New Atlas

ENERGY Reactor that produces liquid fuel from CO2 in the air to be tested in portable pilot plant A transportable chemical reactor​ developed at Germany's Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) and spinoff company Ineratec that uses solar power to convert CO2 from the air and regenerative hydrogen from electrolysis into liquid fuels will be tested in a pilot plant.   Read more ELECTRONICS Metamaterials enable semiconductor-free microelectronics Researchers at the University of California San Diego claim to have created the world's first microelectronic device that has no semiconductors, instead employing low-power laser optical control to increase its conductivity by more than 1,000 percent.  Read more ARCHITECTURE Shanghai tower terracing leads to offices in the cloud A new tower in Shanghai, China, is to boast a reflective, cloud-like façade sitting atop staggered, landscaped terraces reminiscent of a rocky hillside. The features will demarcate the building's retail and office sections, with the façade helping to regulate its internal temperature.   Read more MUSIC Click-on lets your dreadnought stand on its own four feet ​There are numerous ways to stow away an acoustic guitar between picking sessions. A simple idea from Danish musician Murad Mahmoud does away with drilling holes in the wall or spoiling a living room aesthetic with a collapsible stand and gives the instrument its own set of feet. Meet the Standley.   Read more ARCHITECTURE Flood-proof house would rise with the tide Some areas in the UK can't be developed for housing because of the risk of flooding. However, the Elevating House is a family home that would rise 1.5 m off the ground on stilts when the floods come.   Read more ROBOTICS UN report says robots threaten two thirds of jobs in developing countries The UN has considered the threat of weaponized AI, but now the body is looking at a more mundane robot invasion. A new report has outlined how the increasing use of industrial automation is impacting jobs in developing countries, and what strategies may help in overcoming the problem.   Read more DRONES Echodyne's amazing miniature UAV radar: A huge step towards legal, autonomous drone deliveries It's not drone technology that's stopping you from being able to get a burger or a book flown into your back yard by drone – it's aviation law. But this extraordinary piece of technology might just give UAVs the sense-and-avoid ability they need to satisfy the FAA and open up the skies.   Read more MARINE Dainese D-Air technology to hit the water Dainese Group is teaming with Emirates Team New Zealand to develop a new Sea-Guard life jacket that incorporates D-Air automatic airbag technology that inflates special airbags when potentially dangerous situations are detected.   Read more AUTOMOTIVE Kia turbocharges 2017 Exclaim to top of the Soul range Giving its quirky Soul a little more oomph, Kia has revealed the turbocharged 2017 Soul Exclaim. The new Soul brings more than 200 hp while still besting 30 mpg (7.8 L/100km) on the highway.   Read more MEDICAL Wireless brain-to-spine connection gets paralyzed primates walking Researchers have developed a system that bypasses spinal injury by allowing the motor cortex to communicate wirelessly with the lower spine, and demonstrated that it can restore almost normal walking patterns in partially paralyzed macaques.   Read more BIOLOGY Blistering bat smokes flight speed record with 100 mph zoom Scientists studying the flight of Brazilian free-tailed bats have clocked the creatures zipping along at 160 km/h (100 mph), making them the fastest horizontal flyers in the entire animal kingdom. ​   Read more MOBILE TECHNOLOGY Google Pixel XL vs. OnePlus 3 Pixel XL​, the first made-by-Google phablet, has earned big accolades for its camera, super-swift performance and pure Android experience. Still, it's an expensive phone, and not all of its features are necessities. How does it compare to one of our favorite bargain 'droids, the OnePlus 3​?   Read more HEALTH & WELLBEING Human antibody shown to impart forcefield-like qualities to placenta to battle Zika Scientists have discovered a Zika antibody that can potentially protect developing fetuses, probably the number-one victim of the disease.​   Read more MOTORCYCLES Ducati downsizes to create Multistrada 950  ​Not content with making the Monster smaller and more accessible, Ducati has used EICMA 2016 in Milan to unveil the Multistrada 950. Although it's powered by a smaller engine, the Multistrada 950 has been designed with the same go-anywhere focus as its bigger, more expensive brethren.  Read more LAPTOPS 13-inch MacBook Pro vs. 12-inch MacBook (2016) In the last two years, Apple has revamped its MacBook line with new aesthetics and a different outlook on connecting accessories. We lined up the 2016 MacBook Pro with the latest 12-inch MacBook, to compare their features and specs.   Read more MOTORCYCLES Commuting needn't be boring on the Yamaha TMAX 530 It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of all the nakeds and concepts released at EICMA, but there are also plenty of interesting things going on in the world of scooters. Take the Yamaha TMAX 530, which has been given an electric throttle and a lighter frame for a more engaging ride.  Read more DIGITAL CAMERAS Nikon’s D5600 offers constant smartphone connection Nikon has announced the new mid-range D5600 DSLR. A follow-up to the D5500, the new APS-C shooter is a modest upgrade which adds features including Nikon’s constant SnapBridge connectivity and a number of user interface tweaks.   Read more MOTORCYCLES Piaggio's first electric Vespa to go on sale next year The Piaggio Group has announced that possibly the most iconic scooter of them all is about to go electric. The Vespa Elettrica concept has been revealed at EICMA in Milan, Italy, this week.   Read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS Ace Your Next Interview with this Microsoft Office Certification Training — Over 90% Off Microsoft Office is the world's most popular office software, and is quickly becoming an essential skill set in many industries. Over this extensive course, you'll get a leg up on the competition with beginner, intermediate, and advanced training in the entire Microsoft Office Suite: Access, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word.   Read more