Nikon’s Coolpix P1000’s Powerful 125X Zoom Lens

Falling somewhere between utility and novelty, Nikon’s Coolpix P1000 offers the most extreme zoom available for the “compact camera” category. That’s 125x optical zooming or a 24-3000mm equivalence. The world of point-and-shoot cameras doesn’t generally carry innovation to this extent, and this is a device that might just make its way into the bags of professional shooters who intend to land a very specific long-range …

Physics, Chemistry and Art Combine for Berndnaut Smilde’s Installations

Dutch artist Berndnaut Smilde makes clouds and rainbows for his remarkable installations. The word “make” is key here: he really does create these phenomena thanks to some clever scientific tinkering—whether by making a prism (to then create a rainbow) or by combining water, vapor and smoke machines to conjure a cloud on demand. He then places these unnatural natural beauties in dramatic spaces—including a “gothic …

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.” …