Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News
World-first 'super alloy' is 2x as strong as steel
June 22, 2026
| Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Combining metals to produce alloys that are stronger or tougher requires extremely high temperatures as part of the process. Researchers in Australia have found that a radically different approach could yield even better alloys with a lot less heat.
Collapsible outhouse springs from pack to poop in under 2 minutes
June 19, 2026
| C.C. Weiss
Gazelle Tents looks to streamline base camp setup by slimming its tried-and-true hub-frame formula into a tall, sturdy bathroom/privacy tent that pitches in a mere minute and a half.
Going retro: Commodore strips the smartphone back to essentials
June 22, 2026
| Monica J. White
The reborn Commodore brand has broken into the phone industry with the Callback 8020, a retro flip phone that runs 99% of Android apps through privacy-focused Sailfish OS while blocking social media and browsers for a calmer digital life.
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Navee, a Chinese mobility brand best known for e-scooters and e-dirt bikes, just revived one of the Cold War's strangest engineering ideas, a craft called the WaveFly 5X that's half plane, half boat, and aimed it squarely at recreational riders.
The Felicia is a compact and easily towable tiny house that focuses on freedom and simplicity. The home can optionally run off-grid, making it well suited to life away from campsites and trailer parks.
One for the "why hasn't this been done before?" department: Norway has greenlit construction of the world's first ocean ship tunnel. If the final budget receives parliamentary approval, work on the Stad Ship Tunnel will begin on the country's west coast.
Bosch has launched its first hub motor, the Hub Line, targeting urban riders who want electric assist in a compact, lightweight package. Canyon and Vello are already on board, with both debuting Hub Line bikes at Eurobike next week.
Picture a tiny house in your mind and it probably looks a little like a cottage on wheels. However, Quadrapol's La Ruche takes a different approach and stacks its living spaces vertically like a tower.
A semi-submersible aquaculture rig that holds more than 14 million gallons of water – 20 Olympic swimming pools' worth – has begun operating in the waters off Hainan Province. It's expected to produce more than 4,000 tonnes of fish in its first year.
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June 21, 2026 | Bronwyn ThompsonCharged with sorting through 2,129 images from more than 500 people, judges have named their shortlist of 100 pictures vying for prizes in the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (AGNPOTY) competition. Here are our favorites. -
June 21, 2026The Kingbull Ranger combines vintage-inspired styling, a 750W motor, hydraulic brakes, dual suspension, and up to 80 miles of range. During Kingbull's 2026 Anniversary Sale, this distinctive e-bike is available for just $799. -
June 21, 2026 | Simon HeptinstallThe defining characteristics of BMW’s M cars – screaming inline-six engines, lightweight chassis and precise mechanical feedback – are about to be radically reinvented to survive the fast-approaching zero-emissions regs. Meet the M Concept Neue Klasse.
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Health and Science news from our sister site: Refractor
In simulations, Boston University researcher Brian Walsh and colleagues found that their system, dubbed StormWall, could halve the intensity of a geomagnetic storm.
People taking fish-oil supplements in an effort to shield their brain from Alzheimer's disease might be better off investing that money in their diet, with a two-year study finding that omega-3 pills offer no protection from cognitive decline.
The volatile seismic zone along the roughly 750-mile San Andreas Fault beneath California are "critically stressed" – a level of pressure that has reached its highest point in 1,000 years – increasing the likelihood of a big earthquake hitting the US.
Scientists have not just found a new way that aging cells drive inflammation, but have also blocked it from happening with an existing FDA-approved drug. This opens the door to an entirely new way to shield the body from age-related health decline.
Weight-loss jabs are the latest craze for shedding a few pounds. But as effective as GLP-1 drugs are, not everyone who uses them will lose a significant amount of weight. Research suggests that between 10% and 30% of patients fit into this group.
Three years on from deploying ground-penetrating radar to "spy" on one of Australia's most endangered and elusive species, scientists have learnt just how adaptable the animals are. And there's also some good news for rebuilding the population.
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June 21, 2026 | Omar KardoudiAn electric aircraft that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a regular plane just completed its first piloted flight with a new full-scale prototype. Vertical Aerospace is accelerating toward commercial certification, targeted for 2028. -
June 21, 2026 | Monica J. WhiteEnya Music’s Cyber-G Pocket folds from portable Bluetooth speaker into a smart singalong instrument, using chord pads, app presets and built-in backing tracks to help casual users make music without learning to play the guitar. -
June 21, 2026 | Etiido UkoUnlike man-made solar systems, which are hampered by the sun’s fluctuations and require backup systems to even them out, leaves can harness solar energy even in low-light conditions. Scientists have developed a way to replicate this ability. -
June 21, 2026Upgrading your PC doesn’t have to come with sticker shock. Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 during this Deal Days sale, giving your desktop a faster, cleaner interface, built-in AI Copilot, and pro-level tools — all for just ten dollars. -
June 21, 2026 | David SzondyAt this year's ILA Berlin Air Show, Airbus Helicopters unveiled its latest entry into fully autonomous flight, the U145 twin-engine helicopter. Based on the company's H145 platform, the aircraft replaces the cockpit with clamshell cargo doors, freeing up additional space for payloads. -
June 20, 2026 | Maryna HolovnovaAironox Go is a compact, fully automatic device designed to smooth clothing. It's aimed at frequent travelers who want to look presentable after a long trip but also don’t want to spend time on ironing or steaming clothes. -
June 20, 2026 | David SzondyThe United States military is plunging into the robotic future of aerial warfare with both feet as awards are issued to General Atomics and Anduril for not just the development, but the mass production of hundreds of autonomous combat aircraft.
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Editor's Picks
Though it has a length of just 24 ft, the Spruce tiny house maximizes its limited available space well. Its compact layout includes a sleeping loft with standing room, and even a small balcony area.
While we may still not have flying cars, robot butlers or food replicators in our possession, you can now order something else you may have long dreamt of. It's called the Photon Matrix, and it uses lasers to track and kill airborne mosquitoes.
The US Navy's secretive F/A-XX sixth-generation fighter plane is a bit less secret after program competitor Northrop Grumman unveiled a new concept image of its version of the carrier-based warplane, giving us a few design clues.
The Capucine, by Quadrapol, is a compact tiny house for up to two people. Thanks to its open design, which is arranged on one floor, the home is well-suited to retirees and anyone else who doesn't want to deal with the hassle of stairs.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved a landmark eye drop that uses a combined dose of medication to restore age-related near-sightedness, without the need for surgery, for longer than anything else on the market – and with fewer side effects.
Nobody really enjoys seeing power lines, but maybe they could be turned from an eyesore into a local point of pride. Such is the thinking behind this creative project that transforms power line pylons into huge animal sculptures.
The most egg-shaped of all the egg campers, the Barefoot Caravan has been wowing RVers with its shapely fiberglass for over a decade. Prices have risen quickly during that time, but now Barefoot offers the Bothy as a lighter, cheaper entry model.
A bacterium from the gut of Japanese tree frogs has "exhibited remarkably potent" tumor-killing abilities when administered intravenously, outperforming current standard therapies and paving the way for an entirely new approach to treating cancer.