Weekend Edition: The first eVTOL air taxi that actually looks safe

This weekend we check out Jaunt’s ROSA gyrodyne – one of the strongest entries in the eVTOL market we've seen, and certainly the only one we'd let our moms ride in right now (just to be clear, we really like our moms). That plus our regular look back at the top stories of the week. Enjoy! [Aircraft]( [Jaunt’s ROSA gyrodyne: The first eVTOL air taxi that actually looks safe]( [Jaunt Air Mobility's ROSA gyrodyne is the first eVTOL we'd let our mums ride in]( This eVTOL air taxi design looks like a weird helicopter/plane hybrid, but it's the safest of all the eVTOL designs we've ever seen, and it has another killer advantage in that it requires no special certification. Very cool news for 3D commuting. [Read more]( [Environment]( [Ancient Antarctica was a warm swampy rainforest, says sediment study]( [An artist's rendering of West Antarctica, which would have been a swampy forest around 90 million years ago]( Antarctica wasn't always a cold lifeless landscape. An international team has recovered a 90-million-year old soil sample that paints the most detailed picture of ancient Antarctica ever found, revealing a swampy rainforest and balmy temperatures. [Read more]( [Marine]( [Evoy launches the world's most powerful electric outboard motor]( [The Evoy Pro will launch as the most powerful production electric outboard you can buy]( It might be a 90-pound weakling next to the biggest and baddest of the combustion world, but Evoy's new zero-emissions electric outboard motor and powertrain solution will put it at the pointy end of the all-electric market. [Read more]( [Digital Cameras]( [Take to the seas with Nikon's best surf photography of the year]( ["Free Fall"]( The winners of this year's Nikon Surf Photo and Video Awards highlight an incredible array of images spanning the entire world. The top prize went to a spectacular shot taken at iconic Western Australian surf spot, The Right. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [Rewiring your brain: The unexpected benefits of YouTube yoga]( [Yoga might help you come out of the COVID-19 era stronger, calmer, more content and positive than you went in]( This extended quarantine could be shocking for your mental and physical health, or it could be a chance to make some real positive changes. Without being presumptuous, I want to share something I've been doing recently that might be a huge help. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Harmless virus fights the flu by mimicking lung cells]( [An artist's visualization of a phage shell docking on a flu virus to neutralize it]( Viruses are a major health risk, but what if we could fight them using other viruses? Scientists in Berlin have created virus shells that mimic the target cells that the flu virus latches onto in the lungs, preventing them from causing infection. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [Should you wear a face mask? Experts divided over COVID-19 guidelines]( [To mask or not to mask? That is the COVID question]( The WHO is standing by its recommendation healthy members of the population need not wear face masks to protect against COVID-19. However, some experts are suggesting broad implementation of masks may be useful in curbing viral transmission. [Read more]( [Outdoors]( [Expandable wood truck camper drops off to serve as two-story tiny hut]( [Upon arrival, the Opperland easily removes from the Ducato, serving as a tiny-home-like wilderness hut]( Haaks has created a mobile living solution that blurs the line between RV and tiny home. Its Opperland camper slides off the flatbed truck carrying it, planting firmly on hydraulic legs and growing a second floor to serve as a comfy wilderness cabin. [Read more]( [Environment]( [NASA's first global groundwater maps reveal drought in remote areas]( [A clearer picture of groundwater around the world could become an important tool in managing water security]( To build a more complete picture of drought-stricken areas, NASA has developed its first global groundwater map, which it hopes will become useful way of monitoring water supplies as the world contends with ever-hotter temperatures. [Read more]( [Aircraft]( [Stratolaunch hypersonic vehicle to launch from world's largest plane]( [The Talon-A could be lifted into the air aboard Stratolaunch’s carrier aircraft]( Stratolaunch, the company behind the world’s largest plane, has unveiled plans for a hypersonic vehicle capable of hitting Mach 6 speeds. Called the Talon-A, the aircraft is designed for rapid testing advanced flight technologies. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [CDC Director warns 25 percent of COVID-19 cases may present no symptoms]( [The director of the CDC says asymptomatic COVID-19 cases could be a major factor in community transmission]( Up to 25 percent of people infected with COVID-19 may present no symptoms, yet still transmit the disease, says CDC director Robert Redfield. A new report also suggests infected individuals can be contagious up to 3 days before any symptoms appear. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [Review: 2020 BMW X6 doesn’t need the M package for greatness]( [The 2020 BMW X6 looks different both inside and out and receives upgrades to its underpinnings and powertrains]( Redesigned for 2020, the BMW X6 fits in the German automaker’s "sports activity vehicle" range. Its wagon-like mixture of styling on a crossover-SUV body make it unique. As the third-generation for the X6, the 2020 model gets several good upgrades. [Read more]( [Smartwatches]( [Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 review: A smartwatch champ]( [The Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 runs Samsung's own Tizen software]( In between the Apple Watch and Wear OS is the Galaxy Watch series. The Watch Active 2 is the most recent of these smartwatches to launch, and we've been wearing it for several days to see if it's worth a place on your wrist. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [BMW hops on Toyota’s hydrogen bandwagon with fuel cell powertrain]( [BMW has unveiled a full hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, developed in conjunction with Toyota]( BMW has been working in partnership with Toyota to ensure it won't be left behind if and when a hydrogen vehicle option becomes a must-have. It has now presented the initial details for a fuel cell powertrain for its i Hydrogen Next concept car. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Universal cancer blood test detects and locates 50 types of tumors]( [A new universal cancer blood test can spot over 50 types of tumors and identify where they are in the body]( Cancer is often hard to detect until it’s too late. But that might be about to change. Researchers have developed a new AI-powered blood test that can accurately detect over 50 different types of cancer and even identify where it is in the body. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [1/4 of the world's highest-revving production car engine hits the dyno]( [A three-cylinder test mule version of the T.50's Cosworth V12 engine hits the dyno for rev tests and emissions tests]( The 39.-liter V12 in the upcoming Gordon Murray T.50 aims to be "the highest-revving, highest power density, lightest and fastest-responding naturally aspirated V12 ever made for a road car." Here's a quarter of it on a dyno, screaming its head off. [Read more]( [Wearables]( [Fitbit Charge 4 tracker adds onboard GPS and Spotify control]( [The Fitbit Charge 4 is available in three main colors, with some special edition options]( Fitbit remains one of the most recognizable brands in health and fitness wearables, and it just launched its first new hardware product for more than six months: the GPS-enabled, Spotify-ready Fitbit Charge 4. [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 © 2019