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Where there's an uncomfortable athlete, there's room for a wild, high-tech solution. At least that seems to be Nike's strategy of late, resulting in such contrivances as robo-shoes and active-breathing jackets. The all-new Lava Loft Down Jacket is a little less animated, but it still uses a rather unconventional solution to solve a common problem, interspersing baffles of ultra-warm down with wide open vents to react to the massive weather shifts a trail runner can experience when logging miles. When it's time to remove the Lava Loft all together, the 10-oz jacket packs down to fit in your

Yes, it looks like a 12-gauge shotgun shell, and yes, that is a bit of a gimmick. That said, the Node-1 is actually a pretty clever tool, as it packs multiple interchangeable functions into a single modular form factor.Continue ReadingCategory: OutdoorsTags: Kickstarter, Multitools, Modular, EDC

Are you one of those coffee/tea consumers who loathe washing your drink containers so much that a) you leave them piled up to get moldy, and b) in a reverse sustainability move, you purchase new ones because of the hassle of not being able to clean every stained crevice?Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, TechnologyTags:

This charming tiny house takes design cues from traditional cabins to deliver a rustic small living experience. Named the Nature Pod, it features generous glazing and lots of options including an off-grid setup, and it starts at just €14,380 (roughly US$16,600).Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Tiny Footprint,

Divers may soon be able to get a welcome boost to their flutter kicks thanks to an exoskeleton developed by researchers at Peking University (PU). By shouldering some of the burden of underwater swimming, the device could also make scuba tanks last longer.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: Exoskeleton,

Before you ask: no, it's not AI. What you're looking at above is a skydiver framed by the roiling chromosphere of the Sun, with its arches and loops of plasma glowing brightly. That's the result of weeks of meticulous planning, a whole lot of astrophotography know-how, plenty of math, and patience.Continue ReadingCategory: Photography,

Groundbreaking research has uncovered a set of just three gene variants that can increase the likelihood of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) by up to 15 times. It's a remarkable finding, considering that thousands of mutations only come with a nominal elevated risk.Continue ReadingCategory: ADHD & Autism, Brain Health, Body and MindTags:

This week, talk of the AI industry bubble has heated up, with Google's top executive Demis Hassabis throwing some fuel on this fire while discussing the release of the company's much-anticipated Gemini 3 model.Continue ReadingCategory: AI and Humanoids, TechnologyTags: Alphabet, Google.org,

Glass-filled polypropylene is already a very commonly used plastic for automotive parts, but could it be improved? Well, yes. A new substance, Gratek, is claimed to make the plastic 20% stronger yet 18% lighter, thanks to the addition of graphene.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: Plastics, Graphene, Au

Cockroach infestations can worsen allergies and asthma in children, especially in low-income urban homes. One particular species of cockroach is known to carry bacteria in their guts that release harmful substances called endotoxins into their droppings.Continue ReadingCategory: Allergies, Illnesses and conditions, Body and MindTags: