odd look at news on the web
1,000-W exo-leg blades beam out lasers to adapt to changing terrain
3 December 2025 @ 10:00 pm
After years of exoskeletons built primarily for medical, workforce and military applications, the recreational sport exoskeleton is really having its marketable moment. The newest take on the technology, the Irmo M1 brings what's billed as a "world first" tweak, a multi-sensor AI system that automatically adjusts output based on the terrain ahead. It's like an adaptive automotive suspension, only for legs instead of wheels.Continue ReadingCategory: Eco-friendly biodegradable coffin is made of mushrooms
3 December 2025 @ 8:30 pm
The business of paying respect to the dead can be an eco-unfriendly matter, whether opting for a wooden coffin that contributes to deforestation, or a cremation service that produces carbon emissions. Instead, Dutch firm Loop Biotech has found a way to save forests and reduce CO2 emissions with the Loop Living Cocoon, the world’s first mushroom-based casket.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, Science16,000 dinosaur tracks uncover the largest moment of ancient life
3 December 2025 @ 7:01 pm
The extent of an incredible dinosaur highway has been revealed in Bolivia, a country where actual skeletal fossils are rare. More than 16,000 footprints, along with tail impressions from creatures of all sizes, have been fully documented – and the scale of theropod activity alone is unlike anything that's been seen before.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Geology'World's first' sodium-ion flashlight shines bright even at -40 ºF
3 December 2025 @ 2:15 pm
Okay, so you know how it absolutely sucks when you're exploring the polar icecaps and your flashlight craps out at sub-zero temperatures because it's simply too cold? Your batteries might be to blame – and the solution might be an alternative to conventional lithium-ion cells.Continue ReadingCategory: OutdoorsTags: Review: $59 owl watches your cat's habits and could help save their life
3 December 2025 @ 11:57 am
If you’ve ever wished your cat could tell you when something’s wrong – especially with kidneys, digestion or the bladder – the SiiPet LitterLens might be the closest thing we’ve got to that. And peace of mind comes at only US$59 in December.Continue ReadingCategory: Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: Pets, Pet-owners, Sony's mid-range A7 V mirrorless camera is built for speed
3 December 2025 @ 9:45 am
Four years after the A7 IV came out, Sony's given its mid-range flagship a glowup – making it a more versatile option that'll better serve your photo and video shooting needs around the US$3,000 mark.Continue ReadingCategory: Photography, Consumer Tech, TechnologyTags: CaNorthrop Grumman's nav system built to withstand hypersonic abuse
3 December 2025 @ 4:33 am
Hypersonic vehicles aren't much use if you don't know where they're going, so Northrop Grumman is developing new navigation systems for autonomous craft that can stand up to the rigors of flying at speeds of over Mach 5.Continue ReadingCategory: Military, TechnologyTags: Aircraft, Hypersonic, Bears pulled off one of evolution’s biggest rule breaks – twice
3 December 2025 @ 3:17 am
Bears look like textbook mammals, but hidden in their evolutionary history are two dramatic departures from the standard blueprint of growth and adaptation. For the first time, scientists have unlocked when, and how, ancient bears broke the rules and hacked nature out of need.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Fossils, Teeth, Solar arrays will be manufactured in space by 2027
3 December 2025 @ 12:03 am
Commercial spaceflight is booming and looks to go into full-on kaboom stage in the near future, sparking the need for an ever-increasing supply of solar panels. To fill this need, Dcubed is developing its ARAQYS system to directly manufacture arrays in orbit.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: 3D Printing, Solar PowerRetro-fab micro-camping trailer is an extra-cozy fiberglass escape pod
2 December 2025 @ 10:04 pm
While one staple North American fiberglass 'egg' camper builder was preparing its first-ever off-road-specific trailer, another was putting the finishing touches on its smallest, lightest trailer to date. The all-new E13 shrinks down Escape Trailer's rock-solid insulated fiberglass construction to two-sleeper+ size, creating a tiny habitat that tows and stows with ease. And Escape offers a full baker's dozen of color options that range from explosively retro to three shades of gray.Continue ReadingCategory: Camping