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Hi all! Loz Blain here.

I wanted to quickly introduce you guys to our latest contributor. Well, some of you guys, anyway - I know we have a number of Australian motorcycle aficionados on our list, and to that lot, believe me when I say this bloke needs no introduction.

Boris Mihailovic has long been one of my absolute favorite wordsmiths, the kind of writer who clearly loves the art, and whose deliciously chewy prose can really create powerful sensations in a reader's body.

Sometimes these sensations are extremely pleasant, other times... Well, put it this way; when I first encountered his name in Australian Motorcycle News, it was in the reader mailbag section, where more than half the page was typically dedicated to the outrage he'd stirred up with his last column.

It's my great pleasure to introduce Borrie to our very international audience - our man Karsh has been doing a great job covering motorcycles as I've found myself getting busier on the business side, but Utkarsh is a genuinely lovely person, and I felt our motorcycle coverage would be so much more complete with an extra pinch of ratbag in the stew.

We'll start things off in low gear, with a perfectly reasonable BMW review... But hold onto your hats, things go a long way downhill from here!

😊
Loz

Headliner
Boris reviews the BMW R 1300 R Performance Auto: 'I'm just wired wrong'

Boris reviews the BMW R 1300 R Performance Auto: 'I'm just wired wrong'

by Boris Mihailovic

There's nothing wrong with BMW's excellent high-performance automatic transmission... Unless you're a couple million miles deep into your motorcycling journey and hard-wired to panic if you start grabbing thin air with your clutch hand.

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Highlights

XL tiny house provides small living without sacrificing comfort

Tiny HousesOutdoors

by Adam Williams

How large does a tiny house have to get before it's no longer a tiny house? The Shoreline must be getting close, offering a spacious interior that delivers single-floor living without sacrificing comfort.

Flame plasma pyrolysis process turns spent coffee grounds into biofuel

EnergyEngineering

by Etiido Uko

Humans generate wet coffee grounds equal to the weight of three Great Pyramids of Giza annually. These have fuel potential, but the moisture poses a challenge. Scientists have now developed a method that rapidly turns the wet grounds into solid biofuel.

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Don’t overpay for Mac products—These MacBook Pros are only $440

RAM prices have made many new computers an unwise investment, but refurbished units still have promise. This MacBook Pro is in near-mint condition, but because it’s a refurb and on sale, it’s only $439.99 (reg. $1,999).

A plastic camper?! Company says low-priced trailer is better than most

Camping TrailersAdventure VehiclesOutdoors

by C.C. Weiss

LIV RV skips common composites like fiberglass to build trailers out of welded thermoplastic. Its latest "Lightweight Innovative Vehicle" complements the wood-free unibody construction with an electric off-grid features package.

FAA updates regulations for new supersonic age

AircraftTransport

by David Szondy

The FAA is clearing the way for the return of commercial supersonic air travel by revamping regulations for faster-than-sound aircraft for the first time since 1973 – to reflect progress in aviation engineering and the removal of prejudicial attitudes.

Electromagnetic buoy paralyzes jellyfish to prevent painful stinging

MarineTransport

by Etiido Uko

There are a few things more painful than going to the beach on a hard-earned vacation, only to get stung by a jellyfish. The horror! Thankfully, this occurrence may soon be a thing of the past, as researchers have developed an anti-jellyfish buoy.

Tiny, bladeless magnetic multitool flips its feature set inside out

GearOutdoors

by Maryna Holovnova

If you’re tired of improvising a stand for your phone every time you want to watch a movie on a flight, make a video call, or cook while following a recipe, a new multitool on Kickstarter might solve this problem.

$80 smart scale maps body fat and muscle by body part

Consumer TechTechnology

by Monica J. White

Wyze’s Scale BodyScan brings eight-electrode BIA, segmental muscle and fat tracking, a 4.7-inch display, app reports, and multi-user support to an $80 smart scale for more detailed at-home fitness trend-tracking.

Origami-like pot grows as your plant does – and takes care of watering

Around The HomeConsumer TechTechnology

by Bronwyn Thompson

A Scottish company known for its stylish, sustainable planters has come up with something completely innovative – a self-watering pot that actually grows and transforms as the plant it holds does similar. The Helix nails both form and function.

Google gets creative with AI recycling

ComputingConsumer TechTechnology

by Etiido Uko

Every year, billions of phones are discarded with their processors intact. Meanwhile, the AI sector spends billions on new chips at high environmental costs. Google is developing a way to bridge these two realities with a server made from old phones.

UK scraps next-gen destroyer fleet for drone-commanding warships

MilitaryEngineering

by David Szondy

We got a glimpse of the Royal Navy of the future as the Ministry of Defence announced that it will not replace Britain's aging destroyers, but succeed them with at least six Common Combat Vessels (CCV) that will act as drone command and control ships.

30-ft-long tiny house doubles down on small-space flexibility

Tiny HousesOutdoors

by Adam Williams

Though it only measures 368 sq ft, the Smidge punches above its weight thanks to its flexible interior layout. The tiny house includes a useful office area that doubles as a downstairs bedroom, as well as a second bedroom.

$200 action camera shoots 4K and doubles as a dashcam

PhotographyConsumer TechTechnology

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

This new 4K action cam we've just spotted promises ease of use and crisp footage in an awfully compact package. The AulGo has got the essentials covered, while being small enough to carry along to capture any outdoor activity you can think of.

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Refractor: Science & Health

Please note that articles listed in this section will open at our sister site: Refractor

Protein-packed flower upends what we see as edible

Diet & NutritionWellness and Healthy LivingBody and Mind

by Bronwyn Thompson

A flower you may have in your backyard or have seen in a public garden has been found to contain a surprisingly high amount of protein, as well as other nutrients. It could transform how we think of "ornamental" plants – and flowers in general.

Rare 'white whales' push back date of millipede evolution

BiologyScience

by Toluwalogo Niji-Olawepo

An international team of scientists led by researchers at Virginia Tech has completed the millipede family tree for the first time.

Chronic pain eased by a common sleep supplement

Chronic PainIllnesses and conditionsBody and Mind

by Bronwyn Thompson

A supplement best known for helping some people get a better night's sleep may also have a surprising painkilling effect in those with a range of chronic conditions. This could help reduce the use of pain medications that come with more risks.

Baffling graves could be evidence of a deadly Stone Age plague

ArchaeologyScience

by The Conversation

Did a major epidemic of plague trigger a prolonged collapse in Europe’s population in late Neolithic times – from around 5,600 to 4,000 years ago?

Younger people age faster than ever, and it could explain an alarming trend

Society & CommunityWellness and Healthy LivingBody and Mind

by Pranjal Malewar

A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, drawing on tens of thousands of participants in the UK and the US, suggests that the risk of developing cancer isn't just a matter of birthdays; it's about how fast bodies age biologically.

1 in 30 may have a condition that gets them lost in their own home

Brain HealthBody and Mind

by The Conversation

Some estimates suggest up to one in 30 people may be affected by developmental topographical disorientation (DTD). This condition has been described as a lifelong inability to orient oneself – even in extremely familiar surroundings.

Elsewhere

Imaging titan Hasselblad has picked the winners of its 2026 Masters photography competition, and as you might expect – they're spectacular.

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