FatCam: Museum of London’s livestream of a rancid hunk of sewage proves popular
The Museum of London put part of a fatberg on display earlier this year, and the rancid filth proved to be a surprising hit with visitors. Evidently keen to share the mutating muck with a wider audience, the museum has just launched a livestream of its fatberg for everyone around the world to enjoy.
Lifeguards in Germany link child drownings to smartphone-distracted parents
Lifeguard organizations in Germany are urging parents to put away their smartphones and keep an eye on their children when visiting the beach of lake. They've suggested that too many parents are buried in their handsets instead of supervising their children while they're playing in the water.
Cotton and corn! Reebok’s newest sneaker is ‘made from things that grow’
Keen to move away from using oil-based materials to make its shoes, Reebok's latest design features a woven upper made from organic cotton, a base originating from industrial-grown corn, and an insole using castor bean oil. No dyes have been used, either, and the packaging is 100 percent recyclable.
Airbnb wants to make it much easier for you to plan a trip with your buddies
Airbnb is planning a bunch of new features that'll make arranging trips with friends and family a much more collaborative experience. It includes a way to add co-travelers to a trip so that each member can add suggestions and comments as you build an itinerary together.
Film-processing lab offers fascinating behind-the-scenes look
With digital cameras now offering excellent results, it's no wonder most photographers have made the switch. But there are still many who swear by film and continue to use it. Keen to see how film is developed, The Silent Camera recently took his vlogging camera inside Richard Photo Lab in California.
Watch how Nikon tests the durability of its D850 professional DSLR
Nikon's professional D850 DSLR won plaudits when it launched in 2017. It was praised not only for producing excellent images, but also for its robust, weather-resistant design. The Japanese camera firm has released a video offering insight into how it tested its camera to make it as durable as possible.
A U.S. comedy that ended in 2004 is now the most-streamed show in the U.K.
It ended 14 years ago, but Netflix has given U.S. comedy Friends a new lease of life in Britain. In fact, it's currently the most-streamed show there, beating the likes of The Grand Tour and Stranger Things. Friends ran from 1994 through 2004, with the streaming rights bought by Netflix in 2014 for $118 million.
Airbus Zephyr solar aircraft breaks record for longest flight
A solar-powered aircraft built by Airbus recently broke the record for the longest continuous flight. The Zephyr S stayed aloft for nearly 25 days, 23 hours, and 57 minutes, taking the aircraft another step closer to becoming a viable alternative to satellite technology.
Smelly shoes? Panasonic’s deodorizer kit promises to waste the whiff
If your shoes always stink and you're yet to find a way to waste the whiff, then Panasonic's new machine may be just the ticket. No one likes funky footwear, but the Japanese tech company claims its unique cleansing system will remove the stench and leave your shoes smelling as fresh as the day you bought them.
Watch this giant ‘Lego’ helicopter drone take to the skies
Adam Woodworth loves to build flying machines. His latest effort is a "Lego" helicopter created from polystyrene foam that comes with a drone attached to help get it airborne. His YouTube channel features an array of cleverly constructed aircraft, and he's happy to help anyone interested in building similar designs.
Airbnb calls off Great Wall sleepover contest after backlash
Airbnb has called off a contest that would've given winners a night's stay in an open-air bedroom on the Great Wall of China. The move followed a backlash that started on Chinese social media, with some fearing the famous landmark could suffer damage as a result of the competition, among other reasons.
Your Uber Eats delivery fee is going up (or maybe down)
Uber Eats has ended its flat-rate $5 delivery fee and now sets it according to how close you are to the restaurant. The meal-delivery service will now charge between $2 and $8, giving customers the chance to save a few bucks by choosing nearby restaurants rather than those on the other side of town.
World’s only revolving glass floor debuts at Space Needle
Observation decks aren’t everyone’s idea a relaxing afternoon out, but if you have a head for heights and find yourself in Seattle, then how about dropping by the Space Needle to enjoy its recent $100 million refit that includes the world’s first all-glass revolving floor as part of its 500-foot-high viewing platform.
Alexa’s oddball ‘Away Mode’ skill aims to keep burglars at bay
A new Alexa skill plays spoken conversations when you’re out — useful for deterring potential house burglars. Designed more as a bit of fun and to prompt people to review their home security setup, “Away Mode” offers a choice of quirky conversation topics written by SNL comedy writers, among others.
This wacky foot-long macro lens lets you probe deep into the insect world
Have you ever seen such an odd-looking lens? Venus Optics’ Laowa Macro Probe lens has a long, slim barrel that’s designed to let you get into the spaces conventional macro designs can’t easily access. If you’re a photographer interested in the bug world, the Laowa Macro Probe could be just the ticket.
Mavic 2 leaked specs reveal two versions, one with a Hasselblad camera
When DJI released the nifty little Mavic Air at the start of the year, there seemed few reasons to fork out for the older Mavic Pro. But a leak from a British retail store suggests DJI is prepping two new versions, one with a better quality camera and one with a zoom lens, among other new features.
Start the week with this amusing video of a dog stealing a GoPro
If you leave your GoPro camera lying around, don’t be surprised if a curious dog snatches it and runs off. That’s what appears to happen in a video posted recently online. Filming the dog’s face the whole time, the footage is a comedy masterclass, with the mutt’s face and well-timed pauses providing lots of laughs.
Check out these cheesy TV ads for tech stuff from yesteryear
These days, tech firms spend millions of dollars on complex, multi-layered ad campaigns to market their latest wares. But just a few decades ago, such campaigns were as basic as the products they proffered. We've tracked down some of the best ads from yesteryear, many of them as cheesy as a fully loaded pizza.
It’s curtains for Kuri: Work ceased on robot companion project
Eighteen months after it made its debut at CES 2017, Mayfield Robotics announced this week that it’s ending development of Kuri, its robotic companion. The wheel-based bot was described as an “intelligent pet” and acted as an interactive and mobile videographer, capturing everyday moments around the home.
Hyperloop pod reaches fastest speed yet in Elon Musk’s latest contest
A Hyperloop passenger pod just hit a new speed record of almost 300 mph. The record was set by a German team of engineering students at a Hyperloop contest in California, which was attended by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who first set out his idea for the ultra-fast transportation system in 2013.
The top-selling digital photography book can be yours for free now
A top-selling photography book offering tips and advice for all levels is currently available as a free download. Offered by popular photography vloggers Tony and Chelsea Northrup, the couple have launched the limited-time offer to celebrate their YouTube channel reaching a million subscribers.
Pilot’s sneaky puff on his e-cigarette causes chaos on passenger plane
A relaxing smoke turned out to be anything but for an Air China pilot last week. As he flew from Hong Kong to a city in eastern China, an effort to prevent the vapor from reaching the passengers in the cabin ended up causing untold chaos on the aircraft, with the incident ultimately costing the pilot his job.
Postmates delivers its on-demand service to 100 additional U.S. cities
Postmates' on-demand delivery service has launched in 100 additional cities across the U.S., marking its biggest expansion to date. New locations include Cleveland, Detroit, and Memphis, and Santa Barbara as the company seeks to take on the likes of Grubhub, UberEats, and DoorDash with fast meal delivery and more.
High-tech road signs detect phone use in cars, flash a warning to drivers
A high-tech roadside system is being tested in the U.K. to try to stop people using their phone behind the wheel. A scanner can detect if someone in the car is making a call on their phone. When it spots such behavior, a sign further up the road flashes a warning telling them to stop using their handset.
How did this Lamborghini Huracan end up ‘parked’ beneath a Honda Civic?
Hurtling from 0 to 60 quicker than you can say, "I think I just hit the gas instead of the brake," the Lamborghini Huracan is the kind of car that requires much care when behind the wheel. But that ol' pedal mix-up recently cost one driver dearly, leaving his Huracan parked right beneath a Honda Civic.
Airbus to build Mars rover to get first soil samples back to Earth
Getting soil samples from Mars back to Earth would give scientists a big chance to learn a lot more about the red planet. NASA and its European counterpart, ESA, recently announced the intention to embark on such a project, and this week asked Airbus to build a "fetch" rover to help retrieve the samples.
Guy dunks a ‘naked’ iPhone X to make a whimsical underwater movie
London-based filmmaker Frederic van Strydonck recently decided to see how his iPhone X handled the occasional dunk while shooting video underwater. He started to build a collection of whimsical, dream-like clips that he thought he could edit together to make a short film. The result is Spltch.
Honda seeks to reclaim record for world’s fastest lawn mower — seriously
Those crazy folks at Honda have updated their Mean Mower with an even more powerful engine, and it's planning to set a new speed record with it soon. Partnering with touring-car firm Team Dynamics, the new mower will use a 1,000-cc, 190-horsepower engine from Honda's SP1 Fireblade sports bike.
Postal Service ordered to pay $3.5M for its Lady Liberty stamp blunder
The U.S. Postal Service has been told to a pay an artist $3.5M in copyright infringement damages after using his image of a statue for a stamp backin 2010. The Postal Service believed it featured the face of Lady Liberty, but soon discovered it was actually the face of a replica statue in Las Vegas.