Straws

Geek Out

Barbuzzo Ice Straw Tray Makes My Head Hurt

5:40AM October 4, 2011 | Andrew Tarantola

Sometimes adding functionality makes things less useful. Do my lollies really need to be both sweet and tarty? No. Just like my drinking straw doesn’t need to also be an ice cube. More »


Science

This Drug-Detecting Straw Might Prevent Date Rapes

12:55AM August 10, 2011 | Casey Chan

Two scientists have developed a sensor that can automatically and accurately detect if date-rape drugs are in your drink. All you have to do is dip the straw in your drink and see if it lights up. More »


Geek Out

The Invention And Evolution Of The Drinking Straw

4:15AM July 15, 2011 | Rachel Swaby

Marvin Stone was sipping on a mint julep with some buddies, but he was not enjoying it. In the late 1800s, when this happy hour took place, natural rye grass was the tool used to slurp up your booze. More »


The Instant Coffee Straw

3:20PM October 19, 2010 | Matt Buchanan

The Open It! instant-coffee-in-a-straw kind of makes me hurt inside. But it is very clever! [Yanko Design via Shot Zombies]


This Shrimp Was Once A Bendy Straw

9:40AM April 28, 2010 | Mark Wilson

Turn a bendy straw into a shrimp with a pair of scissors and a few folds. The result is about as tasty as imitation crab meat. [InstructionsJP/InstructionsENG via Recylclart via Make]


The Thousand And One Drinking Straw Lamp

10:40AM August 18, 2009 | Jesus Diaz

Scott Jarvie has created this beautiful lamp, made of hundreds of stripped drinking straws. The result is a gently coloured light. Now we only need a thousand Mojitos and a lot of sucking power. [Mocoloco] More »


Chopsticks Roll Into Rings and Straws and…Well, That’s Actually It

5:20AM May 27, 2009 | Mark Wilson

I’ve never looked at a pair of chopsticks and thought to myself, “…if I could only use these as napkin holder rings.” Then again, I am not a designer.


Gadgets

Straw Lamp Seems Like a Sucky Art Project (In a Good Way)

3:00AM August 22, 2008 | Mark Wilson

If you’ve got 1,500 straws lying around the house—and i mean, who doesn’t—then boy do we have the project for you! The straw lamp can be a unique addition to your decor throuh what looks like a few hours of work that requires little to no coordination. (Essentially, you stick the straws into a cylindrical mesh and after repeating several times you get this neato lamp.) Bonus points to anyone who fits a forty in the middle and links all the straws for a good group suckfest. [addicted2decorating via gearfuse]

More »


Geek Out

LifeStraw Mark II Filters Bacteria and Virii Without Iodine Aftertaste

2:21AM December 4, 2007 | Charlie White

We like the idea of a straw that can filter water as you drink it, but the first version of the LifeStraw and its similar-looking cousin the iStraw added an unpleasant iodine taste to the water. According to its makers, the Lifestraw Mark II almost completely eliminates that yucky aftertaste while filtering out 99.999% of waterborne bacteria, and 98.7% of waterborne viruses that you might encounter. This could be extremely useful in developing countries, or in areas where the water quality is questionable. If this thing really works, it could save lots of lives, but too bad it costs about $US20, way beyond the means of many who can certainly use it. [Gizmag, via bb Gadgets] More »