Bellwether's gorgeous Volar eVTOL begins flight testing at half-scale

Aircraft [Bellwether's gorgeous Volar eVTOL begins flight testing at half-scale]( [The Bellwether Volar: a flying hypercar for private owners]( Bellwether Industries has flown a half-scale prototype of its stunning Volar eVTOL, and is preparing to release footage. It's the most brazenly futuristic design we've ever seen, a flying hypercar for a utopia even sci-fi doesn't dare dream up. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [This Kickstarter-funded smart levitating lamp is now an extra 20% off]( The proper lighting is crucial to make your space feel comfortable. The Gravita Levitating Smart Lamp brings the ambiance you crave into any room with ease. Best yet, it's further price-dropped for our second Cyber Week Sale. [Read more]( Photography [The best photography of 2021]( [Siena International Photo Awards. 1st Place - Journeys & Adventures. This is My Jungle! A wild elephant attacks a jeep full of people. Yala National Park, Sri Lanka.]( At the end of a stellar year for photography contests we have hand-picked a selection of our favorite shots from the past 12 months. This best-of-the-best gallery includes stylish drone shots, psychedelic macro photography and mind-bending landscapes. [Read more]( Outdoors [XRC Brawler is designed to go where other RC models fear to tread]( [The XRC Brawler is presently on Kickstarter]( Just like full-size versions, tracked model vehicles can traverse terrain that would stop wheeled models in their … well, in their tracks. The XRC Brawler is claimed to be "the highest performing one-fifth scale RC tank on the market." [Read more]( Science [New Atlas' most read science and technology stories of 2021]( [UCF researchers have successfully fired up a new hypersonic detonation engine that harnesses the raw power of a sustained, trapped explosion. The new engine could power aircraft up to 17 times the speed of sound.]( The exponential growth of technology has once again delivered a smorgasbord of fascinating stories to our pages in 2021, and what better way to distill the most interesting among them than to take a look at your favorites. [Read more]( Technology [New Atlas Weekly Newscast]( [Artist's concept of the James Webb Space Telescope]( Listen to the week's top stories from New Atlas. [Read more]( Science [Reusable "Microballoons" could give satellites a run for their money]( [A graphic depicting where Microballoons fit into the scheme of things, as compared to satellites and aircraft]( When it comes to taking high-res aerial photographs, we generally look to satellites, drones or full-size aircraft. Colorado-based Urban Sky's new Microballoon system, however, is claimed to deliver higher-resolution images at a much lower cost. [Read more]( Mobile Technology [Xiaomi puts the focus on the camera with 12 Pro smartphone launch]( [The monster bump on the back of the Xiaomi 12 Pro smartphone is home to three 50-megapixel cameras]( Xiaomi has given smartphone photography a boost with the launch of the 12 Pro flagship, which includes a main 50-MP camera module that's built around Sony's large IMX707 sensor for the promise of improved low-light snaps. [Read more]( Science [The year's most incredible animal stories]( ["Chinese whispers" (Raccoons, Kassel, Germany)]( It's been 3.5 billion years since life kicked off on this planet, but the animal kingdom continues to amaze. This year we've been treated to tool making cockatoos, self-decapitating sea slugs and a chameleon not much bigger than a fingernail. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Israel begins roll out of 4th COVID vaccine dose]( [The 4th dose roll out is beginning with immunocompromised patients]( Israel has begun the world’s first roll-out of a fourth COVID-19 vaccine dose. The program is initially focusing on patients with compromised immune systems, while a study is underway testing the safety and efficacy of a fourth dose in 6,000 people. [Read more]( Materials [Corn-based biodegradable film shown to help fresh foods last longer]( [Prof. Mary Chan (left) and Dr. Suresh Kumar Raman Pillai, with samples of the antibacterial film]( It's ironic that even though many people are starving, a great deal of food gets discarded because it spoils before it can be eaten. A new natural-source packaging material could help, by making foods last longer – plus it's biodegradable. [Read more]( Around The Home [Latest transparent OLED display concepts enhance shopping experience]( [The bizarrely named Shopping Managing Showcase will allow retailers to place products on a styling wooden shelf that's fronted by a transparent OLED screen serving up eye-catching ads]( Though LG Display's transparent OLED technology has mostly been presented in concept form, the panels have made it out into the real world. And the company is hoping to seed more potential use cases with a bunch of new prototypes headed for CES 2022. [Read more]( Automotive [TuSimple takes humans out of the equation for fully autonomous road trip]( [TuSimple's autonomous class 8 semi-truck has completed an 80-mile journey without a human driver in the cab or remote operators taking control]( Earlier in the year, TuSimple sent one of its autonomous trucks on a 900-mile journey from Arizona to Texas, though human drivers took the wheel for the first and last parts. Now a semi-truck has completed an 80-mile trip on public roads on its own. [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 © 2021