odd look at news on the web
Space capsule camper unfurls into edgy base camp in mere seconds
13 March 2026 @ 10:00 pm
Skydream Caravans aims to build next-generation travel trailers that integrate cutting-edge advances from China's new energy, automotive and smart home sectors into world-leading RV manufacturing systems from Europe, the US and Australia. Its debut caravan is about to drop down like something of a terrestrial spacecraft, featuring an advanced driver assistance system (ADAS) worthy of a high-level autonomous car, a gorgeous layout with power-fold patio and al fresco breakfast bar, and one-touch setup. It's truly a five-star hotel room built to tow behind anBreakthrough in blocking killer 'spike' growth that destroys lithium batteries
13 March 2026 @ 8:30 pm
Researchers have uncovered the mechanical properties of the nanoscale "thorns" that develop inside lithium-ion batteries, which can cause them to short circuit and die – or worse, such as spontaneously catch on fire. These thorns, known as dendrites, have been difficult to study and understand – until now.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, TechAmbitious startup plans to put AI data centers in offshore wind turbines
13 March 2026 @ 6:45 pm
What do you get when you combine distressed offshore wind energy sites, surging AI energy demands, and not-in-my-backyard sentiments towards data centers? One company is combining all three problems into a solution: floating offshore data centers.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, BMW's first Neue Klasse EV is here, and it divides opinions
13 March 2026 @ 5:07 pm
We’ve heard so much noise around BMW’s Neue Klasse electric vehicles (EV) for so long that it feels like they’ve already been here for a while. Well, now they are, with the first of these cars debuting in the form of the iX3.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: BMW, 1-oz electric pico pump airs up entire base camp in minutes
13 March 2026 @ 2:58 pm
Adventure gear brand Outzac has a new piece of camping equipment in the works that's designed to make it way easier to pack light, in more ways than one. The Pico Pump is a teeny tiny air pump for inflating everything from sleeping pads to minnow boats – and deflating them in a flash too.Continue ReadingCategory: Gear, OutdoorsTags: This dinghy shrinks to two bags and expands into a family sailing trip
13 March 2026 @ 1:03 pm
French sailboat maker Tiwal has unveiled its largest model yet. The 2XL is a dinghy designed to carry two adults and two children that, despite its size, breaks down completely and disappears into two bags small enough to fit in the trunk of a standard family car. Yes, an actual sailboat. In the trunk.Continue ReadingCategory: Marine, TransportTags: Rivian's R2 SUV comes in at $45,000 – but you'll have to wait
13 March 2026 @ 11:07 am
Electric vehicle (EV) darling Rivian has just announced pricing for its R2 SUV that it unveiled to great fanfare back in 2024. The company is indeed making a US$45,000 variant as promised – but that'll arrive only toward the end of 2027.Continue ReadingCategory: AutomotiSharp-looking split keyboard rethinks the classic 75% layout
13 March 2026 @ 8:27 am
The Jiffy 75 is a split ergonomic keyboard on Kickstarter that separates the popular 75% compact layout into two halves to help reduce typing strain.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Keyboard, France’s Thales launches air and missile defense rival to US Golden Dome
13 March 2026 @ 5:33 am
Not wanting the Americans to have all the Star Wars fun, French multinational Thales has unveiled its answer to the US Golden Dome. Claimed to already be operational, the SkyDefender system is designed to protect entire regions against air and missile attacks.Continue ReadingCategory: Military, TechnologyTags: Thales, Jetboil ultralight stove goes gourmet at even the remotest base camps
12 March 2026 @ 10:50 pm