odd look at news on the web
Spray-on armor for plants offers a new tool for global food security
11 January 2026 @ 7:03 am
Because of industrial climate chaos, catastrophic economic inequality, war and displacement, there is, as the United Nations puts it succinctly, a global food crisis in 68 countries, with 318 million people facing acute hunger. Simultaneous famines in two countries (Palestine and Sudan) – which the UN calls “a devastating first this century” – threaten millions of lives.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: BYD overtakes Tesla as the world’s largest EV manufacturer
11 January 2026 @ 3:03 am
The year is 2011, Tesla CEO Elon Musk was asked in a Bloomberg interview whether Chinese automaker BYD Auto posed a real competitive threat to Tesla. Musk cheekily laughed and said, "Have you seen their car? I don’t think they have a great product… I don’t think the technology is very strong."Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Enterprise-grade Atlas humanoids heading for Hyundai factories
10 January 2026 @ 11:03 pm
Boston Dynamics has unveiled the new industry-ready Atlas, a humanoid designed as a practical industrial tool for warehouses and factories. Atlas can operate 24/7 in extreme temperatures, and uses AI to adapt to its environment. Production has already started.Continue ReadingCategory: AI and Humanoids, TechnologyTags: Clever inflatable kitchen packs flat, pumps up into campsite cookery
10 January 2026 @ 8:34 pm
The smaller you try to make a micro-camper or tiny trailer, the less space you have to install conventional camping essentials. The bathroom tends to be the first thing to go, but eventually the kitchen might have to follow. Then you're stuck with a backpacking stove, or maybe a box of Pop-Tarts. German startup Stuff Bubble has a different idea on how even the smallest camping vehicles can bring along a complete kitchen. Its collapsible kitchen weighs just 33 lb (15 kg) fully equipped, packs flat on the vehicle floor, and inflates into form at camp, offering a sink, worktop and even a refrigerator.Ancient cannabis enzymes have been resurrected to power new drugs
10 January 2026 @ 9:03 am
Cannabis produces a complex suite of bioactive compounds, including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), but how these molecules evolved has long been a mystery. Now, new research has shed light on their origin story – and opened the door to innovative ways of harnessing these compounds for human medicine.Continue ReadingCategory: Society & Community, Wellness and Healthy Living, Pro enduro racer reveals first proper hard enduro e-moto
10 January 2026 @ 5:03 am
You know you have a proper enduro motorcycle on your hands when it has Graham Jarvis’ credentials behind it. That’s the Jarv-E project, born from a collaboration between Jarvis and Austrian motorcycle engineer David Freidinger.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Electric Vehicles, 90-second tent is the stealthiest, lightest pickup camper out there
10 January 2026 @ 12:04 am
Depending on how you look at it, the all-new Camp Tonneau Tent could be called an integrated, fast-pitch truck tent, an ultralight, affordable pop-up pickup camper, or a tonneau cover that doubles as a truck-back shelter. Or, you could rightfully consider it all three. Weighing less than most rooftop tents and taking up far less space than a camper, the simple, no-frills solution is always at the ready for a camping trip but stows completely out of the way for unencumbered everyday commuting and cargo hauling. It sets up into a hybrid hard/soft-walled shelter in about a minute and a half.Target-seeking toothpaste goes after bacteria that cause gum disease
9 January 2026 @ 10:16 pm
There could be new hope in the fight against gum disease. Scientists have developed a toothpaste that targets only the bacteria that cause periodontitis, leaving the rest of the oral microbiome healthy and intact.Continue ReadingCategory: Medical Innovations, Body and MindTags: Ti-bodied multitool packs a pry bar, screwdriver, blade and bottle opener
9 January 2026 @ 9:53 pm
Everyday carry tools have evolved far beyond simple pocketknives. They are smaller and lighter than ever and come in diverse designs, turning them pretty much into practical accessories and a reflection of personal taste.Continue ReadingCategory: Knives and Multitools, Gear, OutdoorsTags: EDC, Transformable winter footwear morphs from snowshoes to mini skis
9 January 2026 @ 7:00 pm
Wintertime offers plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors: downhill and cross-country skiing, snowshoeing on untouched terrain, or hiking through quiet forest. The only problem is that each of these activities requires its own specialized set of gear, and it’s often heavy, not very cheap, and impossible to carry all at once. But what if a single piece of equipment could do it all?Continue ReadingCategory: Ski and Snowbo