Lifestyle
The latest news on health, home innovation, design, architecture and outdoor living.
$2K Ikea-like camper kit turns Tesla Model X or RAV4 into a micro RV
August 15, 2023
The Van Lab SUV Kit makes functional camping rigs out of popular SUVs and crossovers, from the Tesla Model X and Y to the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Inspired by Ikea furniture, the kits are shipped flat and assembled into form by the buyer.
Health & Wellbeing
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Healthy heart diet decreases likelihood of miscarriage by up to 15%
September 05, 2023A new study has found that women undergoing infertility treatments who eat a diet recommended by the American Heart Association as being good for heart health can reduce their chances of having a miscarriage. -
Fingertip sweat could be used for kinder, gentler drug compliance testing
September 05, 2023When someone is using antipsychotic drugs, it's important that they take the correct dosage, and that they don't abruptly stop taking the medication. Soon, a fingerprint sweat test could be used to check that such people are following instructions. -
Smoking, vaping linked to eye problems in young people
September 05, 2023A new study has found a link between cigarette and e-cigarette use by adolescents and young adults and the frequency and severity of eye problems they reported. The effects were worse for those that used both cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
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Outdoors
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Thule Outset detachable hitch tent drops rooftop car camping to ground
September 01, 2023Thule channels its hitch and rooftop tent expertise into a new style of vehicle tent designed to offer the best of both vehicle and ground camping. The new Outset tent rides on the car hitch, rolling out at camp to become an above-ground shelter. -
Samsung takes movie night to the backyard with 85-inch outdoor TV
August 31, 2023Back in 2020, Samsung introduced a bunch of Terrace 4K televisions that were optimized for use outdoors. Now the company has launched its biggest family member to date, an 85-inch monster that commands an equally monstrous price. -
ADK26's two-part handle makes it both a hatchet and a log-splitting axe
August 30, 2023While a short, light hatchet is great for intricate tasks such as making kindling, carving, or clearing trails, nothing beats a long-handled axe for chopping logs into firewood. With its two-part handle, the ADK26 is made to serve both purposes.
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Tiny Houses
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Gaïa Tiny House goes extra wide and long to offer spacious interior
September 04, 2023Baluchon's latest tiny house is a departure from the French firm's usual pint-sized dwellings. Named the Gaïa Tiny House, it measures 36 sq m and that allows for a roomy interior layout, with enough space for a small family to live in comfort. -
Seriously compact tiny house offers a taste of small living for less
August 31, 2023Many tiny houses nowadays are almost as big and expensive as full-size apartments. However, this example, by Dragon Tiny Homes, goes back to basics with an actually small tiny house that doesn't break the bank, starting at $44,950. -
Off-grid tiny house showcases superb timber craftsmanship
August 30, 2023Madeiguincho was founded by a family of carpenters and its homes showcase its expertise with all things wood. The Vigia is the latest example of the firm's craftsmanship and provides a light-filled home that runs off-the-grid.
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Architecture
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Ring-shaped viewing point provides spectacular views from 2,000 ft up
September 05, 2023A team of architects and designers has revealed plans for a Viking-inspired circular viewing point in Iceland. It will be perched on a mountain slope at a height of 650 m and cantilever outwards to provide spectacular views of the surrounding area. -
Science Forest museum puts nature at the heart of learning
August 31, 2023ADAT Studio has revealed plans to create a new energy efficient and greenery filled science museum in Rome. Named the Science Forest, the building will feature galleries and exhibition areas arranged around an interior public park. -
Striking wraparound concrete facade keeps luxury home in the shade
August 28, 2023Contaminar Arquitectos takes an unorthodox but visually striking approach to keeping the Quinta do Rei 18 home a comfortable temperature. The firm has wrapped the residence in a twisting concrete facade that protects it from the sunshine in Portugal.
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Around the Home
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Plantone automates indoor growing of year-round fresh greens
August 24, 2023Nothing can rescue a bland meal quite like fresh herbs, but not everyone has access to outdoor space to grow their own. That's where indoor smart gardens come in, and the latest from Plantone allows growers to use regular soil and seeds. -
Non-stick toilet bowl eliminates skidmarks, even after sandpapering
August 22, 2023Chinese researchers claim they've come up with a novel 3D-printed toilet bowl, impregnated with lubricant, that'll make toilet brushes redundant. Unlike non-stick coatings, this one stays slippery even if you sandpaper it until it's wafer-thin. -
Halo-like smart bar auto-mixes 1,000s of cocktails in your living room
August 18, 2023The original Barsys cocktail machine looks like it belongs only in an actual bar. The new Barsys 360, however, is more a piece of high-tech home decor, immersing one's glass in a vertical amphitheater of mixology with the skills of an ace bartender.
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Good Thinking
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New spin on 159-year-old tech could easily visualize air leaks in homes
September 01, 2023Nobody wants to live in a drafty house, yet checking for substantial air leaks within a home can be a complex process. Scientists have now devised what could be a much easier method of doing so, utilizing a technique that dates back to 1864. -
High-tech pig pad designed to cool hot hogs
August 31, 2023Hog barns typically aren't the nicest places to be at the best of times, but try living in one during a heat wave. Scientists at Indiana's Purdue University have developed a self-activating hog-cooling pad for just such situations. -
New technique harvests antioxidants from olive oil processing waste
August 22, 2023A great deal of peel, pulp and stone waste is constantly being generated in the production of olive oil. And while that waste is often just dumped or incinerated, it could soon be used as a source of valuable antioxidants.
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Children
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Review: Turing Tumble lets kids build complex marble-powered computers
November 14, 2022Minnesota company Upper Story has sent us its Turing Tumble, a fascinating educational toy that quietly tricks kids into inventing binary logic computers using nothing more than tiny marbles dropping through a series of clicky-clacky plastic pieces. -
Shark Wheel proves it's cool to be square with mini electric cars for kids
June 28, 2022Back in 2013, California-based startup Shark Wheel hit Kickstarter with a very odd-looking cube-shaped skateboard wheel. Now the company has supersized the design for a pair of funky electric cars for kids – the Shark SUV and the Shark UTV. -
Infalurt warns drivers of babies forgotten in cars
March 18, 2022If a driver is preoccupied, or if there's a disruption to their routine, they can forget and leave their baby in their car – if that car then gets too hot, the result can be lethal. The Infalurt Child Safety System is designed to keep such scenarios from unfolding.
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Remarkable People
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SR-71 pilot, photographer and storyteller Brian Shul dies at 75
May 21, 2023The aviation world has lost one of its brightest luminaries. Major Brian Shul was an incredible survivor and a top gun pilot – but also a gifted photographer and storyteller, whose stories about the extraordinary SR-71 Blackbird will live forever. -
Soggy professor breaks underwater-living record in sea habitat
May 16, 2023An adventurous professor from the University of South Florida has broken the world record for living in an underwater habitat. Joseph Dituri has called the submurged Jules’ Undersea Lodge home since March 1, and intends to remain there until June 9. -
Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance found after 107 years under the ice
March 09, 2022The wreck of one of the most famous exploration ships in history has been located. Using a robotic submersible, the Falklands Maritime Heritage Trust has found Sir Ernest Shackleton's Endurance, which was crushed in the Antarctic pack ice in 1915.
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Pets
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Rubicon Dog is a pooch-holding canine booster seat
August 11, 2023Many people seatbelt their dog on car rides, but they don't want the critter messing up the seats. The Rubicon Dog is designed with just such folks in mind, as it safely secures pooches while containing their loose fur and dirty paws. -
StayrAI performs automatic water-changes so aquarists don't have to
July 10, 2023Regular water-changes are essential to the wellbeing of aquarium fish, but the task sometimes gets missed, plus it can be hard to determine how much water should be replaced, and how often. That's where the automated StayrAI Rein system comes in. -
Dog personality determined by much more than breed, study finds
May 30, 2023Often, the decision to get a Rottweiler over a Chihuahua is made based on personality. A new study has found that while the breed is an important factor, a dog’s personality is determined by a complex interaction between genetics and environment.
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Holiday Destinations
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"Hologram zoo" opens in Australia
July 26, 2023Axiom Holographics has opened a unique family attraction in Brisbane, Australia, a kind of augmented reality zoo built around a much larger version of Euclideon's multi-viewpoint 3D display tables and Unlimited Detail graphics engine. -
111 Resources, ideas & opportunities for people who can "work from anywhere"
March 23, 2023The collective mindset change that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have begun a societal revolution that may well return us to our nomadic origins. We've collected a list of resources available for those who can work-from-anywhere. -
Airbnb lets visitors haunt the halls of the Phantom of the Opera's home
February 21, 2023Airbnb regularly offers the chance to stay in one-of-a-kind places, and has now teamed up with Palais Garnier, the Paris opera house which inspired the Phantom of the Opera novel, to offer a night of luxury and a rare look behind the scenes.
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