Lifestyle

Like many menial tasks, there may soon be a way to outsource brushing your teeth to robots. A new system of microrobots can change shape to form bristles or floss, and don’t just brush plaque away but release antimicrobials to kill bad bacteria.

A small autopsy study examining brain tissue from deceased COVID-19 patients is offering clues to how this coronavirus can lead to brain damage. The findings suggest an abnormal immune response could be damaging vascular cells in the blood-brain barrier.

Researchers have discovered how some viruses can alter the smell of their host in order to attract mosquitoes. A study found dengue and Zika viruses can alter a host’s skin microbiome to enhance the volume of odor molecules that draw in mosquitoes.

In 2020, Decathlon updated its classic Quechua 2 Second Tent with the 2 Second Easy, an even smoother variant with faster-packing operation. Decathlon now grows the Easy family with a 3-person variant that's every bit as fast and easy to work.

Although roof racks are great for carrying boats, bikes or other gear, they needlessly create wind drag when not in use. The Knotix rack was designed with that in mind, as it can be mounted or dismounted in a claimed 20 seconds.

While there already are camping mattresses with built-in heating elements, they use batteries that have to be frequently recharged. The Blackcan II Pro system is different, in that it utilizes hot water which is heated by a gas burner.

Pin-Up Houses is known for creating unique designs. However, the firm's latest model, a shed/storage space named Gardenrobe, mixes together such disparate features as solar power, rainwater collection, and even a chicken coop.

This year's Shed of the Year finalists have been announced. Packed full of interesting designs by passionate amateurs working to a shoestring budget, highlights include an aircraft hangar-like build and a creation inspired by historic buildings.

Sigurd Larsen recently completed a tiny house-style cabin for hospitality startup Raus. It's designed to offer a strong connection to the landscape and is defined by its generous glazing, including a large sliding door that opens up to the outside.

Polestar has decided to dip a toe into architectural design. The Swedish automotive brand has created a sleek minimalist treehouse likened to a spaceship that features generous glazing to frame the view of the surrounding forest.

BIG recently completed a new refugee museum in Denmark. Located at what was once the country's largest WWII refugee site, it transforms two aging hospital buildings into a museum by linking them together with a modern curving entrance lobby.

RIBA has revealed the 29 projects that feature in this year's National Awards. Consisting of the UK's finest new architecture, highlights include a house built into ruins and the country's first Passivhaus-rated high school.

The Ikea Kreativ digital design tool lets customers scan a room using a smartphone camera, remove existing furniture and try out new products from the Swedish home furnishing giant's catalog in a virtual recreation of their living space.

Like most foods, mushrooms are best when fresh … but it can be difficult to grow them yourself. Shrooly is designed to help, by automatically providing the best conditions for pre-inoculated mushroom-growing pods.

It was back in 2015 that Tesla unveiled its Powerwall battery energy storage system for the home. Well, Toyota has now announced its similar O-Uchi Kyuden System, which can draw power from EVs.

Back in 2020, Delta Air Lines previewed a passenger information system where a number of travelers looking at the same screen would each be served up different views. Now that Parallel Reality technology is flying into Detroit later this month.

Candy sprinkles may make desserts more interesting, but a scientist has developed what could be a much more valuable use for them. His CandyCode system might one day be utilized to confirm that supposedly authentic pills aren't actually counterfeits.

It's easy to forget that structures such as bridges, wind turbines and scaffolding are held together by screws which could loosen – with catastrophic results. The new Smart Screw Connection system is designed to warn authorities before that happens.

Back in 2013, California-based startup Shark Wheel hit Kickstarter with a very odd-looking cube-shaped skateboard wheel. Now the company has supersized the design for a pair of funky electric cars for kids – the Shark SUV and the Shark UTV.

If a driver is preoccupied, or if there's a disruption to their routine, they can forget and leave their baby in their car – if that car then gets too hot, the result can be lethal. The Infalurt Child Safety System is designed to keep such scenarios from unfolding.

Lego has been taking steps toward more sustainable practices and has just revealed the first prototype of its classic brick element crafted from recycled plastic that meets the company's quality and safety requirements.

The wreck of one of the most famous exploration ships in history has been located. Using a robotic submersible, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust has found Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, which was crushed in the Antarctic pack ice in 1915.

New Atlas was at Snake River Canyon five years ago when Eddie Braun spectacularly finished the terrifying rocket bike jump that nearly killed Evel Knievel. The event is now a gorgeous documentary on Disney+, and we sat down with Braun to reminisce.

The artist Christo recently passed away at the age of 84. For decades, he and his wife Jeanne-Claude made headlines with their striking and provocative artworks, such as installing a giant orange curtain between two mountain slopes in Colorado.

Installing a pet door can be a great way to allow your furry friend to come and go as they please, but sometimes leads to unwanted visitors too. Petvation is looking to change that with the help of AI facial recognition and a mobile app.

There’s no question cats are cute and cuddly – just ask the internet. But viral cat videos don’t tend to highlight the messy business of dealing with your cat's messy business. Tokyo-based Popur thinks its new system lays waste to the competition.

Just like our fingerprints, the shape and pattern of each dog's nose is unique to that animal. Bearing this in mind, pet food company Iams has launched a "nose-centric" app for identifying lost dogs – appropriately enough, it's called NOSEiD.

Japan's Hoshino Resorts skips the ski lodge-inspired camper van concept and goes a different route. Its adorable Camakuruma mini-motorhome concept brings the cool, icy feel of an igloo inside to blend inconspicuously with its alpine surrounds.

A massive marine park entering its final phase of construction in the United Arab Emirates will invite visitors to enjoy an aquarium housing an astounding 68,000 marine animals once completed sometime next year.

Not content with boasting the world's tallest building, the world's largest mall and a host of other forward-thinking ventures that include flying taxis and firefighters with jetpacks, Dubai has now opened the deepest swimming pool in the world.