From bombs to bananas: A dose of radiation reality

[SCIENCE] [From bombs to bananas: A dose of radiation reality] ​Ever since Henri Becquerel noticed that certain minerals blurred photograph plates, radiation has fascinated and frightened the public. To clear away the fog in the cloud chamber, New Atlas looks at the truth about radiation in our everyday lives. [Read more] [HOLIDAY DESTINATIONS] [Last chance to see: Paddling through time on the Mekong] New Atlas' Mike Hanlon recently spent several nights in the villages of the remote hill tribes of northern Laos. The villages are entirely self-sustaining, generate their own electricity, and life has changed very little in thousands of years. [Read more] [AROUND THE HOME] [The best bathroom gifts, gadgets and gizmos 2016] ​The bathroom is one of the last bastions of privacy, where we can belt out a tune in the shower, soak in the tub, or primp and preen ourselves without judgement. To help your friends and family make the most of that precious personal time, we’ve rounded up some of the best bathroom gift ideas. [Read more] [SCIENCE] [Direct brain stimulation lets gamers play blind] Participants in a study have successfully played through a video game without ever actually looking at it. They were guided through virtual mazes via direct brain stimulation, which could lead to sensory prosthetics to help visually-impaired people navigate or provide a new way to interact with VR. [Read more] [SPACE] [Apollo 15 drill chuck that helped bore into lunar surface up for auction] The chuck used by Apollo 15 Mission Commander David Scott that was part of the Apollo Lunar Surface Drill is up for auction at RR Auction, where it's expected to fetch US$50,000.​ [Read more] [SCIENCE] [Nanocrystals may bring night vision to normal glasses] ​Night vision goggles help the human eye see in the dark, but the devices are bulky, requiring several layers of lenses and plenty of power. But thanks to research from ANU, a new type of nanocrystal could grant night vision powers to a standard pair of specs, without adding any weight.​ [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [John Deere's electric tractor: A vision of zero emissions farming] ​John Deere has released a video of an all-electric concept tractor in the lead-up to the SIMA Agribusiness show in France, pointing the way toward a zero-emissions tractor product in the future. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Final LaFerrari sells for $7 million in auction to aid earthquake victims] ​The 500th and last LaFerrari has sold for a staggering $7 million at auction, with the proceeds going towards aiding the victims of the recent earthquakes in central Italy​. [Read more] [3D PRINTING] [3D-printing software reshapes musical instrument design] Wind instruments can take almost any form. Weirdly-shaped instruments are more difficult to design, however, which is where a new computer program called Printone comes in.​ [Read more] [HEALTH & WELLBEING] [A handful of nuts a day may keep the grim reaper away] ​Forget apples. According to a recent study, eating a handful of nuts a day keeps heart disease, cancer, stroke and premature death away. [Read more] [HEALTH & WELLBEING] [Mobile app and core trainer turns ab workouts into a game] There are many reasons to work on core strength, but there’s only one way to get it: hard work. The Stealth core trainer (currently on Kickstarter) wants to help you smile through your training by turning planks into a full-body arcade game. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Street-legal F1 car ready to return to the road – with a new owner] ​Some lucky enthusiast will walk away from an upcoming Bonhams auction and be able to drive away with a street legal Formula 1 race car built to meet UK regulations. [Read more] [DRONES] [Parrot drones track health of drought-ravaged sequoia trees] ​​For almost a decade, scientist Todd Dawson has studied the giant sequoia trees of California's Whitaker Forest. But as the region suffers through a record-breaking drought, Dawson and his team are now getting some much needed help, by way of sensor-equipped drones [Read more] [MUSIC] [Radical player rides your records] ​Although portable record players have been around for decades, they're generally still not small enough to just be thrown in a bag – after all, they do have to accommodate a spinning LP. The RokBlok, however, doesn't "house" the record at all. Instead, it drives around its surface in circles. [Read more] [SCIENCE] [Our c-section success might be giving us big heads] Caesarean sections have helped overcome many a life-threatening childbirth since becoming more commonplace in the 1950s, but what of their influence on human evolution? [Read more] [ENVIRONMENT] [Google to run on 100 percent renewables from next year] Google will run entirely on renewable energy next year, it says. The tech giant says it plans to buy enough wind and solar electricity to power all of its operations, including data centers and offices, as well as invest in the creation of new renewable energy sources. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [From render to reality: Nikola One inches closer to production] Having released what's powering its big-rig earlier this year, Nikola Motors has taken a step towards being production ready. The startup used an event last week to show off a fully-built One, announcing distribution partners and service plans in the process. [Read more] [ARCHITECTURE] [This home could be built using a hex key in under 24 hours] In Beijing, even cramped apartments can fetch a small fortune, but PAO recently built a new prefab home for a first-time buyer for just US$10,000. Based on the firm's patented panel system, it can potentially be assembled by a couple of unskilled people in as little as 24 hours using a hex key. [Read more] [DEALS] [10 nerdy Christmas gifts that speak to your inner-geek] ​If you're struggling to find a gift for that friend who loves their geek toys, or even if you just want to treat yourself with a fun, little pop-culture toy, then you've come to the right place. Here is our run-down of the best stocking-stuffers for your inner geek. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Honda taking NeuV and robotic motorcycle concepts to CES] Honda's NeuV is being promoted as "harnessing the power of artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data to transform the mobility experience​." There's also a robotic motorcycle. Let's hope Honda has a credible new angle because tech journalists are a lot more critical than the automotive press.​ [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Chevrolet picks home charger for Bolt EV] General Motors has announced AeroVironment's​ EVSE-RS wall unit​ as the home charger for the upcoming all-electric, promising a charge around five times faster than the regular wall plug. [Read more] [SPACE] [Cassini completes first ring-skimming dive] ​​NASA’s Cassini spacecraft has completed the first of 20 close-proximity passes of Saturn’s outermost rings. The pass, which took place on Dec. 4 at 8:09 a.m. EST saw the probe fly just 6,800 miles (11,000 km) from the center of Saturn’s F ring. [Read more] [ARCHITECTURE] [First major work completed for London's new super sewer] A year after it first got under way, the first major work for London's Thames Tideway Tunnel "super sewer" project has been completed. A replacement pier at Blackfriars will provide continued access to river transport during work to reinforce the nearby river wall. [Read more] [AUTOMOTIVE] [Flashy Lexus sedan gets starring role in music video] ​Lexus is no stranger to weird concepts, the brand having previously created everything from hover boards to spacecraft. Its latest offering is one of the most eye-catching ideas yet. For its appearance in a pop music video, the LIT IS was covered in more than 40,000 LED lights​. [Read more] [HEALTH & WELLBEING] [Nestlé sugar is sweet news for chocaholics] Chocaholics the world over are fighting to enjoy the sweet treat in moderation, lest they end up looking like Augustus Gloop. A team of scientists in Lausanne has managed to structure sugar differently, which could help create delicious chocolate that's easier on the waistline. [Read more] [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS] [Intel’s Innovative Password App Will Log You In Using Facial Recognition Technology] Award-winning True Key by Intel Security lets you access all of your accounts without the hassle of remembering and organizing passwords. With True Key, you are the password. Use your unique features, like your face, fingerprint, or devices you've approved to unlock apps and websites. The True Key app will even help you strengthen your current passwords and remember them so you won't have to. Your digital life will get a whole lot easier, and a whole lot more secure. [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