Features of the week
Technology
Headlight projectors turn your car into a drive-in theater
by Monica J. White
Huawei's XPixel million-pixel smart headlights debuted at the Beijing Auto Show with full-color projection, capable of beaming movies, games, and navigation cues onto walls and roads – while also boosting safety in bad weather.
Tiny HousesOutdoors
Two-bedroom tiny house combines portability with a roomy interior
by Adam Williams
The Cabarita tiny house strikes a nice balance between spaciousness and portability. Designed for small families or full-time downsizers wanting a little extra space, the home features a light-filled and open interior with two bedrooms.
Technology
World’s first native color LiDAR gives machines human-like vision
by Omar Kardoudi
For the first time, a LiDAR sensor sees the world in color natively – no camera required. Ouster's Rev8 technology gives machines richer, faster 3D vision for the next wave of autonomous robots and vehicles.
GearOutdoors
1.5-lb pocket winch manhandles loads over 1,000x its weight
by C.C. Weiss
Built for fast, remote motorized adventure that can go wrong in a hurry, the Dragan Pocket Winch aims to be the lightest come-along out there. It fractionalizes weight while still multiplying muscle enough to move up to 2,000 lb of stuck bike.
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Slim 1L water bottle replaces 4 everyday essentials
Most water bottles do one thing. The Super Maxi fits your whole routine. With accessories for tea, coffee and protein, Ever Vessel’s award-winning 1L water bottle becomes a versatile drinking system, and it’s got a Red Dot design award to prove it.
Top Stories: Transport
New “superfuel” promises 32% boost in aircraft and rocket range
by David Szondy
CycloKinetics, a US propellant company, has unveiled a new family of superfuels for aircraft, missiles, and rockets that increase fuel performance by 32%. Aimed at the defense market, the fuels could allow vehicles to fly farther while carrying heavier payloads.
Juiced Bikes proves capable electric motorcycles don't have to cost a lot
by Utkarsh Sood
Juiced Bikes has just launched its first electric dirt bike, called Nomadix, through its powersports arm. And all for US$2,500. It ticks most boxes: impressive performance, affordability, light weight, and what looks like good after-sales support.
Brilliant beacon may awaken your inner Jedi knight
by Ben Coxworth
Bicycle tail lights have a way of playing second fiddle to their brighter, more interesting headlight siblings. We're sure you'll agree, however, that the Hi-Tail is one tall, telescoping safety beacon that definitely won't be "outshined."
Review: 2026 Rivian R1S is quirkily balanced
by Aaron Turpen
If you think that the Rivian R1S is just the SUV version of the R1T pickup, you’re right. That doesn’t change how great it is. Mostly.
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Top stories: Body & Mind
Weight-loss drugs present new hope for adults with asthma
by Bronwyn Thompson
Could glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) nix the inflammation that drives asthma? Maybe, according to a large national study of more than 27,000 older adults, which was presented to scientists last week.
The 'red flag' you might miss in the early detection of Alzheimer’s disease
by Kerry Taylor-Smith
Sleep loss is one of the most challenging symptoms of dementia and Alzheimer’s. New research has now likened poor sleep to a canary in a coal mine, an early symptom of neurodegeneration that could serve as a biomarker to identify the disease.
Four weeks of small diet tweaks can shift needle on your biological age
by Bronwyn Thompson
Less fat, animal-sourced protein and more complex carbs each day, for less than a month, can potentially take years off the biological clock in older adults. It suggests our health is more sensitive to short-term lifestyle changes than we think.
New document reveals surprising truth of Black Death survivors
by The Conversation
In our research in the British Library’s medieval collections, we have identified a previously unnoticed document that provides fresh insights into the survivors of the outbreak of plague known as the Black Death.
Top Stories: Outdoor
Slicked Airstream camping trailer goes full-on IKEA to hit lower price
by C.C. Weiss
Airstream trailers boast a lot of positives, but "cheap" and "lightweight" are not really among them. The new World Traveler trailer, however, is in fact a lighter, cheaper trailer that demonstrates Airstream's continued adaptation.
12-in-1 ratchet screwdriver fits in your pocket for anytime DIY fixes
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Screwdriver sets with multiple bits are a dime a dozen, but if you're working on smaller projects or struggling with screws in tight corners, a ratchet screwdriver is a better bet. And that's where the A06 looks like the right tool for the job.
Extra-wide tiny house focuses on storage without sacrificing comfort
by Adam Williams
The Black Butte tiny house uses some clever interior design ideas to create an open and storage-packed layout that still makes room for some nice touches, including a bathroom with a freestanding bathtub.
3rd-Gen multitool packs 20 functions into funky key form
by Maryna Holovnova
EDC Monster has introduced the latest version of its compact key-shaped multitool, designed to pack more than 20 functions into a pocket-friendly form. It is currently available for backing on Kickstarter.
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Top Stories: Technology
Can Scotch tape record information like audio tape?
by Malcolm Azania
Penn State researchers record spikes in pressure during automated tape-peeling. Understanding how such processes record information points to developing memory materials for zero-electricity computers without typical vulnerabilities.
Full-size arcade gaming system folds into a cabinet when not in use
by Maryna Holovnova
Swap Arcade is a full-sized arcade machine with hundreds of games that can fold into a classic wooden cabinet when not in use. This nostalgic product may appeal to those who grew up playing arcades, and it is now available on Kickstarter.
Slim home backup keeps fridge, Wi-Fi or CPAP running during an outage
by Monica J. White
Sierro is a compact LiFePO4 home backup system designed to slip beside appliances and stay permanently plugged in, automatically switching to battery to power fridges, routers, CPAPs, aquariums and so on when the grid goes down.
Review: Fraimic canvas sucks AI art out of virtual and into real life
by Joe Salas
Fraimic's Spectra 6 e-ink canvas brings voice-generated art off your phone and onto your wall, complete with local API access, Home Assistant support, years-long battery life, and an "artists first" philosophy.
Top Stories: Science
Antarctica's waters are warming – I know, because I jumped in
by Cat Williams
It was cold – but nowhere near what I expected; I’ve been colder in an outdoor swimming pool in Australia. It's part of a global feedback loop, the scale of which I only began to comprehend when I saw this remarkable continent for myself.
This dangerous bird has a secret hiding in plain sight
by Chelsea Haney
One of the world’s most dangerous birds may carry signals invisible to the human eye. Scientists have found that the helmet-like casque atop a cassowary’s head fluoresces under UV light, revealing striking patterns that differ between species.
New cage-like crystal found in the waste of the world’s first nuclear explosion
by Mike McRae
More than 80 years after the world-famous Trinity test showed humanity what to expect from an atomic detonation, researchers are still sifting new discoveries out of its twisted remains.
Historical accidents show just how long 'forever chemicals' last
by The Conversation
The Blue Mountains west of Sydney draw millions of visitors a year. Unfortunately, the Blue Mountains are also the site of a controversial investigation into water contamination with “forever chemicals”, also called PFAS.
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