Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Why Trust Us?Living small has been a big trend for a few years now for a number of economic and environmental reasons. To meet the demand, many tiny house makers offer downsizing solutions that offer simplicity without sacrificing a bunch of the good stuff. But more-is-more living in smaller footprints is hardly a new thing. Studio apartments have existed since the 1880s. California bungalows hovering around the 1,000-square-foot mark were being built as long ago as the early 20thcentury. And then there are the shotgun houses, which became popular in the early 19th century. These were built primarily in Black neighborhoods in Southern cities like New Orleans, Louisville, Charlotte, and Houston, Texas Third Ward. While many original shotgun houses have been lost to gentrification and urban renewal, they still exist. You can take a gander at this unique form of architecture as you stroll around New Orleans. (You even sign up for a walking tour where they are the star of the show.) For a shotgun house with a twist, head to Chip and Joanna Gainess Silos in Waco and then head over to 7th Street to check out the one they renovated on an episode of season threes Fixer Upper. Still, walking by a shotgun house by can only tell you so much. Thats why were here with the 411 on what exactly makes a house a shotgun house, why these homes are called shotgun houses, where you can find them, and more!Ablestock.com//Getty ImagesRELATED:What exactly are shotgun houses?Thats easy. Shotgun houses are one-story and very narrow structureswere talking one-room wide, so maybe 12 feet total!that average anywhere from 650 to 1,050 square feet. Because they were built with efficiency and affordability in mind, they were built very close together. That means theres an absence of windows on the sides of the homes for a little privacy. Inside, youll find the front door opens directly to the living area, and then there are two or three rooms directly behind that initial roommaybe two bedrooms and then a kitchen in the very back. Because theres no central hallway, you have to walk through one room to get to the next. In most cases, all the doors line up exactly, for a very specific reason: You can open all the doors or the transom windows on the front and back doors and get a pleasant breeze that flows right on through the entire home. Thats especially important when theres no AC and youre stuck in New Orleans or Houston during those hot and humid summers.The gabled porch was also an important architectural element. Not only did it offer additional living and entertaining space, it also allowed residents to interact with their neighbors and keep abreast of all the happenings on the street.Youll for sure notice there was nary a mention of a bathroom. Thats because indoor plumbing wasnt a feature of the original shotgun houses. As indoor bathrooms became more common, later owners added one, usually to the very back of the home, right behind the kitchen. Education Images//Getty ImagesThe birthplace of Elvis Presley in Tupelo, MississippiWhy are these homes called shotgun houses?Thats less easy. Some say that shotgun houses got their name because of the linear nature of the design. Think about it: If a bullet were fired through the front door, it could go all the way through the back door unobstructed. However, theres also a less ammo-forward, more amicable explanation for the term. The word shotgun is apparently derived from the West African Yoruba word togun, which means house or gathering place. Whats the difference between a shotgun house and a railroad house?Great question. Remember how we said a shotgun house is super narrow and has no hallway, so you have to walk through one room to get to the next? Thats different from a railroad house, which is also super narrow (like a train car), but its outfitted with a central hallway and a series of rooms that open up off of (usually) one side. Want another major difference? Shotgun houses were popular primarily in the south. Railroad-style houses originated as a New York City apartment design style in the mid-1880s because of overcrowding in tenements.TOUR OUR FAVORITE TINY HOMES:Why does New Orleans have so many shotgun houses?It turns out New Orleans was a popular destination for refugees from Saint-Domingue after the Haitian Revolution. The shotgun design was apparently quite popular in the Caribbean, so when these new arrivals began building their own homes in the States, they brought the layout with them. It caught on, and by the 1900s, there were companies (including Sears & Roebuck) that offered pre-fab models to prospective homeowners looking to build cheaply on narrow lots. You can still find a bunch of shotgun-style homes in New Orleans because residents remain excited about honoring them. People are constantly remodeling and even turning doubles (two shotguns built side-by-side) into singles to get more square footage. It helps that New Orleans has a strong preservation presence, which means theres more old-school architecture to admire there in general.RAUL RODRIGUEZ//Getty ImagesWhats this about a double-barrel shotgun house?Double-barrel shotgun houses save even more space than a single shotgun house. Theyre basically a shotgun-style duplex, with two single shotgun houses located side by side and sharing a central wall and front porch.What are the disadvantages of a shotgun house?The most obvious disadvantage of living in a shotgun house is lack of privacy. Its not super fun to have loved ones trek through your bedroom every time they make a trip to the kitchen or bathroom. Plus the middle rooms can be quite dark because there are no windows. But there are certainly other drawbacks. If the house has a historical designation, getting renovations approved could be more difficult. The lots where shotgun houses are built are often quite small, so someone else is going to have to host the family reunion. And finally, youre not going to have a whole lot of closet space in a shotgun house, so if youre a clotheshorse looking for a walk-in closet, this may not be the style of home for you. BRUSH UP ON OTHER ARCHITECTURAL STYLES:

Submitted by WA ContentsThe World Architecture Community launches weekly and monthly newsletters Turkey Architecture News - Mar 24, 2025 - 06:17 html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"The World Architecture Community has launched weekly and monthly newsletters featuring the latest architecture and interior design news from around the globe.The newsletter, tailored to the preferences of subscribers on a weekly or monthly basis, will feature a compilation of the latest and most popular news, curated by the WAC editors.The weekly newsletter will be sent at the beginning of each week (on Monday), while the monthly newsletter will be distributed at the start of each month.WAC Newsletter also features exclusive interviews, upcoming international events, competitions and fairs highlighting the industry trends.Subscribe now to start receiving WAC newsletters!The top image in the article: Techstorm Headquarter Industrial Park in China by DUTS Design won the WA Awards in the 45th Cycle in the Architecture/Realized category. Image Qinshan Wu.

Practice joins growing number of architecture frms seeking recognition for their environmental and social performance through B CorpSource: Hawkins\BrownThe Hawkins Brown team photographed in WakefieldB Corp certification, overseen by non-profit organisation B Lab, is designed to assess a companys impact across areas including governance, workers, community, environment and customers. Hawkins\Browns submission covered evidence relating to business operations, employee treatment, client and supplier engagement, and support for the local community and environmental initiatives.The certification process includes a commitment to continuous improvement and requires recertification every three years.Alastair Roberts, chief executive officer of Hawkins\Brown, said: We are proud to have been recognised by B Lab. The B Corp vision of an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy that works for everyone very much chimes with our own.Our certification reflects who we are and have always been since 1988, when Roger and Russell set out with the intention of building a practice that could be a force for good.Since 2021, we have been employee-owned and B Corp certification was the logical next step. It was something our employees were keen for us to look at and work towards.Were really attracted to the B Corp framework as a way of guiding future improvements and were excited to join a global community where we can learn from a wide range of like-minded businesses.There are now around 9,000 B Corp-certified businesses globally, including a growing number of design and architecture firms. Certification is intended to signal a companys alignment with broader sustainability and social responsibility goals.For clients, B Corp certification can provide a clear external benchmark of a companys environmental, social and governance (ESG) credentials. The label has gained traction as organisations seek to demonstrate values-driven business practices.In the United States, recent political backlash and regulatory rollbacks under the Trump administration have led some corporations to scale back their ESG commitments, raising questions about the future role of independent certifications in signalling corporate responsibility.Last week, Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch was seen to echo the Trump line, describing the UKs previously cross-party commitment to net zero as fantasy politics, built on nothing, promising the Earth.>> Also read:Industrial remix: how Hawkins\Brown retuned Wakefields Tileyard North for the creative economy>> Also read:Barr Gazetas earns highest B Corp rating for a UK architecture practice

Timetable to complete work on buildings over 18m set for 2029The governments plan to remediate unsafe buildings across the UK are both insufficiently ambitious and at risk of not delivering what it promises, according to a parliamentary committee.At the end of last year, the new Labour government published its plan for addressing the building safety crisis that followed the Grenfell Tower tragedy of 2017, in which 72 people were killed.Source: MHCLG / FlickrHousing minister Angela Rayner, pictured chairing a roundtable on housing safetyThe plan set a target to complete remediation on all buildings taller than 18m by 2029, 12 years after the deadly blaze, along with an ambition to establish a completion date for all buildings taller than 11m by the same deadline.But in a report published on Friday, the public accounts committee, parliaments watchdog committee for public spending, said it shared the concerns of campaigners that the plan, which relies on new legislation, will not achieve what it promises.Committee chair Geoffrey Clifton-Brown MP, a chartered surveyor, said he had been utterly appalled by evidence given to the inquiry, which showed residents still mired in the cladding crisis with no immediate solutions at hand.It would have course been the committees wish that this report carried better news for all affected, he said.Unfortunately, we are united with campaigners in deeply regrettable scepticism that current remediation plans are capable of delivering on whats promised.The PAC alleges that, eight years on from Grenfell, the government still does not know how many buildings have dangerous cladding, how much it will cost to address, or how long it will take.Up to 7,000 unsafe buildings have yet to be identified, according to the committee, and it said the government had yet to find a way to secure financial contributions from manufacturers of dangerous cladding.It also accused the government of being complacent about risks to its plans, including insufficient capacity and skills across regulators, local authorities and the construction sector.The report said the government was not taking seriously enough the risk that social housing providers would move scarce resources away from building new housing in order to meet their remediation commitments. It asked for a formal impact assessment on this issue by the end of the year.PACs recommendations for the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government include that it should:Within six months, provide the Committee with an update clearly setting out how it will address gaps between the Remediation Acceleration Plan and the policy and legislative changes needed to deliver them, as well as what it is doing to ensure that non-cladding defects are not holding up progress on cladding remediationBy the end of July 2025, write to the PAC setting out its plan to ensure sufficient capacity across the remediation systemWrite to the committee with an update on how effectively it is putting residents at the heart of its remediation effortsUndertake a review of insurance premiums and consider what more it can doPublish its latest estimates for how many buildings are affected by dangerous cladding, and when it expects work to be completed, by the end of July 2025Bring forward detailed proposals for making manufacturers pay for a share of remediation costs by the end of 2025Indicate when it will respond to the Morrell report on product testing and safetyStrengthen anti-fraud controls by the end of the yearBy the end of the year, publish a formal assessment of its remediation policies, including the Building Safety Levy, on housebuildingEvidence to the inquiry found many people still felt trapped in unsafe homes they were unable to sell, with residents in affected buildings facing exorbitant insurance premiums.It also showed that disputes over safety were delaying starts to work, with a promised formal dispute resolution process yet to have materialised.The committee asked the government to consider what could be done to bring down premiums for residents waiting for work to start.According to the PAC, as many as three million people may have been affected by the building safety crisis.Eight years after Grenfell, it is still not known how many buildings out there have dangerous cladding, and when it will be removed. That vow remains unkept for every day that is still the case.The committee chair urged the government to look at the recommendations made in its report in order to close the gap between their current plans, and the reality on the ground.The report also found that 500,000 had been lost to suspected fraud after protections were relaxed to get money out quickly through the Building Safety Fund. It recommended that counter-fraud controls be strengthened.

United Performance Metals (UPM), a US-based specialty metals solutions provider and affiliate of ONeal Industries, has acquired Fabrisonic LLC, an Ohio-based 3D metal printing manufacturing company. The acquisition is intended to enhance UPMs manufacturing capabilities and expand its range of solutions.We are excited to welcome Fabrisonic to the United Performance Metals family. Their technology and expertise will strengthen our ability to create advanced materials and provide innovative manufacturing solutions to address the needs of our customers, said Peter Neuberger, President and CEO of United Performance Metals.Fabrisonics UAM 3D Printing Process. Photo via: FabrisonicIntegration with UPMs Specialty Processing FacilitiesFollowing the acquisition, Fabrisonic will become part of UPMs specialty processing network, which includes Precision Thin Strip in Wallingford, CT; UPM Advanced Solutions in Cincinnati, OH; and Precision Cold Saw Cutting and Grinding in Oakland, CA. These locations will continue to provide value-added processing services for specialty metals, supporting UPMs customer base.This acquisition marks an important development for Fabrisonic. Becoming part of the United Performance Metals family will allow us to utilize additional resources and capabilities, helping us extend our reach and continue delivering solutions to our customers. We appreciate the contributions of our engineers who have been instrumental in our progress, and we look forward to the next phase of our growth, said Jason Riley, General Manager of Fabrisonic.The SonicLayer 1200. Photo via Fabrisonic. Fabrisonics Metal Fabrication TechnologyFabrisonic, originally established as a division of Ohio-based engineering services provider EWI, became an independent entity in 2011. The company specializes in metal fabrication and has developed proprietary technologies to create advanced metal materials for industries such as aerospace, defense, space, and automotive.A key technology of Fabrisonic is ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM), a hybrid metal 3D printing process that uses ultrasonic vibrations to weld together layers of metal foils into a 3D shape. UAM is suitable for the 3D printing of integrated electronics thanks to its ability to operate at low temperatures, and also enables 3D printing at high speed.In 2021, Fabrisonic introduced its SonicLayer X Seam Welder, which the company claims is twice as powerful as other models currently available on the market. Fabrisonics patented 10,000W SonicLayer X is designed to deliver faster travel speeds, accommodate thicker materials, provide higher downforce, and offer a wider range of material choices compared to other welding models. This innovation enhances the precision and efficiency of metal fabrication, particularly in demanding industries like aerospace, defense, and automotive.Who won the 2024 3D Printing Industry Awards?Subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry newsletter to keep up with the latest 3D printing news.You can also follow us on LinkedIn, and subscribe to the 3D Printing Industry Youtube channel to access more exclusive content.Featured image showsFabrisonics UAM 3D Printing Process. Photo via: FabrisonicPaloma DuranPaloma Duran holds a BA in International Relations and an MA in Journalism. Specializing in writing, podcasting, and content and event creation, she works across politics, energy, mining, and technology. With a passion for global trends, Paloma is particularly interested in the impact of technology like 3D printing on shaping our future.

Is this the game-changer we need?NurPhoto via Getty ImagesWe live in dangerous times when it comes to the security of our hardware and software. With weekly if not daily warnings, its clear that the threat landscape is worsening, as sophisticated new attacks many fueled by AI are spiraling.Against that backdrop, the current assault on encryption by well-meaning but flawed legislative thinking needs to stop and it needs to stop now. While the headline act is the U.K.s secret/not secret mandate for Apple to give law enforcement a key to user data, described as an emergency for us all, thats but one part of a dangerous theme.We have now seen these threats to end-t0-end encryption in France and Sweden and the EU more widely, in Australia, India and Brazil, and even in America, where the FBI wants lawful access to fully secure user content when warranted by an court.But a welcome reverse in this new trend gives us hope that common sense might prevail at least in enough places to isolate dangerous changes. Frances government was pushing hard to force encrypted messaging to introduce a ghost protocol. This is where a security agency can secretly join a chat without anyone in the chat realizing, listening in when warranted by a court for investigations into terrorism, drugs, child abuse.But Frances National Assembly has just shut this down. This rejection says EFF. should send a message to legislatures around the world: You dont have to sacrifice fundamental rights in the name of public safety. Encryption is not the enemy of justice; its a tool that supports our fundamental human rights.Had France moved forward with this change, Signal said it would exit the country and its likely WhatsApp would do the same. Its impossible for a fully encrypted platform to adopt the change without fundamentally weakening its platforms. Thats not the same as enabling access to cloud backups, which is the current concession Apple has made in the U.K., albeit one it wants to reverse in the courts to restore user security.Frances decision is critical, as is the EU stall on chat control. But what matters more is the Five Eyes, the U.S. and U.K. intel sharing cabal that includes Canada, Australia and New Zealand. If the U.K. structures a compromise with Apple that opens up user data vaults, its likely the others will push for the same. And this isnt just iPhones at risk, it seems certain Google and others are facing the same pressure.Frances decision is welcome, but EFF warns that for the foreseeable future, misguided lobbyists for police national security agencies will continue to push similar proposalsperhaps repackaged, or rushed through quieter legislative moments. Supporters of privacy should celebrate this win today. Tomorrow, we will continue to keep watch.

WWE Raw on NetlfixCredit: WWEThe WWE is still in the midst of their tour of Europe, and that means Raw on Netflix will be live much earlier on Monday than the usual 8 p.m. ET slot. Once the WWE is back in the United States, the shows start time will return to normal.For now, with Raw set to emanate from Glasgow, Scotland, here is the viewing information for the show that will feature the second face-to-face meeting between WWE Champion Cody Rhodes and John Cena.Date: Monday, March 24Start Time: 4 p.m. ETWhat to ExpectThe HighlightsCody Rhodes and John Cena meet face-to-faceLyra Valkyria will defend her Womens Intercontinental Championship against Raquel RodriguezCM Punk will address the fans in Glasgow, ScotlandJey Uso and a mystery partner will face A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory and Grayson Waller) in a tag-team matchBOLOGNA, ITALY - MARCH 21: Drew McIntyre with a Claymore Kick on Damian Priest during SmackDown at ... More Unipol Arena on March 21, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Andrew Timms/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesWhile Drew McIntyre is currently on SmackDown, it would be a surprise if the WWE doesnt allow him to make an appearance in his home country. He is embroiled in a feud with Damian Priest, which could mean the two men will brawl at some point in the show.BRUSSELS, BELGIUM - MARCH 17: Cody Rhodes and John Cena face off during Monday Night RAW at Forest ... More National on March 17, 2025 in Brussels, Belgium. (Photo by WWE/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesRhodes-Cena could open the show, as they did in Belgium, when the latter produced what I believe is the greatest mic work in the history of the business. Cena broke up with the WWE Universe, citing an abusive relationship.Rhodes rebutted and made a great account of himself as he followed an all-timer of a promo. So, you have to wonder what the two legends have left to offer with so much of their intense lead-up shared last week.DALLAS, TEXAS- JANUARY 20: (EDITOR'S NOTE: Image has been retouched.) WWE Women's Intercontinental ... More Champion Lyra Valkyria poses for photos on January 20, 2025 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Heather McLaughlin/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesIs it time for Lyra Valkyria to lose the IC belt? In a way, it kind of feels like it could happen. Rodriguez worked hard to come back from injury, and she has been excellent in her role as Liv Morgans heavy.Rodriguez has helped to shift the balance of control in the Judgment Day to her and Morgan, and there is seemingly a break coming with Finn Blor. Could we see a major step in that direction on Monday?If Rodriguez wins, expect to see something juicy from Blor.BOLOGNA, ITALY - MARCH 21: CM Punk is ready for WrestleMania during SmackDown at Unipol Arena on ... More March 21, 2025 in Bologna, Italy. (Photo by Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesThe CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Roman Reigns brawl predictably led to a Triple Threat match at WrestleMania 41 between the three icons. On Monday, it doesnt appear as though Reigns will be present, but Punk is scheduled to take the mic, and that means hell probably be approached by Rollins and perhaps even Paul Heyman.We may learn a little more about the favor Heyman owes Punk. That detail will likely be a major factor at WrestleMania 41.CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - FEBRUARY 17: Jey Uso looks on during Monday Night RAW at Spectrum Center ... More on February 17, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina. (Photo by Rich Freeda/WWE via Getty Images)WWE via Getty ImagesJey Uso is going to have a mystery partner when he faces Grayson Waller and Austin Theory. This is a perfect spot for Joe Hendry to show up on Raw. Hendry is from Scotland, and hes over in a major way with TNA and WWE fans. We saw this during his brief stint working with NXT in 2024.Id love to see Hendry get a long-term run in WWE, and perhaps this could be the start of something for the Scottish strongman. If it isnt Hendry, its likely to be an underwhelming surprise.Its hard to imagine WWE missing an opportunity to get the massive pop from the Glasgow crowd that an appearance by Hendry would generate.

A pair of Mayans M.C. cast members are set to ride again in Hulus upcoming Prison Breakreboot.According to Deadline, Clayton Cardenas and JR Bourne are the latest additions to the cast of Prison Break. Cardenas new character, Ghost, is described as a ruthlessly dangerous inmate, while Bourne is set to play Junior, a mentally unstable lone survivor of a decades-old prison break that devastated the town.Recommended VideosIn Mayans M.C., Cardenas played one of the main characters, Angel Reyes, while Bourne portrayed the villainous Isaac, the self-proclaimed King of Meth Mountain. Cardenas has also previously appeared in Netflixs The Abandons. Bourne has a number of genre credits to his name including Teen Wolf, Fringe, Stargate: SG-1, 24, and The Secret Circle.Please enable Javascript to view this contentGeorgie Flores and Myles Bullock have also joined the new Prison Break. Flores will play Andrea, a cadet who is training to be a corrections officer at the shows featured prison, while Bullock will step into the role of Darius Red Lewis, one of the inmates.The original Prison Break ran for four seasons on Fox from 2005 to 2009. A revival fifth season of Prison Break was ordered in 2016, with most of the original cast reprising their roles for the show. That season ultimately ran in 2017 and it seemingly brought the franchise to a close.Mayans M.C. co-creator Elgin James is executive producing and writing the new Prison Break, which will maintain continuity with the first series. Despite that, none of the original Prison Break cast members are expected to return and the story will largely standalone from the show that came before it. Hulu has ordered a pilot episode, but the series doesnt have a greenlight for a full season yet.All five seasons of the original Prison Break are streaming on Hulu and Netflix.

Taiwanese electronics manufacturer Compal has introduced the Adapt X, a modular laptop concept that takes inspiration from Frameworks user-upgradable design. The Adapt X recently won an iF Design Award, recognizing its innovative approach to modular computing, where users can swap out and upgrade key components rather than replacing the entire device.Much like Frameworks modular laptops, the Adapt X features a repairable and customizable design, allowing users to replace the display, keyboard, battery, and even ports with minimal effort. The goal is to extend the devices lifespan, reduce electronic waste, and give consumers greater control over their hardware. According to Compal, the laptop uses a magnet-based assembly, making it easy to disassemble and upgrade without specialized tools.Recommended VideosWhile the exact specifications remain unclear, the iF Design listing highlights sustainability as a core focus of the Adapt X. The chassis is built with recycled materials, and the modular nature of the laptop means fewer discarded components when upgrading. Hot-swappable ports, a key feature also found in Framework laptops, let users customize their I/O selection depending on their needs.CompalCompal is primarily an original design manufacturer (ODM), meaning the Adapt X might not be sold directly to consumers. Instead, the concept could be licensed or adapted by major PC brands looking to enter the modular laptop market. This wouldnt be the first time a manufacturer experimented with modular designs, but few have achieved mainstream success beyond Frameworks niche market. If Compal or a partner brand brings the Adapt X to market, it could signal growing industry interest in repairable, upgradable laptops. With companies like Dell and Lenovo also experimenting with modular concepts, the success of Framework may be influencing the broader laptop industry. However, whether the Adapt X will make it beyond the prototype stage remains to be seen.Editors Recommendations

2025-03-24T05:53:30Z Read in app Carl Futtrup, a 53-year-old Danish gardener, has been a key link in the supply chain for nets in Ukraine's modern war. Courtesy of Carl Futtrup This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Ukrainian troops need heavy-duty nets to block enemy attack drones.They're getting over 1,000 tons from Denmark for free, thanks to Brexit and a lone gardener.He and other volunteers are trucking heavy-duty trawl nets stuck in harbors to the front lines.Carl Futtrup is no military man. The 53-year-old gardener spends most days on mowers and tractors, tending to fields in a town on the western edge of Copenhagen, Denmark.But Futtrup, like many Europeans, has kept a close eye on Ukraine since Russia's invasion in 2022 and donated gear to the front lines.Before Christmas last year, he caught wind of an unusual request from Ukrainians in the trenches. They needed nets thick ones strong enough to stop the munition-laden drones that have become the battlefield's leading killer. Soldiers were draping them across fortified positions and combat vehicles as a final defense, and Futtrup heard they were saving lives."They write to me that they want more because, without this, all other donations are worthless," Futtrup told Business Insider.Thyborn, a fishing village of some 2,000 people in Jutland, just happened to have 450 tons of those nets sitting unused at the harbor. These were trawling nets, made of nylon fibers up to four millimeters thick for hauling hundreds of fish at a time from the deep sea.Futtrup found Thyborn's fishermen on Facebook and asked if they were open to making a donation. They agreed.Now, the nets are in Ukraine, being used to snag Russian drones similar to insects on flypaper. They're just the first tranche of what Futtrup and other volunteers hope will be a total of 2.1 million pounds of Danish commercial nets left over from Brexit fishing disputes lining Ukrainian fortifications. Ukrainian soldiers hope nets like Futtrup's will be a final line of defense against drones. Courtesy of Carl Futtrup As drones dominate the battlefield, defensive netting has become a hot commodity on the ground."They're really effective because the drones are still using propellers, and the nets catch the propellers," said Mykhaylo Ardashyn, a senior soldier in the Separate Artillery Brigade of Ukraine's National Guard. "Even after an explosion, the net will not be destroyed or burned completely, and some fibers can still catch other drones."There are times when a snagged drone might even fail to explode, he told BI.Ardashyn, who primarily helps his brigade procure supplies, said Futtrup's donated nets are being deployed on his units' section of the front line. The brigade is fighting near Pokrovsk.Fishing nets aren't new to the war. Ukrainians have been using them in fortified positions since the full-scale invasion began, but primarily to provide camouflage.Recently, Ardashyn said, there's been an increased demand for heavy-duty nets as troops realized they can be a reliable option to counter uncrewed aerial systems. The need is exacerbated by the growing use of fiber-optic drones, which can bypass electronic jamming and have to be blocked or disabled."We are talking about big nets," Ardashyn said. "Not those that people use by hand, but the really big ones, like from ships. The material is strong enough that it can handle a drone falling from the sky."Some units have started draping thick nets on the tree lines along supply routes to hinder ambushes from skilled Russian drone pilots. Others have shrouded their fortified positions completely in netting.Moscow's troops are using them too, said Federico Borsari, a fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis who studies drone warfare in Ukraine."The Russians are using nets to cover entire roads and protect their logistics from Ukrainian first-person view UAVs, with mixed results depending on the area," he told BI. But it's unlikely that either side will have enough time or resources to cover their entire rear with nets, he added.Troops also use them to protect armored vehicles, relying on a combination of nets and metal frames once mocked as "cope cages" to lower the chances of direct impact from a drone. Even a foot or two distance from a vehicle's armored body can reduce a drone's explosive power."The amount of nets needed is increasing exponentially," Ardashyn said. Ukrainians have been using nets to shield their armored vehicles and guns since the start of the war. Courtesy of Carl Futtrup and Mykhaylo Ardashyn Brexit's loss, Ukraine's gainBack in Denmark, Futtrup has been contacting other local harbors and secured another 600 tons of trawl nets to send to Ukraine via truck. He's been speaking with Ukrainian media, such as the Kyiv Post, trying to raise funds from volunteers and the Danish government for transportation.It's a heavy expense for the gardener, with costs for the second shipment totaling about 90,000 euros. Futtrup estimates that each truck can carry up to 20 tons of nets, and each trip will cost about 3,000 euros, or $3,200. A typical trawl net is about 1,300 feet long.The nets themselves are free. Carsten Bach, a parliament member of the Danish right-wing Liberal Alliance opposition party, told BI that most of the donated nets sat in storage for years after Brexit cut off British fishing waters from Danish fishermen. The donated nets were sitting in harbors because Brexit prevented Danish fishermen from using them in British waters, Bach said. Courtesy of Carl Futtrup "Some of the fishermen put a lot of value in these nets. It's quite a large investment for a small company or a single-person fisherman," said Bach, who is his party's spokesman on both defense and food. The fishing industry contributes about 0.75% of Denmark's GDP, but the country is the world's fifth largest exporter of fish products.Bach said many fishermen chose to keep their nets, hoping that a new agreement with the UK could restore access to their old fishing spots.However, Danish environmental laws require such equipment to be disposed of or recycled eventually. And Bach said fishermen typically must pay a large fee for this service.The politician, who is helping Futtrup submit a financing proposal to the Danish government, said it's therefore likely these trawl nets won't be a renewable resource for Ukraine."There will not, in the future, be as large a volume of fishing equipment like this for disposal in Denmark," Bach said.Danish nets won't last foreverStill, Futtrup's nets are supplying at least 13 units on the front lines, said Bernard Christensen, who runs the Swedish non-governmental organization Brave Ukraine."This is our main vein for the foreseeable future," he told BI.Christensen, a Swede living in Ukraine, has been helping brigades find sources for heavy-duty nets. One brigade typically requests about 50 to 80 tons of netting, and they can be difficult to procure locally, he said. Russian-controlled territory blocks much of Ukraine's access to the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov.A unit commander overseeing fortifications and mine-laying in the Donetsk direction told BI that his battalion needs about three truckloads, or roughly 60 tons of nets, a month."We have no local sources for these nets, they can only be obtained from abroad," said the commander, who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of his work. His identity is known to BI.He said it takes his men about three to four days to set up one truckload, often in miles-long "tunnels" of netting along roads to protect vehicles against drone strikes.But even with volunteer donations, there's barely enough to go around."Many units desperately need these marine nets," he added. The nets discovered by Futtrup are loaded by crane in Denmark, then trucked over to the front lines in Ukraine. Courtesy of Carl Futtrup That means Futtrup's nets will eventually run out, and Christensen must search elsewhere soon. Brave Ukraine is looking to acquire nets from organizations cleaning up the western Swedish coast, he said.Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at the Washington-based think tank Defense Priorities, told Business Insider that Ukraine's demand for fishing nets is an example of how the fighting there has democratized modern warfare."In the United States, military and political leaders are always searching for the next best weapon or military system, the one platform that will give the United States insurmountable advantages," she said. "But what the Ukraine war has shown is that while these types of high-tech solutions to military challenges have their place, low-tech and inexpensive alternatives can sometimes work just as well."Investing billions of dollars into advanced platforms may not be enough to win a future war, since they might be defeated by a less capable adversary with a simple or cheap defense, she added."Fishing nets might not be the right response for the US military, but in this case and others, the Pentagon should spend more time exploring less advanced options rather than defaulting immediately to complex and bespoke designs," Kavanagh said.Meanwhile, Futtrup said he's pouring his energy into securing the money to truck over the donated nets. He hopes to acquire 50,000 euros from Swedish and Danish government agencies."Ukraine is part of Europe, and the country is only 1,250 kilometers from Copenhagen," he said."As long as there is demand for fishing nets in Ukraine, I will send them, until there is no more to be found in Denmark either," he added.Translation by Sofiia Meleshenko.