Lifestyle
The latest news on health, home innovation, design, architecture and outdoor living.
$2K Ikea-like camper kit turns Tesla Model X or RAV4 into a micro RV
August 15, 2023
The Van Lab SUV Kit makes functional camping rigs out of popular SUVs and crossovers, from the Tesla Model X and Y to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Inspired by Ikea furniture, the kits are shipped flat and assembled into form by the buyer.
Health & Wellbeing
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Too much 'good' cholesterol could be bad for dementia, says study
November 30, 2023It's generally considered a good thing to have elevated levels of HDL cholesterol, also commonly referred to as "good" cholesterol. But new research indicates that when those HDL levels climb too high, dementia could be an unwanted side effect. -
Interrupting prolonged sitting with squats may improve brain function
November 29, 2023A study found that interrupting prolonged sitting with intermittent half-squats improved blood flow to the brain and, with it, cognitive functioning and concentration. This simple exercise could be done at work or home to provide a brain boost. -
Speed counts when walking to beat diabetes, says new study
November 29, 2023While it's known that regular walking can help you ward off diabetes, a new study attempts to quantify the speed that maximizes the exercise's benefits. It turns out a little extra pep may go a long way toward cutting your risk of the disease.
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Outdoors
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Owomo interlocking panels make world's simplest DIY camping furniture
November 28, 2023Owomo looks to simplify the build-your-own camper process with a series of plywood panels that serve as lids for the common gray Eurobox. The panels interconnect like puzzle pieces, creating basic furniture such as beds, tables and lounge chairs. -
Goose Gear's DIY RV kit turns Subaru or RAV4 into slick camper wagon
November 21, 2023Goose Gear has long been offering interior camper equipment for popular off-roaders like the Toyota 4Runner. This year, it's slimmed its in-vehicle camping hardware into a weekend-warrior friendly DIY kit that makes micro-campers out of popular CUVs. -
Xiaomi camping lantern offers 2-in-1 lighting flexibility
November 20, 2023Consumer tech multinational Xiaomi revealed a nifty battery-powered camping lantern in China back in March, with a mini lamp and torch module that could be popped out of its head. Now the 2-in-1 has been released globally.
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Tiny Houses
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Shipping container-based tiny house raised high above the forest floor
November 28, 2023The River Forest Lookout puts shipping container-based architecture on a pedestal – literally. It takes the form of a fire lookout tower-style design that consists of two containers raised 60 ft above the forest floor in rural Georgia. -
20-ft-long tiny house designed with comfort in mind
November 27, 2023It's a challenge to fit a viable house into a length of just 6 m, but with its Golden Hour, Baluchon has managed it while also finding space to add a few home comforts, including a custom kitchen and a loft bedroom with enough headroom to stand up. -
The Beach offers tiny take on indoor-outdoor living
November 21, 2023New Zealand's Raglan Tiny Homes offers something a little different with its recently completed model, the Beach. Featuring a compact interior layout, the non-towable tiny house embraces indoor-outdoor living with a part-enclosed deck area.
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Architecture
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Extraordinary hexagonal hotel planned for Saudi's Neom giga-project
November 30, 2023It has been a crazy year for Saudi Arabian architecture, but the country isn't done surprising us yet. Plans have now been revealed for an unusual hexagonal hotel that will be nestled into the rugged desert landscape. -
Lush vertical village will let residents live high among the trees
November 24, 2023Work has begun on a new high-rise by MVRDV. Named La Serre, it will be defined by a steel grid facade that will host hundreds of trees and plants, allowing every resident to enjoy a greenery filled balcony or terrace area. -
Heatherwick Studio heads to the hills for plant-filled Tokyo district
November 23, 2023Heatherwick Studio has completed a new district in Tokyo. Named Azabudai Hills, it showcases the firm's penchant for inserting lush greenery into its projects and is defined by complex dramatically curving latticed forms.
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Around the Home
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Evaporative cooling makes a come back for sustainable food storage
November 21, 2023Lea Lorenz unveils TONY, a modern, eco-friendly solution to combat food waste. This innovative clay cooler reinterprets traditional methods, offering electricity-free freshness for fruits and baked goods. -
Air & Light + mini-terrarium takes control of lighting and ventilation
November 13, 2023There are many terrarium plants that are nice to look at, but difficult to grow. The Air & Light + self-contained mini-terrarium is designed to make things easier, by taking care of lighting and ventilation for you. -
369Sonic brings ultrasonic cutting tech to kitchen knives
October 23, 2023For some time now, industrial ultrasonic knives have been utilized for precision cutting tasks in places like laboratories and factories. The 369Sonic, however, is claimed to be the first such device designed specifically for use in home kitchens.
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Good Thinking
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GUIDi belt uses computer vision and haptics to guide the blind
November 27, 2023The traditional white cane may never become completely obsolete, but there certainly are a number of devices that could give it a run for its money. One of the latest is the GUIDi, which guides blind users via cameras and buzzers on a belt. -
Wood-eating shipworms may soon be farmed for shipworm-eating humans
November 20, 2023For centuries, shipworms have vexed mariners by boring into – and consuming – the hulls of wooden ships and boats. Soon, though, we may actually be eating those "worms," as they have successfully been farmed for the first time. -
Off-road ambulance, glass coating, and novel IV drip win Dyson Awards
November 16, 2023The 2023 James Dyson Award global winners have been announced. The prizes have gone to three different student teams, each of which offers novel solutions to modern issues including global warming and providing care in war and disaster zones.
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Children
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Review: Turing Tumble lets kids build complex marble-powered computers
November 14, 2022Minnesota company Upper Story has sent us its Turing Tumble, a fascinating educational toy that quietly tricks kids into inventing binary logic computers using nothing more than tiny marbles dropping through a series of clicky-clacky plastic pieces. -
Shark Wheel proves it's cool to be square with mini electric cars for kids
June 28, 2022Back 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. -
Infalurt warns drivers of babies forgotten in cars
March 18, 2022If 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.
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Remarkable People
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High-tech entrepreneur Brett Adcock on Figure, Archer, and early success
October 02, 2023Brett Adcock has co-founded two companies on the bleeding edges of innovation in emerging markets: Archer Aviation, in the world of eVTOL aircraft, and Figure, in humanoid robots. We look into his background, and the startup that launched it all. -
SR-71 pilot, photographer and storyteller Brian Shul dies at 75
May 21, 2023The aviation world has lost one of its brightest luminaries. Major Brian Shul was an incredible survivor and a top gun pilot – but also a gifted photographer and storyteller, whose stories about the extraordinary SR-71 Blackbird will live forever. -
Soggy professor breaks underwater-living record in sea habitat
May 16, 2023An adventurous professor from the University of South Florida has broken the world record for living in an underwater habitat. Joseph Dituri has called the submurged Jules’ Undersea Lodge home since March 1, and intends to remain there until June 9.
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Pets
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ZeroMouse blocks home access to carcass-carrying kitties
November 27, 2023RFID cat flaps are great for keeping animals from wandering into your house, but they don't stop your cat from bringing dead animals into said dwelling. The ZeroMouse was designed to address that shortcoming, by blocking access to cats carrying prey. -
Fat cats: Study reveals the effects of obesity on feline digestion
November 02, 2023A new study has revealed how overeating affects a cat’s digestion and gut microbiome. The greater understanding provided by the study may help to prevent pet obesity and the health problems associated with it. -
Rubicon Dog is a pooch-holding canine booster seat
August 11, 2023Many people seatbelt their dog on car rides, but they don't want the critter messing up the seats. The Rubicon Dog is designed with just such folks in mind, as it safely secures pooches while containing their loose fur and dirty paws.
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Holiday Destinations
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"Hologram zoo" opens in Australia
July 26, 2023Axiom Holographics has opened a unique family attraction in Brisbane, Australia, a kind of augmented reality zoo built around a much larger version of Euclideon's multi-viewpoint 3D display tables and Unlimited Detail graphics engine. -
111 Resources, ideas & opportunities for people who can "work from anywhere"
March 23, 2023The collective mindset change that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have begun a societal revolution that may well return us to our nomadic origins. We've collected a list of resources available for those who can work-from-anywhere. -
Airbnb lets visitors haunt the halls of the Phantom of the Opera's home
February 21, 2023Airbnb regularly offers the chance to stay in one-of-a-kind places, and has now teamed up with Palais Garnier, the Paris opera house which inspired the Phantom of the Opera novel, to offer a night of luxury and a rare look behind the scenes.
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