~new-atlas-new-techn | Bookmarks (1067)

There may be new hope for people with noisy neighbors. Scientists at MIT have developed a method of using thin sheets of fabric to either cancel or block sound – in the latter case, the racket even gets reflected back to its maker.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: MIT, Sound, Smart Fabric, Silk, Noise-Canceling

Downing a freshly brewed cup of coffee in the morning can be vital for facing the day ahead, but what if you had to wait up to a day to get your caffeine hit? That's on the menu if you like your Joe brewed cold, but researchers have now managed to cold brew in minutes thanks to ultrasound.Continue ReadingCategory: Around The Home, LifestyleTags: University...

There are so many ways to say hello. People wave, bow, shake hands, hug, kiss, fist bump, say “hi” or any combo of these. But there’s one greeting from nature that we sure hope doesn’t catch on, as a new study finds that elephants often greet chums with a dump.Continue ReadingCategory: Biology, ScienceTags: Elephant, Animal science, Animals, Wildlife, University of Vienna, University of Vienna,...

Though its initial plans for the Line seem to have been scaled back – by a lot – Saudi Arabia isn't done wowing us with its wildly ambitious, and at times impractical, vision to remake the desert country into a tourist paradise. Its latest project under the Neom banner involves the creation of a massive new marina for superyachts, plus a luxurious community surrounding...

The Outset e-scrambler is the second electric motorcycle from California-based Ryvid, and shapes up as a keenly priced highway-capable ride designed for daily commutes as well as "multi-role" adventuring at the weekend.Continue ReadingCategory: Motorcycles, TransportTags: Electric Motorcycles

There are many models of Swiss Army knives, which can be equipped with everything from a flashlight to a seatbelt cutter. To date though, there's not a version without the tool's namesake knife. That's about to change.Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, LifestyleTags: Multitools, Knife, Victorinox, Swiss Army

Proteins are one of nature's most incredible and versatile inventions. These essential building blocks of life catalyze virtually every chemical reaction in the body, regulate gene expression and the immune system, make up the major structural elements of all cells, and form the major components of muscle.Continue ReadingCategory: TechnologyTags: Artificial Intelligence, Deep Learning, Protein, Google DeepMind

Whether you're a John Carpenter fan or a biology enthusiast, you shouldn't need much convincing to know that the melting of subterranean permafrost at the poles is not a good thing. Last year, scientists gave us one more thing to lose sleep over, reviving a 48,500-year-old 'zombie virus' unearthed from Arctic permafrost – and it was not the first time. It's one more sting...

A 20-second video from inside a Chinese humanoid robot factory is causing some consternation today around social media. It shows a range of highly realistic-looking, partially skinned humanoids under construction.Continue ReadingCategory: Robotics, TechnologyTags: China, Humanoid, Robots, Video

What would it look like to fall into a black hole? It’s a question basically everyone has pondered, and now NASA has finally given us a first-person view of the experience with scientifically-accurate visualizations produced by a supercomputer.Continue ReadingCategory: Space, ScienceTags: Black hole, Supermassive black hole, NASA, Goddard Space Flight Center, Video, Physics, Astrophysics

Scientists have developed tiny "robots" which appear to be very effective at removing microplastics pollution from water. What's more, the little bots also target the harmful bacteria that often hitch a ride on the plastic particles.Continue ReadingCategory: Environment, ScienceTags: BRNO, Microplastic, Water

Bricks made partially of discarded glass and recycling-waste ash have been shown to insulate better than regular bricks, while also requiring less energy to produce. And of course, they additionally use materials which would otherwise end up in landfills.Continue ReadingCategory: Materials, ScienceTags: RMIT University, Glass, Recycling, Building and Construction

Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a team made up of Carlo Ratti Associati, along with construction firm Webuild and structural engineer Michel Virlogeux, has proposed a new – and safer – replacement.Continue ReadingCategory: Architecture, LifestyleTags: Building and Construction, Bridge, Carlo Ratti Associati

LA-based Eli Electric Vehicles is launching its flagship Zero electric micro-car in the US market later this year, hoping to build on sales success in Europe and beyond. The teeny two-person city dweller starts at just $11,990.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Electric Vehicles, Last-mile transport, city car

The Krafla Magma Testbed (KMT) "has the potential to be for geoscientists what the Large Hadron Collider has been for particle physicists." So say researchers working on the project to drill straight into a magma chamber to explore massive geothermal power.Continue ReadingCategory: Energy, ScienceTags: Geothermal, Clean Energy, Iceland, Alternative Energy, Green+Energy, Geology

The most prevalent chronic liver condition worldwide is non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), a build-up of fat in the liver that isn’t caused by heavy alcohol use. Linked to genetics and overweight or obesity, if NAFLD is left untreated, it can progress into its most severe form, called NASH (non-alcoholic steatohepatitis), which is characterized by liver inflammation and scarring. NASH also increases the risk...

An incredible new study has upended our understanding of genetic Alzheimer's disease, finding that nearly everyone carrying two copies of a culprit gene had distinct biological markers of the degenerative condition by the age of 65. This means the APOE4 gene may no longer merely a risk factor but the driver behind a new stand-alone genetic Alzheimer's disease type that could impact up to...

I can't say I've seen anything like this "underwater mobility device" before. The idea is simple enough; you extend the Seabike's pole to the appropriate length, then strap it to your waist with a belt. Then you find the pedals with your feet, and start turning the crank, with the waist strap to push against.Continue ReadingCategory: Marine, TransportTags: Swimming, Marine, Water Sports, Fitness, Ocean

Changes in the geopolitical situation are drastically altering how the major military powers are dealing with logistics. Since the Second World War, the main focus of Western planning has been in regards to a land war in Europe. This meant sorting out how to move soldiers and materiel around in a continental setting with plenty of port facilities.Continue ReadingCategory: Military, TechnologyTags: Textron, Ships, Amphibious,...

The vast, rocky Eastern Desert of Sudan, known to locals as the ‘Atbai,’ is a part of the Sahara Desert and home to nomadic groups. During 2018 and 2019, archeologists undertook fieldwork in the region as part of the Atbai Survey Project, aiming to investigate the relationship between indigenous nomads and ‘foreign’ Egyptian and Nubian cultures who ventured into this desert.Continue ReadingCategory: ScienceTags: Archeology,...

No matter how many amazing camper vans other brands come out with, there's still only one Volkswagen California... and it just got a dramatic makeover, from tires to pop-up roof.Continue ReadingCategory: Automotive, TransportTags: Campervan, RV, Volkswagen, Camping, Outdoors, Plug-in Hybrid, PHEV

Many runners don't like the way hydration packs bounce and sway with every step, nor do they like holding onto water bottles. Vessel Athletics' Hydroshirt offers what might be a better alternative to both, in that it incorporates its own snugged-down water bladder.Continue ReadingCategory: Outdoors, LifestyleTags: Hydration, Shirt, Running, Kickstarter

It's highly unlikely that you've ever seen a pedal-electric delivery vehicle quite like the ePack before. In order to accommodate its 4,000 liters of cargo space, the six-wheeler has the same articulated form factor as a semi-trailer transport truck.Continue ReadingCategory: Urban Transport, TransportTags: Pedal-assisted, Quadbikes

China's A Dece Oasis (ADO) has launched an Indiegogo for what's billed as the lightest carbon folding ebike – at 12.5 kg. That's very back-friendly indeed, but is it the lightest of the light? Nope. That honor still goes to UK company Hummingbird.Continue ReadingCategory: Bicycles, TransportTags: ebikes, Pedal-assisted, Foldable bike, Folding, Carbon Fiber, Lightweight