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odd look at news on the web

Packable modular camp table is a real treehugger

16 December 2025 @ 7:05 pm

The Kimberlite Tree Table can manage a maximum table load of 20 lb (9 kg), and can be mounted on trees up to 3 ft (0.9 m) in diameterWhen you're camping, you're typically in need of a work surface, plus you're typically surrounded by trees. That's where the Kimberlite Tree Table comes in, as – that's right – it's a packable multi-use platform that you strap to a tree.Continue ReadingCategory: Gear, OutdoorsTags: Kickstarter

Ford's electric F-150 is getting a gas generator for 700-mile range

16 December 2025 @ 11:32 am

The successor to the 2025 Ford F-150 Lightning shown above will have more than double its rangeFour years after Ford bravely electrified its best-selling vehicle, the F-150 Lightning pickup, it seemed ready to drop the model owing to slowing demand. Now, it turns out the company's got other plans. It's reengineering the flagship truck for 2026 as an extended range EV (EREV), with a gas generator in tow.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive,

Best tents of 2025: Hovering orbs to connect-a-cube camper communes

16 December 2025 @ 2:41 am

Open up all the doors and windows, and The Cube is a breezy cabana for beach, forest or parkIt proved to be a fun year for tents. We tracked new tent designs of all styles, shapes and sizes a little more closely than we have in the past and saw a whole lot of innovation and activity. The year brought the further expansion of high-performance freestanding ultralight tents from boutique brands, the preponderance of covetable inflatable tents ranging from backpack size to multi-tent base camp size, the refinement of comfier, fuller featured rooftop tents, and the launch of a few flat-lying hammock tents designed for increased comfort and stability, from ground to air. Here's a look at ou

Mystery behind the collapse of the ancient Harappan empire finally solved

16 December 2025 @ 2:03 am

Severe drought spanning 200 years decimated and fragmented the ancient civilizationThe culprit behind the mysterious disappearance of one of the most advanced urban civilizations at the time, contemporaries to Mesopotamians and Egyptians, has finally been identified: a series of severe, long-lasting droughts that dried rivers across the Indus Valley more than 4,000 years ago.Continue ReadingCategory: History, ScienceTags: Archaeolo

Tanning beds mutate nearly your entire skin and triple melanoma risk

16 December 2025 @ 12:03 am

Tanning beds are making a comeback but medical experts are concernedFor the first time, scientists have demonstrated how tanning beds cause fundamental DNA damage across almost the skin's entire surface that results in a threefold risk of developing melanoma. It puts beyond doubt the dangers associated with using these devices.Continue ReadingCategory: Cancer, Illnesses and conditions, Body and MindTags:

Rose-oil glue sticks and unsticks at the flick of a light switch

15 December 2025 @ 11:30 pm

The rose-oil-derived adhesive can be switched back and forth between bonding and non-bonding statesElectronics that can't be easily dismantled for recycling aren't very eco-friendly, nor are petroleum-based adhesives. Scientists have set about addressing both issues, by developing a switchable adhesive made mainly of rose oil.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: Adhesive, Roses,

Zero-axle teardrop camper turns truck or trailer into RV for under $3K

15 December 2025 @ 10:04 pm

The Tiny Camper Stubby brings teardrop camping into pickup trucks and atop utility trailersAfter peering in at the Freedom Camper (née Tusca Hitchhiker), we were wondering if we'd see more wheel-less camper pods hit the scene. Well, we now have an answer and an official Freedom competitor that hails from a brand that specializes in building tiny campers in various shapes and forms. The all-new Tiny Camper Co. Stubby slide-in camper gains a curvier teardrop-size shape while offering the same versatile truck-to-trailer functionality. And it does so for an even lower base price.

Futuristic pixel-raising display lets you feel what’s onscreen

15 December 2025 @ 4:47 pm

Though the research is still in its infancy, optotactile pixels could allow screen users to feel what they seeCould you imagine being able to "feel" the images on your screen? UCSB researchers have made this sci-fi-like idea a reality. They've developed a display where pixels physically rise off the surface when activated by laser light.Continue ReadingCategory: TechnologyTags: UC Santa Barbara, Tactile,

Compact timber tiny house provides off-grid escape from city life

15 December 2025 @ 2:12 pm

The Duna, by Madeiguincho, is a two-person tiny house that runs off-grid with solar panelsThe Duna was commissioned by a customer who wanted to experience the comfort of a city apartment in a rural setting. This off-grid tiny house definitely fits the bill, and combines space-saving design with the maker's trademark timber craftsmanship.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Micro-House,

Rugged phone lets you hot-swap batteries without turning it off

15 December 2025 @ 11:04 am

The buffer battery grants you 180 seconds within which to swap out the main battery without switching off the phoneUlefone has already made a name for itself in the rugged smartphone business. Now, it's got a sub-brand that's focused on more niche innovations for people who want more differentiated devices – and its first flagship product is quite something.Continue ReadingCategory: Mobile Technology,