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Laser Beam Umbrella

Laser Beam Umbrella

Some people have tried to make unconventional umbrellas, but for the most part, a traditional design is the most efficient way to keep raindrops from falling on your head. In this clip from Randall Munroe and Henry Reich’s What If? series, they explore a hypothetical and impractical invention – a powerful laser that vaporizes raindrops out of the sky as they fall.

NECA RoboCop ED-209 Talking Action Figure

NECA RoboCop ED-209 Talking Action Figure
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NECA’s 10″ tall version of OmniCorp’s ED-209 crimefighting robot perfectly matches the one on-screen. It’s fully poseable with a moving head, legs, arm wing panels, and cannon arms. It’s the perfect match for NECA’s 7″ RoboCop figures, and it makes mechanical sounds and speaks, “Warning: throw down your weapon. You have 15 seconds to comply.”

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Boston Typewriter Orchestra: Selectric Funeral

Boston Typewriter Orchestra: Selectric Funeral

The Boston Typewriter Orchestra is hoping to score a spot on NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert. Their 2024 submission to the popular show is this mechanical tour de force titled Selectric Funeral, a rhythmic and enigmatic track performed on four vintage typewriters, bells, and effects pedals. It’s also their first song to incorporate an electric typewriter.

Synthesizer Cat Scratch Toy

Synthesizer Cat Scratch Toy
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Every cat can be Keyboard Cat with this synthesizer cat scratcher from Suck UK. The Mog Sub Catty Feline Synthesizer features a large cardboard scratching surface in place of keys, along with a pitch/mod ball for kitty to bat at. Buy a bunch, and let your kitty pretend to be this guy.

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (Trailer)

Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story (Trailer)

Jeff Minter is the mind behind video game classics like Gridrunner, Attack of the Mutant Camels, Tempest 2000, and Polybius. Known for his offbeat and psychedelic style, 42 of his games have been collected into this interactive documentary, which lets you learn about their creator then play the games. Coming to Switch, Xbox, PS4, PS5, and PC 3.13.2024.

Kershaw Recap Bottle Opener + Pry Tool

Kershaw Recap Bottle Opener + Pry Tool
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Kershaw’s bargain-priced pocket tool makes it easy to pop open bottles, pry objects apart, and can also turn some flathead screws. It’s made from durable stainless steel and has a loop for attaching a keychain or lanyard. Weighs just 0.3 oz.

Making an Industrial Machinist’s Chair

Making an Industrial Machinist’s Chair

Maker Neil Paskin returned to his workshop to build another great piece of functional craft. He fabricated this vintage-style industrial chair using hand-cut and bent steel for its legs and support structure and gently curved wood for its back and seat. We love how he made his own plywood from reclaimed floorboards.

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The Hrdwood Headphone Stands

The Hrdwood Headphone Stands
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Etsy seller The Hrdwood makes these elegant wooden headphone stands that put your over-the-ear cans in a place of honor instead of lying on a tabletop or stuffed into a drawer. They come in two versions – a smooth arch or a stair-stepped tunnel design. Each stand is handmade from your choice of walnut or light ash wood.

Patterns in Heated Fluids

Patterns in Heated Fluids

When you heat fluids, they typically produce patterns. Science expert Steve Mould built a special rig that lets us see how these turbulent patterns emerge when applying heat. He tested with a few different liquids and particles to visualize these fascinating flows. Things get really interesting when mixing oil with mica.

Zippo Bit Safe Lighter Insert

Zippo Bit Safe Lighter Insert
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This handy gadget converts a spare Zippo lighter case into a pocket screwdriver. It fits all Classic Zippo cases and provides a magnetic bit driver where the flame usually would be, along with storage for three bits on its underside. The set includes four bits: #1 Phillips, #2 Phillips, #2 Flat, and T20 Torx.

The Crustacean Tier List

The Crustacean Tier List

Thanks to their sturdy exoskeletons, claws, and ability to regenerate limbs, crustaceans are some of the most interesting animals on Earth. TierZoo takes an in-depth look at these hard-shelled arthropods and stacks up the offenses, defenses, and other abilities of these crusty creatures, from the lowly barnacle to the mighty mantis shrimp.

Shark MessMaster Vacuum

Shark MessMaster Vacuum
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Shark’s portable MessMaster vacuum cleaner handles just about any kind of spill with ease. It makes quick work of dirt, dust, and crumbs and can also suck up wet messes like food and drink spills. It won’t lose suction, and its Anybag tech lets use its dirt cup with a small trash bag for quick cleanup. It also self-cleans by vacuuming up a cup of water.

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Five EDC Faves from February 2024

Five EDC Faves from February 2024

Everyday Carry’s latest curated collection includes some great new knives, bags, shoes, and headphones for your loadout. We’re big fans of the massive Mission Workshop Mass Transit duffle and the versatile but cleanly designed CIVIVI Sendy flipper knife with its stylish selection of handles.

Bicycle to Unicycle and Back

Bicycle to Unicycle and Back

Iñigo Arroyo is a master of BMX flatland freestyle and a professional circus performer. In this short clip, he shows off a neat stunt where he removes the front wheel of his bicycle while riding, continues to balance on it as a unicycle, and then reattaches the wheel. Watch this longer video for more of Iñigo’s balancing badassery.

Palladium Pallashock Outcity Hi-Tops

Palladium Pallashock Outcity Hi-Tops
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Palladium’s Pallashock Outcity blends urban and mountaineering styles in a single shoe. The hi-top offers excellent comfort and support with a hip color-blocked upper made from leather, nylon, and suede overlays. Its chunky rubber outsole is built for durability and traction. Choose from Beluga or Mood Indigo color schemes.

Rainbow Six SMOL

Rainbow Six SMOL

Ubisoft and Netflix just dropped this lighthearted take on Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six franchise with a cartoony Roguelite shooter. Build your squad and head out on stealth missions to save the world of SMOL by defusing bombs, freeing hostages, and taking down baddies. It’s free to play but requires a Netflix subscription. Available now on iOS and Android.

Skull Tabletop Organizer + Bedside Valet

Skull Tabletop Organizer + Bedside Valet
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You’ll never forget where you put your phone, wallet, and keys if you drop them inside a human skull. Suck UK’s polyresin skull has lost its mind, so there’s plenty of space for holding your everyday accessories. It doubles as a sunglass and headphone holder and comes in bone white, goth black, or flashy gold.

The Wizard of Oz in Alphabetical Order

The Wizard of Oz in Alphabetical Order

In 2004, editor Matt Bucy chopped up The Wizard of Oz and rearranged every sound and word into alphabetical order. The result is the nonsensical but oddly compelling Of Oz the Wizard, or as commenter Jenny Reiswig put it even better, The Wizard of A to Z. Despite the task’s apparent complexity, he says most of the work only took about 20 hours.

AceStand Phone Stand + Pocket Tool

AceStand Phone Stand + Pocket Tool

This surprisingly versatile gadget puts a phone stand in your pocket, plus a lot more. In addition to holding most phones, the titanium multitool packs a flat-blade screwdriver, 1/4″ and 1/6″ bit drivers, spoke wrenches, a bottle opener, a box cutter, a pry tool, rulers, a hex wrench, and more. It’s also got a hidden compartment in its center for storing a single driver bit.

El Guapo Creole Orgeat

El Guapo Creole Orgeat
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Orgeat syrup is best known for its use in the Trader Vic’s classic Mai Tai. It’s usually made with sugar and almonds, but El Guapo’s special Creole Orgeat switches things up with organic Louisiana pecans. A delicious taste of New Orleans mixed with rum and fruit juice or with whiskey and bitters for a unique Old Fashioned. It’s also tasty in coffee drinks.

Optima/Clarios Brings Free EV Charging to Dust Fest

Optima/Clarios Brings Free EV Charging to Dust Fest

Off-roading and overlanding have increased greatly in popularity; however, these venues remain largely off-limits to owners of EVs due to the lack of charging units in the backcountry. Now, Optima and parent company Clarios have created a unique and fun opportunity to encourage EV owners to get off the grid and play in the desert – with free charging.

Theory11 x Star Trek Playing Cards

Theory11 x Star Trek Playing Cards
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Celebrate your love for Star Trek with these official playing cards, artfully designed by Theory11. The cards come packed in a dark or light silver-foiled tuck box, with illustrations of Starfleet officers from The Original Series and the latest Trek movies on each face card. The backs have a symmetrical pattern inspired by the original Enterprise NCC-1701.

10 LEGO Elevator Designs

10 LEGO Elevator Designs

After testing various LEGO door mechanisms, the Brick Experiment Channel is back with another series of engineering tests using LEGO and Technic parts. While most of their brick-built elevator and lift designs are motorized, one of them runs on pneumatic power. That scissor lift and rotating lift inspired by Scotland’s Falkirk Wheel are really neat.

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