The Cool Down

After year 1, this 12-panel mountain solar array is steadily paying for itself

The OP's year of production data offers a look at how solar performs on a real home, not just in ideal, sun-soaked settings.
thecooldown

EV owners keep coming back to one charging perk: Waking up every morning with a full tank

A driver sparked a conversation on Reddit by asking EV drivers how they explain the economics and benefits of all-electric driving to non-EV owners. Their preferred explanation? "My car gets 100 miles ...
The Cool Down

At 8, Penny had never been taught to sit or be potty-trained — 8 weeks later, she's thriving

Penny now appears much happier and healthier and has started learning tricks after eight weeks with her family, a stark ...
The Cool Down

Yard sale shopper asks for all the Nintendo games, and the seller takes $50 for the lot

A yard sale stop turned into the kind of retro-gaming score collectors dream about. In a TikTok video, creator SlimPickins ...
The Cool Down

Rare Roman burial found inside giant ceramic jar in Turkey, a first for the Black Sea region

At Hadrianopolis in northern Turkey, archaeologists uncovered a Roman-era burial placed inside an enormous ceramic storage ...
The Cool Down

Oribe scalp shampoo recalled in the U.S. and Canada after bacteria turn up in specific lots

A recall affecting specific shampoo bottles is putting shoppers and salons on alert over bacterial contamination.
The Cool Down

Every AI query comes with a hidden toll in electricity and water, experts warn

Experts say the systems behind AI prompts have tangible environmental effects, with data centers using huge amounts of ...
The Cool Down

She bought a 1960s mini oven at a yard sale, then realized it still heats up with light bulbs

A tiny thrifted throwback is drawing big attention online after a content creator revealed that a 1960s mini oven she picked ...
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AI data centers can drink 5 million gallons a day. Nvidia says its new servers need almost none

Nvidia says it may have a potential answer to one of the AI boom's biggest environmental concerns: water consumption. As companies build ever-larger data centers, the chipmaker says its newest server ...
thecooldown

Hero dog Duke yanks sleeping owner awake as fire destroys home, 3 vehicles in Canada

A loyal dog named Duke is being credited with saving his family in Ontario, Canada, after alerting his owner to a fire while she slept. According to a report from CTV News, before dawn one morning in ...
The Cool Down

Teen pays $3 for Goodwill jacket — experts say it could be worth $250,000

An Oregon Goodwill outlet purchase that cost barely more than $3 has turned into a potential six-figure sports memorabilia ...
thecooldown

Virginia county tells workers to switch off lights after data center-fueled power rates jump 25%

Henrico County, Virginia, is asking staff to cut their electricity use — including by limiting the use of lights, chargers, and space heaters — as it prepares for a sharp increase in power costs. The ...