Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News
Diesel-electric revival tech builds more capable HD semi trucks
August 16, 2026
| Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Canada-based Edison Motors has been working on developing its own line of diesel-electric semi trucks. It's not a sophisticated auto industry player, but a tiny startup with people who know and love trucking. Here's what its vehicles are like.
World's largest all-electric plane completes maiden flight
August 13, 2026
| David Szondy
Another record falls as the world's largest all-electric airplane makes its maiden flight. On August 12, 2026, Heart Aerospace's 25,000-lb (11,340-kg) X1 demonstrator aircraft took to the skies over Plattsburgh, New York for a 27-minute FAA flight test.
BMW's weird Minecraft-like car harvests more energy than it uses
August 16, 2026
| Simon Heptinstall
Almost 2 years ago, BMW challenged students at Clemson University to build a vehicle that produced more energy than it needed. The Deep Orange 17 – or 'luminetta' – is the result of their labors, a boxy prototype EV jam-packed with solar cells.
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Portable solar panels have long been a favorite of the off-grid camping and backpacking community, but they're limited by daytime use. Ventyra is aiming to solve this solar gap with an ultra-portable wind turbine called the R1.
Iris' new solar generator has a handy feature you don't often see on units like these: the ability to follow the sun around the sky. The T1 also a built-in battery to top off your personal gadgets while you're off-grid.
Volkswagen often surprises with its annual Caravan Salon debuts, and this year it's revealing multiple world-first concepts that explore the future of van life. It starts off with a California Beach concept that packs a cabin full of inflatables.
Three seats, one single bed, a large kitchen and a bathroom (or at least a toilet) – that's an odd, mismatched set of specs for any camping vehicle. Nevertheless, it's the exact set that underpins a new Mitsubishi Delica D:2 micro-RV from Wellhouse.
Nissan has set a new economy record, driving a Qashqai e-Power 1,230 miles across Colombia on one tank. Its special hybrid system uses a gasoline engine only to charge the batteries, offering EV-style driving without ever plugging in.
For years, Hymer has been selling what stands as arguably the most innovative camper van in all the world. This year, its highly self-sufficient Crossover series draws closer than ever before to that Venture S camper van, mirroring it outside and in.
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August 15, 2026 | Abhimanyu GhoshalMitsubishi makes only a handful of EVs across its global markets, but it's finally getting around to expanding its lineup with a beauty. Australia will get this handsome crossover – the ASX VR-e – later this year. -
August 15, 2026 | Utkarsh SoodWhile much of Chevrolet's lineup continues to chase higher price points in North America, GM’s Buick has launched its sleek, tech-laden Electra L7 sedan in China for around US$25,000 – exactly the kind of value-packed EV many US buyers have been begging for. -
August 15, 2026 | Adam WilliamsThis timber retreat is small on home comforts but big on simple rustic charm. Intended as a short-stay vacation home, it features a minimalist but comfortable interior that includes a netted hangout area.
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Health and Science news from our sister site: Refractor
Longevity has become a bit of a buzz word, and has become increasingly aligned with the tech industry. But a timely report from Harvard Medical School reminds us that we have a lot of power when it comes to how we age – and it's backed by science.
In somewhat of a surprise announcement, the Food and Drug Administration has approved the first US influenza vaccine engineered from the mRNA technology that gave us one of the most administered COVID-19 shots during the pandemic.
“Remove the plank from your eye before pointing out the speck in another’s,” says a popular proverb. For millions with geographic atrophy, the speck is literal. Relief may now be coming, after a sight-restoring implant received approval for sale in Europe.
An AI present in your consultation promises better notes, less admin and more time for patients, but what exactly is being recorded, where does the data go, and did anyone really ask for your consent?
Hookworms are freeloaders that live at the host’s expense inside their gut, drinking about two drops of blood per day. This parasite could soon pay its way with engineered hookworms serving as living medicine factories.
Sixteen different PFAS compounds have been discovered in the feathers of Antarctic penguins, demonstrating that the insidious spread of "forever chemicals" now reaches the most remote wildlife on Earth.
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August 15, 2026 | David SzondyLand-based launch sites for orbital rockets just got the flat-pack treatment as Rocket Lab announced its Global Hypersonic & Orbital Spaceport Technology (GHOST) system. The initiative packs a complete launch system into standard shipping containers. -
August 15, 2026 | Howard ArmitageOpenAI’s first real smart-home device reportedly looks like a $300 metal doughnut. No screen, plenty of sensors, a camera, and ChatGPT built in. -
August 14, 2026 | Utkarsh SoodHow does a mini electric truck that’s barely longer than a Mini Cooper tow more than most modern-day trucks twice its size? I’m talking about the Telo MT1, the compact truck that's slated to hit production by the end of this year. -
August 14, 2026 | Joe SalasI expected the mid-tier $540 Dreame D30 Ultra to feel like a budget robovac after testing a $1,400 flagship unit. I wasn't entirely wrong ... just mostly wrong. -
August 14, 2026 | Paul RiddenThough streaming rules the listening roost, physical formats like vinyl are growing in popularity. If you want to wow your friends while spinning your latest album acquisition, vertical turntables are sure to fit the bill – such as the Ruka TD-1. -
August 14, 2026 | Maryna HolovnovaBBQ is arguably best enjoyed outside, but cooking outdoors comes with quite a bit of planning. Not to mention that most barbecues are not really portable. They are great for the backyard, but too bulky and heavy for travel. -
August 14, 2026 | Abhimanyu GhoshalAcura is commemorating its 40th anniversary with the introduction of a new design direction for its upcoming cars, showcased in this striking two-door concept vehicle. Be careful not to take your eye out while you stare at its pointy bits.
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Editor's Picks
Kawasaki Heavy Industries has pulled the covers off perhaps the most outrageous concept vehicle we've ever seen. The Corleo is a two-seater quadruped robot you steer with your body, capable of picking its way through rough terrain thanks to AI vision.
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.
Bangkok-based RV and truck accessories builder Carryboy has teamed with Chinese auto badge Farizon to create one of the most compelling electric camper vans the world over. It invites campers in through a wide entry and ensures they live comfy.
After Volkswagen split its midsize van lineup into two distinct model lines, the future of VW van life took the proverbial fork in the road. Spacecamper is the latest to convert a Caravelle, and its new camper arrives as a fast, versatile adventurer.
Last year a longstanding conspiracy was reignited, telling the tale of how your smartphone is listening to your conversations and delivering targeted ads, but it still isn't true and the way you actually get your ads is much more unsettling.
There's no replacement for displacement. An adage that's been around as long as the combustion engine, really. But these age-old sayings don't really apply anymore when it comes to electric motors.
Does the brain really produce its own psychedelic “Spirit Molecule” to power our dream states and near-death experiences? A new study has sparked fresh debate over endogenous DMT, and its presence – or absence – in mammalian brains.
For nearly a century, a strange band of 5,200 holes carved into a hillside has defied explanation. Stretching for nearly a mile along the edge of the Pisco Valley, Monte Serpe – "serpent mountain" – may have finally revealed its secrets to scientists.