Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News

14-story tall cylinder could generate electricity from ocean waves

May 19, 2026 | Abhimanyu Ghoshal
It isn't easy harnessing the power of waves to generate electricity, but a Spanish engineering firm is giving it the ol' college try with a giant floating buoy. IDOM is testing its low-power wave-energy converter off the coast of Northern Spain.

New “superfuel” promises 32% boost in aircraft and rocket range

May 17, 2026 | 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.

Slim home backup keeps fridge, Wi-Fi or CPAP running during an outage

May 19, 2026 | 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.

Top Stories

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.
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.
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.
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.
The dark near-quarter century of no new Volkswagen camper vans in the US is coming to a fast end. VW is bringing a factory camper van back to the US for the 2027 model year. It might not be the camper we want, but maybe it's the one we need.
The Manx R is a proper supersport, one that doesn’t feel like a retro cash-grab. Rather, a statement that the company wants to be taken seriously again – not just as a historic badge, but as a modern performance bikemaker with something left to prove.

Latest News

Load More
Health and Science news from our sister site: Refractor
A new study suggests that genes from the ancient human species, Homo erectus, may have been passed on to living people in the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, and across south-east Asia.
Advances in understanding of neuron activity and adaptation during squirrel hibernation could help inform stroke treatment and recovery.
In a study published in Science, researchers investigated traits associated with perenniality in wild rice and identified two genes that could trigger vegetative propagation in cultivated rice crops.
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.
Few of us enjoy the dentist – but think about how lucky you are that you don't have to visit a Neanderthal tooth doctor. A molar found in a cave has revealed the oldest known example of dental work, with stone tools being used as rudimentary drills.
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.

Latest News

Load More

Editor's Picks

Last year, Subaru surpassed Toyota and Lexus to become the most reliable carmaker according to Consumer Reports. This year, Toyota reclaims its crown. And there’s one damning stat: Four out of the top five most reliable car brands this year are Japanese.
Known best for trailers, Aliner is introducing its first pickup camper in decades: the Switchback. The clever pod rides as a ridiculously lightweight, compact box and in about 30 seconds unfurls into a fully hard-sided A-frame for two.
The Tesla Cybertruck has done what very few modern-day vehicles have been able to achieve – become one of the most recognizable cars on the road. However, Tesla has a major issue on its hands: Its angular electric pickup isn't selling in the numbers it had hoped for.
Construction on the new world's tallest skyscraper is rapidly approaching a major milestone. Saudi Arabia's JEC Tower is racing towards 100 floors, making it another step closer to achieving its projected 2028 completion date.
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.
Having a Swiss Army knife is all fun and games until you find yourself wanting to see in the dark, start a fire, drink water straight from a stream, or heck, even charge your phone. Enter the Lifesaber.
Australian defense company Electro Optic Systems (EOS) has unveiled its Apollo High Energy Laser Weapon (HELW) that pumps out up to 150 kW of power yet can take out 200 medium-sized drones running on its own internal power supply.
High on sheer cliffs in China, ancient coffins are wedged into rock faces hundreds of feet above the ground. These dramatic burials, now re-examined using ancient DNA, point to a broader practice where disparate cultures all had their own "sky graves."