Headliner
Coffee in your walls? Breakthrough converts grounds to insulation

Coffee in your walls? Breakthrough converts grounds to insulation

by Michael Franco

Around the world, over two billion daily cups of coffee are consumed. That means there are a staggering amount of coffee grounds getting tossed away every day. Researchers now have a plan to turn all that waste into eco-friendly insulation.

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Highlights
CampervansAdventure VehiclesOutdoors

VW Basecamp forges a new path for multi-fuel van life

by C.C. Weiss

If the average RV shop said it was working on its "most robust, self-sufficient and luxurious camper van," we'd dismiss it as marketing hype. But Tonke isn't average, and we're excited to see what it has in store for VW's newest Transporter.

PhotographyConsumer TechTechnology

2026 World Press Photo winners capture planet in a state of flux

by Bronwyn Thompson

From wildfires to our wars on nature and each other, the subjects captured in the winning 42 images of the 69th World Press Photo Contest are not the easiest to view – but it's what makes this annual competition such a prestigious and powerful one.

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Urban TransportTransport

Review: The golden Oceano yacht of scooters – Navee UT5 Ultra X

by Joe Salas

Navee's latest flagship scooter is a fast, flashy, and formidable. It feels more like an electric motorcycle than a mere mobility machine. It's not perfect, but its power, planted chassis and premium touches make it one heck of a lavish land yacht.

Tiny HousesOutdoors

130-sq-ft tiny house maximizes space with multifunctional layout

by Adam Williams

Measuring just 130 sq ft, the Shoji is definitely smaller than the average tiny house. However, it makes up for its modest size with a space-saving multifunctional design that sleeps up to two people.

Home EntertainmentConsumer TechTechnology

Samsung's compact speakers bring wireless home theater sound anywhere

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Samsung gave us a glimpse of a couple of seriously desirable lifestyle speakers for 2026 a couple of months ago, and I'm happy to report you can now get your hands on them. The Music Studio lineup not only looks cool, but can also pair up wirelessly.

MilitaryEngineering

Missile kit lets fighter jets down drones on the cheap

by David Szondy

Shooting down a drone with a fighter jet is as cost effective as wrapping sandwiches in gold foil, but BAE Systems has cut the price by firing an economy anti-drone Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) missile from a Typhoon Eurofighter.

Consumer TechTechnology

This keychain-sized tracker doubles as a personal safety siren

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Unlike most item trackers that only help you find your stuff a la AirTags, the Pebble Halo is also a personal safety device designed for quick access in an emergency, with a bunch of thoughtful features in a durable body.

Refractor: Science & Health
Urban TransportTransport

Review: The golden Oceano yacht of scooters – Navee UT5 Ultra X

by Joe Salas

Navee's latest flagship scooter is a fast, flashy, and formidable. It feels more like an electric motorcycle than a mere mobility machine. It's not perfect, but its power, planted chassis and premium touches make it one heck of a lavish land yacht.

Tiny HousesOutdoors

130-sq-ft tiny house maximizes space with multifunctional layout

by Adam Williams

Measuring just 130 sq ft, the Shoji is definitely smaller than the average tiny house. However, it makes up for its modest size with a space-saving multifunctional design that sleeps up to two people.

Home EntertainmentConsumer TechTechnology

Samsung's compact speakers bring wireless home theater sound anywhere

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Samsung gave us a glimpse of a couple of seriously desirable lifestyle speakers for 2026 a couple of months ago, and I'm happy to report you can now get your hands on them. The Music Studio lineup not only looks cool, but can also pair up wirelessly.

MilitaryEngineering

Missile kit lets fighter jets down drones on the cheap

by David Szondy

Shooting down a drone with a fighter jet is as cost effective as wrapping sandwiches in gold foil, but BAE Systems has cut the price by firing an economy anti-drone Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) missile from a Typhoon Eurofighter.

Consumer TechTechnology

This keychain-sized tracker doubles as a personal safety siren

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Unlike most item trackers that only help you find your stuff a la AirTags, the Pebble Halo is also a personal safety device designed for quick access in an emergency, with a bunch of thoughtful features in a durable body.

Body and Mind

How living at high altitudes can protect against diabetes

by Michael Franco

It's long been known that living at higher altitudes can affect physiology, including reducing the incidence of diabetes. The reason why has evaded scientists for decades. That has changed with a new discovery that was hiding in plain sight.

BiologyScience

Researchers gene-edit the bitterness out of grapefruit

by Jay Kakade

In the late 1990s researchers identified the key gene responsible for producing the bitter compounds in grapefruit. Now, using the genome editing technology CRISPR/Cas9, the team has inactivated the gene in grapefruit to eliminate that bitter taste.

EnvironmentScience

Dust is the sky's desaturation filter

by Toluwalogo Niji-Olawepo

The explanation is weirder than you might think – in fact, the sky is probably closer to violet. Tiny air molecules and larger particles like dust and pollution scatter sunlight in different ways, painting the sky from deep violet to hazy white.

Elsewhere

💩 Ever wondered just how much humans poop at any given time around the globe?

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