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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Stressed? Study shows light shone on the head and belly helps
May 03, 2024Applying non-invasive, low-intensity light to the head and belly simultaneously reduces the effects of chronic stress on the gut microbiome and the brain, according to a new study. The research adds to mounting evidence linking the two organs. -
Angry? Your blood vessels pay the price, new study demonstrates
May 01, 2024Even brief periods of anger caused by triggering memories can negatively impact our blood vessels' ability to relax. That's the finding of a new study that could have implications on how we look at heart attack and stroke risk. -
Uranium and lead vaping study instead reveals pitfall of flimsy research
April 30, 2024Unusually high levels of lead and uranium has been found in the urine of teenagers who frequently use e-cigarettes. But experts have warned that, due to research flaws, not enough has been done to ensure the link isn't just smoke and mirrors.
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Outdoors
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Way-out wearable lets you drink from your shirt
May 07, 2024Many runners don't like the way hydration packs bounce with every step, nor do they like holding onto water bottles. Vessel Athletics' Hydroshirt offers what might be a better alternative, in that it incorporates its own snugged-down water bladder. -
Fast, light micro-camping kit turns Rivian or Tesla SUV into an e-RV
May 02, 2024If you're a camper who drives a Tesla Model Y or a Rivian R1S, chances are you'll love Fruble's new Camper Kits for those EVs. Both kits feature pullout drawers for meal preparation and gear storage, along with optional in-vehicle sleeping platforms. -
Jetdive Pro puts a dual electric power boost on divers' hips
May 01, 2024If you're looking for a hands-free wearable electric boost while snorkeling or scuba diving, the Jetdive Pro should definitely fit the bill. It's not the first product of its kind, but it is claimed to be the best in several key ways.
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Tiny Houses
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Hill-hugging tiny house takes Swiss Army knife approach to downsizing
May 07, 2024Likened to a Swiss Army knife in the way it maximizes space, this compact dwelling was built on the existing foundations of a 1950s garage, on a steep plot. Its interior layout showcases some clever downsizing ideas for a small family. -
Mirasol tiny house makes space for guests and good times
May 03, 2024One of the challenges of downsizing is that it's awkward to have friends over. Despite its compact size, Baluchon's Mirasol ensures its owner's social life won't suffer with a guest sleeping area and a kitchen that opens onto an outdoor bar. -
No-frills Avalon tiny house has space for a small family
April 30, 2024Dragon Tiny Homes' recent Avalon model has a length of just 24 ft and comes with a relatively low price tag of $74,950. Despite its compact dimensions, it includes three bedrooms, meaning it has space for a small family.
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Architecture
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Aston Martin's sail-shaped skyscraper looks fit for a Bond villain's lair
May 01, 2024Aston Martin's first completed real estate project wouldn't look out of place as a villain's lair in a Bond movie. The extraordinary skyscraper takes the form of a huge glass sail and rises to a height of 249 m above the Miami coastline. -
'Sky mansions' will top the world's tallest residential tower
April 29, 2024Dubai already hosts the world's tallest building and will soon boast bragging rights for the world's tallest residential skyscraper too. The supertall will reach a height of 517 m and feature just 251 ultra-luxurious residences. -
Reconfigurable building takes out EU Prize for Architecture
April 29, 2024The 2024 winner of the EU Prize for Contemporary Architecture is an ingenious rearrangeable multi-story pavilion designed to be quickly extended, moved, or reconfigured into whatever the community needs it to be.
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Around the Home
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Cold brew coffee in under 3 minutes? Ultrasound makes it possible
May 09, 2024A fresh cup of coffee in the morning can be vital for facing the day ahead, but what if you had to wait a day to get your caffeine hit? That's on the menu if you like your Joe brewed cold, but researchers have used ultrasound to cold brew in minutes. -
Air-purifying pothos plants work almost 30X better with microbial boost
April 24, 2024Pothos plants are already known for being particularly good at purifying indoor air, so imagine if it were possible to make them 30 times better at doing so. Neoplants claims its Neo PX system does just that, using special soil-dwelling bacteria. -
Review: Latest Landroid robo-mower could do with a tad more Vision
April 16, 2024We've now spent several months with the latest wire-free Landroid robo-mower, and we've found it a mix of confusing, educational, satisfying and highly entertaining. Oddly enough, the one thing the Vision seems to need... is a bit more vision.
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Good Thinking
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The Swiss Army multitool edges toward a knife-less future
May 09, 2024There are many models of Swiss Army knives, which can be equipped with everything from a flashlight to a seatbelt cutter. To date though, there's not a version without the tool's namesake knife. That's about to change. -
80-in-1 titanium multitool stack splits into magnetic utility cards
May 07, 2024With a "more is more" approach to its latest offering on Kickstarter, London-based Gadget On has packed everything from a sundial clock to a SIM card ejector into its new TitanSpin multitool. And, oh yeah, the whole thing is also a fidget spinner. -
How to solve the cat on the computer problem (maybe)
May 07, 2024One of the joys of working from home is being around our pets more often. And they might be purr-fect colleagues if they could just understand boundaries. Enter the Desk Nest – a clever pet bed created by a long-suffering working-from-home Cat Dad.
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Children
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Ride-on Unicorn robot: A quadruped companion 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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Is your mutt tougher than my purebred? Study of 27,000 dogs weighs in
May 02, 2024In the world of dog owners, there's a perception that purebreds suffer more health woes than their tougher mixed-breed cohorts. A new study casts doubt on that assumption and cautions against using it as the basis for choosing your new best friend. -
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.
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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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