The 500-million-year-old reason behind the unique scent of rain

[Science]( [The 500-million-year-old reason behind the unique scent of rain]( [We knew the distinctive smell of rain on dry earth was the result of a chemical released by bacteria, but new research helps explain why the bacteria evolved to do this]( New research from an international team of scientists is suggesting that instantly recognizable earthy smell after rain is released by bacteria trying to attract a particular arthropod as a way to spread its spores. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Up your at-home cooking game with this all-in-one measuring tool]( If you’ve found yourself spending more time in the kitchen lately, you need the Kitchen Cube. Combining all 19 common measurements, this compact and streamlined measuring tool will help you save space while you stay organized in the kitchen. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Modern iron lung designed to address ventilator shortage]( [Rendering of the exovent in use]( British engineers are developing a modern version of the Negative Pressure Ventilator (NPV), more popularly known as the "iron lung," to provide COVID-19 patients under the care of the NHS with a simple, inexpensive alternative to ventilators. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [Fiery $35K+ Ford mini-campervan seats and sleeps a family of five]( [The Family Camper Van has five seats and five sleeping berths]( Contravans sizes up from the couples van to the family van. Its new Family Camper Van package turns the seven-seat Ford Transit Connect Passenger Wagon into a five-seat, five-bed mini-campervan that gets the whole household out of the house. [Read more]( [Environment]( [Satellite spots new ozone layer hole opening up over the Arctic]( [A graphical representation of a hole in the ozone layer over the Arctic]( Although a hole in the ozone layer might sound like a retro environmental issue, it’s still a problem today. While it's usually over Antarctica, scientists have now spotted the biggest ozone layer hole in at least 25 years forming over the Arctic. [Read more]( [Drones]( [Coaxial tilt-rotor drone hovers smoothly in any orientation]( [Image of the prototype system, with six 360-degree rotating arms giving this 12-rotor drone the capability to hover and fly in any orientation]( Autonomous Systems researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated another drone capable of flying and hovering in any orientation, this time with higher efficiency. It's extraordinary to watch its 12 coaxial rotors twisting and turning in flight. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Fruit peel compound reverses effects of multiple sclerosis in mice]( [A compound found in fruit peels has shown promise as a new treatment for multiple sclerosis]( A new study has revealed how a compound found in fruit peels could come to offer relief from multiple sclerosis, with scientists using a purified form of it to halt and reverse some of the effects of the disease in mice. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [A closer look at Hyundai's joystick-controlled Prophecy EV concept]( [Hyundai's Prophecy EV concept: slick old-school styling and some out-there ideas]( We saw the renders last month, and now Hyundai has made an online debut for its rather charming Prophecy concept. Styled to echo the Art Deco era, it foresees a world where joysticks replace the steering wheel as your primary driver to car interface. [Read more]( [Environment]( [Using steel slag to treat sewage makes it better for use in concrete]( [Microscope images showing concrete made with treated slag (center), conventional aggregates (left) and raw slag (right) – the treated slag forms a more seamless bond with the surrounding cement]( Steel slag is currently utilized both to treat wastewater, and as a concrete aggregate. New research now indicates that using it for the former makes it perform even better as the latter – so the same slag could be used twice. [Read more]( [Drones]( [Add-on tech lets drones detect and avoid obstacles in all directions]( [The complete Casia 360 system]( In order for them to fly beyond line-of-sight of their users, drones have to be constantly "aware" of potential hazards surrounding them. That's where the Casia 360 system comes in, as it's designed to give 360-degree vision to existing drones. [Read more]( [Architecture]( [Quirky Stairway House is a few steps beyond the average home]( [One of Stairway House's occupants is a keen gardener and the oversized steps are covered in plants]( No prizes for guessing where the Stairway House gets its name. This unusual project is located in Japan and serves as home to three generations of the same family, with the oversized staircase meant to help connect them. [Read more]( [Bicycles]( [Forestal hits the trails with Siryon electric mountain bike]( [The Siryon launch edition is up for pre-order, and is expected to ship in October]( The Forestal Technology Centre out of Andorra has detailed a carbon-framed ebike designed for enduro riding. The Siryon Polar Lights edition is limited to just 999 units and said to be the "natural evolution of modern mountain biking." [Read more]( [Medical]( [Strong results from new Stanford brain stimulation method for depression]( [A small early study reported a 90 percent remission rate lasting up to a month in most subjects]( Stanford researchers optimized an FDA-approved form of non-invasive magnetic brain stimulation to better treat treatment-resistant depression. A preliminary study achieved a 90-percent remission rate, with larger trials underway. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [Mayo Clinic uses autonomous shuttles to collect COVID-19 test samples]( [Once the testing is complete, workers load the samples into a secure container and place them aboard the autonomous shuttle]( The US, like much of the world, is moving to keep contact between its residents to minimum as it grapples with the spread of coronavirus, and a new project taking place at the Mayo Clinic is exploring what this could mean for medical testing. [Read more]( [Collectibles]( [Original Flash Gordon comic strip sells for $512,000]( [Alexander Raymond’s first Flash Gordon comic strip debuted on January 7, 1934, introducing the handsome “Flash Gordon, Yale graduate and world-renowned polo player” and his lovely companion, Dale Arden, who parachute out of a crashing plane and are ‘shanghaied’ by Dr. Hans Zarkov aboard his rocket ship launched to intercept the threatening planet Mongo hurtling towards Earth. Thus began the fantastical space opera that, by the late 1930s, was published in 130 newspapers across the globe, translated into eight languages, and read by over 50 million people.]( As we forecast in our recent extensive feature covering the 2019 science and technology auction year, science fiction memorabilia is getting hotter. This was validated with the $512,000 sale of the original comic strip artwork for Flash Gordon #1. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Stanford's smart toilet scans human waste for signs of disease]( [Stanford's smart toilet technology can be retrofitted to existing bowls to monitor samples for signs of disease]( Scientists are pursuing some interesting technologies that could help us unlock the secrets of our sewage. Among them is a new type of “smart toilet” that automatically scans urine and stool samples for signs of disease. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Alzheimer’s trial supports high amyloid levels as early sign of disease]( [An ongoing long-term trial suggests high levels of amyloid proteins in the brain do serve as an early sign of Alzheimer's disease before cognitive decline becomes apparent]( A new study presenting the first data from a long-running US government trial is suggesting high levels of amyloid proteins in the brains of cognitively normal older adults can be an effective presymptomatic sign of early stage Alzheimer’s disease. [Read more]( [Space]( [Boeing to refly failed Starliner space mission]( [Artist's concept of the CST-100 Starliner in orbit]( Boeing has announced that it will refly the failed unmanned first flight of its CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. The do-over of the December 2019 Orbital Test Flight is aimed at fulfilling the test objectives of the shortened original mission. [Read more]( [Biology]( [City lights may be keeping urban fish from getting enough "shut-eye"]( [The European perch, Perca fluviatilis – also known as the Eurasian perch]( Although they don't have eyelids that they can close, fish do indeed sleep – and as is the case with humans, sleeping is crucial to their health. According to a recent study, though, city lights may be keeping them awake at night. [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