Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News

Frog muscle put to use in swimming robotic manta ray

September 08, 2026 | Etiido Uko
Few things make the career jump from regional cuisine delicacy to robotics actuator. Yet, in research vaguely reminiscent of RoboCop, scientists have used skeletal muscle from a literal frog leg as an actuator to control a tiny robotic manta ray.

Our planet has a time problem – and it may be about to get weirder

September 06, 2026 | Mike McRae
The 28th General Conference on Weights and Measures is expected to settle the debate over whether we should be so pedantic about our measures of time, putting the future of the "leap second" to a vote.

We've uncovered the deadliest days – and they don't fall on Friday the 13th

September 08, 2026 | Mike McRae
As somebody who was born on Friday the 13th, Jeffrey Rosenthal felt he had a personal interest in determining whether there were any correlations to justify in the first place, or if our suspicions are a case of confirmation bias.

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Dragon Tiny Homes' custom Vista tiny house has a compact 24-ft-long footprint while packing in some notable features, including an open living area with a home office, plus a full kitchen, and two bedrooms.
Some companies build a desalination plant and call it a day; others build a data center, while others, still, build power generation facilities. One project wants to build all three …into one facility …offshore …on a movable ship.
"American excess" is a simple term that points out the US tendency toward conspicuous overconsumption. Despite its big Ford badge, though, the new Kerkamm Ranger Super Duty RV isn't American excess at all. It's German excess ... and it's glorious.
Xiaomi’s REDMI Note 17 lineup brings 7,700- to 10,000-mAh batteries to four mid-range phones, led by a Pro Max promising three-day endurance, 100W charging and up to six years of battery health for longer ownership.
The new Cubivan Camping System is a very different style of camper-in-a-box module. It expands out the van and down to the ground to create a full kitchen and bathroom. Add the hard-walled origami roof, and you make a full camper out of a tiny van.
I have issues with AI in general, but the biggest gripe is with being forced to interact with the LLM from Google, a company with enough money and talented staff to do something great – but has instead produced a model the AI hates too.

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Generally Honda is the major Japanese automaker pushing out a fast, ferocious new side-by-side. This time, it's Toyota, which shows a radical side-x-side that delivers an extra 50+ hp over any production SxS out there.
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.
I'm a sucker for a good "reinventing the wheel" story, and David Henson's 'SurfacePlan' concept is an odd a take on one of humanity's greatest inventions as we've seen in a long time. It's designed to replace engines and drivetrains altogether.
Researchers have analyzed clinical trial data and ranked 12 different non-drug physical therapy treatments for knee osteoarthritis, based on their effectiveness in reducing pain and stiffness, and improving physical function.
It was cold – but nowhere near what I expected; I’ve been colder in an outdoor swimming pool in Australia. It's part of a global feedback loop, the scale of which I only began to comprehend when I saw this remarkable continent for myself.
This year Fender is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Telecaster, and Nashville was chosen to host the Tele Town birthday party. We caught up with the CEO and Chief Product Manager before rocking the Tele's big night out at the Ryman Auditorium.
This compact tiny house doubles down on one of the major benefits of small living: freedom. The home runs off-grid and combines an easy-to-tow configuration with an open layout that's arranged on one floor.
When we first caught wind of Thule's new Widesky rooftop tent, we took the model name to imply a large, clear stargazing skylight. Instead, Thule's latest tent encourages panoramic viewing in a different way, one we haven't seen on any other RTT.