Disability-Friendly Alternatives to Plastic Straws

Banning plastic straws might seem brilliant, but there are a few reasons why blanket bans aren’t actually ideal. One important reality being that many people with disabilities need them—whether due to involuntary movements, muscular or swallowing issues, or various other reasons. As Karin Willison writes for The Mighty, “the straw debate has increasingly devolved into a (mostly online) battle between environmentalists and disability rights activists.” …

A Rising Wave of Luxury Expenses for Dogs

From pawdicures to glitter tattoos and even prosthetic testicles, the market for dog wellness and pampering has skyrocketed. According to the American Pet Products Association, $69.5 billion was spent on dogs, cats and other pets last year. As the New York Times points out, these expenses weren’t limited to vet appointments, surgeries, kibble and traditional treats. Rather, there was a slew of unexpected additions to …

Link About It: This Week’s Picks

Swimming pools, fireworks, Dragon drones and more in our look around the web

1. University of Tokyo’s Dragon Drone Transforms While Midair Calling the University of Tokyo’s new drone the Dragon doesn’t just reference its form, the name is also an acronym short for “Dual-rotor embedded multilink Robot with the Ability of multi-deGree-of-freedom aerial transformatiON.” Composed of several small drones, powered by a pair of ducted fans that can thrust in almost any direction, the high-flyer can autonomously …