Helium is inert, which makes it useful in a lot of different industries. But helium’s colorless and odorless non-reactivity also means traditional gas sensing methods don’t work. Specialized detectors exist, …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/04/detecting-helium-leaks-with-sound-in-a-physics-based-sensor/)

Restoring the Soul of a 1940s Radio
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/04/restoring-the-soul-of-a-1940s-radio/

Although we do often see projects that take antiques and replace some or all of their components with modern equipment, we can also sympathize with the view that (when possible …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/04/restoring-the-soul-of-a-1940s-radio/)

When Mains Networking Fails, Use Phone Wires
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/when-mains-networking-fails-use-phone-wires/

A quiet shift over the last couple of decades in many places has been the disappearance of the traditional copper phone line. First the corded landline phone was replaced by …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/when-mains-networking-fails-use-phone-wires/)

Electronic Waste Graveyard Immortalizes Dead Electronics
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/electronic-waste-graveyard-immortalizes-dead-electronics/

Everyone here can think of a cloud-connected product that was killed because the company that made it stopped supporting it. While these corporations have forgotten their products, the US PIRG …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/electronic-waste-graveyard-immortalizes-dead-electronics/)

How Industrial Robot Safety Was Written in Blood
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/how-industrial-robot-safety-was-written-in-blood/

It was January 25th of 1979, at an unassuming Michigan Ford Motor Company factory. Productivity over the past years had been skyrocketing due to increased automation, courtesy of Litton Industry’s …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/how-industrial-robot-safety-was-written-in-blood/)

Three Decades Of ReactOS
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/three-decades-of-reactos/

Over the past couple of years with the Jenny’s Daily Drivers series, we’ve looked at a number of unusual or noteworthy operating systems. Among them has been ReactOS, an open source …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/three-decades-of-reactos/)

Big Heat Pumps Are Doing Big Things
https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/big-heat-pumps-are-doing-big-things/

The heat pump has become a common fixture in many parts of modern life. We now have reverse-cycle air conditioning, heat pump hot water systems, and even heat pump dryers. …read more (https://hackaday.com/2026/02/05/big-heat-pumps-are-doing-big-things/)