[New Atlas logo]( This week we take to the skies in a flying car prototype from Chinaâs XPeng that looks like itâs got some way to go before landing in anyoneâs garage. The worldâs largest plane also takes to the air, carrying a hypersonic test vehicle on the road (runway?) to quick and repeatable launches of hypersonic vehicles. Then itâs time to relax in an uplifting hammock designed to take glamping to new heights. These stories and more in our look back at the past week. Darren Quick
Editor-in-Chief Aircraft [They're serious: XPeng tests two-ton eVTOL flying car prototype]( [They did what now? XPeng affiliate AeroHT has successfully test-flown a two-ton prototype of its upcoming eVTOL flying car]( Chinese automaker XPeng has updated the design of its AeroHT flying car â a luxury electric sportster with a fold-out vertical-lift octacopter system on the roof. It looks absolutely nutty, but a two-ton flying prototype indicates this is no joke. [Read more]( Aircraft [World's largest plane carries hypersonic test vehicle into the air]( [Stratolaunch's Roc aircraft takes off from Mojave Air and Space Port on October 28, 2022 during its first captive carry flight with the Talon-A separation test vehicle, TA-0. This was the eighth flight of the Roc aircraft.]( Aerospace company Stratolaunch has bold plans to launch swift and repeatable hypersonic flights from its massive Roc carrier aircraft, and has now taken an important step forward with these ambitions. [Read more]( Outdoors [Two-story hammock tent lifts glamping off the ground (or water)]( [Part treehouse, part hammock, part lifeguard stand and part tent: The Dookan is a different kind of outdoor shelter]( A new startup looks to combine the primitive elements of earth, water and air into a camping experience unlike any other. The Dookan tent stands up over the ground on short or extended legs, lifting campers for a breezier, more scenic night. [Read more]( Medical [Repurposed diabetes drug drives weight loss in obese adolescents]( [A study on an already approved weight loss drug in adolescents has produced promising results]( Following successful trials in adults and subsequent FDA approval last year, an emerging obesity drug has now shown promise in overweight adolescents, inducing similar weight loss effects in this younger cohort. [Read more]( Marine [Jetson offers a unique take on the jet-powered surfboard]( [Instead of utilizing a throttle for continuous power, the Jetson board uses an integrated touchpad for timed electric boosts]( There are quite a few electric surfboards on the market, and they mostly work in the same way â their jet drive runs for as long as you squeeze a throttle on a handheld remote. The Jetson is different, in that it provides temporary boosts as needed. [Read more]( Science ["Smart glass" windows could alter sunlight to replace Wi-Fi]( [Dual-cell Liquid Crystal Shutters (DLSs) alter the polarity of sunlight passing through them]( We've already seen systems that wirelessly transmit data via patterns of flickering light. A Saudi Arabian team has created a less energy-intensive alternative, that could use modulated sunlight in place of traditional Wi-Fi. [Read more]( Robotics [Tiny solid-state LiDAR device can 3D-map a full 180-degree field of view]( [A nano-scale metasurface lens splits a single laser beam into 10,000 points across a full 180-degree field of view, allowing an entire hemisphere of vision to be depth-mapped using a novel LiDAR device]( Researchers have developed an ultra-small, ultra-thin LiDAR device that splits a single laser beam into 10,000 points covering an unprecedented 180° field of view. It's capable of 3D depth-mapping an entire hemisphere of vision in a single shot. [Read more]( Photography [Breathtaking snaps from the Landscape Photographer of the Year awards]( [Winner - Landscapes at Night. Lightning Storm over Jodrell Bank]( This year's Landscape Photographer of the Year winners have been announced, with the collection celebrating mist-covered windmills, lightning-sparked nightscapes, and a rainbow arcing over a dragon's back. [Read more]( Automotive [Review: 2023 Nissan Z is balanced and worthy]( [The 2023 Nissan Z is often referred to as the "400Z" by enthusiasts as the next in line for the Z name]( When Nissan debuted the new Z, it was a huge announcement that, while not surprising, definitely turned on the speculation spigot. Now we've had it for a week, and the speculation is over. Spoiler alert: itâs magnificent. [Read more]( Electronics [Strange material demonstrates exotic quantum state at room temperature]( [An illustration depicting a topological insulator in action]( Many quantum effects can only be produced at extremely cold temperatures, which limits how useful they would be in real-world tech. Now, Princeton researchers have demonstrated a strange quantum state taking place in a material at room temperature. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Quick two-minute bursts of intense exercise may help us live longer]( [A new study suggests even short bursts of exercise can have an impact on our longevity]( Newly published research has demonstrated how a series of two-minute bursts of high-intensity exercise throughout the week may offer a longevity boost, by tying this lifestyle to a lower risk of all-cause mortality. [Read more]( Military [Eyes in the sky: NATO's E-3 spy plane fleet watches over Ukraine]( [An E-3 AWACS Sentry spy plane]( The unpredictable nature of the conflict in Ukraine makes it a confusing one from the outside looking in, but Western powers are watching it unfold with intelligence resources that would have been unimaginable half a century ago. [Read more]( Marine [Lux electric RV cat hits the water on way to sea-glamping adventure]( [The Pol Lux gets out on the water and shows what it can do]( When we looked at the Pol Lux earlier this year, it was still in the rendering stages. The unique solar-electric RV catamaran is now being tested and showcased on the water. It promises to be an exciting new way to enjoy the water all day and night. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Edelweiss increases floorspace with stacked approach to small living]( [The Cabini Edelweiss takes tiny living to another level â literally â by taking the form of one tiny house stacked on top of another]( Some tiny houses increase living space by going extra wide, others expand in size. However, the Edelweiss, by Romania's Cabini, goes in another direction with a dwelling that stacks one tiny house on top of another. [Read more]( Bicycles [Two-step folding ebike powers through 150 miles of easy riding]( [The Zectron folding ebike can be optioned with dual batteries for up to 150 miles of Level 1 pedal assist, or 70 miles on throttle only]( Zectron Bikes has launched a funky looking urban ebike that can be had with dual batteries for up to 150 miles of pedal-assist riding, or around half that range on throttle only, and folds down for between-ride transport in two quick steps. [Read more]( Environment [460-km-long river discovered snaking though base of Antarctic ice sheet]( [Scientists have discovered evidence of a 460-km-long river snaking its way through the base of the Antarctic ice sheet]( Among the many mechanisms shaping the Antarctic ice sheet are the processes playing out in its lower layers, and a newly discovered sub-glacial river suggests it may drain away faster than we thought. [Read more]( Motorcycles [Horwin goes tech-crazy on its new high-performance electric scooters]( [Horwin is bringing its new Senmenti X and Senmenti 0 machines to EICMA, loaded with tech]( Austrian-designed, Chinese-made electric motorcycle brand Horwin is hitting this year's EICMA motorcycle show in Milan with a super-scooter loaded to the gills with gadgetry, and a second wild concept that aims to upend traditional chassis design. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Don't worry â Picking your nose doesn't cause Alzheimer's disease]( [Could picking your nose really contribute to the onset of Alzheimer's disease?]( It's been a rough week for nose-pickers, with headlines loudly declaring "scary evidence" has been found linking Alzheimer's disease to a bit of finger-based nasal exploration. But what is the evidence behind this bold claim and is it really a problem? [Read more]( Motorcycles [Already insane Ducati Diavel gets faster and lighter with 168-horse V4]( [The V4 will be instantly recognizable by its silly four-pipe exhaust and that wonderful taillight arrangement]( It's been a decade now since Ducati torched the rulebook and unleashed the iconoclastic Diavel on an unsuspecting market. Now the company has snipped the final thread linking the Diavel to the average cruiser, ditching its V-twin engine for a V4. [Read more]( Space [Huge potentially hazardous asteroid discovered hiding in Sun's glare]( [An artist's impression of a large asteroid obscured by the glare of the Sun]( Astronomers have discovered three new near-Earth asteroids, including the closest known to the Sun. Another is one of the largest known asteroids considered potentially hazardous to Earth, measuring almost a mile wide with an orbit close to our own. 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