Innovation of the week: The barely wet washing machine

U.K. company Xeros has developed a washing machine that uses "a fraction of the water of traditional machines," relying instead on millions of tiny nylon balls "that fill the washer drum and act as cleaning agents," said Matt McFarland at The Washington Post. The absorbent beads mix with a small amount of water and a proprietary detergent to remove stains and dirt, and then filter out of the drum through small holes. And because Xeros machines "almost never use hot water," owners also save on gas and electric bills.