Glamping on the roof of a Kia Sorento is better than it sounds
Throw a Roofnest on top of a car and you’ve got yourself a weekend away. Enlarge / The Roofnest tent is quick to deploy and keeps you off the ground. (credit: Tim Stevens) I've had a fascination with rooftop tents ever sin.....»»
How to create spooky Halloween effects with smart home lighting and sound
Up your Halloween decorating game this year by using smart home lighting and sounds to spook your neighbors and trick-or-treaters......»»
Loog’s clever new instrument looks like a keyboard but sounds like the real thing
The Loog Piano may be a fun, kid-size instrument, but that doesn’t mean it should look or sound like one. In 2010, Rafael Atijas set out to reimagine the kids’ guitar by making it fun, approachable, and appropriately sized for children.....»»
Scientists find the sounds beneath our feet are fingerprints of rock stability
If you could sink through the Earth's crust, you might hear, with a carefully tuned ear, a cacophany of booms and crackles along the way. The fissures, pores, and defects running through rocks are like strings that resonate when pressed and stressed......»»
Magnetic fusion plasma engines could carry us across the solar system and into interstellar space
Missions to the moon, missions to Mars, robotic explorers to the outer solar system, a mission to the nearest star, and maybe even a spacecraft to catch up to interstellar objects passing through our system. If you think this sounds like a descriptio.....»»
New research shows plants could worsen air pollution on a warming planet
It's a simple question that sounds a little like a modest proposal: "Should we cut down all the oak trees?" asks Tom Sharkey, a University Distinguished Professor in the Plant Resilience Institute at Michigan State University......»»
The cat larynx can produce purring sounds without cyclical neural input
A recent investigation led by voice scientist Christian T. Herbst from the University of Vienna, published in Current Biology, delivers novel insights into how cats produce their purring sounds. A special "pad" embedded in the vocal folds might expla.....»»
Unique voice prints in parrots could help birds be recognized in a flock, no matter what they say
Parrots are exceptional talkers. They can learn new sounds during their entire lives, amassing an almost unlimited vocal repertoire. At the same time, parrots produce calls so they can be individually recognized by members of their flock—raising th.....»»
Scientists zero in on the life-threatening fungus, Candida auris" ability to stick
In 2009, a mysterious fungus emerged seemingly from out of thin air, targeting the most vulnerable among us. It sounds like Hollywood, but the fungus in question poses a very real threat. Scientists are scrambling to figure out what makes the life-th.....»»
Microsoft Copilot sounds great. Here’s why I definitely won’t use it
Microsoft's Copilot is groundbreaking, and yet, I'm really not that eager to start using it......»»
Diamond materials as solar-powered electrodes: Spectroscopy shows what"s important
It sounds like magic: photoelectrodes could convert the greenhouse gas CO2 back into methanol or N2 molecules into valuable fertilizer—using only the energy of sunlight......»»
So long, robotic Alexa. Amazon"s voice assistant gets more human-like with generative AI
Amazon's Alexa is about to bring generative AI inside the house, as the company introduces sweeping changes to how its ubiquitous voice assistant both sounds and functions......»»
The new iOS 17 notification sound is quieter, and there’s no way to change it back
Alongside the dozens of new iPhone features found in iOS 17, Apple also took the opportunity to update the collection of ringtone and alert sounds. There’s a bunch of new tones to choose from in the Sounds setting for incoming alerts, text alerts a.....»»
Radiation Is Everywhere. But It’s Not All Bad
Although radiation sounds scary, it isn’t necessarily harmful. Here’s what to know about the four types......»»
AI and sound - helping firms build their own "sonic identity"
Artificial intelligence is assisting companies in developing their own signature sounds......»»
WD’s new SSD is the Steam Deck upgrade you’ve been waiting for
Western Digital has announced the new SN770M SSD, which is built for devices like the Steam Deck and ROG Ally, and sounds blistering fast......»»
Urban oases combine roof gardens and solar panels
Combining solar panels and a roof garden is a tricky and costly engineering task......»»
Striking gold with molecular mystery solution for potential clean energy
Hydrogen spillover is exactly what it sounds like. Small metal nanoparticles anchored on a thermally stable oxide, like silica, comprise a major class of catalysts, which are substances used to accelerate chemical reactions without being consumed the.....»»
Q&A: Year-round school—difference-maker or waste of time?
Contrary to how it sounds, "year-round" school usually doesn't mean students going to school throughout the year—or for more days than other students. Often it just means switching up the calendar so that there's not such a long summer break. Below.....»»
Experiencing the texture of skateboard sounds can help bridge divisions, new research says
Experiencing the harsh sounds of skateboarding can help bridge the gulf between the joy and distaste of the noises created by the sport, a new study says......»»
Ex-NASA surveillance van with retractable roof cameras goes on sale
The $26,795 van is filled with audio and video recorders, radios, and cameras. Enlarge / $27,000 is a lot to pay for a 2006 Ford Econoline, but this one is not your average van. (credit: Chicago Motors) Yesterday aftern.....»»