odd look at news on the web
'Glass' motors may make for longer-running, higher-performing EVs and drones
17 March 2026 @ 5:29 pm
When you think of glass, you probably picture something fragile and brittle, not a material built for high-stress electromechanical components. However, researchers at Germany's Saarland University are challenging that assumption, using a glass-like metal to significantly improve the efficiency of electric motors.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, Eng12-sided skyscraper sets record for most floors in North America
17 March 2026 @ 12:31 pm
The ambitious Pinnacle SkyTower has reached a major milestone. The under-construction supertall skyscraper has topped out at 106 floors and now holds the record for the most floors of any residential building in North America.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, Engineering, Apple's AirPods Max 2 delivers better ANC, plays catch-up with rivals
17 March 2026 @ 9:06 am
Apple has refreshed its AirPods Max headphones with new internals for better performance, as well as a handful of features that bring it in line with current-gen over-ear models.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyBattery lasts a week, broken wrists are forever – Oukitel WP61 Plus
16 March 2026 @ 11:24 pm
To get straight to the point and the reason you're all here: battery life.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: smartphones, Cell+Phone, Rugged, Swedish electric PWC is ready to take you on a sustainable aquatic jet ride
16 March 2026 @ 7:47 pm
Roxen Innovations, a Swedish company focused on sustainable water vehicles, has announced its Roxen electric personal watercraft (PWC). It’s designed to be quiet, lightweight, and environmentally friendly without compromising performance.Continue ReadingCategory: Marine, TransportTags: Watercraft, Tiny house proves you can downsize without compromising comfort
16 March 2026 @ 5:27 pm
Created for a pair of nomads who were looking to put down roots, the Coastal Retreat is a remarkably spacious tiny house that proves that downsizing doesn't always have to mean sacrificing home comforts.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Building and ConstructiMini Roomba robovac cleans and mops where others can't
16 March 2026 @ 3:33 pm
Just weeks after announcing its restructuring and a new ownership deal with China-based manufacturer Picea, iRobot has announced the launch of a new compact robot vacuum and mop – the Roomba Mini Robot Vacuum and Mop and AutoEmpty Dock (Let's just go with the Roomba Mini from here). This small robot vacuum cleaner has now hit the UK and European markets, demonstrating that iRobot has renewed its focus on the core Roomba business amid its financial woes.Continue ReadingCategoryRippling glass facade adds drama to Queensland's new cultural center
16 March 2026 @ 1:49 pm
There's a whole giant structure with remarkable details behind the glass, but we're all really here for this building's striking facade, first and foremost. This is the Glasshouse Theatre, the performance venue unveiled last week by the Queensland Performing Arts Center in the Australian state's capital of Brisbane.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, Review: The Bear 650 is the one Royal Enfield everyone is sleeping on
16 March 2026 @ 10:47 am
So why did I travel 400 miles (~650 km) to the Himalayan foothills from Delhi just to ride and share my thoughts on a motorcycle? Well, you can’t really review a Scrambler by simply riding around town on flat tarmac, can you? So I scrambled.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Royal Enfield, Amazing architecture images from the Sony World Photography Awards 2026
16 March 2026 @ 6:32 am
Architecture is a bit of an underrated photo competition category but it is one that can simultaneously capture design, engineering and human experience. Here, we pick our 2026 Sony World Photography Awards’ Professional finalist and shortlist standouts that manage to say so much with a single image.Continue ReadingCategory: Photography,