Lifestyle
The latest news on health, home innovation, design, architecture and outdoor living.
Ineos Grenadier Raidbox camper kit kicks off new era of 4x4 micro-RVs
January 30, 2024
French supplier Capvango has introduced one of the world's first camping systems for the Ineos Grenadier. The sleek kit packs the cooking and in-vehicle sleeper capabilities adventurous souls need for a few nights out in the Highlands or Outback.
Health & Wellbeing
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Now we know: Dogs can sniff trauma recollections on our breath
March 28, 2024Two dogs in a small study were able to correctly identify what breath smelled like when it was linked to a memory of trauma. The finding might allow dogs to be even better friends when it comes to helping PTSD sufferers cope with their conditions. -
Working-age death rate 2.5x higher in the US than other countries. Why?
March 21, 2024Americans aged 25-65 years are dying at far higher rates than their peers from other high-income countries, even surpassing death rates in Central and Eastern Europe. A new study examines what's caused the three-decade rise in midlife mortality. -
ADHD medications deliver surprise bonus benefits
March 20, 2024Living with ADHD is a complex experience, but one that's made more manageable with the right medication. What's of particular interest to researchers is how these drugs are positively impacting other mental health issues such as anxiety and depression.
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Outdoors
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Magnetic flashlights can go solo or unite to double the light
March 28, 2024The Dynamic Duo "flashlight" is actually two flashlights – a wide-beam that illuminates a broad area, and a more focused narrow-beam. They can be used individually as needed, or magnetically joined together to form one dual-beam unit. -
900-lb teardrop trailer distills micro-camping down to its purest form
March 27, 2024Campers don't always need a fancy mobile mansion with high-speed internet. Sometimes, they just want a basic shelter and reconnection with nature. Enter the new Vistabule Daytripper, an extra-tiny teardrop camper that's basically a tagalong bedroom. -
Sidewinder knife's kinetic folding mechanism is pure tactile theater
March 26, 2024Craighill has teamed with Chen Chen and Kai Williams to create a truly unique knife. Inspired by the snake of the same name, the wavy Sidewinder flipper does away with the typical fixed handle, relying on motion from all its components to open.
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Tiny Houses
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Video: No-frills tiny house hits the market for under $24K
March 27, 2024Dragon Tiny Homes recalls the small living movement's humble roots with a new model named the Element. Featuring a compact and simple no-frills interior, it's currently up for sale for just $23,500. -
Video: 28-ft-long Sangja tiny house doesn't compromise on comfort
March 25, 2024Modern Tiny Living's latest model, the Sangja, has a length of just 28 ft but is surprisingly comfortable inside. It features a master bedroom with standing space, a well-proportioned living area, and even a bathroom with a tub. -
These five 'tiny houses' are more like luxury apartments on wheels
March 14, 2024Tiny houses have evolved beyond their humble DIY roots, with some designers creating huge towable homes that are like luxury apartments on wheels. New Atlas takes a closer look at five of the best recent examples.
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Architecture
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Inner-city home's unassuming exterior hides a light-filled oasis inside
March 28, 2024This recently completed home by Austin Maynard Architects looks unassuming at first glance. However, its plain exterior belies a clever space-saving layout that opens up onto multiple gardens, filling the interior with natural light. -
Vertical garden corkscrews its way to the top of Hollywood tower
March 22, 2024Bringing to mind a Helter Skelter with its unusual spiraling exterior, the Star, Hollywood is a new office tower by Foster + Partners that will be wrapped in ascending gardens, providing generous outdoor spaces for workers inside. -
Video: Spectacular Saudi resort bridges lagoon with massive infinity pool
March 21, 2024Treyam is a spectacular new project that will bridge a lagoon with a massive 450-m-long infinity pool and hotel. It joins a slew of futuristic designs set to transform the Saudi Arabian desert into a tourist destination as part of the Neom development.
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Around the Home
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No outdoor outlet? Power Mole transmits electricity through window glass
March 25, 2024The Power Mole wirelessly transmits 10 watts of electricity through window glass, allowing indoor outlets to power outdoor devices. It's built on the inductive coupling technology utilized in wireless smartphone charging systems. -
Video: First stair-climbing robo-vacuum stretches its folding legs
March 22, 2024Migo Robotics' Ascender is the world's first stair-climbing robotic vacuum cleaner and floor mop. People certainly seem to like the idea, as its just-launched Kickstarter campaign has already racked up almost $2 million in pledges. -
Dual-lift standing desk brings your computer screen to eye level
March 22, 2024Sitting at an office desk all day, every day is generally considered to be bad for our health. Standing desks are here to get you on your feet while working, but the Dual Lift Standing Desk is designed to give your screen an extra lift as well.
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Good Thinking
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Personal 'invisibility shield' goes on sale, starting under $70
March 27, 2024If you've ever wished that you could turn invisible, here's your chance. A consumer "invisibility shield" has just hit Kickstarter, and it could be yours for as little as £54 (about US$68). -
Video: Heat-gun-toting robot could create bespoke clothing on the cheap
March 09, 2024Custom-fit clothing is usually quite expensive, but perhaps it doesn't have to be. MIT's 4D Knit Dress is an example of a new type of clothing that a robot could selectively shrink to fit the wearer, perhaps right in the store. -
BMW is building high-tech footwear for the German bobsleigh team
March 07, 2024There's only a few seconds of running in a bobsleigh heat, but one slip can skittle the whole team. Seeing the need for high-performance ice sport footwear, BMW has jumped in to build custom, 3D-printed traction aids for the 2025 Winter Olympics.
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Children
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Ride-on Unicorn could be the "killer app" for kids
March 28, 2024The XPeng Unicorn is a pony-sized robotic companion with the foundations to become much more. Shown to the world for the first time this week at the Bangkok International Motor Show, the Unicorn has the potential to become a market maker. -
Lego pays homage to a 70s classic, the Polaroid OneStep SX-70 instant
December 15, 2023Sadly not in time for the holidays, but perhaps a treat for the new year – a project out of the Lego Ideas fan platform is about to bring the iconic OneStep SX-70 instant camera back to life through a 516-brick set. -
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.
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Remarkable People
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Lanny Smoot: First Disney Imagineer inducted into Inventors Hall of Fame
January 21, 2024With more than 100 patents, illustrious inventor Lanny Smoot is making history as the first Disney Imagineer to be inducted into the National Engineers Hall of Fame. The only other employee from The Walt Disney Company to do so is Walt Disney himself. -
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.
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Pets
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1,000 American dogs required for life extension drug trial
February 04, 2024An 11-year-old Whippet called Boo is the first dog enrolled in a study to trial a drug designed to extend the healthy lifespan of senior dogs of almost all sizes. The researchers are looking for pawticipants across the US to enroll in the study. -
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.
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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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