New Atlas

AUTOMOTIVE Solar panels cut down on range anxiety in German compact EV From fast charging to fuel cells, eking more mileage out of batteries will be crucial if electric cars are to win over devotees of gas and diesel. German company Sono Motors plans on using solar panels to solve the problem, with its compact Sion commuter.  Read more DIGITAL CAMERAS Hands-on with Sony's super-speedy A99 Mark II Sony announced a new flagship camera at Photokina with the DSLR-like A99 Mark II. While it all looked very impressive on paper and at the press conference, we were curious to see what it was like in person. Read on to see what we made of the camera when we went hands-on.   Read more ARCHITECTURE Zaha Hadid leaves glass boat high and dry in Antwerp Even her harshest critics could hardly accuse Zaha Hadid of playing it safe, and the starchitect's newest posthumous building reminds us of the self-confidence that typified her work. Port House is intended to resemble a huge glass ship's bow pointing toward the spot that Antwerp was founded.  Read more BICYCLES Aerovelo tops human-powered speed record with 89.59 mph bullet bike Aerovelo has set a new human-powered speed record using its specially designed aero bike. Running at the World Human Powered Speed Challenge in Battle Mountain, Nevada, the egg-shaped Aerovelo Eta managed to hit 89.59 mph. ​​  Read more ENVIRONMENT Atmospheric acidity almost back down to preindustrial levels Forty years after legislation was introduced to combat air pollution, atmospheric acidity has now dropped back down to pre-1930 levels. This comes out of research which used a new technique to measure the pH balance of ice core samples from the Greenland ice sheet, and how it’s changed year to year.   Read more DRONES Pouncer drone can be packed to the propellers with disaster relief ​Delivering supplies to disaster sites is an inexact science. The Pouncer is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to land accurately, while its hollow wings and body can be packed with food, water and medicine, the pre-formed shell used as shelter, and the frame burned for cooking fuel.   Read more SPACE Snappy star goes through two stages of evolution in just 45 years 2,700 light years from Earth, in the heart of the Stingray Nebula, a small star has allowed astronomers to observe something incredible: a dramatic contracting and heating phase followed by a rapid rebirth into a cooling, expanding star – just as astronomers predicted.   Read more ENVIRONMENT Stanford tracker gives a whale-back view of feeding time A wide array of technology has been deployed to track and study whales unobtrusively, and now a team from Stanford has used a new suite of sensors to study the feeding habits of baleen whales in greater detail and released a video from the vantage point of riding on its back.   Read more SPACE Largest radio telescope on Earth switched on in China On Sunday the Chinese Academy of Sciences announced that the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)​ has begun operations.   Read more MILITARY Wearable sensors improve troop tracking and situational awareness without GPS The British MoD has unveiled a new wearable sensor technology designed to keep track of squaddies and prevent friendly fire incidents. The Dismounted Close Combat Sensors (DCCS) system will allow commanders to track troops without GPS, while providing better situational awareness.  Read more HEALTH & WELLBEING NextDesk Velo lets you cycle while you work Plenty of standing desks and even under-desk elliptical trainers try to make working a little less sedentary, but the Velo bicycle desk from NextDesk aims to fuse working and working out into the same activity.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Mercedes-Maybach S 600 Pullman Guard protects passengers from bullets and blasts The Mercedes-Maybach S600 Pullman will undoubtedly be the choice of many a high-ranking dignitary and business mogul. For those that need extra security, the new Pullman Guard rolls out with bullet- and blast-ready armor.   Read more SPACE SpaceX fingers helium as cause of Falcon 9 rocket explosion ​SpaceX has released the preliminary findings into the Falcon 9 accident on Sept. 1 that destroyed the unmanned rocket. According to the company, the exact cause of the explosion is still uncertain, but it has narrowed things down to the cryogenic helium system used to feed the second stage engine.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE New Ferrari supplies RWD turbo power for four  Sure to be one of the fastest four-seaters in Paris, the all-new GTC4Lusso T is Maranello's latest effort. The "T" points to the V8 turbo that stands in for the standard GTC4Lusso's V12.   Read more BICYCLES Spinning bike wheels compress flat-filling air ​Although you certainly can inflate a bike's tires using a hand pump, doing so typically involves some time and effort. Production Functional Factory is attempting to address that situation with Bimp Air, a refillable compressed air system that's charged by the spinning of the bike's front wheel. ​   Read more DIGITAL CAMERAS The best of Photokina 2016 We recently packed our camera bags and headed to Cologne in Germany for Photokina 2016. While there we got the lowdown on new products and got hands-on with newly announced cameras. Read on to see some of the things that caught our attention while there.   Read more OUTDOORS Humpback whale frees itself from fishing lines ​A humpback whale off the coast of California that was entangled in rope seems to have freed itself from the lines. A video from a tour operator caught the detangled giant mammal swimming in the waters of the state's southern coast, along with some frolicking dolphin companions.​   Read more BICYCLES Zip-tie-inspired bike lock won't weigh you down ​​If you're a recreational cyclist, chances are you don't lug a U-lock along on all your rides. So, what happens if you make a quick stop at a coffee shop? Well, the OttoLock works essentially like a big cut-resistant zip-tie. ​   Read more DRONES UPS seeks out Roomba-maker to help put delivery drones in the sky Following the lead of Amazon, DHL and even retail chains like Dominos and 7-Eleven, global shipping giant UPS has partnered with drone-maker CyPhy Works to put aerial couriers to the test.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Nissan GT-R gets the NISMO treatment for new Track Edition Nissan has unveiled a new Track Edition of its flagship GT-R model. Based on the car's 2017 vintage, which premiered in March, it has been engineered by the marque's NISMO racing division, which has squeezed in a few more horses under the hood and added some stiffness and stability to the ride.  Read more WEARABLES Snapchat broadens its focus with camera-packing Spectacles Snapchat, the social network known for vanishing pictures and funky filters, is branching out into the world of wearables with a set of Spectacles. The glasses have a camera on each side, which the company says are among the world's smallest and record in a new, circular format.   Read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS The Avantree PowerHouse Charging Station Powers 4 Devices at Once — Now 28% Off Stop fumbling around your office for open outlets, and just get an Avantree Desktop USB Charging Station. Avantree provides 4 USB charging sockets and a whopping 4.5A/22.5W output for a super fast charge for all of your devices. With a handy velcro system to manage and hide cables, as well, this is the convenient, one-stop charging station for your desk.   Read more