Bismuth art

A cool addition to my growing cabinet of curiosities. READ THE REST

Tim Heffernan has done some fantastic guest blogging here at BoingBoing. Now, at Pacific Standard, he's got a story about copper — a natural resource that will affect the future of everything. Just as we're needing more and more of it, this metal is getting harder to reach. READ THE REST

Rare earth elements aren't actually rare, but right now the vast majority of them (97%) come from a single place — China. Given how important these elements are to the making of everything from computers to cars, that gives China quite the monopoly. With that context, here's the news: Japan just found a big supply… READ THE REST

For all the innovations in streaming, HD film quality, and web-based smart homes, none of it means much if all that power and connectivity bottlenecks in your janky old router.  Slow speeds, dead zones, and other frustrations you feel every time a streaming show lags or your signal drops out in another room can often… READ THE REST

One way to attack all the clutter filling up the corners of your home is to literally just have fewer items in your home. Case in point, take a look at your bedside table. You've likely got both a lamp and a smart assistant unit taking up space in that prime real estate. With the… READ THE REST

Considering a new smartphone requires years of development and can set you back up to $1,400, you'd think manufacturers would pay a little more attention to the means for powering up those devices.  Yet, while phone technology continues to march forward, most charging cables are fragile, prone to frays and breaks, and are practically disposable.… READ THE REST