odd look at news on the web
Transparent solar cells could be mounted right on windows
26 May 2026 @ 7:00 pm
One of the hindrances to large-scale solar adoption, especially in cities, is where to install the chunky panels. Rooftops? Skyscraper walls? Vast open spaces that dense urban centers barely have in the first place? Researchers from Nanyang Technological University (NTU) Singapore say they may have solved part of this problem with solar cells so thin they are invisible enough to install directly onto windows.Continue ReadingAddition of electricity drastically lowers carbon footprint of cement production
26 May 2026 @ 5:30 pm
Cement has been a vital building block (pun intended) in constructing civilization. However, its manufacturing process has also made it a wrecking ball on the environment, with a carbon footprint that rivals that of the aviation industry. Scientists from the University of British Columbia have devised a method that dramatically cuts cement’s carbon footprint using electricity.Continue ReadingCategory: Affordable humanoid robot aims for the teaching hands of developers
26 May 2026 @ 4:03 pm
Until now, pretty much all humanoid robots have come with an eye-watering price tag. Rotaku, a startup from the San Francisco Bay Area, thinks that's a solvable engineering problem and made its first move to change that.Continue ReadingCategory: AI and Humanoids, TechnologyTags: Affordable, Portable 4K projector doubles as a karaoke party machine
26 May 2026 @ 2:33 pm
Portable projectors have come a long way from the simple movie-night gadgets they used to be not so long ago. Recently, companies have been adding features like built-in streaming platforms, better speakers, automatic setup, and outdoor-friendly designs.Continue ReadingCategory: Home Entertainment, Consumer TecDutch timber homes hit carbon-negative milestone with Delft Red reboot
26 May 2026 @ 12:57 pm
With the constant pressure for architecture to reduce its massive carbon footprint, studios are always looking for solutions beyond traditional materials. ORGA from the Netherlands has taken on this challenge, rewriting the rulebook by building a carbon-negative neighborhood prototype in the village of Marknesse.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, EngineeringFerrari's first EV is a surprisingly practical 5-seater
26 May 2026 @ 11:00 am
I certainly didn't have a zero-emissions Ferrari sedan on my 2026 Bingo card, but that's what we're getting with the Luce.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Electric Vehicles, I predicted the enhanced games 25 years ago. Here’s what I think now.
26 May 2026 @ 5:49 am
Never considering myself much of a writer in my youth, I entered the Young Queensland Writers’ Award in Australia with a throwaway short story I’d whipped up on a whim one weekend in my early twenties.Continue ReadingCategory: Fitness & Exercise, Wellness and Healthy Living, Body and MindTags: SporEarliest signs of dementia may be in our blood long before diagnosis
26 May 2026 @ 2:47 am
Ashleigh Barrett-Young, University of Otago/ The ConversationContinue ReadingCategory: Brain Health, Body and MindTags: Alzheimer's disease, Biomarkers, Blood, Humanoids are heading to school as China readies them for real life
26 May 2026 @ 1:52 am
The first humanoid "training school" for robots of all shapes and sizes will open its doors in July, bringing together more than 100 different models made by a host of companies. As well as mastering real-world skills, the humanoids will provide unique data that'll be used to advance the bots that follow in their footsteps.Continue ReadingCategory: AI and Humanoids, This plant could be the smartest carnivore on the planet
26 May 2026 @ 1:10 am
There are more than 800 known species of carnivorous plants. Despite their diverse designs, they all have one thing in common: they are built to trap and kill prey for survival.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: