New Atlas: Technology-Innovation-Outdoor News

Watching skilled excavator operators work is almost hypnotic. They make it look so easy that the machine seems to move like an extension of the operator's own arm. That intuition usually takes years to build, but a new controller from MIT engineers compresses that learning curve to a single session. Continue Reading Category: Robotics , Engineering Tags: Robotics , MIT , Interface , Robotic const…

The mission to rescue NASA's Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory space telescope may be in need of some rescuing itself. Due to multiple malfunctions in the LINK spacecraft's attitude control system, space engineers have decided to abandon the boost attempt. Continue Reading Category: Space Systems , Engineering Tags: Swift Satellite , NASA , Satellite

As sighted creatures, humans have always used light for communication through body language, writing, smoke signals, and more. Harnessing invisible frequencies of light such as radio massively expanded our communication range, while hyper-focusing light into lasers tremendously increased communication fidelity. And sending lasers through fiber optic cables meant communication that was free from t…

I want the camper van ... but without tying myself to one van. That's essentially what spinoff brand Hunker sells with its new slide-in camper system. An all-in-one camper van floor plan on roller skates, the Hunker Pod turns an empty Ram Promaster into a warm, inviting camper van with kitchen, dining area, queen bed and toilet – no time-sucking DIY conversion work, no six-figure custom build, an…

Tiny houses come in all shapes and sizes nowadays. Some models push toward the upper limits of what can reasonably be considered a portable home, while others embrace extreme downsizing. Here are 10 of our favorites from both ends of the spectrum. Continue Reading Category: Tiny Houses , Outdoors Tags: Building and Construction , Tiny Footprint , Micro-House , House , Home

It's that time of the year again – when nature photo competition winners are announced and we get to look at some amazing images that remind us that the world is made up of more than AI slop. For now, anyway. Continue Reading Category: Photography , Consumer Tech , Technology Tags: Animal science , Photographers , Awards , Animals , Marine Biology , Ecology

Chinese mini-transport engineering company Blizwheel has spent years evolving lightweight electric scooters that fold like origami to become small enough to vanish inside a standard backpack. Its latest version is perhaps the best yet. Continue Reading Category: Urban Transport , Transport Tags: xxKickbooster , Kickstarter , Electric Vehicles , Scooter

Personally, I’ve always loved the Yamaha XSR lineup. I think the 700 and 900 are brilliant-looking motorcycles that most people can hop on, ride practically anywhere, and have a ball while doing so. They offer something for modern motorcycle enthusiasts alongside a dose of authentic retro style. Continue Reading Category: Motorcycles , Transport Tags: Yamaha , America , Affordable , Kawasaki , Ho…

Bacteria engineered to sense and reduce glucose levels could be the future of type 2 diabetes treatments, following pre-clinical trials on animal models. Continue Reading Category: Diabetes , Illnesses and conditions , Body and Mind , Refractor: Science & Health Tags: Type 2 diabetes , GLP-1 receptor agonists , Weight Loss , Probiotic , Diet

We want faster and faster computers, and light is the fastest thing in the universe. Therefore, light-based computers should be awesome. Right? Not quite. Computing isn't always about data arriving fast. Sometimes it's about arriving on cue. We have learned how to force light to calm down, but today’s hardware matches a specific design to a specific speed. But how do we command light to arrive fa…

Ever been stuck in traffic and wished you could simply fly above it all, straight to your destination? Well, that dream is one step closer to reality, as the world's first airport for flying taxis has just received the regulatory green light. Continue Reading Category: Aircraft , Transport Tags: eVTOL , urban transport , Electric Aircraft

Psychedelics are inherently chaotic drugs, dissolving the boundary between self and surrounds by sowing discord in the brain. Continue Reading Category: Mental Health , Brain Health , Body and Mind , Refractor: Science & Health Tags: Psychedelic Medicine , psilocybin , mental health , Brain , Pharmaceuticals , Monash University , neurons

Modern laptops are the thinnest they’ve ever been. But this sleek form factor has a cost: optical drives are a thing of the past, full-size USB ports are becoming less common, and card readers are often an optional extra. BluHub is aiming to restore a lot of this lost connectivity via a single box. Continue Reading Category: Consumer Tech , Technology Tags: xxKickbooster , Kickstarter , Blu-ray ,…

A highly anticipated drug trial is in its final stages as its 350 participants receive their single dose to treat chronic low back pain. If successful, the experimental medication could be a breakthrough therapeutic for people with the common but debilitating condition. Continue Reading Category: Chronic Pain , Illnesses and conditions , Body and Mind , Refractor: Science & Health Tags: Cells , B…

Unveiled amid the high-octane glamour and pristine lawns of the Monterey Car Week in California, the Lucid Gravity GT-S is a direct assault on the most lucrative auto segment in North America. Continue Reading Category: Automotive , Transport Tags: Lucid Motors , SUV , Electric Vehicles , Luxury , Monterey Car Week 2026

Los Angeles-based The Minimal Company specializes in stripped-down phones that put just a handful of essential tools in your pocket and leave out the distracting stuff. Its latest model marks a major departure, while aiming to stay true to the vision of reducing your screen time. Continue Reading Category: Mobile Technology , Consumer Tech , Technology Tags: Smartphones , Android , Minimalist , K…

The white cross with red surround has long been a sacred badge in the world of knives, indicating the timeless dependability and versatility of the Swiss Army knife. The latest multifunctional pocket knife to float onto our computer screen isn't a white cross-badged Swiss Army knife, but it wears an equally proud badge of origin and heritage. The newly released Böker Treebrand Camp Knife is a pur…

As a fan of old-school '90s rock and grunge, I can’t say I’m much of a Swifty. Still, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Taylor Swift’s albums are immensely popular, even before the Eras Tour swept the globe. Continue Reading Category: Society & Community , Wellness and Healthy Living , Body and Mind , Refractor: Science & Health Tags: Smartphones , Music Streaming , Spotify , Traffic , Accidents …

With its length of 38 ft (11.6 m) and increased width of 10 ft (3 m), the Retirement Retreat isn't the smallest tiny house on the market, but all that space is cleverly used to provide an interior that's more like a small apartment than a typical towable home. Continue Reading Category: Tiny Houses , Outdoors Tags: Building and Construction , Micro-House , Tiny Footprint , House , Home

Designed in Copenhagen, the Habity bedside clock swaps your phone screen's glow for an eye-friendly e-paper display, gentle wake-up tones, and a local library of sleep sounds, all running fully offline with no app, account, or subscription. Continue Reading Category: Around The Home , Consumer Tech , Technology Tags: E-Ink , ePaper , Clock