New Atlas - New Technology & Science News

Wood meets carbon for slicing through the city in style

Omar Kardoudi — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 15:57:00 GMT

Austrian e-bike maker Esel is bringing its stunning ash wood frames to the city for the first time with the new eUrban. The model launches with three international design awards already on the shelf – including the German Design Award 2026 – and two builds aimed at riders who want something different from the carbon-and-aluminum mainstream.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: ebikes, Pedal-assisted, Wood, Carbon Fiber, City, Luxury

A monkey ate the wrong squirrel – and started an outbreak

Jay Kakade — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 13:13:00 GMT

In January 2023, researchers at the Helmholtz Institute for One Health in Germany noticed that an infant monkey known as a sooty mangabey had developed reddish skin lesions across its forehead, chest, and legs. Within 48 hours, the animal was reported dead. Over the following weeks, nearly a third of the group's 80 members developed similar lesions, and four infants died. The outbreak was caused by the monkeypox virus (MPXV).

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Orange Monkey, Monkeys, nature, Virus, Epidemiology

Rolls-Royce's first electric convertible is super long – and exclusive

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 10:42:23 GMT

Rolls-Royce has just unveiled Project Nightingale – its second electric car after the Spectre, which the company is building to order for discerning customers who enjoy driving with the top down.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Rolls+Royce, Electric Vehicles, Convertible

Used EV sales breaking records while new EVs plummet, reveals study

Utkarsh Sood — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:36:46 GMT

Strange times in the electric vehicle (EV) world at the moment. While the technology behind electric cars continues to gather momentum, the sales numbers are showing mixed results. On one hand used EV sales are nearing record growth, but new EV sales are actually in decline.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Electric Vehicles, Depreciation, Toyota, Tesla, America

Rooftop tent makes simple but brilliant improvement over all others

C.C. Weiss — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 23:03:00 GMT

When we first caught wind of Thule's all-new Widesky rooftop tent (RTT), we took the model name to imply a large, clear stargazing skylight on par with Inspired Overland's fully transparent roof. We had the idea of open views correct, but instead of a skylight, Thule's latest RTT encourages panoramic viewing in a different way, one we haven't seen on other rooftop tents. In doing so, it creates a high-riding space in which you'll want to spend both waking and sleeping hours.

Category: Tents, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: roof-top tent, Tent, Thule, Camping, Outdoors and Camping

Small-but-mighty flashlight packs a beam and a side panel for extra functions

Ben Coxworth — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 19:58:20 GMT

Some people want a flashlight to do more than just emit a forward-facing cone of light. If you're one of those folks, you might like what the multi-functional Endorol has to offer.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Flashlights, Kickstarter, xxKickbooster

'Sweater for houses' could reduce heating bills by at least 15%

Maryna Holovnova — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 16:52:07 GMT

Keeping homes warm in winter is becoming extremely expensive, and many existing methods aren't always efficient. In the US alone, tens of millions of people struggle with energy costs and often have to cut back on basic expenses, including food, just to be able to afford heating. With ongoing fossil fuel dependency and climate change, traditional heating methods are not only costly but also environmentally harmful.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: University of Massachusetts, Insulation, Heating

24-ft tiny house designed for comfortable full-time life on wheels

Adam Williams — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 14:07:00 GMT

Designed to maximize comfort in a compact footprint, the Currumbin combines a smart layout with some well-thought-out features to create a home that's suitable for full-time life on wheels. There are lots of optional upgrades available too, including an off-grid setup and an outdoor terrace area.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

A swivel display disguises this gaming handheld as a media player

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:04:06 GMT

Anbernic makes a wide range of portable gaming consoles whose designs leave nothing to the imagination, with the usual arrays of controller buttons alongside or below a display. With its upcoming device, it's taking a more discreet design direction, which should also make for an easier fit in your pocket.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Gaming, Handheld, Portable Gaming, EDC

Cheeky caterpillars trick ants into treating them as queens

Jay Kakade — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 07:02:00 GMT

Baby caterpillars have figured out how to get themselves the royal treatment in certain ant colonies – getting carried around like precious cargo, fed on demand, guarded and being rescued from danger. But why would ants give this celebrity status to a caterpillar? The secret lies in perfect mimicry: the caterpillar copies not just the queen ant’s chemical scent, but the exact rhythm of her vibrations.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Insect, Ants, Butterfly, Caterpillar

Autonomous wing-in-ground effect aircraft has US military in its sights

David Szondy — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 05:04:35 GMT

Regional Electric Ground Effect Nautical Transport (REGENT) has completed the maiden flight of Squire, an autonomous variant of the company's Wing-in-Ground Effect Seaglider aircraft that's being pitched to the US military for logistical duty.

Category: Military, Engineering

Tags: Aircraft, Ground Effect Vehicle, Department of Defense

'Spin-flip' system pushes solar cell energy conversion efficiency past 100%

Etiido Uko — Tue, 14 Apr 2026 01:27:33 GMT

Energy can never be created or destroyed. That's basic Physics 101. You simply cannot create energy out of thin air. Yet researchers at Kyushu University in Japan say they have developed a technology that pushes the energy conversion efficiency of solar cells to 130%!

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Solar Cell, Solar Power, Kyushu University, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, American Chemical Society

Hand-carry camper pod supersizes into sub-$5K squaredrop lounge

C.C. Weiss — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 20:05:57 GMT

The market for versatile, vehicle-agnostic camper pods seems to be growing. A year after the original Tusca HitchHiker emerged, it morphed into the Freedom Camper lineup from Redneck Blinds in 2025. And we've noticed an uptick in similar drop-and-drive truck/trailer pods showing up from other builders.

Category: RVs and Motorhomes, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: teardrop trailers, Camping, RV, Pickup, Truck, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road, Hunting

Versatile robot uses tracked flippers to traverse varying terrain

Etiido Uko — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 16:30:00 GMT

Disaster sites vary as widely as rescue missions. Using robotics to help often requires multiple robots to survey, climb, lift, or manipulate objects. Athena unites all these capabilities in a single, rugged, autonomous platform built for search and rescue.

Category: Robotics, Engineering

Tags: Technical University of Darmstadt, Disasters, Rescue

Pocket 'zoom' flashlight can focus its beam over half a mile away

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:57:00 GMT

This new flashlight is a lot more versatile than most other models designed for outdoorspeople, thanks to a clever feature and its surprisingly compact build.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: EDC, Flashlights, Camping, lights, Kickstarter

A strange new eye cell is rewriting how vision works

Chelsea Haney — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 14:02:00 GMT

For more than 150 years, vertebrate vision has been understood as a two-part system: rods for low-light conditions, and cones for bright light and color. That tidy division is now under the microscope, as researchers from the University of Queensland have discovered a new hybrid cell that breaks the rule: rod-shaped photoreceptors that run cone-specific genetic programs.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Vision, Fish, University of Queensland

AI suit teaches you new skills by taking control of your muscles

Omar Kardoudi — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 13:04:59 GMT

Imagine learning to operate a piece of machinery you've never previously touched, not through a tutorial, but through your own hands electrically guided through the right motions. That's the core idea behind an AI-powered suit created by researchers from the University of Chicago.

Category: AI and Humanoids, Technology

Tags: Artificial Intelligence, University of Chicago, Control, Learning, wearable electronics

Regulatory roadblock transformed into striking triangular design

Stefan Ionescu — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 10:01:00 GMT

After Polish architecture firm KWK Promes won a competition in 2016 to design a luxury single-family home in suburban Vilnius, Lithuania, a law slashed the allowable building footprint in half. While the client saw this as a reason to move the project to another site, KWK Promes saw the problem from the unique view of architects – where constraints aren’t obstacles but essential drivers of innovation. Thus, the striking triangular form that would be known as the Trim House was born.

Category: Architecture, Engineering

Tags: House, Building and Construction, Home

2026 World Press Photo winners capture planet in a state of flux

Bronwyn Thompson — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 05:06:17 GMT

From wildfires to our wars on nature and each other, the subjects captured in the winning 42 images of the 69th World Press Photo Contest are not the easiest to view – but it's what makes this annual competition such a prestigious and powerful one.

Category: Photography, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Media, Journalism, Conservation, Climate Crisis, World-wide, Photography, News

VW Basecamp forges a new path for multi-fuel van life

C.C. Weiss — Mon, 13 Apr 2026 02:03:00 GMT

If the average RV company said it was hard at work on the "most robust, self-sufficient and luxurious camper van" it's ever built, we might dismiss it as hollow marketing hype. But Dutch converter Tonke isn't the average RV company. It has a yearslong history of bringing camper innovations to market, from truck-back wood cabins, to sleek, high-quality electric camper vans, to expandable side-popping roofs. So we're excited to see what it has in store for Volkswagen's newest Transporter.

Category: Campervans, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Campervan, Tonke, RV, Volkswagen, electric-camper, PHEV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Plug-in Hybrid

Why are some skies bluer than others?

Toluwalogo Niji-Olawepo — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 23:02:00 GMT

Imagine it’s a regular Tuesday morning and you’re in Antarctica. Your eyes meet the sky, and the blue is so vivid it feels electric. The air is so clean you can just about taste it. Now, picture a dust storm over the Himalayas; you squint, trying to catch a hint of that crisp blue, but all you see is a fuzzy white. Why are the skies in some parts of the world bluer than those in other parts?

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Pollution, Air pollution, Light, Climate Crisis, Himalayas

Review: The golden Oceano yacht of scooters – Navee UT5 Ultra X

Joe Salas — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 20:29:00 GMT

While the ebike market has been under fire lately with regulatory stuffs, the stand-up scooter market remains pretty much untouched. I'm not sure why, exactly, as these things just keep getting more and more powerful.

Category: Urban Transport, Transport

Tags: Scooter, Reviews, Segway, Electric Motorcycles

Missile kit lets fighter jets down drones on the cheap

David Szondy — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 19:03:00 GMT

Shooting down a drone with a fighter jet is as cost effective as wrapping sandwiches in gold foil, but BAE Systems has cut the price by firing an economy anti-drone Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System (APKWS) missile from a Typhoon Eurofighter.

Category: Military, Engineering

Tags: Typhoons, BAE Systems, drones, Missile Defense

130-sq-ft tiny house maximizes space with multifunctional layout

Adam Williams — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 15:03:00 GMT

Measuring just 130 sq ft (12 sq m), the Shoji is definitely smaller than the average tiny house. However, it makes up for its modest size with a space-saving multifunctional design.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

Coffee in your walls? Breakthrough converts grounds to insulation

Michael Franco — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 13:03:00 GMT

Around the world, over two billion daily cups of coffee are consumed. That means there are a staggering amount of coffee grounds getting tossed away every day. Researchers now have a plan to turn all that waste into eco-friendly insulation.

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: Biochar, Insulation, Coffee, Green+Technology, Recycling

This keychain-sized tracker doubles as a personal safety siren

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 07:03:00 GMT

I like where Pebblebee's head is at with its newest product. Unlike most item trackers that only help you find your stuff a la AirTags, this one is also a personal safety device designed for quick access in an emergency.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Object Tracker, Safety

Samsung's compact speakers bring wireless home theater sound anywhere

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 02:03:00 GMT

Samsung gave us a glimpse of a couple of seriously desirable lifestyle speakers for 2026 a couple of months ago, and I'm happy to report you can now get your hands on them.

Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Speakers, home theater, Samsung

The oldest known evidence of stitched clothing

Jay Kakade — Sun, 12 Apr 2026 00:02:00 GMT

During the last ice age, when glaciers spread across the northern world, ancient humans had some serious adapting to do; our species wouldn't survive without developing new ways to keep warm. We got there by improving the ways we clothed ourselves using new tools, such as bone needles, traps, snares, and wooden artifacts - and these creations mark a crucial point in human evolution, as they helped our ancestors endure diverse conditions across different latitudes.

Category: Archaeology, Science

Tags: Clothing, Evolution, History, Human

AI drones make mine clearing faster and safer

David Szondy — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 16:03:00 GMT

The British Army and the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) have completed a multi-week test in Essex using drones, advanced sensors, and AI to speed up and make safer the hunt for deadly mines and munitions scattered on battlefields.

Category: Military, Engineering

Tags: British Army, Land Mines, drones, Artificial Intelligence

Two-person tiny house keeps things simple with single-level layout

Adam Williams — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 14:03:00 GMT

This tiny house keeps things simple with a single-level layout that sleeps up to two people. Named the Audrey, the home's compact but comfortable interior is well-suited for use as a vacation home or a guest house or similar.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home

World's most powerful three-wheeled scooter comes from an unlikely brand

Utkarsh Sood — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 12:03:00 GMT

Here I am, talking about a scooter that is more powerful than most motorcycles that some people will ever own. And it doesn’t even come from the likes of Honda, Yamaha, or any other usual suspects. Rather, it comes from Kymco, a scooter manufacturer from Taiwan.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: Kymco, Trike, Scooter, Yamaha, Piaggio

Energy storage breakthrough traps sunlight in a molecule

Chelsea Haney — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 05:03:00 GMT

We tend to think of sunlight as something temporary; here when the sun is up, gone when it moves to the other side of the world. But a new, molecular-scale breakthrough challenges that idea, suggesting a way to capture and store solar energy directly for later use. It could unlock a new path to long-term energy storage for heating homes and providing hot water, without a conventional battery in the equation.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Chemistry, Solar Power, UC Santa Barbara, Battery Technology

Liter-class superbike gets car-level aids to analyze the tarmac for you

Utkarsh Sood — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 02:03:00 GMT

The very first motorcycle from a relatively new company is often a stepping stone. More often than not, it would likely be a small displacement street bike made for the masses with white-labeled components, barebones tech, and definitely not a liter-class engine.

Category: Motorcycles, Transport

Tags: qjmotor, MV Agusta, Artificial Intelligence, Road Safety, Autonomous, Radar

Different people attract different mosquito species

Jay Kakade — Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:02:00 GMT

Some of us get bitten far more often than others. A new study, yet to be peer-reviewed and published in a journal, has revealed that certain mosquito species show a clear preference for men, while others zero in on specific scents from our skin. However, some experts in the field disagree on the significance of the findings.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Mosquito, Disease, Malaria, Insect

Sharrow's madly torqued propellers make production quantum leap

C.C. Weiss — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 23:03:00 GMT

Sharrow knew it had a market disruptor on its hands the instant it transformed propeller blades into more efficient twisted loops. The hold-up of that disruption, however, has been in getting those props out of the factory and onto the actual market. Now it receives a big helping hand from a rather well-known fellow Detroiter: Ford Motor Company. Ford's expertise in 3D sand-casting technology has broken open Sharrow's path to scaled production, promising to fractionalize build times.

Category: Marine, Transport

Tags: sharrow, Boating, Outboard Motor, Marine Innovations

Steel rebar may have met its match – in the form of wavy plastic

Etiido Uko — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 19:19:48 GMT

Who could possibly compare to Superman, the Man of Steel? Definitely not a man of plastic! Right? Wrong. Researchers at the University of Sharjah, UAE, have discovered that plastics, in certain shapes, may perform as well as steel bars as reinforcement materials in concrete.

Category: Materials, Engineering

Tags: Building and Construction, Concrete, Plastic

Hyundai concept cars let design run wild, in opposite directions

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 15:57:00 GMT

While Hyundai's diverse Ioniq range of electric vehicles (EV) has been racking up awards around the world, it hasn't been available in China – until now. The Korean automaker is making a splash in that competitive electric car market with a big launch – and the unveiling of two wild concept vehicles that are worth a closer look.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Electric Vehicles, Concept Cars, Hyundai, Sedan, SUV, China

VW’s three-row Atlas II SUV lands with a whimper, not a bang

Simon Heptinstall — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 13:37:00 GMT

Volkswagen unveiled its new Atlas SUV at the New York International Auto Show recently, but the smaller engine and lack of hybrids suggest it still doesn’t grasp what American buyers want in the booming three-row seven-seater market.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: New York International Auto Show 2026, Volkswagen, SUV

Speak! Robot guide dogs converse with their owners

Michael Franco — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:33:00 GMT

Since the early 1900s, dogs have helped people who are blind or have low vision to navigate their world. Now, in a very 21st century twist, seeing-eye dogs have gone robotic and added a skill that not even the most well-trained canine could pull off: conversation.

Category: Robotics, Engineering

Tags: Unitree, Dogs, Binghamton University, Blindness

DJI's crazy-powerful motor rewrites the ebike rulebook all over again

Omar Kardoudi — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 09:46:34 GMT

The specs race in high-end electric mountain bike motors has long had the feel of the 1990s processor wars – bigger numbers every year, but precious little difference when you're actually grinding through the mud. Avinox might have finally changed that. DJI's dedicated ebike drive system brand changed that a couple of years back and left the competition in the dust. Now Avinox is set to do it all again with what it claims is the most powerful and lightest production eMTB motor on the market in a package that is, essentially, drone engineering on two wheels.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: DJI Innovations, Pedal-assisted, ebikes, Mountain Bikes, Motor, Battery, Drives

Retro-style cassette player offers much more than a walk down memory lane

Bronwyn Thompson — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 06:18:46 GMT

Not everything old is worth a modern makeover, but this is something audio-lifestyle brand Gadhouse seems to understand. Following on from some stunning retro-modern turntables, it's now reviving 1980s portable audio paired with modern convenience.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Cassettes, Retro, Audiophile, Sound, Music Player

Making clean fuel (and profits) from plastic waste and battery acid

Mike Franco — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 04:04:50 GMT

In a "triple win" for green research, scientists at the University of Cambridge have developed a new sunlight-activated reactor that uses one waste stream to tackle another – all while producing clean hydrogen, and promising to be profitable at commercial scale.

Category: Environment, Science

Tags: Recycling, Plastics, Plastic waste, University of Cambridge, Hydrogen, Clean Energy

Earliest known vomit: This ancient predator clearly wasn't picky

Jay Kakade — Fri, 10 Apr 2026 00:11:11 GMT

Sometimes, the most important paleontological discoveries may come from the most disgusting materials.

Category: Biology, Science

Tags: Paleontology, Predator, Reptile, Fossils

Radically modular inflatable tent grows wheels and redefines 'towing'

C.C. Weiss — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 23:03:00 GMT

Over the years, we've seen a number of RV innovators develop lightweight, small-packing camping trailers with inflatable living areas, from the roomy Air Opus to the pinchably adorable Booba trailer. The new ToW trailer starts from the other direction, coming from a tent manufacturer instead of an RV brand. Dutch inflatable pioneer Karsten ports one of its popular air-beamed domes over to a trailer, creating a Tent on Wheels (ToW) that rides lightly, offers loads of payload, and quickly sets up into a ground tent with elevated bed. Enjoy the basic dome or build it out into a multi-unit mega-tent with Karsten's modular ecosystem.

Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: trailers, Camping, RV, Tent

Ultrasonic wristband used to track hand movements like never before

Maryna Holovnova — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 18:48:11 GMT

Despite decades of technological progress, robots still can’t move as smoothly as humans – they drop objects, and struggle to pick them up properly. Scientists have been trying to teach robots to move with the same precision as humans, but hand movement is more complex than it might seem at first glance. Even a simple action, like holding and scrolling your phone, uses dozens of small muscles, joints, and over 100 tendons and ligaments working together.

Category: Robotics, Engineering

Tags: MIT, Remote Control, Ultrasound, Hand

Review: 2-in-1 RC smart-plane will put your engineering skills to the test

Bronwyn Thompson — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 17:30:00 GMT

In its most ambitious set, PowerUp Toys' Starflux Balsa Wood RC Airplane Kit delivers a hands-on experience where each step influences success in the air. And let's just say, the experience was quite a humbling one for a flight enthusiast like myself.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Plane, Craft, Aerodynamics, Flight, Smart technology, Design Engineering, Toys, Reviews, Aircraft

High-speed hydrofoil e-ferry is quieter than a library

Omar Kardoudi — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 16:03:00 GMT

Swedish electric boat company Candela has just unveiled the P-12 Business, a 16-passenger hydrofoil ferry it's calling the quietest high-speed vessel on the water.

Category: Marine, Transport

Tags: Candela, public transportation, Luxury, Hydrofoil, Electric Boats

Dyson stuck a near-silent 65,000-RPM motor in its new handheld fan

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 14:07:00 GMT

If your body typically runs hot, or you find yourself out in the sun often, Dyson's got something to show you. Its new handheld fan packs possibly the most powerful motor you can safely fit into a gadget of this size, and doesn't make a big ol' racket.

Category: Consumer Tech, Technology

Tags: Fan cooling, Dyson

Geely's new EV battery goes 10 to 70% in just 4 minutes 22 seconds

Utkarsh Sood — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 12:26:39 GMT

The electric vehicle (EV) space is in a weird one right now. On one hand, we’ve got brands chasing top speeds like there's no tomorrow. On the other hand, we’ve got a mileage battle popping up, with BYD claiming the top spot in that department (for now).

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Geely, Lynk & Co, BYD, Electric Vehicles, Battery Electric Vehicles, Battery Technology

GLP-1 drugs shown to fight arthritis independent of weight loss

Mike Franco — Thu, 09 Apr 2026 01:35:01 GMT

A new study has shown that the popular GLP-1 weight loss drug semaglutide has the power to halt, and to some extent restore, cartilage in people suffering from osteoarthritis (OA). The finding hints at a possible use of the drug beyond weight loss.

Category: Body and Mind

Tags: GLP-1 receptor agonists, Ozempic, Arthritis, Weight Loss

First-ever Ford Ranger Super Duty camper truck arrives – with friends

C.C. Weiss — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 23:03:00 GMT

Fueled by Thailand's role as a leading automotive manufacturing hub and booming adventure tourism destination, this year's Bangkok Motor Show felt as much like a SEMA-style overland exhibition as it did a full-blown international auto show. In our time on the show floor, we could hardly step over to a new booth without tripping on the guy lines of a carefully staged campsite or smacking into the snorkel of a hardcore off-roader or full-blown camper rig loaded up with all the rugged aftermarket components necessary (or not necessarily necessary) to overland the country's thick jungles and verdant mountains.

Category: RVs and Motorhomes, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors

Tags: Campervan, RV, Pickup, Truck, Thailand, Bangkok International Motor Show, SUV, Camping, Outdoors and Camping, Off-road

8-function multitool is small enough that you might actually carry it

Ben Coxworth — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

Those kazillion-in-one multitools we keep telling you about may be relatively compact, but you're still quite likely to notice their presence in your pocket. The Scout, on the other hand, is truly small yet capable of eight different functions.

Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Multitools, Kickstarter

Cycling system aims for easier wheel-swaps by moving the cassette to the frame

Ben Coxworth — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Removing and reinstalling a bike's rear wheel is a hassle at the best of times, but particularly when you're in a hurry. The Dual system is designed to change that, as it moves the cassette from the wheel onto the frame.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Cycling, Wheel

Extra-wide tiny house offers spacious apartment-like living

Adam Williams — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 14:27:00 GMT

For those who appreciate the cabin-like styling and simple layout of the Mysa 200 but find it too small, the larger Mysa 400 is similar but with a much roomier interior that's better suited to full-time living.

Category: Tiny Houses, Outdoors

Tags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint, Micro-House, House, Home, xxViral or high CTR

NV binoculars identify the creatures lurking in the dark - snipes?

Monica J. White — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 12:38:35 GMT

Hong Kong startup ScoPix is pitching AI-powered night-vision binoculars that can identify and capture images of wildlife, objects, and landmarks in real time, even in near-total darkness.

Category: Gear, Outdoors

Tags: Kickstarter, Night Vision, Binoculars, Artificial Intelligence

Škoda's analog invention keeps cyclists from crashing into pedestrians

Abhimanyu Ghoshal — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 09:45:26 GMT

Czech automaker Škoda took on an interesting side quest recently to improve road safety – but for bicycles instead of cars.

Category: Bicycles, Transport

Tags: Skoda, Road Safety, Safety, Headphones, Noise-Canceling, Cycling, Mechanical

In China’s 'Silicon Valley,' US landmarks stand in a strange world frozen in time

Bronwyn Thompson — Wed, 08 Apr 2026 03:28:20 GMT

Mount Rushmore may have its home in South Dakota, but it’s also in Shenzhen, China. Here, the four presidents stare out over a section of a 118-acre (48-hectare) theme park, where iconic structures from across the world sit alongside each other, frozen in time as a rapidly growing tech metropolis rises around it.

Category: Holiday Destinations, Outdoors

Tags: China, World-wide, Architects, History, Culture, Design Engineering, Society

Is Volkswagen finally planning to bring a pickup truck to the USA?

Utkarsh Sood — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 20:30:00 GMT

It’s been a long time coming. At a media panel at the 2026 New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), Volkswagen Group of America’s CEO Kjell Gruner just said he “wouldn’t rule out” the idea of a pickup for the American market. That statement alone has sent heads spinning.

Category: Automotive, Transport

Tags: Volkswagen, Pickup, Truck, SUV, Ford, Hyundai, Chevrolet

New cold-hardy electrolyte could potentially double battery range of EVs

Etiido Uko — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 19:00:00 GMT

White walkers can't have EVs. Not because they are lifeless zombies who probably can't drive, but because the extreme cold of the north would severely impact the lithium batteries. Also, the region is quite large, so EVs would likely run out of juice before they could cover a good portion of its 1,100-mile length. Scientists in China may have solved both problems with a new lithium battery electrolyte that withstands cold temperatures and could double EV range.

Category: Energy, Engineering

Tags: Electric Vehicles, Electrolyte, Range, Batteries

Video: Semicircular wings give Cyclone VTOL a different kind of lift

Michael Franco — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 17:15:00 GMT

We've seen lots of designs for vertical take-off and landing vehicles over the years, but none are quite as striking as the wings on HopFlyt's Cyclone. The curved wings have their root in a design first introduced in the 1920s but never employed in a commercial vehicle.

Category: Aircraft, Transport

Tags: eVTOL, Hybrid eVTOLs, VTOL, Unmanned, Aircraft