Ecoldbrew, engineered by a team of designers with experience working for brands like Xiaomi, Philips, De’Longhi and Ningbo Borine, is a portable compact coffee machine that fits 40-oz Stanley tumblers or its own custom container. It can whip up a cup of fresh cold brew coffee on the go without the need for overnight steeping or pre-ground beans.
Category: Around The Home, Lifestyle
Tags: Coffee, Beverages, Kickstarter
A team at Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (IKTS) has developed a new type of sodium-ion battery that uses lignin as a key electrode material.
Category: Energy, Technology
Tags: Fraunhofer, Sodium battery, Wood
While heartburn medication can be a lifesaver for those suffering from gastric reflux, several studies over the years have indicated that the drugs could increase stomach cancer risks more than threefold. A new meta analysis says that's likely not the case.
Category: Cancer, Illnesses and conditions, Body and Mind
Tags: Gastric cancer, heartburn, GERD, Cancer, Medication
The CRKT ToGo Driver, designed by John Wu, is a pocket-sized multi-tool that blends sleek design with practical utility, offering everyday carry enthusiasts a compact solution for quick fixes and precision work.
Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors
Tags: crkt, Driver, EDC, Multitools
We recently got the opportunity to get a Leica M11-P (which is, at its heart, the same as the M11, M11-D and M EV1) in front of our studio scene. While we've attempted to shoot the scene with the standard M11 before, but weren't able to get hold of an optimal lens to do so. Leica has this time been able to lend us the APO-Summicron-M 90mm f/2 ASPH, which has given us a much better representation of the camera's performance.
Our test scene is designed to simulate a variety of textures, colors, and detail types you'll encounter in the real world. It also has two illumination modes, full even light and low directional light, to see the effect of different lighting conditions.
Image ComparisonThis widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab.With its base ISO of 64, the Leica M11-P's processed Raws start out cleaner than most (though not all) of its full-frame, color-filter-bearing competitors and are roughly similar to the noise levels we see from cameras like the Nikon Z7 II, which also has a sub-100 base ISO. Unsurprisingly, it captures lots of detail, on par with what we expect from other cameras using Sony's 61MP sensor. At mid and high ISOs, its Raws are on par with other modern full-frame cameras.
The M11-P's JPEG engine produces pleasing colors, but isn't quite as successful at revealing the full extent of the detail captured by the Raws, even at base ISO. This becomes more evident at higher ISOs, with the camera doing a decent, but not class-leading, job of retaining details despite its noise reduction. That noise reduction also doesn't appear to be as sophisticated as what Canon, Nikon and Sony are using, leaving more chroma and luma noise in the JPEG.
We noticed the effects of shutter shock in images shot with lower speeds using the mechanical shutter, and have used electronic shutter shots for some of the samples to provide the sharpest results possible. While it's a characteristic worth being aware of when shooting with a tripod, for shooting handheld, your ability to focus the camera and hold it steady, combined with its unstabilized sensor, would more likely be the limiting factor on sharpness.
In terms of dynamic range, the M11-P performs as well as we'd expect given the excellent results we often see from this sensor, giving you plenty of latitude to pull shadows up in post or to shoot to preserve highlights.
Exposure Latitude | ISO Invariance
The M11-P is capable of excellent image quality under studio conditions, even if, realistically, that's not where the camera and its rangefinder focusing mechanism are most at home. Still, it's good to know that whatever you're trying to accomplish with it, the sensor is more than able to deliver the image quality you need.
BenQ has heard the anguished cries of movie enthusiasts who don't have the luxury of large rooms for a home cinema setup. The W5850 4K projector sports a shorter-throw lens for big-screen visuals in smaller spaces.
Category: Home Entertainment, Consumer Tech, Technology
Tags: BenQ, home theater, 4K UHD, Projectors
Each year, vast blooms of phytoplankton spread across the Southern Ocean, drawing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and fueling Antarctica’s marine food web. For decades, scientists have attributed these pulses of life to familiar forces – sunlight, winds, and ocean circulation. But new research suggests another, far less visible driver may be at work: earthquakes beneath the seafloor, whose activity may be influencing ocean surface conditions.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Ocean, Earthquake, Geology, Minerals, Marine Biology
You're looking at what seems to be a neat little pry bar – but it surprisingly fits several more handy tools into its compact titanium build. The K-01 from EDC brand Lair features said pry bar, a bottle opener, a folding knife, a ruler, and an adjustable wrench. It can also work as a screwdriver, and hang off a backpack strap, belt loop, or lanyard.
Category: Knives and Multitools, Gear, Outdoors
Tags: EDC, Tools, Kickstarter
Using the largest sample of super-agers to date, scientists have found convincing evidence that supports what many of us have suspected: Longevity isn’t just about healthy lifestyle choices, but also a good draw in the genetic lottery.
Category: Alzheimer's & Dementia, Brain Health, Body and Mind
Tags: Age-Related, anti-aging, Dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Cognitive functioning, Genetics, Genetic testing, Vanderbilt University
Never one to shy away from exploring potential avenues for the future of RVing, Dethleffs has hit this year's CMT show with a new camper concept. The C.Fold concept caravan was developed specifically for the latest vehicles, particularly electric cars and smaller autos. It tucks down low during driving before lifting at camp with the push of a button to essentially double its interior volume.
Category: Camping Trailers, Adventure Vehicles, Outdoors
Tags: Dethleffs, Caravan, Concept Vehicle, trailers, electric-camper, cmt-2026, Camping, Outdoors and Camping
It's a sad fact that antibiotics are constantly entering the environment through the wastewater stream, boosting the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. There could soon be a cheap new way of removing those antibiotics from the water, however, using plentiful pine bark.
Category: Environment, Science
Tags: Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, Wastewater, University of Oulu, Wood
Speech impairment, known as dysarthria, is a very common consequence of strokes, affecting nearly half of all survivors. A stroke can cause weakness in the facial muscles and vocal cords, making it difficult to speak fluently, clearly, or in full sentences. While most people eventually recover, the process is often slow and frustrating, and it significantly affects quality of life during rehabilitation.
Category: Good Thinking, Technology
Tags: Wearable, University of Cambridge, Strokes, Speech, Artificial Intelligence
Most watercraft spend their lives having to battle with the water beneath them. Engines roar, hulls push aside spray, and speed comes at the expense of drag, noise, and turbulence. Hydrofoiling flips this dynamic on its head. Instead of plowing through the water’s surface, a submerged foil generates lift, raising the hull clear of the water and dramatically reducing the resistance it needs to overcome.
Category: Boats and Watersports, Toys, Outdoors
Tags: Hydrofoil, Jetski, Electric Boats, electric surfboards
For our most recent Question of the Week, we asked about a topic that's near and dear to my heart: photography projects. We wondered what projects you are taking on to spark creativity and move your photography forward. We also invited you to share ones that have made a difference for you in the past, even if you're not currently working on one.
You all had some wonderful responses (and photos), sharing about long-term projects, the constraints you put on yourself to help you see things anew and the regular challenges that keep you picking up your camera.
Constraints to drive creativity This image is from Maoby's project, which involves photographing the same subject at different times of year and with different cameras.Many of you mentioned projects that may not be based on a specific period of time, but instead are more focused on applying narrow constraints on what or how you take photos. That could be taking images of the same subject or location repeatedly, or only using certain types of gear. The important thing was working on one specific thing over and over again.
Maoby: As already mentioned in your article of January 11, with a mini statuette, an approach which I have just taken up again. Another (fairly classic) example is to photograph the same subjects at different times of the year and with different cameras. Or recently, photographing with old M42 Helios lenses M42 Helios 44-2 & 44M 58mm F2.
This image of a violet-green swallow is part of Faunagraphy's project to photograph swallows and swifts right as they splash on the water.Faunagraphy: The last major project that I assigned to myself was to photograph swallows and swifts as they splash on water...Despite (or because of) the challenges, I learned so much from this project. I experimented with different wetsuit thicknesses and designs, making the most of less-than-ideal light, how to use my gear to squeeze the most juice out of it, but above all, I learned so much about my subjects!
gary_mak: My new project for 2026 is learning – and mastering – taking wide-angle landscapes with short telephoto lenses - and then pan stitching into a single "wide angle" image. I recently attended a session by Dennis Hammon at Imaging USA 2026. After seeing his magnificent landscapes and hearing his presentation about the reasons for not using a wide-angle lens, it made a lot of sense to me, so I decided that would be a good "technical improvement" project for 2026 for me: Learn how to do landscapes with short telephoto lenses and master pan stitching.
Sirhawkeye: Another project I might also do is a prime lens project (possibly with different focal lengths, but probably will start with 50mm as this is a common focal length). While these types of projects have been done to death by the photo community, they can be a good exercise in learning how to see, and how to approach a scene, especially considering you have one focal length to work with.
Time-based projects An image from SpiderJacek's photo-a-week project.In my post, I shared that I have completed many projects that involve taking a photo a day for a year, or a photo every week for a year. There were a handful of you who are tackling (or have in the past) something similar, focused on projects that have at least a rough endpoint.
SpiderJacek: "One week, one photo" project
JJack: I did many kinds of projects with the main purpose to either advance my skills or to overcome a creativity block, but none had such a profound effect as joining the Monthly Scavenger Hunt, which required me to shoot 20 differently-themed photos each month. (Actually, it allowed for some slack about using older photos as well – but new ones were much preferred.) Themes varied quite wildly – some simple, some bordering on impossible (at a given time and place). That caused me to keep the list of them in my pocket wherever I went (along with a camera, of course). And since photos were all rated at the end of the month, it was a bit of competition among the participants as well. Very friendly and good-natured, of course, but it provided that bit of extra oomph that kept me doing it for a few years.
It made me really look differently at the world around me. Every little thing became a potential motif – and a speculation about what future hunting themes might bring, so my shooting rate skyrocketed. And to this day, I still tend to shoot everything that's even a bit out of the ordinary, which has provided me with quite diverse themes for photo exhibitions as well during the years.
Jaberg: In December of 2023, I began what was intended to be a "one-year" (thirteen-issue) project, publishing a monthly minizine. Mostly of my vernacular photography, though some event and special project work was included. Limited to 25 copies, distributed to close friends, mostly fellow photographers and artists.
Unfortunately, my father’s health took a turn and, as his primary caregiver, I lost the thread of the project and stopped publishing after seven issues. I don’t beat myself up for this failure. In fact, I don’t look at it as such. I’ve said elsewhere here that I consider process to be more important than product. I got value and learned much from the work that I did. I will return to publishing soon, though possibly switching to a quarterly production schedule.
Long-term projects NiVoak is working on a long-term project photographing Romanesque Architecture.The most common responses were projects that are long-term and still ongoing. Many of these focus on specific subjects, but have been years in the making.
Vidja: One other project is to photograph the old doors and windows in old barns and farms around the region before they are gone. This started after an accidental photo of a barn door in my hometown. I now have a collection of more than 200 barn doors and old windows within walking distance of my house.
NiVoak: My Romanesque Architecture is a huge ongoing project. I was fascinated by some Romanesque column capitals in a small country church in the mountains. I have ended up photographing this architecture all over Northern Italy. The subjects range from small county churches, through to the big cathedrals.
I have put together a series of shift lenses. I love this slow photography, and I have developed a lot of new skills. I enjoy playing with perspective effects. I use a tripod when I can and use HDR as standard. I have accumulated a small library of books on the subject, as understanding what you are photographing helps enormously. So photography has been a positive cultural advancement.
Cherry_F likes to photograph plastic and junk as a challenge to find interesting images, even of the mundane.Cherry_F: I have various projects that I keep going on in parallel, but my favorite themes are plastic and junk. I believe my creativity most increased when photography prompted me to take a closer look at my environment. Especially about things we find so mundane, we don't even bother about.
Challenge yourselfThe common thread between all of these projects is that they are designed to challenge you in some capacity. Whether it's learning a new skill or mastering your gear, gaining a better understanding of a specific subject or forcing yourself to see things in new, fresh ways, your projects aim to push you in some way. If you're feeling stuck in your photography, maybe some of these responses can help you find ideas to source new inspiration or motivation.
Stay tuned for next week's edition of our Question of the Week series. You can also still participate in this question via the link below.
How do you stand out in a skyscraper-packed city like Dubai? Well, you can either build really big – or you can build eye-catching. MVRDV opted for the latter with its Inaura tower, which will be defined by a luminous, jewel-like orb nestled between the building's upper floors.
Category: Architecture, Technology
Tags: Building and Construction, Skyscrapers, Residential towers, MVRDV, Dubai
Researchers have developed a spray-on powder that turns into a wound-conforming gel when it comes in contact with blood. The breakthrough has the possibility of dramatically improving wound care in combat and other life-threatening situations.
Category: Medical Innovations, Body and Mind
Tags: Blood, bleeding, Combat, Warfare, wound-healing, First Aid, KAIST
The first-of-a-kind brain-stimulation device approved to treat attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in the US has had its efficacy questioned, with scientists believing that its Food and Drug Administration (US) approval was based on too small a study.
Category: ADHD & Autism, Brain Health, Body and Mind
Tags: King's College London, ADHD, Developmental conditions, Brain stimulation, Nerves, clinical trials, University of Southampton
The Royal Navy highlighted its Hybrid Air Wing and Atlantic Bastion strategy as Leonardo’s full-scale Proteus autonomous helicopter completed its maiden flight on January 16, marking a key step toward mixed crewed and uncrewed operations.
Category: Military, Technology
Tags: Royal Navy, Helicopter, Autonomous flight
Once written off as novelties, e-dirt bikes have matured into serious off-road machines – it's the one category that's experiencing the most growth in the two-wheeled EV space. And now, NAVEE has just come up with its first-ever dirt bike.
Category: Motorcycles, Transport
Tags: Electric Vehicles, Electric Motorcycles, Dirt Bikes, ebikes, Enduro, stark, Sur-Ron
Viltrox has released a range of high-end lenses for Nikon Z-mount, including the 85mm F1.4 Pro. These appear to have been released without a license from Nikon.
Photo: Viltrox
Nikon has responded to reports of it taking legal action against the maker of Viltrox lenses by focusing on its work with licensees of its lens mount.
"Nikon has always worked with officially licensed partner companies to expand the Z-mount ecosystem." the company said in response to questions about the lawsuit: "We promote technological advancement through healthy competition and encourage the use of third-party lenses from manufacturers licensed by Nikon."
The statement notably neither acknowledges nor denies the reports of legal action being taken.
Up until now, a large number of lenses have been available for Nikon's Z-mounts made by third-party makers that aren't part of Nikon's license program; these come in addition to the specific lenses it has issued licenses for, from Tamron and Sigma.
Translations of the court docket by Nikon Rumors suggest Nikon is claiming Viltrox's lenses infringe on patented work. A hearing is scheduled for March 2nd, 2026.
"We... encourage the use of third-party lenses from manufacturers licensed by Nikon"Like Canon, Nikon has been selective about which third-party lenses it's issued licenses for, but whereas Canon pursued both Samyang and Viltrox to prevent them from offering unlicensed products, this is the first instance we've seen of Nikon taking legal action against companies that haven't licensed the mount and its communication protocol.
If Nikon prevails in the case, we'd expect to see Z-mount Viltrox lenses withdrawn from the market. It's unclear where that would leave existing owners of Z-mount Viltrox lenses. Firmware updates for cameras have previously caused compatibility issues with unlicensed lenses, and Viltox may be blocked from updating them if the patents in question relate to the communication protocol.
Success for Nikon may also prompt other third parties to withdraw their Z-mount lenses, if they conclude their designs touch on the same patented technologies.
