New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News

Review: Boox's feature-packed E Ink tablet is unlike any e-reader I've used

Bronwyn Thompson — Sat, 30 May 2026 00:03:00 GMT

While it’s not exactly a household name, Boox tablets have steadily made their way into the e-reader market that’s long been dominated by Amazon’s Kindle. But the Boox Go 10.3 Lumi makes a strong argument for reading tablet of choice, because it’s much more than just a device to read a book on.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: E-book, E-reader, E-Ink, E-Paper, Books, Portable, Device

Nissan pushes beyond camper vans with factory 4WD overnight wagon

C.C. Weiss — Fri, 29 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

With help from its Autech/NMC tuning and customization arm, Nissan has developed out quite a camper van line in Japan, ranging from adorable tiny campers to large wellness-retreat ramblers. Traditionally, those models have all been based on some form of van, but one of the latest Nissan campers to arrive as a factory option comes based instead on Nissan's top-selling SUV platform. The new X-Trail Rock Creek Multi-Bed is a rugged, versatile all-terrain camper wagon, and while it's a pure Japanese-market vehicle for now, it could have micro-camping implications for markets around the world, even the USA.

Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: mini-campervan, Crossover, SUV, Nissan, RV, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road, Camping

This may be the deluxe bike trailer you didn't realize you were dreaming of

Ben Coxworth — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:04:18 GMT

Most people don't give a lot of thought to bike cargo trailers … they think of the things as being just little towed carts. The Veolo Bike Trailer 2.0, however, is likely one of the lightest, smoothest-running, most well-appointed offerings you can buy.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Cycling, Kickstarter

I tried to break the Luba 3 AWD robomower

Joe Salas — Fri, 29 May 2026 19:04:32 GMT

When I reviewed the Luba 2 AWD 3000HX in September, I was seriously impressed. It's quiet, very capable, kind of fun, and made me feel like a neighborhood hero while sending it from house to house mowing everyone's yards.

Category: Around The Home, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Lawnmower, Lawnmowers, Reviews, Garden, Autonomous

Apartment-like tiny house delivers single-floor simplicity

Adam Williams — Fri, 29 May 2026 15:58:00 GMT

Many tiny houses try to pack as much as possible into their compact frame, but this extra-wide model instead leans into simplicity and provides a spacious single-floor interior centered around an open living area.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

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

Latest Hypershell exoskeletons put an AI-powered spring in your step

Monica J. White — Fri, 29 May 2026 13:57:00 GMT

Hypershell’s new X Series exoskeletons use AI-driven motion control to give you a little extra spring in your step, offering walking and hiking assistance across different terrain, ranges, and support levels.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Exoskeleton, Wearable, Artificial Intelligence, Mobility, Fitness, Hiking

Space-bound humanoid takes a four-armed approach to astronaut assistance

Omar Kardoudi — Fri, 29 May 2026 12:19:12 GMT

In microgravity, walking doesn't exist. Balance doesn't exist. What does exist is the need to grip surfaces, manipulate tools, move through narrow corridors, and not go flying every time you push against something. Two legs solve none of those problems.

Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology

Tags: Robots, Space exploration, Maintenance, assistant robot, Humanoid

What makes driving fun? Scientists study the thrill of motoring

Simon Heptinstall — Fri, 29 May 2026 09:33:48 GMT

Do you like driving? Maybe not stuck in an urban jam, dodging potholes or crawling amid draconian speed limits – but out there on the open road, taking sunny corners in a nice car? The roar of the engine as it changes gear, the pleasure of getting the line and the revs right through a corner? Surely even the most dour of modern motorists derive at least some joy from driving’s highlights.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Polestar, Oxford University, Electric Vehicles, Driving

Electronic stickers turn forests into living fire alarms

Bronwyn Thompson — Fri, 29 May 2026 07:09:11 GMT

No matter what we throw at fire detection, from drones to advanced prediction models and watch towers, predicting when and where blazes will start remains challenging. And not all fires are created equal.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Hanyang University, Fire-Proof Coatings, Wildfires, Detector, Sensors, Electronic, Climate Crisis

Watch: New Glenn rocket explodes on launch pad

David Szondy — Fri, 29 May 2026 03:34:11 GMT

Blue Origin's space ambitions have suffered a major setback as its New Glenn rocket exploded in a fireball on the launch pad at about 7:00 pm EDT at Launch Complex 36 (LC-36), Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida during an engine test.

Category: Space Systems, Engineering

Tags: New Glenn, Blue Origin, Rocket, Accidents

Transformational cubist teardrop camper disappears bed to free space

C.C. Weiss — Thu, 28 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

Since debuting in 2021, the Campinawe Trailer has established itself as one of the oddest-looking small camping trailers roaming the earth. But besides looking weird, its strangely juxtaposed alu-skinned foam-core panels conceal one of the roomiest, most functional floor plans we've seen on a teardrop-style 15-footer. And that's truer than ever as the company adds an even more spacious, flexible floor plan alternative. The Crossover Solo layout features a pack-away bed that clears room inside for a larger dining or office space. Heck, you could probably use it for yoga when it's too cold or rainy outdoors.

Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: teardrop trailers, Caravan, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, RV, trailers, Trailer

Shocking lab experiment confirms that light can move in ‘negative time’

Mike McRae — Thu, 28 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

If you work in a city, there’s a good chance you’ve got your morning commute down to a fine art, getting you to the office with your coffee in hand within minutes of that first meeting.

Category: Physics, Science

Tags: Photon, Light, Quantum, Time

Third time's the charm? Titanium wrenching multitool is back in 3rd-Gen form

Maryna Holovnova — Thu, 28 May 2026 19:22:12 GMT

Over the past few years, the team at tool company IF has successfully launched two wrench-based multitools on Kickstarter. Their latest release, the OmniPro Wrench 3.0, combines elements from both earlier versions and also has a few added features.

Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, Multitools, Titanium, Wrench

This bird break the rules of flight – and the secret lies is in the liver

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 28 May 2026 18:02:00 GMT

Bird navigation has puzzled animal scientists for a long time, despite decades of research, not least because each species seems to have its own flight manual and designing experiments to unlock these secrets is incredibly challenging for us, on the ground.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Max Planck Institute, Birds, Navigation, Magnetic, Magnetic field, GPS, The Immune System, Iron

Signs of post-viral depression found in our immune system for the first time

Michelle Falci — Thu, 28 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

It’s not unusual to feel fatigued or experience brain fog after recovering from a viral illness. The body has just expended significant energy fighting off an infection, and a temporary dip in energy or mood is understandable.

Category: Infectious Diseases, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind

Tags: Coronavirus (COVID-19), Depression, Diagnosis, The Immune System

Record-breaking apartment building 3D printed in just 34 days

Adam Williams — Thu, 28 May 2026 12:52:21 GMT

Europe's largest 3D-printed apartment building has been completed in France. Containing 12 social housing apartments spread across three floors, the project's printing process was carried out in just 34 days.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: Building and Construction, 3D Printing, France

Tiny EDC flashlight puts pro-grade LEDs on your keychain

Monica J. White — Thu, 28 May 2026 10:22:30 GMT

Early in 2025, YSmart embarked on a Kickstarter campaign for a versatile micro-flashlight called the Bullet2. Now the company is back with an updated version that's even more compact, and comes with pro-grade LEDs, IPX8 waterproofing, replaceable batteries, and three beam options for everyday carry.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: xxKickbooster, Kickstarter, EDC, Flashlights, Compact, Torch, LED

SR-71 successor? Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 prototype cracks the sound barrier

David Szondy — Thu, 28 May 2026 08:03:00 GMT

The venerable Cold War SR-71 Blackbird may be looking nervously at its laurels after Hermeus's latest Quarterhorse Mk 2.1 uncrewed prototype broke the sound barrier at Spaceport America over the White Sands Missile Range airspace in New Mexico in March 2026.

Category: Aircraft, Transport

Tags: Aircraft, Supersonic, Hermeus, SR-71

Winglets on a 125cc motorcycle? QJ Motor says yes

Utkarsh Sood — Thu, 28 May 2026 06:40:18 GMT

If you ever rode a small-bore sport bike, you’d know just how fun these motorcycles can be – especially out around in the city for short runs. I’m speaking really small: the Yamaha R 125, Kawasaki Ninja 125, and Suzuki GSX-R 125 category.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: qjmotor, Sportsbikes, Winglet, China, Yamaha, Kawasaki, KTM

Sea creature's amputated limbs refused to die, even after three years

Mike McRae — Thu, 28 May 2026 06:16:30 GMT

It came from a creature of the depths. A severed foot that refused to die, regenerating in an act of survival unlike anything we’ve ever seen.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Regeneration, echinoderms, Cells, Ocean

Hundreds of conflicting engineering solutions may prevent alien visitors, scientist says

The Conversation — Thu, 28 May 2026 01:20:55 GMT

Kai James, Georgia Institute of Technology/ The Conversation

Category: Physics, Science

Tags: aliens, interstellar space, Stars, Distance

Brain-cell breakthrough supercharges GLP-1 weight loss and prevents plateaus

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 27 May 2026 23:53:57 GMT

Scientists have identified a new way to supercharge the GLP-1 receptor agonist semaglutide, opening the door to boosting the drug's weight-loss power and helping long-term users push past plateaus that not even this "wonder drug" can circumvent.

Category: Obesity, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind

Tags: National Institutes of Health (NIH), U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH), Obesity, Weight Loss, neurons, Cells, molecular biology, GLP-1 receptor agonists

tent lands in USA to elevate luxury base camps

C.C. Weiss — Wed, 27 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

In 2025, we took a look at the K-Tent from Great Britain's Kudhva Kanvas, a unique piece of semi-permanent light architecture that struck us as a cross between heavy-duty safari tents and hard-walled A-frames, with a touch of treehouse mixed in for good measure. The tent was a spinoff from Kudhvas' original business renting out permanently installed, glass-and-timber dwellings of that same shape and style at its off-grid resort on the North Cornish Coast. Now, those K-Tent portable canvas structures are traveling across the Atlantic to serve as the basis of a planned series of American glamping resorts.

Category: Tents, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Tent, Glamping, Outdoors and Camping, Travel and Tourism, Travel, Resort, Beach

Review: 2026 GMC Sierra 1500 has a powertrain for everybody

Aaron Turpen — Wed, 27 May 2026 19:37:21 GMT

Trucks used to be pretty easy. You bought a GMC because it was nicer than the others. Powertrain choice was about what your plans were with the truck. Now it’s ... Well, still easy. It just looks complicated.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: GMC, Pickup, Truck, Electric truck, Reviews

Wild sleeping bag goes atomic with adaptive insulation tech

Maryna Holovnova — Wed, 27 May 2026 18:03:44 GMT

Graphene-X is a Hong Kong-based company that produces outdoor clothing and gear. This time around it's entering the camping market with a product called the Tardigrade Sleeping System, currently available for backing on Kickstarter.

Category: Outdoors

Tags: Sleeping Bags, Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, Graphene, Aerogels

World's largest eVTOL just proved it can play nice with other flyers

Omar Kardoudi — Wed, 27 May 2026 16:06:59 GMT

AutoFlight has completed a heterogeneous three-aircraft formation flight with the V5000 Matrix, a 5-metric-ton electric aircraft that could push eVTOL technology well beyond the urban air taxi niche.

Category: Aircraft, Transport

Tags: VTOL, Autoflight, drones, eVTOL, Cargo

Blacksheep One: $40,000 Bespoke e-moto with a patented axial flux motor

Utkarsh Sood — Wed, 27 May 2026 14:17:00 GMT

I have to start by addressing the elephant in the room – an equivalent of $40,000 (£29,000 precisely) for an electric motorcycle might be stretching it too far for most. But then, we all know there are a select few in the world who would treat it as pocket change.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Electric Motorcycles, British, Custom Bikes, urban transport

'Zebra striping' your drinks can cut hangovers (just not the way you'd think)

The Conversation — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:45:00 GMT

Cathy Montgomery & Abi Rose, Liverpool John Moores University/The Conversation

Category: Diet & Nutrition, Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: hangover, Alcohol, Health, Hydration

Portable projector brings Roku TV streaming straight out of the box

Monica J. White — Wed, 27 May 2026 13:01:00 GMT

Portable projectors nothing new, but as the tech has steadily improved in recent years, they've become great tools for comfy viewing in TV-unfriendly places. Lately, we've seen a push toward smarter, more self-contained designs, including Yaber's portable projector with built-in Google TV and Aurzen's own tri-fold Zip pico projector, both of which try to cut down on the fiddly setup that usually comes with projector ownership.

Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: roku, Projectors, HD, Portable

Taiwan officially opens the world's longest single-mast bridge

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Wed, 27 May 2026 10:03:03 GMT

This week, Taiwan cut the red ribbon on a giant infrastructure project its own construction team once deemed "impossible:" the 3,000-ft-long Danjiang Bridge.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: Infrastructure, Bridge, Taiwan, Zaha Hadid, Building and Construction

Nature's best aroma tells story of 100 million years of chemical warfare

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 27 May 2026 06:56:25 GMT

The aroma of freshly cut grass is one of nature’s most recognizable and enjoyable scents, so you might be surprised to learn that it's actually the smell of chemical warfare that's been taking place right under our noses for longer than humans have walked the Earth.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: National Taiwan University, Insect, Plants, Evolution, Warfare, molecular biology, Chemical Weapons, nature, Volatile Organic Compounds

Ultra-fast asteroid rotation threatens space-mining missions

Chris Young — Wed, 27 May 2026 04:24:40 GMT

Using an instrument called HiPERCAM, is attached to the Gran Telescopio Canarias in La Palma, Spain, a team of researchers recently found that the near-Earth asteroid 2022 OB5 is rotating once every 1.542 minutes, classifying the space rock as an "ultra-fast rotator."

Category: Space Systems, Engineering

Tags: Asteroid Mining

Hidden space between brain cells is now a new Alzheimer’s target

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 27 May 2026 02:24:40 GMT

One of the biggest mysteries in neuroscience is why women account for nearly two-thirds of Alzheimer’s disease cases. Now, we may be a step closer to understanding this phenomenon, with new findings that highlight an overlooked part of the brain that appears to fail as estrogen levels fall with age.

Category: Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Brain, Alzheimer's disease, Menopause, Women's health, Brain, Memory, Cognitive functioning, Neuroscience

Surprising osteoporosis warning sign found in the eyes

Mike McRae — Wed, 27 May 2026 00:32:47 GMT

For many people, osteoporosis is only diagnosed following their first broken bone. Finding a cheap, accessible method for predicting this common bone-weakening condition early could help prevent the pain, debilitation, and potential death from serious fractures in more people around the world.

Category: Imaging & Diagnostics, Medical Innovations, Body and Mind

Tags: Duke-NUS Medical School, Osteoporosis, Eye, Diagnostic tools, Age-Related, Aging

Toyota micro-van brings budget tiny camping far beyond Japan

C.C. Weiss — Tue, 26 May 2026 23:04:00 GMT

Wellhouse Leisure is no stranger to building small, highly efficient camper vans. As we've seen over the years, it does some seriously nice work in models like the Ford Transit Custom and Toyota Proace, as well as early adopting electric and PHEV campers. Now it's dropping downmarket to launch a new line of micro-campers, starting atop a proper kei van from Toyota/Daihatsu. The micro-van will become an incredibly efficient British Isle-roaming tiny camper with a price tag less than half of what some larger Wellhouse camper vans cost.

Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: mini-campervan, Campervan, RV, Kei Cars, Outdoors and Camping, Camping, wellhouse-leisure

Deluxe adaptable vise spins and locks on two axes

Shirl Leigh — Tue, 26 May 2026 20:30:00 GMT

Hobbyists may have wished for a third hand at times, when having to pause work in order to reset a vise clamp, but AxiGlide – a dual-axis vise currently on Kickstarter – offers a new angle on how such devices work.

Category: Around The Home, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, Tools

Transparent solar cells could be mounted right on windows

Etiido Uko — Tue, 26 May 2026 19:00:00 GMT

One of the hindrances to large-scale solar adoption, especially in cities, is where to install the chunky panels. Rooftops? Skyscraper walls? Vast open spaces that dense urban centers barely have in the first place? Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore say they may have solved part of this problem with solar cells so thin they are invisible enough to install directly onto windows.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Nanyang Technological University, Solar Cell, Perovskite

Near-zero cement takes a huge bite out of emissions

Etiido Uko — Tue, 26 May 2026 17:30:00 GMT

Cement has been a vital building block (pun intended) in constructing civilization. However, its manufacturing process has also made it a wrecking ball on the environment, with a carbon footprint that rivals that of the aviation industry. Scientists from the University of British Columbia have devised a method that dramatically cuts cement’s carbon footprint using electricity.

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: Building and Construction, University of British Columbia, Cement, Concrete, Environmentally-friendly, American Chemical Society

Affordable humanoid robot aims for the teaching hands of developers

Omar Kardoudi — Tue, 26 May 2026 16:03:00 GMT

Until now, pretty much all humanoid robots have come with an eye-watering price tag. Rotaku, a startup from the San Francisco Bay Area, thinks that's a solvable engineering problem and made its first move to change that.

Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology

Tags: Affordable, Robots, Learning

Portable 4K projector doubles as a karaoke party machine

Monica J. White — Tue, 26 May 2026 14:33:01 GMT

Portable projectors have come a long way from the simple movie-night gadgets they used to be not so long ago. Recently, companies have been adding features like built-in streaming platforms, better speakers, automatic setup, and outdoor-friendly designs.

Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: xxKickbooster, Kickstarter, Karaoke, All-in-one, Projectors, 4K UHD, Portable, Google TV

Dutch timber homes hit carbon-negative milestone with Delft Red reboot

Stefan Ionescu — Tue, 26 May 2026 12:57:00 GMT

With the constant pressure for architecture to reduce its massive carbon footprint, studios are always looking for solutions beyond traditional materials. ORGA from the Netherlands has taken on this challenge, rewriting the rulebook by building a carbon-negative neighborhood prototype in the village of Marknesse.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: Carbon Neutral, sustainable design, Timber, Building and Construction, Prototype

Ferrari's first EV is a surprisingly practical 5-seater

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Tue, 26 May 2026 11:00:20 GMT

I certainly didn't have a zero-emissions Ferrari sedan on my 2026 Bingo card, but that's what we're getting with the Luce.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Electric Vehicles, Ferrari, Sedan

I predicted the enhanced games 25 years ago. Here’s what I think now.

Mike McRae — Tue, 26 May 2026 05:49:55 GMT

Never considering myself much of a writer in my youth, I entered the Young Queensland Writers’ Award in Australia with a throwaway short story I’d whipped up on a whim one weekend in my early twenties.

Category: Fitness & Exercise, Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and Mind

Tags: Sport, Drugs, Olympics

Earliest signs of dementia may be in our blood long before diagnosis

The Conversation — Tue, 26 May 2026 02:47:28 GMT

Ashleigh Barrett-Young, University of Otago/ The Conversation

Category: Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Alzheimer's disease, Biomarkers, Blood, Brain, Aging

Humanoids are heading to school as China readies them for real life

Bronwyn Thompson — Tue, 26 May 2026 01:52:32 GMT

The first humanoid "training school" for robots of all shapes and sizes will open its doors in July, bringing together more than 100 different models made by a host of companies. As well as mastering real-world skills, the humanoids will provide unique data that'll be used to advance the bots that follow in their footsteps.

Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology

Tags: China, Robot Factory, School, Training, Artificial Intelligence, Humanoid

This plant could be the smartest carnivore on the planet

Bronwyn Thompson — Tue, 26 May 2026 01:10:16 GMT

There are more than 800 known species of carnivorous plants. Despite their diverse designs, they all have one thing in common: they are built to trap and kill prey for survival.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, Insect, Carnivorous Plants, Predator, Animal science, Nutrition, nature, Ecosystem

Watch: Disabled parrot takes up jousting to stay king of the keas

Chelsea Haney — Mon, 25 May 2026 22:52:14 GMT

A disabled kea – a native New Zealand parrot – has invented a bizarre jousting technique that helped turn him into the undefeated alpha male of his group. While parrots are known for their smarts, this particular level of inventiveness to hold his place among peers shows real ingenuity and resourcefulness.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: New Zealand, Parrot, Disability, Animal science, Behavior, adaptive, Fighter

Mag-locking carabiner keychains boast three levels of security

Maryna Holovnova — Mon, 25 May 2026 20:30:00 GMT

Titaner is a company that has been producing titanium everyday carry (EDC) gear for more than 20 years. Its products typically focus on compact form, durability, and smart mechanical design. Its latest offering is called the Titaner Matrix. Currently available on Kickstarter, it’s a series of titanium carabiner keychains built around a unique multi-level locking system.

Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Kickstarter, xxKickbooster, EDC, Titanium

Penguin-inspired material can switch between heating and cooling modes

Etiido Uko — Mon, 25 May 2026 18:48:52 GMT

You know that frustration after you gear up for a snowy day, only to have to take it all off in a heated office? Well, penguins don't. Come sweltering heat or frigid cold, they just chill. Inspired by these clumsy masters of thermal management, scientists have created a material that can passively switch between heating and cooling modes.

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: Biomimicry, Harbin Institute of Technology, Heating, Cooling

Earth’s outer core reversed direction in 2010 and scientists may finally know why

Mike McRae — Mon, 25 May 2026 16:25:30 GMT

Deep beneath the Pacific near the equator, Earth’s outer core now flows east instead of west. Dynamics deeper within our planet’s core may help explain the change and what to expect in the near future.

Category: Physics, Science

Tags: Earth core, Magnetic field, Geology

Spin this dial to scroll through your ebooks

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Mon, 25 May 2026 15:30:00 GMT

I've always felt like the Kindle could do with a better way to flip ebook pages. DuRoBo might have solved exactly that problem, with a little dial on the side of its compact E Ink device.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: eBook, Kindle, E-Ink, ePaper, Reading, Android

Single-level tiny house makes long-term small living comfortable

Adam Williams — Mon, 25 May 2026 13:54:07 GMT

Clever space-saving layouts are all well and good, but not everyone wants to climb ladders and crawl into loft bedrooms every night. The Surya tiny house avoids this and instead opts for a spacious single-floor interior that's well-suited to comfortable long-term living.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

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

Fusing silk gives it Kevlar-like strength for next-gen implants

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Mon, 25 May 2026 12:03:00 GMT

Silk isn't just great as a smooth fabric for luxurious clothing: it's finding a wide range of uses in everything from edible food-preserving wrappers to skin-friendly wearable health monitoring sensors. There's plenty of scope to enhance its characteristics too, and a simple new approach has allowed it to get about as tough as Kevlar.

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: Silk, Kevlar, Tufts University, Imperial College London, University of Michigan

RAF's blow-up missile systems simulate advanced air-defense threats

David Szondy — Mon, 25 May 2026 06:37:22 GMT

The RAF is buying inflatable missile batteries. It may seem daft, but these lookalike launchers aren't a gag or a ludicrous cost-cutting measure. Part of the new Sting system, their job is to help train fighter pilots in taking out ground-to-air threats.

Category: Military, Engineering

Tags: Royal Air Force, Aircraft, Fighter, Missile Defense

Stormy weather linked with spikes in stroke and brain hemorrhages

Kerry Taylor-Smith — Mon, 25 May 2026 03:59:59 GMT

Stormy skies could send more patients to the emergency room, according to an analysis of weather systems and medical data by researchers in Hungary.

Category: Stroke, Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Stroke, Brain, Tropical Storms, Emergency

Your handwriting might reveal more about your brain than you realize

Bronwyn Thompson — Mon, 25 May 2026 01:34:46 GMT

Many of us probably don't get much time to put pen to paper these days, with our world of correspondence now dominated by digital communication. But a new study from Portugal's University of Évora suggests that changes in handwriting could be an early red flag of serious age-related cognitive decline.

Category: Brain Health, Body and Mind

Tags: Dementia, Cognitive functioning, Brain, Diagnostic tools, Alzheimer's disease, Writing, Processing

75 years of the Fender Telecaster: The guitar that changed the world

Barry Divola — Mon, 25 May 2026 01:30:46 GMT

This year Fender is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Telecaster, and Nashville was chosen to host the Tele Town birthday party.

Category: Music, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Fender, Fender Telecaster, Guitar, Features, Interviews

Great Pyramid's natural frequency could be the secret to its survival

The Conversation — Mon, 25 May 2026 00:11:04 GMT

Colin Caprani, Monash University & Scott Menegon, Swinburne University of Technology/ The Conversation

Category: Physics, Science

Tags: pyramids, Archaeology, Earthquake, History

Hybrid Texas power plant blends the best of gas and nuclear

David Szondy — Sun, 24 May 2026 23:03:00 GMT

Want to build a power plant and can't decide between nuclear and natural gas? Why not opt for both? That's the strategy that Blue Energy has developed in collaboration with GE Vernova for a proposed 2.5-GW hybrid facility in Texas that uses both fuels.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Small Modular Nuclear Reactor, Gas, Power Stations

Compact but comfortable tiny house is built for life on the road

Adam Williams — Sun, 24 May 2026 15:03:00 GMT

Not every tiny house has to be a massive apartment on wheels. Case in point is the Koala Bear, which embraces the roots of the small living movement and leans into its strength as a portable home for one or two modern nomads.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

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