Friday, February 10, 2017

New Atlas

Some day in the not-too-distant future, a bipedal robot may carry a package to your front door. That scenario is envisioned by Jonathan Hurst, CTO of Agility Robotics. To that end, his group has developed an ostrich-like two-legged walking robot … and it's called Cassie.​   Read more
Want to be a full-fledged, employable coder? Dive into this comprehensive course on all things coding, complete with hundreds of lectures on must-know web technologies and techniques. You'll master important tools and languages, including use of HTML, CSS, MySQL, WordPress, and more--transforming into a rockstar developer any startup would be crazy to pass over.   Read more
As Harley-Davidson introduces its new Milwaukee-Eight engine to the Road King standard and Classic models, a new version joins the ranks. The 2017 Road King Special sports larger wheels, bigger sweeping saddlebags, and a blacked-out styling that plays to the mean and lean tune.   Read more
It could only have come from Japan. From the country that gave the world smart toilets comes a device that saves users from being socially ostracized by telling them whether or not they smell.    Read more
While there are still cheaper models available, tiny houses seem to have risen in price lately. But for those who can afford it, these high prices offer extra features like off-grid tech and additional space. With this in mind, we've chosen our five favorite luxury tiny houses on the market.   Read more
Dreadbox turned a few e-music heads when the paraphonic Erebus was released in 2015, with a diverse feature set and ear-pleasing tones that also managed to charm many industry pundits. The company is hoping to repeat that success with its first polyphonic synthesizer, the Abyss.   Read more
Mercedes-Benz had a tough road to the 2017 Chicago Auto Show. How to outdo last year's mean, green Sprinter Extreme? We're not sure it's done it, but it's definitely made quite an effort with a Metris van all dressed up like a toolbox on wheels, complete with carry handle.   Read more
Considering taxpayers are footing the bill, it pays to improve the efficiency of the more than 300 million streetlights around the globe. A team in Germany has now developed an array of low-power LEDs that are more efficient, safer, cooler, and easier on the eyes.   Read more
Constructing a commercially viable battery from cheap materials has proven an elusive goal. Researchers from Stanford University hope to solve the puzzle with the introduction of an aluminum-ion battery that uses an electrolyte made of urea, the main component of urine (after water).   Read more
A team of NASA scientists is looking to change the way habitable zones are defined by taking into account the impacts of space weather. The proposed change would likely mean Proxima b, and other exoplanets orbiting red dwarf stars, probably aren't habitable after all.   Read more
Without bees, the wingmen of the plant world, much of the food we eat would be a lot harder to come by – so their worldwide decline is cause for alarm. A team from Japan is giving them a little high-tech help, in the form of tiny pollen-collecting drones covered in a sticky gel and animal hairs.  Read more
NASA has outlined a mission plan for placing a lander on Jupiter's moon Europa, what such a conceptual mission would look like, and how it would directly seek out life for the first time since the Viking Mars missions of the 1970s.   Read more
Toyota gets in on the SUV fun at this year's Chicago Auto Show, making its RAV4 an unlikely adventure hero. The new RAV4 Adventure is another "active lifestyle" package that brings a higher ride height, more rugged looks and other upgrades.  Read more
Energy harvesting devices that generate electricity from light, heat, and mechanical pressure in a single package may soon be possible. Researchers from the University of Oulu have discovered a crystal mineral material that is able to simultaneously generate electricity from all these sources.  Read more
Google announced two LG-made smartwatches as part of its Android Wear 2.0 operating system release. The LG Watch Style is a smaller, more minimal wearable, while the LG Watch Sport is bulkier but more thoroughly equipped. Which one (if either) is right for you? ​   Read more
Europeans might know it as the i30 but ​Hyundai likes to do things differently in the US, launching the warmed-over Elantra GT Sport with a 200 hp (149 kW) engine and purist-pleasing six-speed manual gearbox. The Golf GTI won't be losing any sleep, but the warm hatch bodes well for the i30N.  Read more
When oxygen interacts with uranium, an oxidation reaction occurs that, when mixed with other elements, can create secondary minerals much like rust forms on metal. Three such minerals never before spotted have been found in the Red Canyon region of Utah growing on the walls of old uranium mines.   Read more
As far as most laypeople know, all amoebas are soft-bodied creatures. In fact, though, amoebas of the Thecamoeba genus have a hard outer carapace. In the case of a recently-described new species of Thecamoeba, that shell resembles the wizard's hat worn by Gandalf in The Lord of the Rings.   Read more
When you're not as big as the rest of the guys, you need different strategies to thrive. That seems to be what's happened with a rare fish known as a a Minckley's cichlid. While big males of the species horde the females, the smaller guys use speed and stealth to make sure their DNA gets passed on.   Read more
Scientists are claiming a chemical breakthrough that replaces the key molecule in conventional tires with one sourced from grass and trees instead, all without affecting the tire's color, shape or performance.   Read more
​Natural Cycles has become the first fertility app to be approved as a contraceptive in Europe. Its CE marking of class IIb signifies that it has met safety, health and efficacy requirements in the same risk category as a condom.   Read more
Delivery trucking is a dirty business, but the companies that rely on it are working to clean things up – and compressed natural gas is emerging as a useful alternative to our reliance on diesel power. In the UK, Scania has created a fleet of CNG-powered trucks for long range deliveries.   Read more
Between smartphones, tablets, and handheld gaming systems, killing time on bus rides has never been easier. But soon you might be able to fill that travel time with some classic Atari arcade games as well – provided you don’t mind playing them one-handed on a tiny smartwatch screen.  Read more
Moto Z smartphones boast an innovative modular approach. Thanks to Motorola's "Transform the Smartphone" contest, they're poised to receive some interesting new expansion options. Finalists propose everything from a germ-killing sterilizer to a solar-powered battery.   Read more
As cars become more connected, a range of clever apps to interact with them has popped up. BMW offers up a clever personal assistant, and Volvo ​will let you lock your car using an Apple Watch. Now, Volkswagen will let you keep track of all servicing using the My Volkswagen app.   Read more
 

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