Volcano boarding transforms a typical volcano hike into an adrenaline-pumping descent. At Nicaragua's active Cerro Negro volcano, adventurers climb to the summit then slide 1,600 feet down steep black slopes on metal-reinforced plywood boards, ending covered in volcanic dust.
Located between Berlin and Warsaw, Blow Up Hall 50 50 is a themed luxury hotel where guests become part of a digital art installation. Rooms select you based on your spirit animal, determined by color and image choices. Your iPhone room key unlocks a stay starting at €316 per night.
This modular putting rug offers golfers an affordable indoor practice solution. Eight square tiles arrange into three different course configurations, from Par 3 to Par 5. At $139.99, it's a portable alternative to expensive permanent putting greens that works in any room.
Bring medieval siege warfare to your cubicle with these wooden catapult and trebuchet build kits. Assemble your weapon with pliers and glue, then launch paper wads and rubber balls at unsuspecting coworkers. The catapult offers accuracy for close targets while the trebuchet achieves impressive distance.
In April 2012, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines will commemorate the Titanic's centennial with the Balmoral Cruise, retracing the ill-fated ship's exact route. The 12-night voyage carries 1,309 passengers from Southampton to New York, with memorial services held at the sinking site at the exact times the tragedy unfolded.
The Mokai Jet-Propelled Kayak combines manual paddling and motorized speed in one compact watercraft. Swap between modes in under a minute using a removable 6hp Honda engine that reaches 15mph. At just 100 lbs dry weight, it fits on a car roof without a trailer.
Apartment dwellers stuck with plain white walls can create a vibrant color mosaic using inexpensive scrapbooking paper and wall-safe adhesive. This renter-friendly project requires careful measuring and pattern planning but delivers a professional look without painting or permanent changes.
Forbidden Lego is a paperback that tosses out the boring corporate rules and teaches you to build fully automated food catapults, Lego plate guns, ping pong launchers, and paper plane shooters. Written by former Lego designers, it includes full-color diagrams and step-by-step instructions for delightfully deviant builds.
This wireless home security system ditches the monthly subscription model entirely. Features infrared sensors, motion detection, automatic video recording to SD card, support for up to four cameras, and automatic phone alerts to six numbers when triggered. Easy DIY installation.
Six Flags Magic Mountain unveils Terminator: The Coaster, a Terminator Salvation-themed wooden roller coaster launching Memorial Day Weekend 2009. The 2,850-foot ride features five drops, six banking turns, 100-foot heights, and integrated video modules that cast riders as resistance fighters escaping Skynet.
On the slopes of Colletto Fava in northern Italy, a massive 200-foot pink rabbit created by Viennese art group Gelitin sprawls across the hillside. Visitors can climb on the wooly installation, which features a darkly whimsical twist: knitted intestines spilling from its side.
The R2 Fish Training School Kit lets you train your goldfish to perform tricks like playing soccer, basketball, weaving through poles, and swimming through tubes. This novelty kit includes an instructional DVD, training platform, manual, and over 20 fish-compatible accessories to turn your pet into an aquatic athlete.
Lamborghini runs its own driving school where enthusiasts can learn to handle supercars properly. The two-day entry course costs $4,500 and includes accommodations, track time at Italian racecourses, professional instruction, and use of a Gallardo LP 560-4 to practice high-performance driving techniques.
The Costa Verde Hotel transformed a vintage Boeing 727 into a stunning treehouse suite suspended 50 feet above the jungle canopy. With two air-conditioned bedrooms, handcrafted teak furnishings, and a balcony built on the plane's wings, guests enjoy ocean views and visits from sloths and toucans.
Darwin's Crocosaurus Cove offers the ultimate adrenaline rush: the Cage of Death, where visitors are lowered in a clear acrylic cage into a pool with Choppa, an 18-foot saltwater crocodile missing both front feet from brutal fights. Only 1.5 inches of plastic separate you from one of nature's fiercest predators.
Gadget Nation takes readers on a cross-country journey through the world of quirky inventions, from toilet bowl nightlights to windshield-scrubbing wipers. Author Steve Greenberg chronicles both successful and obscure gadgets alongside their inventors' stories, making it perfect coffee-table reading for any gadget lover.
Build your own 3D printer for $700 with the Makerbot CupCake CNC kit. This hobbyist-friendly bundle includes lasercut parts, three motors, electronics, and 5 pounds of ABS plastic—everything you need to start printing custom plastic creations from your garage.
Jam Legend delivers a Guitar Hero experience without the plastic controller. Flip your keyboard upside down, use the spacebar to strum and F1-F5 as frets, then shred through dozens of songs on their free web platform.
A clever hardware modder discovered how to transform the glowing Apple logo on the back of a MacBook into a tiny programmable LCD screen. Eddie Zarick published full instructions, parts lists, and pricing so tech enthusiasts can advertise whatever they want instead of just the Apple brand.
The classic backyard game from the 1980s is back, sort of. A company called Jarts In The Heart found a loophole by selling plastic fins and metal tips separately, letting buyers assemble their own lawn darts. At steep prices and with tongue-in-cheek warnings, the nostalgic hazard has returned.
Neil Strauss embeds himself in the world of survivalists and documents what he learns in Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life. From fashioning improvised weapons to offshore banking strategies, Strauss explores skills for surviving society's potential collapse while delivering his signature engaging storytelling.
Originally designed to detect muscular dystrophy and assess stroke damage, the Motek Medical Sensor creates a computerized virtual double of your workout. Eight high-speed cameras and force sensors track which muscles fire and how much force they generate, showing you exactly where your form needs work.
