Technology, Innovation & Outdoor News

Soft robots get a tiny soft pump to move their bodies

June 12, 2026 | Etiido Uko
Soft robots have a “cardiovascular” problem. While their bodies can deform, their hearts, the pumps that keep them moving, have remained bulky and rigid. Researchers have developed a tiny, powerful pump that doesn’t require any mechanical components.

VW T7 camper van is a California-style rig with a toilet and a twist

June 10, 2026 | C.C. Weiss
Trakka has a long history of turning Volkswagen's various vans into Outback-ready expedition machines. Now it focuses attention on turning VW's newest van into a more versatile, rugged, comfortable camper with an options sheet that trumps VW's own.

Airstream's cheapest camper van goes full chameleon with flex layout

June 12, 2026 | C.C. Weiss
Airstream expands its most affordable camper van series with the new 21PL. The newest member of the Rangeline family features a floor plan that's every bit as capable and comfortable for 4 people as it is for 2, without any need for a pop-up roof.

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Nuclear energy in the West took another step forward as the first privately developed, non-light-water reactor to go critical in the United States in more than 40 years reached a major milestone when the Antares Nuclear Mark-0 test reactor came online at Idaho National Laboratory.
In a historic first, two US Army crew members from an AH-64 Apache helicopter forced down near the coast of Oman were rescued within two hours by a US Navy Saronic Corsair drone boat operated by the 5th Fleet's Task Force 59.
The Berenstein Bear is an extra-wide tiny house that's firmly focused on maximizing comfort. It provides a spacious interior that includes a large living area, a generous kitchen, ground-floor master bedroom, and even a bathtub.
Picture a surgical robot that can move, cut tissue, release drugs, grip and store samples, and generate heat. You most likely didn't imagine a robot that can fit in your hands. Yet, scientists have created a 5-in-1 robot that fits on your fingertip!
Mammoth Overland fuses together two of its most creative builds into a roomy, prepper-grade survival safe room that moves with you. From comfy family camping to all-out apocalyptic escape, the XLE might be the best civilian trailer out there.
The real Sagrada Familia has been under construction for more than 140 years, but Lego's new replica should hopefully prove a little quicker to assemble. Featuring just over 12,000 pieces, it's Lego's largest set to date.

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Health and Science news from our sister site: Refractor
In a breakthrough study, researchers have found that the world's most common type of arthritis – osteoarthritis (OA) – actually has a single core driver with clean-cut molecular pathways. It paves the way for much better treatment.
Grabbing that late-night kebab or pizza slice after a few drinks may not be a sign of poor willpower, but a biological drive that once would have seen us seek protein but now leads us straight into the comforting arms of savory ultra-processed foods.
The marsupial may be a rare find in the wild these days, but they've nearly been wiped off the planet before. This study rewrites our understanding of the genetic history of koalas – and overturns the theories about what caused their ancient decline.
For the first time, researchers have linked a gene thought to be responsible for ulcerative colitis with a mechanism of attack, opening the way to new diagnostic tools and opportunities for more targeted treatment.
The US has broken a two-decade drought with the Food and Drug Administration adding bemotrizinol to the list of approved active ingredients that can be used in sunscreen, paving the way for more effective protection from ultraviolet radiation.
A novel way to brew coffee without boiling water or high pressure harnesses the power of sound waves, slashing time and energy.

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Archeologists say they have solved the 6,000-year-old mystery of Armenia’s “dragon stones" – massive carved monoliths scattered across high-altitude slopes and pastures where no ancient settlements ever existed. It's a story of worship and water.
We're one step closer to that elusive goal preventing hair loss and enabling new growth, as scientists identify the crucial role that one all-important protein has in protecting the hard-working cells on the production line.
You’ve got to have a trick or two up your sleeve if you intend to break into a crowded EV market. And Indian two-wheeler startup Oben Electric has done just that by pricing its first electric motorcycle to perfection and making it available on Amazon.
Using scented products indoors changes the chemistry of the air, producing as much air pollution as car exhaust does outside, according to a new study. Researchers say that breathing in these nanosized particles could have serious health implications.
In a demonstration not so much of marksmanship but more of the advantages of microwaves, an Epirus Leonidas directed energy, high-power microwave (HPM) anti-drone weapon has knocked 49 Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) out of the air with one shot.
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.
A subtle yet significant phenomenon is occurring beneath the North American continent; its ancient bedrock is slowly dripping into the Earth’s mantle, creating a funnel-like structure concentrated over the Midwest of the United States.
There's a new contender for the US Navy's F/A-XX Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter program to replace the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, and it looks like something out of Batman's hangar thanks to a peculiar triple-fuselage design.