Oppo X 2021 concept phone teases a rollable display

Although foldable phones have only just made their way onto the smartphone scene, manufacturers are already exploring the next innovation: handsets with rollable displays. One of the first to break cover is the Oppo X 2021, a concept phone shown off as part of a Oppo's annual fut … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Meet the Kawasaki K-Racer unmanned compound helicopter

It's easy to forget that Kawasaki is much more than a motorcycle company. While its famously crazy motorcycles are certainly the most visible part of the brand outside Japan, Kawasaki Heavy Industries is a 124-year-old industrial colossus that brought in US$15 billion in revenues … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

“Fifth state of matter” used to make new type of superconductor

Superconductors – materials in which electricity flows without any resistance whatsoever – could be extremely useful for future electronics. Now, engineers at the University of Tokyo have managed to create a superconductor out of a state of matter called a Bose-Einstein condensat … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

3D-printed tiles boost biodiversity on sea walls

When natural ocean shoreline is replaced by an artificial seawall, a lot of precious intertidal habitat is lost. A new study, however, indicates that by covering those walls with specially designed tiles, a substitute habitat can be created. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Brain implant allows mind control of computers in first human trials

Human trials for a first-of-a-kind device designed to treat the brain via electrical stimulation have brought some very promising results. Called Stentrode, the implant has the potential to treat a wide range of neurological conditions, but in these very first trials, has brought … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

CERN scientists design trap to transport antimatter between facilities

Antimatter is a tricky substance to store and transport, mostly because of its habit of annihilating any container you try to put it in. Now, researchers at the BASE collaboration at CERN have outlined a new antimatter trap designed to safely carry the volatile stuff to new facil … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Psilocybin therapy 4 times more effective than antidepressants, study finds

A new study is presenting the first published data from preliminary human trials investigating the effect of psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy to treat major depressive disorder (MDD). The incredibly positive results have been described as just a “taste of things to come” with la … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Dutch brewery burns iron as a clean, recyclable fuel

Many industries use heat-intensive processes that generally require the burning of fossil fuels, but a surprising green fuel alternative is emerging in the form of metal powders. Ground very fine, cheap iron powder burns readily at high temperatures, releasing energy as it oxidiz … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

New device designed to restore brain functions – via the tongue

Scientists at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have created a device known as a PoNS, that shows promise for the treatment of traumatic brain injuries, strokes, or the effects of diseases such as Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. Researchers at the U.S. Army Medical Research … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Microneedle patch tests for malaria without needing to draw blood

Malaria is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths each year, with testing for the disease involving blood sampling and then trained medical professionals to reach a result. Engineers at Rice University have designed a new bandage-like microneedle device that could greatl … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Klein Vision celebrates maiden flight of its transforming AirCar

Remember the Aeromobil flying car that hit Top Marques Monaco back in 2017? The Aeromobil's original inventor and designer Stefan Klein left that company in 2016, and has been working on another design with a new company called Klein Vision, also based in Slovakia. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Internet sleuths take down the SSC Tuatara's 316-MPH speed record

America's Shelby Supercars has more or less abandoned its world's fastest car claim after eagle-eyed YouTubers pointed out a number of embarrassing, possibly costly discrepancies in its video of the SSC Tuatara making a claimed 316-mph two-way run. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

New nuclear engine concept could help realize 3-month trips to Mars

Seattle-based Ultra Safe Nuclear Technologies (USNC-Tech) has developed a concept for a new Nuclear Thermal Propulsion (NTP) engine and delivered it to NASA. Claimed to be safer and more reliable than previous NTP designs and with far greater efficiency than a chemical rocket, th … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

New evidence affirms apathy is an early sign of dementia

A growing body of research is beginning to suggest severe apathy in older adults is an early sign of dementia. New research from the University of California, San Francisco, with support from the National Institute on Aging, is now offering one of the first longitudinal studies t … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Low-carbon concrete stays strong with polymer lattice reinforcements

For over a century, steel rebar has been the go-to material to reinforce concrete but a new approach promises to make the common building material stronger and more environmentally friendly. Scientists have leveraged 3D printing to produce a polymer lattice structure that can act … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Oceanbird's 80-meter sails reduce cargo shipping emissions by 90%

The idea of using sails to power a boat is not exactly a new one; indeed, the earliest known depiction of a ship under sail appears on a painted disc found in Kuwait, dated back to somewhere between 5,000-5,500 BCE. Boats themselves, interestingly, appear to be closer to a millio … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Polymer sandwich current collector boosts battery density, quells fire

Battery researchers are continually experimenting with alternative materials in an effort to boost performance, and a group from Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory is claiming to have landed on a winner. The team has redesigned the current collector comp … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Real-time tracking of serotonin, dopamine opens new window to the brain

Dopamine and serotonin are brain chemicals implicated in a range of neurological disorders including Parkinson’s and depression, so understanding how they work could be key to the development of more effective treatments for these conditions. A new tool is offering an unprecedent … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Carnot puts a centrifugal spin on a 500-year-old air compressor design

The humble air compressor is a staple of the modern workshop, underpinning everything from tire inflation to air tools, factory equipment, research gear and paint sprayers. But there's always a better way to do things, and one California company believes it's come up with a desig … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

REE demonstrates its wildly innovative vehicle platform of the future

When we first encountered REE's ultra-modular EV chassis, we struggled to know what to make of it. Speaking to CEO Daniel Barel, we couldn't seem to pin down any specifics. What is it? A flat, modular vehicle chassis in which all steering, suspension, motor, gearbox and braking f … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Study reveals potential of hydropower dams topped with floating solar

Hydropower plants that leverage the force of falling water to generate electricity are already an important part of the global energy mix, but a new study suggests they may have much more to offer. Scientists have carried out an analysis of the energy potential of combining these … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

“World's fastest electrodes” triple the density of lithium batteries

French company Nawa technologies says it's already in production on a new electrode design that can radically boost the performance of existing and future battery chemistries, delivering up to 3x the energy density, 10x the power, vastly faster charging and battery lifespans up t … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Bacteria helps animals sense the Earth’s magnetic field, study speculates

One of the most persistent scientific mysteries over the past century has been exactly how some organisms seemingly have the ability to sense the Earth’s magnetic field. Despite several hypotheses, and a large volume of research, there is still no conclusive answer to this myster … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Original penicillin mold genome sequenced for the first time

In a move that could lead to new innovations in antibiotic production, the genome of a freeze-dried sample of Sir Alexander Fleming's original mold that led to his discovery of penicillin has been sequenced for the first time. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

AI system detects loneliness in natural speech patterns

A new proof of concept study, led by researchers at University of California San Diego School of Medicine, has demonstrated how speech-analyzing artificial intelligence tools can effectively predict the level of loneliness in older adults. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Indian robot climbs trees to harvest coconuts

As the population increasingly moves towards tech jobs, there's now a shortage of coconut harvesters in India. That's why scientists there have built a tree-climbing coconut-harvesting robot, that could perhaps someday take up the slack. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

WWF report details 68 percent drop in wildlife numbers since 1970

Human activity is placing a growing strain on the planet's biodiversity, and a new report from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) has laid bare the extent of the damage so far. Drawing on extensive analysis of species' populations around the world, the report reveals an average declin … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

New technique promises less expensive, quickly-made optical fibers

Optical fibers are already used in many fields, but they would have even more applications if they could be manufactured faster and cheaper. An experimental new process is claimed to deliver on both counts, and it utilizes mostly existing technologies. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Nintendo brings Mario Kart into the real world with AR RC cars

Mario Kart is the latest game to cross over into the real world via augmented reality (AR). Nintendo has now unveiled Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit, which lets you drive a little remote-controlled kart around the floor using the Switch console, dodging virtual racers and items. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Flying V long-distance plane makes its first flight as a scale model

Last year we caught wind of an interesting aviation concept cooked up by engineers at TU Delft, which consisted of a novel V-shaped design that promises significant efficiency gains over conventional aircraft. The project has now progressed from slick renders of a futuristic airc … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Silicon “sandwiches” make for lightweight, high-capacity batteries

The pursuit of better batteries means the exploration of alternative materials, and one that scientists see a lot of promise in is silicon. A team at Clemson University has come up with a new design that overcomes some of the problems with incorporating this material into lithium … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

A battery that'd last for decades

A cheap, safe, self-charging battery that delivers high power for decades without ever needing a charge? That's a game changer. California-based company NDB is making some outrageous promises with its nano-diamond battery technology, which could completely disrupt the energy gene … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Extraordinary Australian “bubble house” hits the market

A truly unique piece of Australian real estate is up for grabs. Architect Graham Birchall's personal home, based around a series of 11 intersecting bubble domes, has gone up for sale in Ipswich, Queensland. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Domestication shrank chicken brains and made them less chicken

Chickens have never had a reputation as intellectual heavyweights and scientists have found the reason why. Experimental breeding suggests that domesticating the chicken 10,00 years ago caused its brain to shrink, changing its behavior. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Military-spec filament produces stronger 3D-printed objects

While consumer-grade 3D printers may be adequate for making things like models or curios, they're not always up to the task of creating objects that stand up to real-world use. That could be about to change, though, thanks to a new printing filament. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Internet speed record shattered at 178 terabits per second

The fastest internet speed in the world has been clocked at an incredible 178 terabits per second (Tb/s) – fast enough to download the entire Netflix library in under a second. Engineers in the UK and Japan have developed new ways to modulate light before it’s beamed down optical … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Nano-diamond self-charging batteries could disrupt energy as we know it

California company NDB says its nano-diamond batteries will absolutely upend the energy equation, acting like tiny nuclear generators. They will blow any energy density comparison out of the water, lasting anywhere from a decade to 28,000 years without ever needing a charge. They … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Wireless “photosheets” turn CO2 and sunlight into clean fuel

A device that effectively mimics the natural process of photosynthesis would represent a massive breakthrough for energy researchers, and a team from the University of Cambridge has been at the cutting edge of this technologies for the better part of decade. Its latest step forwa … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

“Cold Tube” cooling system uses half the energy of an air conditioner

Air conditioners are a convenient way to cool down offices and homes, but they use huge amounts of energy in the process. A team of scientists has been developing an alternative solution for those warm summer months called the Cold Tube, which works by absorbing body heat emitted … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Physicists witness time crystals interacting for the first time ever

We’re quickly learning more about time crystals, strange phases of matter that appear to break time-translation symmetry – something that was thought impossible until recently. Now scientists have observed two time crystals interacting for the first time, which could be the first … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Black silicon photodetector hits record-breaking 132% efficiency

Researchers at Aalto University have developed a photovoltaic device that has an external quantum efficiency of 132 percent. This impossible-sounding feat was achieved using nanostructured black silicon, and could represent a major breakthrough for solar cells and other photodete … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Hair-regrowth tech could reverse main cause of age-related hearing loss

A landmark study, led by researchers from Massachusetts Eye and Ear, presents a novel hypothesis to explain age-related hearing loss, challenging the prevailing view that has dominated over half a century of medical science. The new research offers evidence to suggest age-related … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Spacetime wave packets: New class of laser defies laws of light physics

Scientists have created a new class of laser beam that appears to violate long-held laws of light physics. These new beams, which the team calls “spacetime wave packets,” follow different rules of refraction, which could lead to new communication technologies. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Mit study reveals why razor blades go dull cutting humble old hair

Engineers at MIT led by C. Cem Tasan has discovered why steel razor blades go dull even when cutting hair that's 50-times softer. Using an electron microscopic, they found that a single hair can chip a blade edge under the proper conditions. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

The newly discovered weird link between REM sleep and eating patterns

An intriguing new study, from a team of Swiss researchers, has revealed neural activity during REM sleep in a particular region of the brain known to affect appetite and feeding behaviors significantly influences waking eating patterns. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Diluted blood plasma found to reverse aging in mice

A new study by bioengineers at the University of California (UC), Berkeley has revealed an interesting new pathway in efforts to fight off the effects of aging. The team’s research has shown how diluting the blood plasma of older mice can have a strong rejuvenation effect on tiss … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Magnetism electrically induced in non-magnetic pyrite

Researchers have for the first time managed to use electricity to switch on magnetism in a material that’s normally non-magnetic. The find could be a step towards making electronic components out of common materials that might not otherwise be suitable. | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago

Thermal camera bracelet reads your wrist to track your fingers

Capturing the complexities of the human hand is a difficult task – just ask any artist or animator. Now, engineers at Cornell University and the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed a new wearable system that uses thermal sensors to accurately predict hand positions, wi … | Continue reading


@newatlas.com | 4 years ago