New Atlas

Gizmag is now New Atlas:  Why we changed our name AUTOMOTIVE Gargantuan Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 elegantly combines past and future ​After teasing and taunting us, Mercedes has whipped the cover off the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 at Pebble Beach. The enormous coupe harks back to a time where excess wasn’t frowned upon on the outside, but is thoroughly modern underneath the skin. Put simply, it looks brilliant.   Read more MEDICAL Heat-responsive bandage helps heal wounds A team of researchers from Southwestern University has created a bandage with a single purpose in mind –​ giving the body a helping hand in healing diabetic wounds.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Scaldarsi gives the Maybach S600 a shiny new suit To many people, the Mercedes-Maybach S600 represents an unachievable dream car. It manages to toe the line between standing out and still looking reasonably restrained. But what happens when all caution is thrown to the wind? Well, it probably looks something like the new 888 hp Scaldarsi Emperor 1.   Read more TELECOMMUNICATIONS Fancy webcam designed to simplify 4K video conferencing ​Thanks to services like Skype, Slack and Facetime, there’s no shortage of ways to communicate and collaborate through voice and video conferencing. But Solaborate sees all this as clumsy and bloated, and is attempting to simplify the process with its new webcam, Hello.  Read more AUTOMOTIVE America's luxury renaissance continues with Cadillac Escala Concept It seems something has finally twigged in boardrooms around Detroit, and a slew of recent concept and production cars suggest American luxury is undergoing a modern resurgence. The Cadillac Escala Concept is yet more proof.   Read more MOTORCYCLES Moto Guzzi V8 replica: Can hipsters make the dustbin fairing cool again? ​If those weird vintage fishbowl helmets can become cool again, why not the dustbin fairing? Vanguard clothing has commissioned an imposing-looking replica of the extraordinary 1956 Moto Guzzi V8 – even if it leaves out the V8 engine that made the original bike such an iconic machine.   Read more SPACE Steamy Venus-like exoplanet likely oxygen-rich, life-poor Exoplanet GJ 1132b may be the first rocky planet outside our solar system where we detect oxygen in the atmosphere. But ET enthusiasts shouldn’t get their hopes up – orbiting extremely close to its star, the sweltering planet likely has a strong greenhouse effect and a magma ocean on its surface.  Read more SCIENCE Residue forms identifying fingerprint for brands of bullets A team of scientists at Flinders University in Australia have developed a new technique for analyzing gunshot residue that is so sensitive that it's possible to match residue with a specific brand of ammunition.   Read more AROUND THE HOME Shazam for furniture has an eye for style ​Say you’re flicking through a lifestyle magazine, or photos of a living room, and you spot a lamp or a chair that would go great in your own home. But how do you find that exact one? A new system can run photos of furniture through a neural network and identify the make, model and where to buy it.   Read more AIRCRAFT Autonomous Airbus drones could be flying us to work by 2027  ​Congestion is at an all-time high, and there's no respite in sight for motorists. Airbus thinks autonomous commuter aircraft could be the solution, and is actively working to make it happen within the next decade.   Read more SCIENCE Mutant fish help uncover link between fins and fingers Despite evidence that land-based animals evolutionarily came from the sea, scientists still struggle to determine how fish eventually developed limbs. Now, a new study furthers our understanding of this evolution by shedding light on the relationship between fish fins and fingers.  Read more QUANTUM COMPUTING China launches world's first quantum satellite Chinese scientists claim to have launched the world's first quantum communications satellite with which they intend to experiment with quantum communication and teleportation from space, in the hope of one day producing an entire global network of quantum communication systems.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Self-driving Ubers picking up passengers from later this month If you're ready to welcome in the era of self-driving cars in person, you may want to head to Pittsburgh later this month. Uber and Volvo have signed a deal to team up on developing autonomous driving technology, beginning with ferrying Uber customers around the Pennsylvania city.   Read more SCIENCE Computer program writes like famous people – or even like you ​​Is it possible to receive a newly hand-written letter from Abraham Lincoln? Of course not, but thanks to research being carried out at University College London, you could now get a computer-written facsimile of one.   Read more SCIENCE Mutated genes pegged to age-related conditions in mice A large-scale program has pinpointed animal genes closely associated with age-related conditions such as retinal degeneration, osteoarthritis and hearing loss. The insights could help in the development of screening tests to identify human patients at risk of developing such conditions.   Read more MATERIALS Transparent wood opens a window to cooler homes Using their recently developed transparent wood as a window for a model home, scientists have found that not only does it let in a similar amount of light to glass, but it is much better at keeping the interior cool.   Read more AROUND THE HOME Portable air conditioner would do more than keep things cool A San Francisco-based startup has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a portable air conditioner that packs more than just a rotary compressor. The Zero Breeze is designed to illuminate, play music over Bluetooth, power devices, and last up to five hours on its rechargeable battery.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Self-driving bus goes toe-to-toe with traffic in Helsinki Helsinki has welcomed the driverless EZ10 bus onto its roads, but this project will be a little different to the closed-loop trials to go before it. In the city's Hernesaari district, the bus will be let off the leash along routes with real traffic for the first time.   Read more SPACE NASA competition will see virtual robots repair a storm-damaged Martian base ​​NASA, in conjunction with global innovation consultant organization NineSigma, has launched a new competition aimed at pushing the limits of robotic dexterity.   Read more ARCHITECTURE Maldives luxury resort visitors will be able to take the stars to bed with them Resorts in the Maldives like Finolhu Villas and the Hurawalhi Island Resort and Spa aim to offer unforgettable luxury experiences, but the soon-to-open Soneva Jani resort will offer something that no others do. Retractable roofs in the bedrooms of its villas will let guests sleep under the stars.   Read more HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS Big Apple's big wheel opening delayed The world's "largest observation wheel" is set to open in New York in 2018. The aptly-named "New York Wheel" was due to open next year, but the scale of the project has required that the launch date be pushed back. When it does open, visitors will be able to take in views out across New York Bay.   Read more BICYCLES When the torque is right, this bike wrench crinkles ​​As any bicycle mechanic will tell you, it's crucial to apply the right amount of torque when tightening components on a bike. That's why many cyclists use a torque wrench … and the Crankl might just be the simplest and potentially least-expensive one ever made.​   Read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS SaferVPN Provides Optimal Online Privacy, and a Lifetime Subscriptions is Now Just $49 Get the ultimate protection against hackers and snoopers with SaferVPN, the fastest, simplest and most reliable VPN service on the market. The highest levels of encryption and super simple single-click applications for every device ensure you are 100% protected online and on-the-go. 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