Mon, 11 May 2026 02:32:31 GMT

For centuries, one of the most important numbers in physics has evaded accurate identification. The results of a recent experiment by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in the US could help bring us closer to a satisfying answer.

Category: Physics, Science

Tags: Gravity, Physics, Measured

Gorgeously curvy fiberglass camper preps for 4-season off-grid RV life

C.C. Weiss — Mon, 11 May 2026 02:03:00 GMT

Another fiberglass "egg" camper badge hits the ground rolling into the thriving off-grid camping market. Following the first-ever off-road camper in Scamp's 50-year history, fellow rounded, white composite trailer builder Oliver Travel Trailers is launching an off-grid-ready caravan of its own. Like Scamp, the company leverages its reputation for building rock-solid, long-lasting campers toward offering an even tougher breed of trailer, built for adventures that carry well beyond organized campgrounds.

Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Caravan, trailers, Trailer, Off-grid, RV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping

Is this robot with a projector for a head the future of office work?

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Mon, 11 May 2026 01:03:00 GMT

Let's answer the question in the headline right away: probably not. But it's worth thinking about why that might be the case, despite this being an interesting idea in some regards.

Category: Computing, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Productivity, Office, Lenovo, MWC 2026, Pico projector

Extra-wide tiny house makes full-time small living comfortable

Adam Williams — Sun, 10 May 2026 22:03:00 GMT

This extra-wide tiny house features a spacious interior specifically designed to make full-time small living comfortable. Arranged on a single floor, it would be a good fit for a couple or a family, and includes a generous living area and two bedrooms.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, Building and Construction, House, Home

World’s largest sailing cruise ship blends luxury with green tech

David Szondy — Sun, 10 May 2026 14:03:00 GMT

The world's largest sailing cruise ship has a name: the Orient Express Corinthian. The first of the Silenseas class, incorporating a number of high-tech features, has officially been christened at the Joubert graving dock in Saint-Nazaire, France.

Category: Marine, Transport

Tags: Ships, Sailing, Luxury, World's Largest

Masers are the future of clean energy – according to Quaise

Joe Salas — Sun, 10 May 2026 11:01:00 GMT

Quaise Energy isn't chasing the kind of geothermal energy where Mother Earth was already kind enough to put hot rocks near the surface. Quaise is trying to make geothermal work almost anywhere on the planet, by drilling deeper than we ever have before ... with masers.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Quaise, Geothermal, Turbine, Renewable Energy, Clean Energy

Debris from Earth-bound asteroids may be a problem if they hit the Moon

Malcolm Azania — Sun, 10 May 2026 09:03:00 GMT

Atari made it look so simple: press a few buttons to move, rotate, vanish through hyperspace, fire missiles, and boom: total asteroid destruction.

Category: Space Systems, Engineering

Tags: UC San Diego, Asteroid, Moon, University of Arizona

Bose takes on Sonos in your living room with its wired speaker lineup

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Sun, 10 May 2026 04:03:00 GMT

Bose is bringing back the Lifestyle badge after ages for a new range of speakers meant to grace your living room. With their feature sets and pricing, they'll go head to head against the latest offerings from Sonos, and the hope is that (mostly) new audio engineering chops for these three models will win you over.

Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Bose, Speakers, Speaker, Subwoofer, home theater

Ultimate photographer's watch features its own built-in light meter

Shirl Leigh — Sun, 10 May 2026 00:03:00 GMT

UK-based design team Increment Labs has introduced the LMW-V1 Light Meter Watch, which they tout as the world's first watch designed with a built in light meter for photographers who struggle to master manual settings.

Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Kickstarter, Watch, Wristwatch, Light

Record-breaking timber tower incorporates recycled wind turbine blades

Adam Williams — Sat, 09 May 2026 19:03:00 GMT

Rising to a height of 78 m (256 ft), this extraordinary tower sets a new record as Denmark's tallest wooden building – and is one of the tallest in the world too. More than just its scale, though, the project impresses with its use of recycled materials, including everything from wind turbine blades to old windows.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: Building and Construction, cross-laminated timber, Timber, Office

Robotic vac-mop cuts a full day of housework off the schedule: Review

Joe Salas — Sat, 09 May 2026 15:03:00 GMT

This is one of the few review proposals that I had to get permission from my better half for ... and frankly, she told me no, but I did it anyway.

Category: Around The Home, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Wet and dry vacuum cleaner, Vacuum, Reviews, Automation, iRobot

New technique radically boosts biogas yields from sewage sludge

Etiido Uko — Sat, 09 May 2026 11:03:00 GMT

Could one man's trash truly be another's treasure? Well, scientists have unveiled a technique that dramatically increases fuel extraction from one of humanity's most abundant byproducts – sewage sludge, a.k.a. poop – while cutting disposal costs.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Washington State University, Biogas, Biofuel, Bacteria

Review: Akaso 360, the budget alternative for the action cam beginner

David Szondy — Sat, 09 May 2026 08:03:00 GMT

Looking for an action cam that can take fish-eye 360° shots but don't have a lot of cash to splash? One option is the Akaso 360 Action Camera aimed at the budget-conscious beginner. We took an in-depth look at it to see how it stacks up.

Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Actioncam, Reviews

One-off Ferrari 3.5-liter V8-powered superbike sold for more than $500,000

Utkarsh Sood — Sat, 09 May 2026 04:03:00 GMT

There aren’t many times in my life when I’ve seen a motorcycle command a price tag of over half a million dollars. But then again, there aren’t many motorcycles that come fitted with a 3.5-liter V8 engine from the Ferrari F355.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Ferrari, Custom, Custom Bikes, Crazy

24-hour beer station lets you play 'stock market' for cheapest price

Bronwyn Thompson — Sat, 09 May 2026 01:00:00 GMT

In a particularly vibrant nightlife precinct of Shenzhen, in China, the main attraction may be a massive landlocked cruise ship that's been turned into hotels, bars and restaurants. But in its shadow, is an equally bizarre but less obvious novelty: a round structure that resembles a public restroom from afar, but on closer inspection is a 24-hour self-service beer stop where each tap's price changes based on demand. It's like playing the stock market, but your gains come in a giant plastic cup and your skill at pouring your brew of choice.

Category: Holiday Destinations, Outdoors

Tags: China, Payment Technology, Beer, Market, weird science

Sleek multitool morphs into a knife that's slimmer than a pack of gum

C.C. Weiss — Fri, 08 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

The James Brand launched the original Ellis knife in 2019 as its very first multitool. In fact, it wasn't just any multitool but the brand's own interpretation of a Swiss Army Knife, reimagined through simple, reduced design language. Now the tool is getting reduced even further, losing its extra fold-out implements in order to take on its slimmest form yet. Thinner than a pack of gum and shorter than an Apple TV remote, the new Ellis is designed to disappear away while barely being noticed ... right up until it's time to deploy.

Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: The James Brand, Knife, Multitools, EDC, Everyday Carry

Cyberpunk ebike-moto 'hybrid' breaks US$2 million on KickStarter

Bronwyn Thompson — Fri, 08 May 2026 20:50:29 GMT

Aotos' Flux X26 cyberpunk-tinged "hybrid" ebike has built on the buzz it generated at CES, raising over US$2.8 million in crowdfunding in a month. As well as offering an excellent launch price on the two models, the team has now expanded countries it'll ship to.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Kickstarter, ebikes, Motorbike, Adventure Bikes, Crowdfunding, Electronic, Sports, Outdoors and Camping

Startup harnesses the power of AI in the ongoing hunt for minerals

Etiido Uko — Fri, 08 May 2026 20:17:09 GMT

It is said that during the gold rush, people were so focused on gold that they forgot the “goldmine” that was shovels. In the AI and clean energy boom, where infrastructure and applications are the focus, one company is betting on the most fundamental of shovels: raw materials. Introducing Earth AI, an Australian-founded, US-headquartered mineral exploration company that uses artificial intelligence to discover critical mineral deposits faster and more efficiently.

Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology

Tags: Artificial Intelligence, Mining, Metals

Smart cycling inner tube sends real-time pressure readings to your phone

Maryna Holovnova — Fri, 08 May 2026 17:11:57 GMT

Austrian company Tubolito is known for manufacturing bicycle inner tubes from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane), a high-tech material originally used for smartphone speaker membranes. The material turned out to work very well for tubes, outperforming traditional rubber and latex options. TPU tubes are lighter, offer lower rolling resistance, and at the same time are highly robust.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Cycling, Tires

Mini amp disguised as a Bluetooth speaker packs infinite tones

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Fri, 08 May 2026 15:27:00 GMT

Blackstar has not only crammed a guitar amp into a little box the size of a Bluetooth speaker, but also packed it with high-tech features to get a vast array of tones out of it to practice any style of playing, anywhere they'll tolerate you.

Category: Music, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Amplifier, Guitar Effects, Guitar, Bluetooth Speakers, Speaker

Audi's latest V16 supercar is a 1935 record-breaker

Simon Heptinstall — Fri, 08 May 2026 13:57:00 GMT

Audi has built a new V16-engined multi-million-dollar mid-engined supercar… but it looks like a version of the Batmobile made by an eccentric backwoods mechanic using a pile of old aircraft bits.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Audi, Retro, Supercars, Classic Motor Cars, Reproduction

Google enters the screenless health tracker race with new Fitbit Air

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Fri, 08 May 2026 12:33:00 GMT

Google's just launched the Fitbit Air, a screenless wearable that slips onto your wrist to track your fitness activities, sleep, and other health stats. It's a lot like the Whoop Band and others you've seen on the market – and it comes in at a compelling price point without the need for a subscription to cover the basics.

Category: Wearables, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Fitness, Health, Wearable, Artificial Intelligence, Fitbit, Google

Semi-solid-state battery tech rolls into ebike territory

Omar Kardoudi — Fri, 08 May 2026 11:16:27 GMT

The battery has long been the weak link of the electric bike. It degrades in the cold, ages poorly with fast charging, and rarely survives more than four years of heavy use. Ride1Up thinks it has a fix – and it's priced it for regular people.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: ebikes, Moped, Pedal-assisted, Solid-state

Diabetes 'wonder drug' doesn't work like expected – but it's good news

Bronwyn Thompson — Fri, 08 May 2026 09:00:00 GMT

It's long been thought that the type-2 diabetes drug taken by an estimated 20 million Americans was doing its heavy lifting in the liver, suppressing the production of glucose to regulate blood sugar. But new research has uncovered it's actually working its magic in the gut – which opens the door to the possibility of finding new compounds that perform the same function.

Category: Diabetes, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind

Tags: Northwestern University, Diabetes, Type 2 diabetes, Gut-brain axis, Gut health

New anti-tank round punches through high-tech explosive armor

David Szondy — Fri, 08 May 2026 06:03:11 GMT

Saab has developed a new anti-tank round that's designed to take on the modern high-tech armor of the 21st century. Built for Saab's Carl-Gustaf 84-mm (3.31-in) recoilless rifle system, the HEAT 758 munition can even defeat modern reactive armor.

Category: Military, Engineering

Tags: Saab, Armor, Weapon, Tanks

Tiny clamshell camper cranks into madly efficient micro habitat

C.C. Weiss — Fri, 08 May 2026 02:03:00 GMT

Originally envisioned as a Tesla Model 3 hatch camper, the all-new Wheelhome Dashaway ECT micro-camping trailer series eventually earned its own wheels. It's still aimed at efficient all-electric camping trips but is able to furnish travelers with a surprising number of amenities, giving an adventurer or two everything they need to survive in comfort: a cozy lounge-cum-bedroom, a high-efficiency kitchen, cargo storage and even a toilet room, all in a pop-up wedge-shaped vessel inspired by a rooftop tent.

Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Caravan, RV, trailers, Trailer, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, electric-camper, xxViral or high CTR

Guerrilla 450 Apex takes Royal Enfield's entry-level roadster a step further

Utkarsh Sood — Thu, 07 May 2026 20:00:00 GMT

When you think of Royal Enfield, you’d inevitably think of the Classic, the Bullet, and more recently, the Super Meteor – mostly bulky cruisers and retro motorcycles – because that’s essentially what the company has specialized in for a major part of its history.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Royal Enfield, Roadster, Naked bike

Starting hard tasks isn't laziness – it's your brain pumping the brakes

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 07 May 2026 19:45:56 GMT

If you've ever wondered why you procrastinate when it comes to doing your taxes early or getting started on mundane admin jobs at work, you'll be pleased to know it's not just because you dislike them. New research has uncovered a specific pathway in the brain that slams the brakes on investing energy in these tasks, making them harder to get done.

Category: Mental Health, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Kyoto University, molecular biology, Brain, Depression, ADHD, Autism spectrum disorder, neurons, Neuroscience, Behavior, Cognitive functioning

This egg-shaped mouse is the latest to offer less wrist strain

Maryna Holovnova — Thu, 07 May 2026 18:30:00 GMT

Engineers have been experimenting with alternatives to the traditional mouse for years, producing pen-shaped, flat, and even ring-shaped mice. And just when it seems like we’ve seen it all, UK-based startup NextAxis Design has introduced an egg-shaped mouse called Ovo, currently available for backing on Kickstarter.

Category: Computing, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Mouse, Kickstarter, Ergonomic

Review: 2026 Mazda CX-70 is the CX-90 without a third row. And that’s fine

Aaron Turpen — Thu, 07 May 2026 17:00:00 GMT

I bet that if Mazda had a dollar for every time someone said, “Wait, isn’t that just the CX-90 without the third row?” it could probably fund a Wankel comeback.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Mazda, SUV, Crossover, Reviews

5K UltraGear monitor pushes Mini LED gaming to the next level

Monica J. White — Thu, 07 May 2026 15:47:00 GMT

LG’s new UltraGear evo GM9 monitor pairs a 5K panel with Hyper Mini LED tech, aiming to deliver brighter, sharper, and faster high-end visuals for gaming.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: LG, Gaming, Monitor, Performance

XL tiny house loses the wheels, gains an extra-spacious interior

Adam Williams — Thu, 07 May 2026 14:27:00 GMT

What do you look for in a tiny house? If it's the ability to hit the road on a whim, then the Samuel probably isn't for you. However, if you'd prefer a stationary but remarkably practical home that's suitable for long-term living, then this one might be a good fit.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

Swiss survival piston filters wild water as extensively as you want

Simon Heptinstall — Thu, 07 May 2026 12:46:41 GMT

Swiss outdoor kit specialist Katadyn has launched a state-of-the-art modular outdoor water filter system that uses a combination of three sophisticated filtration processes.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Katadyn, Filters, Purification, Water

Earthquake 'whiplash' seen in large seismic events for the first time

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 07 May 2026 07:15:28 GMT

Newly observed negative-phase waveforms in earthquake data have alerted scientists to a previously unrecognized feature of the "big ones" to do with tectonic plates slipping by each other: they create a kind of geological 'whiplash' that happens when a rupturing fault movement abruptly stops.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Kyoto University, Earthquake, nature, Geology, Disasters

Morbidelli N125V: Here's what a 125cc Ducati naked moto would look like

Utkarsh Sood — Thu, 07 May 2026 05:19:30 GMT

In my wildest dreams I couldn't have imagined that I’d ever see a 125cc motorcycle from China dressed in Ducati-like underpinnings. I’m not kidding – a proper liquid-cooled V-twin, a steel trellis frame, an aluminum single-sided swingarm … this might just be the coolest entry-level moto ever!

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Ducati, qjmotor, V-Twin, China

Sub-2-lb translucent tent packs fast and tiny ... but it ain't cheap

C.C. Weiss — Wed, 06 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

A year ago, we took a look at the Crosspeak 2 tent from Hyperlite Mountain Gear. The impressive cut of Dyneema fabric weighed in barely over 2 pounds (907 g), adding yet another intriguing option to an ultralight freestanding tent market that was running white hot at the time. On the downside, it cost more than a dollar per gram. Now Hyperlite has launched the solo version: the Crosspeak 1. The new Dyneema freestander drops well below 2 lb to become one of the lightest out there and also gets a lower price ... but it still follows the same dollar-per-gram+ pricing model.

Category: Tents, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Tent, Backpacking, Lightweight, Dyneema, Bikepacking, Camping, Outdoors and Camping

Adaptable carbon tripod is designed to hang out wherever needed

Shirl Leigh — Wed, 06 May 2026 21:00:00 GMT

When the cityscape frustrates urban photographers with uneven terrain or limited spaces, photographic gear company Silence Corner strikes back with the Viperpod – a hybrid tripod designed to hang anywhere in seconds for unencumbered solo shooting.

Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Tripods, Kickstarter, xxKickbooster

Want to make earthquake-resistant buildings? Try butterfly wings

Malcolm Azania — Wed, 06 May 2026 19:15:34 GMT

When you hear about designers biomimicking butterflies, your first thought is probably about creating remote-controlled flying toys or small, artificial flying machines that could be useful in pollination, especially in regions experiencing bee colony collapse. But butterfly mimicry goes far beyond those uses to include scattering light to replace toxic paints or as an anti-fraud mechanism against counterfeiters, advancing optical computing, and even creating superior eye implants.

Category: Engineering

Tags: Tohoku University, Building and Construction, Biomimicry, Butterfly

Audiobooks go physical in Audible’s immersive 'Story House' pop-up

Monica J. White — Wed, 06 May 2026 15:32:35 GMT

Audible is opening a pop-up "bookless bookstore" in New York City, turning audiobooks into a social experience with listening lounges and live events.

Category: Technology

Tags: Store, New York, Immersion, Audio, Dolby, Reading

Brembo's fluid-free braking system is coming to a car near you

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Wed, 06 May 2026 13:58:00 GMT

For the past few years, Brembo has been working on a whole new way to stop a vehicle in its tracks. The company says its fluid-free Sensify system is going into production, and it shouldn't be long before you can stomp the pedals on one of these in a new car.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Braking, Road Safety

Spacious tiny house brings on the luxury for a family living small

Stefan Ionescu — Wed, 06 May 2026 12:03:45 GMT

Fritz Tiny Homes has expanded its Halcyon line with the Grand, a 400-sq-ft (37.1-sq-m) park model that takes livability to the next level. It builds off of the Halcyon Stay model, but makes it a more practical dwelling, with two bedrooms and clever storage solutions that maximize space. It may be tiny, but the Canadian builders ensured it can function as a primary residence for a growing family.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Home, House, Tiny Footprint, Building and Construction

Potatoes may have given Indigenous Andeans digestive superpowers

Mike McRae — Wed, 06 May 2026 07:36:50 GMT

Our taste for bread and pasta wouldn’t be the same if not for our ability to break down starch, a talent Peru’s Andean populations have taken to the extreme.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Food, Genetics, UCLA

The sub-2 hour marathon, and the technology that made it possible

Dr. Jaroslav Boublik — Wed, 06 May 2026 06:31:26 GMT

For decades, the idea of a sub-two-hour marathon occupied a near-mythical place in endurance sport. Like Roger Bannister’s four-minute mile, it represented a physiological and psychological frontier that seemed just beyond human reach. That barrier finally fell in an official race at the 2026 London Marathon on April 26th, when Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe ran 1:59:30, followed moments later by Ethiopia’s Yomif Kejelcha in 1:59:41.

Category: Sports, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Running, World Records, Shoes, Adidas, xxShowcase

World's first vaccine for Lyme disease could be available in 2027

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 06 May 2026 00:53:14 GMT

Based on the results of two completed Phase III trials, scientists are confident that we could see an effective vaccine against Lyme disease by next year.

Category: Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind

Tags: Pfizer, Lyme disease, Drug delivery, Vaccines, clinical trials, Tick, Health

Adventure RV mastermind preps VW into "most ambitious camper van" yet

C.C. Weiss — Tue, 05 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

German camper van and small motorhome builder Sunlight has made a name for itself as a go-to for capable adventure machines built to support formidable all-terrain excursions. With last year's Ibex 4x4 concept, it previewed how it would step things up to the next level. And now it's preparing to take the official step, readying the production Ibex for launch this summer. Inspired by prototype testing in rugged worldly destinations like Morocco and Iceland, the production camper van promises to meld a ruggedized Volkswagen Crafter 4x4 shell with a smart, homey interior built for extended living.

Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Campervan, RV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road

Ultra Telephoto lens sure beats pinching and zooming on your phone's screen

Shirl Leigh — Tue, 05 May 2026 20:31:08 GMT

My favorite part of watching the Olympics was viewing the long telephoto lenses used by the photojournalists, and dreaming of one day owning one of those expensive lenses. With this latest design from Reeflex, a European brand committed to pushing the limits of mobile phone photography, I'm one step closer to meeting that goal without breaking the piggy bank.

Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, Lens

Wireless offshore chargers will allow electric ships to recharge at sea

Etiido Uko — Tue, 05 May 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Poseidon is probably still getting used to our growth from wooden boats to enormous cruise ships. Imagine his shock when he sees electric boats casually pulling up to recharge right in the middle of his abode, thanks to a new offshore charging system.

Category: Marine, Transport

Tags: SINTEF, Electric Boats, Wireless Charging, Ocean