Features of the week
Pickup CampersAdventure VehiclesOutdoors
Fast, athletic Ford camper truck pops out in 4 directions to live big
by C.C. Weiss
The new Auriga Explorer camper truck looks almost as fast and ferocious as a Dakar rig. But it's made for slow travel, the kind that sees you link together wandering days with cozy nights in a mobile 4-person hut expanded by pop-top and 3 slide-outs.
SpaceScience
Dream Chaser to debut as free-flying spacecraft in 2026
by David Szondy
Sierra Space and NASA have renegotiated their contract for the Dream Chaser spaceplane that will allow the spacecraft to make its first orbital flight next year as a free flier instead of visiting the International Space Station (ISS).
MarineTransport
Hyper-efficient loopy outboard propeller drops 50% in price
by C.C. Weiss
A year ago, Sharrow launched the MX-A propeller for small outboards, effectively cutting pricing by more than half compared to previous prop launches. Now it's doing it again with the AX, a sub-$1K propeller designed for even smaller outboards.
Heart DiseaseIllnesses and conditionsBody and Mind
One of these four red flags is seen before 99.6% of heart attacks
by Bronwyn Thompson
In a massive international study, researchers identify four precise warning signs of a heart attack, stroke or heart failure, and understanding these measurable risk factors could help people understand their vulnerabilities long before a health event.
Sponsored content
Talking Tom Teams Up with FED Fitness for a Fun Way to Get Families Moving
Talking Tom & Friends is joining forces with FED Fitness to launch the Daily Fitness Challenge – a campaign designed to get families moving together by making fitness a playful daily ritual, guided by Tom himself as your energetic “Workout Supervisor.”
Top Stories: Transport
New middleweight adventure bikes from unexpected Chinese bikemaker
by Utkarsh Sood
It’s usually CFMoto making these kinds of headlines, but this time, an unlikely manufacturer has churned out a rather exciting motorcycle from its stable. And it might well go on to be the most exciting offering in the middleweight moto segment.
Lightfighter EV racer blends superbike power with lightweight handling
by Ian Baker
California startup Lightfighter takes a racer's approach to range – just enough to get the job done. We spoke to Brian Wismann and got the lowdown on what makes the V3 so special.
Modular cargo ebikes grow or shrink with changing family needs
by Paul Ridden
Belgium's Bike43 has revealed a nifty cargo ebike that can grow as your family or hauling needs change. Riders can start off with a Short model, and then step up to a Mid flavor courtesy of an easy mod, and back again as needed.
Autonomous combat aircraft unveiled as Europe’s loyal wingman
by David Szondy
Autonomous fighter planes are popping up all over the place these days as more air forces opt for pilotless loyal wingmen. The latest example is Europe's version, the multi-role Helsing CA-1 Europa, which has just made its public debut.
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Top stories: Body & Mind
Psychedelic DMT shows promise as breakthrough stroke treatment
by Paul McClure
A natural psychedelic may do more than alter perception. A new study found that at sub-hallucinogenic doses, DMT shielded the brain from stroke damage in animal models, reducing inflammation, preserving the blood-brain barrier, and speeding recovery.
We choose ignorance as we age – even when knowledge is more useful
by Bronwyn Thompson
Whether it's watching the news or checking a bank account, adults often deal with uncertainty by switching off – even when that knowledge is useful. Now, scientists have identified when it is we start to go down the "ignorance is bliss" path, and why.
Artificial neuron blurs line between technology and biology
by Paul McClure
Scientists have built an artificial neuron that’s so realistic it fires, learns, and responds to chemical signals just like the real thing – a breakthrough that could transform computing, medicine, and the way that tech merges with biology.
Radiation a 'strong alternative to surgery' for early-stage lung cancer
by Paul McClure
Precision-targeted radiation is proving a match for surgery in early-stage lung cancer, offering patients similar long-term survival with less invasiveness, and potentially transforming how this common cancer is treated.
Top Stories: Outdoor
Aero engine-inspired pocket piston combusts fire out of thin air
by C.C. Weiss
The new Aviator's Ember from Aerohart applies aerospace-grade materials to an age-old design, providing powerful fire-starting performance that carries lightly in a pocket. Like an engine piston, it compresses air for fast, furious combustion.
Not-so-small Kookaburra stretches the definition of a 'tiny house'
by Adam Williams
Adapt Homes refers to its models as "not-so-tiny homes," and it's not exaggerating: its Kookaburra stretches the definition of a tiny house with an ultra-wide footprint that provides a light-filled, spacious interior for couples or a small family.
Wearable exo motor fires out more power than a street-legal ebike
by C.C. Weiss
Designed for bigger adventures, longer distances and heavier loads, the new X Ultra performance exoskeleton is what Hypershell calls its best model to date. The new wearable boosts performance with a full 1,000 watts channeled into your natural gait.
Sleek, ultramodern glamper pod makes a cushy ebike-stowing base camp
by C.C. Weiss
Stockman grows its lineup from small pod and teardrop trailers to include a larger toy hauler. The new Trekka debuts as a dual-axle trailer with a complete camper interior, two kitchens and dedicated interior space for ebikes or other adventure gear.
Top Stories: Technology
Bluetooth module gets vintage speakers back in the game
by Ben Coxworth
There are now tons of old high-end speakers that are still in great condition, but that go unused simply because they aren't modern. The SoundUp device addresses that problem, by converting vintage speakers to Bluetooth.
MIT's concrete battery just got 10 times more powerful
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Scientists have been working on enhancing concrete to store energy. That includes researchers at MIT, who found a way to combine cement, water, and carbon black to create a 'supercapacitor' for this purpose back in 2023. It's now 10x better at this.
Smart in-asphalt fabric provides live reports from within roads
by Ben Coxworth
While it's important to monitor the condition of paved roads, keeping an eye on the surface will only tell you so much. You also need to know what's going on with the underlying asphalt, which is where a layer of electronic fabric is made to come in.
Parachutes with hundreds of holes could enable safer drone deliveries
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
A team of researchers in France and Canada might have just improved upon humble parachutes by making lots of holes in them. It could be just the thing we need for more precise humanitarian aid drops and safer drone deliveries.
Top Stories: Science
Massive expanding chasms are eating cities alive from below
by Bronwyn Thompson
Nearly 3,000 growing chasms have opened up in dozens of towns, swallowing up roads and houses in their path. Known as urban gullies, these destructive forces of nature are increasing rapidly and now threaten to displace more than 3.2 million people.
China’s new tech turns ocean CO2 into biodegradable plastic
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Scientists in China have devised a way to capture carbon dioxide stored in seawater, and convert it into biodegradable plastic precursors. This approach could reduce the acidification effect of CO2 emissions in marine ecosystems, with an added bonus.
Extreme battery tech powers one-of-a-kind rover across alien terrain
by Ian Baker
It’s hard to think of a more challenging environment for an automotive battery than the Moon, and preparations for NASA’s Artemis program give us a chance to contrast the pioneering technology of the 1970s with where we are 50 years later.
We finally know how the Venus fly trap turns touch into traps
by David Szondy
What has no brain, no nervous system, and not even nerves, yet acts as if it has reflexes? The answer is a Venus fly trap. This famous carnivorous plant captures insects and other small animals – and scientists have now figured out how.
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