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odd look at news on the web

Monomaterial running shoes could be fully recycled – to make new shoes

12 May 2026 @ 5:30 pm

A sample sole made as part of the ZiProMat project, composed entirely of sheets of copolyester elastomer arranged in ribs and ridgesWith running more popular than ever, production of running shoes has reached a new level. Global footwear manufacturing has increased significantly over the last 15 years, and the industry itself has become a form of advanced engineering. Big companies are competing to build lighter, faster, and more energy-efficient shoes using complex combinations of foams, fabrics, and plastics. While performance continues to improve, sustainability still remains a secondary concern.

Slim power bank slides under a laptop for juice on the go

12 May 2026 @ 3:57 pm

The tapered Edge power bank slides under a laptop and provides charging power on the moveWhether your laptop is your main source of income or you just use it for entertainment, running out of juice just when things get interesting can be a major annoyance. The Edge power bank has been designed to alleviate such things.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Kickstarter,

Record-breaking volcanic eruption somehow cleaned up its own pollution

12 May 2026 @ 1:21 pm

Hunga Tonga Hunga Ha’apai eruption, 2022.Volcanoes are messy things, what with all that ash, water vapor, sulfur, and greenhouse gases polluting the atmosphere.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, ScienceTags: volcano, Methane, G

Affordable tiny house squeezes two bedrooms into just 160 sq ft

12 May 2026 @ 1:12 pm

The Tulsi tiny house is a compact towable home that fits two bedrooms into a length of just 20 ft (6 m)With its modest length of just 20 ft (6 m), the Tulsi doesn't have a whole lot of room for life's luxuries. Still, the tiny house manages to fit the essentials for downsizing into its compact towable frame – and does so at an affordable price.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags:

Vancouver community hub pairs exposed mass timber with ultra-green design

12 May 2026 @ 10:36 am

The Marpole Community Centre hits a rare trifecta for public buildings by combining mass timber construction, Passive House standards, and LEED Gold status (a green building standard)A new community center is nearing completion in Vancouver's Oak Park, and it has done something quite rare. It has combined mass timber construction with hyper-efficient Passive House engineering and a LEED Gold sustainability rating. The Marpole Community Centre, which was designed by Diamond Schmitt, proves that public buildings can be kind to the planet while also being beautiful.Continue Reading

Harley-Davidson may revive the 883 Sportster with a $10,000 price tag

12 May 2026 @ 4:03 am

A silhouette of Harley's upcoming 883 SportsterHarley-Davidson has been on an interesting trajectory of late. The company seems to have put big, heavy, chrome-laden cruisers on the back burner, at least for the time being, to focus more on lightweight, entry-level motorcycles. From the surprisingly capable Pan America 1250 to the India-developed X440, Harley’s newer strategy increasingly revolves around accessibility, affordability, and broader appeal rather than pure old-school Americana.Continue ReadingCategory: Mo

Infections around pregnancy have a lasting effect on kids' mental health

12 May 2026 @ 3:01 am

Can infections lead to mental health issues in offspring later in life? Scientists believe soPregnancy is filled with small moments of anticipation: the first flutter of movement, the sound of a heartbeat, the quiet question of whether everything is unfolding as it should. At the same time, much of what shapes development is happening out of view, long before those milestones arrive. And even before those moments are felt, the environment surrounding pregnancy is already beginning to shape how the baby's brain develops.Continue ReadingCategory:

Plants may literally hear the sound of approaching rain, study finds

12 May 2026 @ 1:06 am

Plants may be able to hear the sound of rain.Stuart Thompson, University of Westminster, The ConversationContinue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Plants, Sensory, Hearing, xx

250cc V-twin cruiser makes a lot of sense, but you'll likely never get one

11 May 2026 @ 9:30 pm

The GV250X might just be the V-twin cruiser for beginnersIn a land far, far away is a motorcycle brand that has been around for longer than anyone can remember, yet it has spent the better part of the last few years in the shadows. I’m talking about Hyosung, which was born in South Korea in the late 1970s, building Suzuki-derived motorcycles under license.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags:

Radically rethought hydration pack is a 'masterpiece of minimalism'

11 May 2026 @ 7:51 pm

The RSVR Hydration pack is presently on KickstarterAccording to the folks at Colorado-based RSVR Hydration, traditional hydration packs are basically backpacks with bags of water in them. The company's new pack is claimed to be different, however, in that it's made to be sleek and light.Continue ReadingCategory: Gear, OutdoorsTags: Kickstarter,