Hobbies

Men who engage in recreational activities such as golf, gardening and woodworking are at higher risk of developing ALS, an incurable progressive nervous system disease, a study has found. The findings add to mounting evidence suggesting a link between ALS and exposure to environmental toxins.Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), sometimes called Lou Gehrig's disease, causes progressive motor function loss and cognitive changes. While a definitive cause for the condition hasn't been identified, studies have increasingly…

The UK is experiencing a boom in book clubs, according to new data from event listing companies.Book club listings on the ticketing site Eventbrite increased by 350% between 2019 and 2023 – a “much stronger” growth than the overall increase in UK-based listings over the same period. Between 2022 and 2023 alone, book club listings on the site rose by 41%.Another event listing site, Meetup, reported a 14% increase in the number of RSVPs to book clubs between January 2023 and January 2024, compared with a 4% increase in…

Bored Panda reached out to Norman from “Nimble Needles.” Norman has been knitting for over 30 years, so we asked him some questions about this hobby. He said that the most fulfilling aspect of knitting for him is the process itself: “It’s almost like meditation to me, and it really helps me to unwind in the evening.” Norman believes that planning every knitting project with your time constraints is a must: “If you know that you will be very busy the next month, I personally would pick a smaller project. Otherwise, it can…

Musicians’ lives extend beyond the spotlight, the recording studio, or the glamorous red carpet. Beyond the realms of fame, these individuals lead lives that are relatable to everyone. If you assume that your beloved artists spend all their time secluded in a studio or immersed in music, think again. At their core, these individuals are human beings who can pursue diverse interests. Their hobbies are as unique and varied as those of any other person. Whether it’s being obsessed with astrology or playing blackjack…

Photo: io9/GizmodoSaturday at San Diego Comic-Con had cosplayers out in full force in their pop culture best.Here are io9's favorite looks, from Star Wars and Lore Olympus to DC and Marvel comics. The annual convention has been a non-stop celebration of all things fandom, with fans donning their casual to extremely detailed cosplay best.Here’s Day 1 and Day 2 of the best cosplay at SDCC 2023. And for Day 3,click ahead for the gallery!This cosplay roundup, which includes characters from major studio projects, was…

Since the game’s debut in May, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has seen players craft some incredibly clever and complex machinery. The latest example, though, seems to push the game’s crafting capabilities to a whole new level with the creation of what we think is Hyrule’s first-remote control airplane.Click, Click, Boom! | The Last of Us ReviewThe contraption was shared by a member of Reddit’s Hyrule Engineering Club, which is a fantastic resource of machines and building techniques for aspiring Tears of the…

Reaching for binoculars and a copy of Kaufman’s field guide is now an antiquated way to keep tabs on what birds have visited your backyard. The Bird Buddy uses AI and a camera to identify and deliver close-up shots of birds right to your smartphone, and the company is now expanding its offerings with a smart hummingbird feederand a smart bird bath, which should attract both the filthiest and thirstiest birds to your yard.Debuting through Kickstarter back in 2020, the Bird Buddy promised to streamline birdwatching with a…

There are a lot of people who do not enjoy the working model of working a 9-5 job. Which is understandable. For a lot of people, this is just not something that suits them personally. However, for others it is the ideal situation. Having this kind of structure and consistency is definitely something that a lot of people can benefit from. It makes it easy to be organised and you really do not have to worry about being overwhelmed. Working a 9-5 really allows you to have a more structured week and lifestyle. This means you…

Photo: Florence Ion / GizmodoThe Bird Buddy is, essentially, a bird feeder with a motion-sensor-activated detachable camera. The camera is 5-MP,with a 720p resolution and 120-degree field of view. You’ll need a strong wifi signal for this to work outside. Admittedly, I didn’t have an affinity for birding until I met my husband. I didn’t realize how smart they were or why they were essential to the ecosystem until he started feeding the scrub jays in our backyard. Over the years, I learned their quirks and personalities,…

The Epic Games Store is celebrating Easter weekend with some free games. From now until Thursday, April 13, players can get Dying Light: Enhanced Edition for free on PC. Dying Light is a 2015 first-person survival game that has players killing zombies and parkouring around a city. The Enhanced Edition features extra content, including its 2016 expansion Dying Light: The Following. It’s a well-timed freebie considering that it was developed by Dead Island developer Techland, and a sequel to that game launches in just…