Dubai gets aboard the Hyperloop train

Gizmag is now New Atlas: [Why we changed our name] [URBAN TRANSPORT] [Dubai gets aboard the Hyperloop train] Hyperloop could be heading to the Middle East, thanks to a new deal signed on Monday. The partnership calls for a feasibility study of how the nascent, ultra-fast transport technology could improve Dubai's Jebel Ali Port, but both parties hope that's just the beginning. [Read more] [COMPUTERS] [Nvidia crams VR-ready GTX 10 series GPU into notebooks] ​A stable’s worth of horsepower goes into making VR the immersive experience it is, and with the GTX 1080, Nvidia rolled up its sleeves and gave us the entire farm. Two cheaper, less meaty options followed, the GTX 1070 and 1060, and now the company has squeezed its VR-ready GPU line into notebooks. [Read more] [SCIENCE] [The twisted tail of luna moths' acoustic camouflage] ​Camouflage is common in animals, but blending in visually won’t help prey evade predators who hunt through echolocation. Researchers have studied how luna moths evolved twisted tails as a form of acoustic camouflage that bounces sound waves in all directions to keep bats from homing in on them. [Read more] [MOBILE TECHNOLOGY] [Google Duo keeps it simple for quick, easy video calls] ​Video calling has huge potential, but no one has perfected the formula yet. Google thinks it might have the answer to natural-feeling, reliable cross-brand video calling with Duo. [Read more] [SPACE] [NASA's asteroid capture mission gets ready to rock in 2021] NASA is that much closer to snatching an asteroid after the robotic half of its two-part Asteroid Redirect Mission (ARM) passed a key program review. The mission to retrieve an asteroid and move it into lunar orbit for study can now proceed to the next phase of design and development. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Koenigsegg Agera XS: Orange and black Swede gets a green card] Koenigsegg has carved a nice into the hypercar world with staggeringly quick hypercars like the Agera and, more recently, Regera. Now, an orange and black slice of that Swedish insanity is headed stateside in the form of the Agera XS. [Read more] [MUSIC] [First listen: Master Enhancer pre-production prototype] ​Last month, audio engineer John Kasha launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring a frequency-enhancing device called the m.e. into production. It's promised to deliver the kind of listening experience you get when sitting in the front row at a concert. We were sent a pre-production prototype to try. [Read more] [MOTORCYCLES] [Roland Sands gives the Ducati XDiavel a California-style makeover for Sturgis 2016] For this year's Sturgis rally, Ducati teamed up with West coast custom builder Roland Sands to put a Californian twist on the Italian-American XDiavel cruiser. The result: this sexy, swoopy and nicely detailed design that gives the XDiavel a classic twist without straying too far from the original. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [First drive: 2017 Nissan Titan XD gasoline] Nissan just released the Titan XD in its gasoline format to the public, and we got a chance to go hands-on with this huge pickup truck. After driving it both on and off the road, we found that it has qualities its diesel stablemate is missing. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Honda hatches a more practical Civic] The Honda Civic nameplate has been around since 1972, but even icons need to adapt with the times. Enter the new Civic hatch, which is designed to take it up to the Golf with a sharp exterior, practical cabin and fully-independent suspension system. [Read more] [SCIENCE] [Tackling the fungi that could wipe out the world's banana supply within a decade] Evolving fungal diseases are threatening the global banana industry, and a total “bananageddon” could wipe out the fruit within a decade. Researchers at University of California, Davis have sequenced the genomes of the fungi to find a way to fight back. [Read more] [SCIENCE] ["Black rectangle" uses the sun to make water safe to drink] Scientists at the US Department of Energy’s SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory and Stanford University have developed a sun-activated device that kills 99.999 percent of bacteria in water, within just 20 minutes.​ [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Upcoming Audi models will carry a countdown clock for green lights] Two years ago Audi revealed it was working on an in-car system that would help drivers hit green lights, and though this type of convenience is a while off yet, the first iteration will be built into certain upcoming models to notify drivers of how long they have to wait for a red to turn green. ​ [Read more] [MOBILE TECHNOLOGY] [Samsung Galaxy Note 7 vs. Galaxy S7 edge] Both the Galaxy Note 7 and S7 edge tidily package all of Samsung's high-end advantages. Their biggest difference can be ascertained at first glance: the Note 7 is a full-on phablet with a big screen and nimble stylus. The sans-stylus S7 edge is just a notch below the Note in size and adaptability. [Read more] [ENVIRONMENT] [Ultra-efficient ultrasound takes the heat out of clothes-drying] Scientists are looking at how ultrasound can be used to dry laundry. They've already developed technology that they say could make clothes dryers 70 percent more energy-efficient than they are now. ​ [Read more] [DRONES] [Naval gazing: Elbit Systems takes its portable drone tech to the seas] Lately we are seeing some interesting ideas around how drones can be put to work at sea, and Elbit Systems wants to be part of this conversation. Today it announced a waterproof drone based on a packable, land-based predecessor that that can be recovered and launched again within 15 minutes.​​ [Read more] [WEARABLES] [What HoloLens’ field of view really looks like] After getting a Microsoft HoloLens in the offices, our first impressions are largely positive​, but the headset's big Achilles' heel is its limited field of view. We mocked up what it really looks like. [Read more] [GOOD THINKING] [This head hammock aims to make travel more "comfortable"] The evolution of the humble travel pillow shows the lengths to which we will go for sleep. The Ostrich Pillow and the Woollip are among the greats where sacrificing dignity for dozing is concerned, but the new NodPod must be commended for its radical "head hammock" approach. [Read more] [ELECTRONICS] [Portable turbine provides a "stream" of power for charging devices] Portable solar chargers are perhaps the most popular means of keeping devices powered in the wilderness with portable wind turbines an option too. To cover all bases though, you may soon also be able to take a portable water turbine with you to harness the flow of a river or stream. [Read more] [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS] [Get a Lifetime of Droplr’s Unlimited File Sharing Platform For Under $22] Take the struggle out of digital collaboration, and get your team hooked up with Droplr. Simply drag a file to the Droplr icon on your desktop or hit the short cut, and you'll automatically upload it to a remote server. Then, anyone on your team attached to your account will be able to access and work on the content. Filled with useful features to make teamwork more efficient, this app will pay for itself in productivity. [Read more] You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com] (or [gizmag.com] before August 2016). [Update profile] | [Unsubscribe] Copyright New Atlas © 2016