odd look at news on the web
Omnidirectional propulsion system makes for super-nimble drones
30 March 2026 @ 8:21 pm
Up, up, and away! That's the flight sequence for most commercially available drones. However, for drones powered by Aerix Systems’ proprietary omnidirectional propulsion technology, a more fitting description would be: up, zoom off, twist, and slide … often all at once!Continue ReadingCategory: Drones, Consumer Tech, Stitching wood veneers like fabric makes them super durable
30 March 2026 @ 6:00 pm
Some of the world's best skis and snowboards are made from a combination of materials, including wood at the core for its strength, low weight, and shape retention. They're usually bonded together with additional layers using adhesives – but what if we stitched them together instead?Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, EngineeringTags: Self-flushing litter box keeps an AI eye on kitties' urinary health
30 March 2026 @ 4:30 pm
Technology these days is all about making life easier, especially when it comes to chores we don’t enjoy – such as cleaning a cat’s litter box. Hong Kong-based company Petalas is trying to address this with its self-flushing litter box, which also monitors the feline's urinary health.Continue ReadingCategory: Pets, Consumer Tech, Dutch studio reimagines family homes by stacking life in playful boxes
30 March 2026 @ 2:06 pm
When a couple with two children approached the Amsterdam-based architecture and design firm Studioninedots to design a home that would foster their connection, the company reimagined what a family home could be by throwing out the trasitional floor plan entirely.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, EngineeringPremium eMTB takes lower cost route to rough riding
30 March 2026 @ 9:56 am
Many high-performance electric mountain bikes can cost as much as a used car, and until now, the brands charging that much had little reason to worry. Aventon may have just given them one.Continue ReadingCategory: Bicycles, TransportTags: ebikes, Clever telescopic camper trailer reinvents a game-changing RV classic
30 March 2026 @ 2:03 am
A new camping trailer that's full of surprises, the 2026 Low Tow from Australia's Prattline RV looks at first to be as brand, spanking new and cutting-edge as some of the latest all-electric trailers developed in Silicon Valley. But it's actually a modern redux of a nameplate that dates back over half a century. The trailer still looks so fresh and unique today, we can only imagine how folks must have looked on the original like it floated to Earth from a far-flung planet in an undiscovered galaxy.ContinPig-boar hybrids in Fukushima evacuation zone rewrite wild genomes
30 March 2026 @ 1:20 am
When escaped domestic pigs bred with wild boar after the Fukushima evacuation, researchers gained a rare chance to observe large-scale hybridization. New findings show that maternally inherited rapid breeding accelerated genetic turnover, quickly diluting pig ancestry in the wild population. The result offers a novel lens on how fast-breeding traits can quietly reshape wildlife genetics.Continue ReadingAncient Roman board game stumped experts for decades – until AI played
30 March 2026 @ 12:03 am
A slab of limestone excavated in 1984 from the ancient Coriovallum settlement in the Netherlands presented a puzzle for researchers of Roman history. Because of its distinct grooves and marks, the stone piece was believed to be some kind of board game – but obviously no rulebook was dug up to confirm this. Now, more than 40 years on, new technology appears to have solved the mystery.Continue ReadingCategory: History, Upside-down tiny house packs clever layout and energy efficient design
29 March 2026 @ 10:03 pm
The Véronique is small – even for a tiny house – and maximizes its limited space with an unusual "upside-down" layout. The towable home also boasts some interesting energy saving additions, including a passive heating system.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Building and Construction, Tiny Footprint,Robotic legs skate, climb stairs, and balance on one wheel in demo video
29 March 2026 @ 7:03 pm
The Robotics and AI Institute (RAI) has just released a video of its Roadrunner robot. Although it lacks a torso, the bipedal bot more than makes up for it by rolling, stomping, stair-climbing, and even showing off while using only one of its legs.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, EngineeringTags: Future Robot,