Features of the week
AircraftTransport
Sub-$40,000 personal eVTOL could be in buyers' hands later this year
by Ben Coxworth
Ever since its launch in 2021, the Jetson One has looked like it might be the first personal eVTOL to reach consumers. If Chinese company Rictor is to be believed, however, its similar X4 should ship later this year – and at a fraction of the price.
AI and HumanoidsTechnology
Enterprise-grade Atlas humanoids heading for Hyundai factories
by Omar Kardoudi
Boston Dynamics has unveiled the new Atlas, a humanoid designed as a practical industrial tool for warehouses and factories. Atlas can operate 24/7 in extreme temperatures, and uses AI to adapt to its environment. Production has already started.
CampervansAdventure VehiclesOutdoors
Mitsubishi's tiniest van finally becomes an adorable micro-camper
by C.C. Weiss
For decades, the Mitsubishi Delica has proven itself a rugged, reliable base van for mini-camper vans and pint-sized adventure vans. And now it's joined by an even smaller Delica camper van, the purely kei-size Delica Mini Pop micro-camper
ObesityIllnesses and conditionsBody and Mind
The weight-loss drug that makes our cells burn more energy
by Bronwyn Thompson
After a century of false starts, scientists believe they have found a way to make cells burn more energy without the dangerous side effects – and it could be a breakthrough that reshapes weight-loss and anti-aging medicine as we know it.
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Top Stories: Transport
Vacuum company's 1,876-horsepower hypercar does 0-60 in 1.8 seconds
by Utkarsh Sood
Electric vehicles are emerging left, right, and center, but I bet nobody put their money on a vacuum cleaner manufacturer coming up with one. And it's not just a plain ol' EV put together with random Chinese components, but a proper hypercar!
Hyundai finally takes the wraps off the Staria Electric MPV
by Aaron Turpen
Hyundai has been teasing the electric model Staria people mover since 2021 and has finally introduced the full production spec model. Debuting in Brussels, the 800-volt minivan will go on sale in Korea and Europe before mid-2026.
Pro enduro racer reveals first proper hard enduro e-moto
by Utkarsh Sood
You know you have a proper enduro on your hands when it has Graham Jarvis’ credentials behind it. That’s the Jarv-E project, and it isn’t just another ambitious electric motorcycle; it’s a proper hard-enduro bike designed for technical trail riding.
Review: 2026 Kia Sportage Hybrid isn’t the bug-eyed SUV I remember
by Aaron Turpen
Back in the day, the Sportage was first introduced as a bug-eyed monstrosity of a compact utility. It’s evolved and matured since then, and for 2026, Kia’s popular crossover gets a refresh that’s all about refining an already hard-won, solid formula.
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Top stories: Body & Mind
Laughing gas a promising treatment for depression
by Jay Kakade
Nitrous oxide, known as laughing gas, has shown rapid antidepressant effects in people with depression, with symptoms easing within hours of inhaling it. The treatment involves breathing in a mix of nitrous oxide and oxygen for up to an hour.
A single inflammatory switch may help repair the liver
by Pranjal Malewar
Researchers have discovered a new way to potentially treat liver disease. By blocking a key inflammatory pathway it could be possible to reduce liver damage and improve blood vessel function in patients suffering cirrhosis.
When smell is lost, our sense of touch may replace it
by Chelsea Haney
For millions, losing their sense of smell reshapes daily life. Once damaged, the system is difficult to restore. That challenge led researchers to stop asking how to fix smell, and start asking whether its information might reach the brain another way.
Landmark: Ancient cannabis enzymes resurrected for important new drugs
by Bronwyn Thompson
For the first time, scientists have identified ancient cannabis enzymes dating back millions of years – and discovered they were more efficient at producing the plant’s bioactive compounds like THC and CBD. The team then resurrected them in the lab.
Top Stories: Outdoor
90-second tent is the stealthiest, lightest pickup camper out there
by C.C. Weiss
Weighing less than most rooftop tents and taking up far less space than a camper, the Camp Tonneau Tent is always at the ready for truck camping but stows completely out of the way for unencumbered everyday commuting and cargo hauling.
Shipping container transformed into unique space-saving home
by Adam Williams
Architects continue to get lots of mileage from the humble shipping container. This example skillfully squeezes a comfortable home for two people into a single container that has a length of just 20 ft.
Unconventional stacked multitool disc sparks fire for weeks
by Ben Coxworth
If you're carrying a lighter anyway, why not carry some extra functions with it? That's where the Polar lighter comes in, as it packs a compass and mirror along with an optional capsule, watch and loupe.
Transformable winter footwear morphs from snowshoes to mini skis
by Maryna Holovnova
Wintertime offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors: skiing, snowshoeing , or hiking. The only problem is that each of these activities requires its own specialized set of gear. But what if a single piece of equipment could do it all?
Top Stories: Technology
Meet the Goblin – the ultra-compact of fighter planes
by David Szondy
What looks like a flying egg, was never designed to land, and was so light it could be thrown off course by its own guns? Introducing the Goblin XF-85 – the Cold War compact fighter designed to be carried in the belly of a nuclear bomber.
Anker's new whole-home backup system frees you from power outage woes
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Anker's latest offering is the first-ever smart hybrid backup system for your entire house, powering it for days. The company claims its sophisticated equipment makes it simple for homeowners to finally stop worrying about blackouts and outages.
Lightweight immersive glasses put a 300-inch theater on your face
by Maryna Holovnova
The mobile entertainment industry has a tendency to make devices lighter and more immersive, blurring the line between everyday life and virtual reality. Xynavo AR glasses offer a glimpse of what the future of portable entertainment may look like, and they are currently available for backing on Kickstarter.
Review: Perfect pitch with the Roadie 4 tuning multi-tool
by Paul Ridden
Following a successful Kickstarter last year, a combination tuner, string winder and metronome is now available to buy. There's been a Roadie in my gig bag since the first iteration landed 10 years ago, and now I've been sent the 4th-gen unit to try.
Top Stories: Science
World’s most powerful hypergravity machine is 1,900X stronger than Earth
by Bronwyn Thompson
China has eclipsed its own – and the US – world record, building a monster underground hypergravity centrifuge that can model scenarios with 1,900 times the gravitational force of Earth, bending space and time with unprecedented power.
Spray-on armor for plants offers a new tool for global food security
by Malcolm Azania
By adjusting a typical polymer synthesis, researchers have created a spray-on polymer solution that could save billions of tons of crops. It's harmless to plants, and weakens the cell membranes of a variety of harmful bacteria.
Super-smart, eavesdropping dogs pick up new words like human toddlers
by Michael Franco
Spelling F-O-O-D or O-U-T might only get you so far around your dog if he or she is considered a Gifted Word Learner. Researchers have just figured out that even when you're not talking to them directly, they're still acquiring new terms.
Earth built a nuclear reactor two billion years before we did
by Bronwyn Thompson
Two billion years before we made history and split the atom, the Earth had already accomplished it and was running its own nuclear reactors. And they operated for hundreds of thousands of years, as the first signs of multicellular life emerged.
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