Revolutionary Self-Lubricating Condoms

Other than gimmicky changes like colors, textures and flavors, condoms have remained relatively the same over the past 50 years—Lelo‘s efforts at a structural overhaul with HEX aside. However, a new self-lubricating condom, designed as part of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation’s competition, might just revolutionize the industry. Created to encourage safer sex, this condom remains lubricated for “1,000 cycles (scientific speak for thrusts), which …

Bringing Extinct Species Back From the Dead with Gene-Editing

American scientist Ben Novak has spent the past six years working on a process referred to as de-extinction—with the goal of bringing back the passenger pigeon species that died off in 1914. In Melbourne, Australia Novak has used gene-editing to weave the Cas9 gene into the reproductive organs of common pigeons. Cas9 enables the use of CRISPR, a tool that acts as molecular scissors and …

A DIY Smart-Home Built with Smartians

Triggers, hubs and trinkets to build your own smart-home

Thus far, the terms “smart-home” and DIY haven’t been synonymous.  Consumers are able to purchase products that make mundane tasks around the house a bit easier, but the process of bringing a home into the 21st century is generally costly and pre-designed. However, Smartians, from Amsterdam-based FROLIC Studio, is a set of motorized knobs and switches meant for making the most of offline products you …