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odd look at news on the web

$99,000 smart observatory captures the cosmos with Canon optics

26 January 2026 @ 12:47 pm

The Hyperia smart observatory can stand outdoors for up to five years without needing maintenance, and is wirelessly operated using a companion app running on a smartphoneOne would think that a US$99,000 telescope requires specialist training and a thick instruction manual. But the new Hyperia from French company Vaonis flips that assumption on its head. It's powerful enough for professional observatories yet runs entirely from a simple smartphone app.Continue ReadingCategory: TechnologyTags: Tele

Scrambler mini-moto mimics Honda Monkey in a smaller 50cc package

26 January 2026 @ 11:02 am

Put the small displacement out of your mind for now, and you could easily mistake the X-Bongo 50 for the Honda MonkeyThink mini motos, and you’d undoubtedly think about the Honda’s mini line-up: the Cub, the Monkey, the Trail, and the Grom. But what if these bikes could get even “mini-er”? Say hello to Bluroc X-Bongo 50.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: MINI, Small-displacement,

Autonomous MQ-20 Avenger aces simulated air-to-air kill

26 January 2026 @ 8:45 am

The MQ-20 AvengerThe software and hardware that will control tomorrow's combat drones got a workout on January 18, as a General Atomics MQ-20 Avenger showed off its capability by autonomously intercepting a crewed aggressor aircraft in an air combat exercise.Continue ReadingCategory: Military, TechnologyTags: Combat, drones,

Gene editing takes a major step toward ending daily cholesterol pills

26 January 2026 @ 4:03 am

New therapy targets the liver's PCSK9 gene to lower cholesterolA new CRISPR-based one-off procedure that lowers "bad" cholesterol has been approved to enter Phase I human trial. If successful, it could be the first approved genetic-silencing method on the market, replacing the need for long-term medication and slashing the risk of cardiovascular disease.Continue ReadingCategory: Heart Disease, Illnesses and conditions, Body and MindTags:

Modular electric guitars are the future of the iconic instrument

26 January 2026 @ 12:37 am

Shark is aiming for the high-end electric guitar segment with its modular electronics-laden offerings, starting at about $4,000We're coming up on the 100th anniversary of the electric guitar, and it's been fascinating to hear how this simple instrument has altered the landscape of music in that time. It's mostly just wire, wood, and a wee bit of electronics that doesn't even need power.Continue ReadingCategory: Music,

Nissan camper van atones for fugly exterior with warm, rustic lodgings

25 January 2026 @ 10:17 pm

Eiffeland turns the Nissan Interstar-e van into the Relax camper van – a book that reads better inside than on the coverThe Nissan Interstar van is not a pretty machine. Some might call it a searing eyesore. So to outfit an Interstar camper van into a place one could proudly call home, maybe even for a full-time van life stint, is quite a feat. Nissan conversion partner Eiffeland gets it done, carving out a rustic-modern roaming lodge with high bed, flexible lounge and warm, well-appointed ambiance that will make you forget you're living in one of the world's more aesthetically challenged vehicles.Continue ReadingC

Review: Cigman night vision binoculars are made for the field

25 January 2026 @ 7:32 pm

The CNVPro is a solid little unit, and comes with a handy neck strapThe second I picked up the CNVPros, I immediately thought to myself, "Are they heavy? Yeah? That means they're expensive, put 'em back." The nighttime 'nocs have a bit of heft to them, and they feel like they should cost way more than they do.Continue ReadingCategory: Electronics, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Night Vis

Futuristic keyboard snaps on modules for shortcuts and precise input

25 January 2026 @ 4:42 pm

Don't you just love modular gadgets?This might just be the most overengineered desktop gear I've ever come across. The Naya Connect system features four devices built around a modular keyboard to upgrade your setup with all kinds of shortcuts and tactile inputs.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Gadgets, Keyboard,

Swingers and long-game players: The wild sex lives of beluga whales

25 January 2026 @ 11:02 am

NSFW: Landmark study shows how the beluga whale maintains genetic diversityFor the first time, we know more than we ever expected to know about the sex lives of the majestic beluga whale. It's complicated, to say the least, but it also shows just how strategic nature is at keeping an isolated group of animals alive.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Florida Atlantic University,

Jellyfish sleep just like us, and even take midday naps

25 January 2026 @ 7:34 am

The study confirms jellyfish do sleep, meaning the process of sleep evolved long before complex life with brainsTurns out jellyfish and sea anemones – among the ancient creatures with a nervous system instead of a brain – have a very similar sleeping routine to our own. A new study published in Nature Communications reveals that these animals not only sleep but do so for the same portion of their day as humans, spending about one-third of the day sleeping. The findings also suggest that sleep evolved long before the brain to help maintain cells under stress.Continue ReadingCategory: