odd look at news on the web
Want to own your own Waymo? 2026 could be your year
6 December 2025 @ 12:03 pm
Most fully autonomous cars are being deployed in commercial settings, such as those used by driverless-ride providers like Waymo. However, a new company called Tensor plans to bring an L4 robocar to consumers next year, and it looks damn impressive.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Tensor, $3,500 café racer makes us wonder: What is a motorcycle?
6 December 2025 @ 8:03 am
There seems to be a weird trend popping up of late. Electric motorcycles packaged as café racers, bundled as more than just commuters – but rather a style statement, a fashion piece if you will. We’ve got another one of these, but to be honest, calling it a proper motorcycle would be a stretch.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransFresh or fishy: Microneedle device spots sketchy seafood in real time
6 December 2025 @ 4:03 am
When you're checking the freshness of a piece of fish that you plan on eating, you want results right away. That's where a new microneedle-based sensor comes in, as it delivers a yay or nay in less than two minutes.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: American Chemical Society, Monash UniversityUltra-rare carnivorous 'killer plant' found lurking on city's doorstep
6 December 2025 @ 2:03 am
There's an old saying that everything in Australia wants to eat you – and this apparently includes plants, with the island a global hotbed of carnivorous species. Now, scientists have made a particularly special find, stumbling across thousands of ultra-rare meat-eaters banding together close to city limits.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: If you're stuck at a desk, sit on something decent
6 December 2025 @ 1:02 am
Let's face it, most of us are spending an unhealthy amount of time seated in front of screens. That makes buying a desk chair kind of a big deal. Personally, I'm very function-over-form. It could be the most beautifully ornate throne, handmade from unobtanium and unicorn pelt, but if it's not comfortable, I want nothing to do with it. It could be the ugliest thing you've ever seen, but if it's comfy, I'm in.Continue ReadingCategory: Sick ant babies request death by poison from nest mates
6 December 2025 @ 12:03 am
In a wide range of social species, when an animal is sick, it takes itself away from its group. Ant pupae are unable to move, however, so they've developed a unique mechanism that leads them to sacrifice their own life for the betterment of the nest.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Ants, Disease, Anchovy-inspired appliance could keep microplastics from leaving your laundry
5 December 2025 @ 10:24 pm
The water leaving your washing machine may soon be a lot more eco-friendly, thanks to the anchovy. A filter inspired by the tiny fish could remove microplastics from the outgoing water, keeping them from entering local waterways.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, ScienceTags: Microplastic, Yamaha dumps its inline four engine in favor of a V4 configuration
5 December 2025 @ 8:48 pm
Note: It’s purely MotoGP. Now that we have that clarified, here’s the big breaking news: Yamaha recently declared that it was formally retiring its iconic inline-four "big-bang" M1 – the same platform that has helped Yamaha secure eight MotoGP riders' titles since its introduction in 2002.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Yamaha, AR ski goggles show you the hazards that your eyes alone can't see
5 December 2025 @ 5:57 pm
Provuu is a brand from Switzerland, where they know exactly what is needed for a good day on the slopes – even when the weather is bad. The company's downhill ski goggles are now on Kickstarter, and if you’ve ever had to cancel a ski day due to low visibility, this might be the season’s must-have gadget.Continue ReadingCategory: OutdoorsTags: Skiing, Goggles, Dinky little laser box throws big-screen entertainment from inches away
5 December 2025 @ 3:13 pm
Until fairly recently, if you wanted to get a projector close to the wall or screen, the ultra-short-throw model you'd need would be something of a beast. China's JMGO changed that in January with its compact O2S Ultra – and now the next in line has launched.Continue ReadingCategory: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology