odd look at news on the web
Watch: Mad scientist swaps bicycle suspension springs for magnets
14 December 2025 @ 10:03 pm
Colin Furze used to be a plumber, but really found his calling building wacky contraptions, like a homemade hoverbike, a bicycle with wheels made of ice, and automatic Wolverine claws. He even set the world record for the fastest pram (stroller) by fitting an engine on it.Continue ReadingCategory: Bicycles, TransportTags: Extra-wide tiny house adds apartment comfort to small-space living
14 December 2025 @ 5:03 pm
Downsizing to a tiny house doesn't have to mean giving up your home comforts. The Juniper leans into this idea and even gives some traditional apartments a run for their money. The home is arranged around a spacious single-floor layout and squeezes in a large bathroom with a full-sized bathtub.Continue ReadingCategory: Tiny Houses, OutdoorsTags: Most radioactive site in US is moving on from the Manhattan Project
14 December 2025 @ 2:03 pm
A nuclear production facility in Washington state, dubbed the Hanford site, once forged the plutonium that reshaped the world. Now it’s forging glass; a quiet act of undoing at one of Earth’s most contaminated sites.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, ScienceTags: Nuclear, Nuclear weapons, Radial-flux motors supercharge new hybrid supersonic engine design
14 December 2025 @ 12:03 pm
It may seem like a horse-drawn Zeppelin, but Astro Mechanica seems to be all-in on its revolutionary hybrid-electric supersonic jet engine as it partnered with UK-based engineering firm Helix to add high-energy density radial-flux motors to the tech.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: Supersonic, Space startup wants to turn satellites into 24/7 solar transmitters
14 December 2025 @ 10:03 am
Another day, another ambitious company emerges to harness the power of the Sun from Earth's orbit.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, TechnologyTags: Solar Power, Satellite, Peugeot revives and electrifies cult 70s moped
14 December 2025 @ 4:03 am
Not too long ago, the Peugeot 103 was ruling the streets of France. These were "pedal-and-pop" bikes, meaning they required the rider to pedal them for the two-stroke 50cc engine to kick in. And you didn’t even need a license – since they were limited to around 28 mph (45 km/h) – so they were all the rage back then.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, Review: Sub-$2K feature-loaded rooftop tent might be USA's best value
13 December 2025 @ 10:04 pm
After years of admiring iKamper as the modern innovator behind the expandable three/four-person rooftop tent (RTT), we think we've found a new favorite family-size RTT. The Vision XL from Topoak offers a thoughtful design for less than half the MSRP of iKamper's Skycamp 3.0 and other major competitors. While it might not be perfect, the tent packs an impressive blend of materials and features for that bargain price. And its biggest drawback is easily fixable.Fastest civilian jet enters service at near-supersonic speed
13 December 2025 @ 6:03 pm
Civilian supersonic flight may not have made its anticipated revival yet but there's still a need for speed as shown by Bombardier, which has announced that its Global 8000 business jet is entering service with a claimed top speed of Mach 0.95.Continue ReadingCategory: Aircraft, TransportTags: Bombardier, Business Jet, You'll never guess where this skyscraper is going to be built...
13 December 2025 @ 3:03 pm
We're used to seeing new skyscrapers regularly announced for major cities like Dubai, New York, and Shenzhen. However, this ambitious project is slated for somewhere totally unexpected: a remote Swiss village.. Named Lina Peak, the project has absolutely nothing to do with that other plan to do the same thing, and will totally transform the area if completed.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, 13 HP Kawasaki single might soon become America's cheapest retro moto
13 December 2025 @ 12:03 pm
Everyone’s been crying out for the likes of Harley-Davidson, Indian, and Triumph to release more accessible, entry-level retro classics in the West, but much of it has been in vain. Well, Kawasaki is reportedly ready to answer that call with its W175 LTD.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Kawasak