World's most water-repellent surface surprises its own inventors

[New Atlas logo]( Materials [World's most water-repellent surface surprises its own inventors]( [An artist's impression of water rolling off the new superhydrophobic SAM coating]( Scientists have developed what they call the most water-repellent surface ever. By giving it a liquid-like coating that defies usual designs, water will roll off the surface at angles 500 times shallower than other superhydrophobic materials. [Read more]( Sponsored Content [BLUETTI EP760 Home Energy Storage System to Help Reduce Electricity Bills]( BLUETTI, the leading brand in the clean energy storage industry, is gearing up to launch its latest EP760 on October 25th at 9 a.m., a 7,600W home backup power system with a flexible capacity of up to 19.8kWh for better energy management. [Read more]( Bicycles [Stealthy ebike looks so much like a regular bike it's almost 'Unfair']( [At under 31 lb, the Unfair Advantage is a lightweight electrified ride]( Ebikes have come a long way in terms of sleeker, simpler styling, but they still often stick out with odd geometries, bloated tubes and large motors. QU-ET pursues a more classic, understated design direction with the Unfair Advantage city ebike. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Link between fruits, veggies & microbiome confirmed for the first time]( [Researchers have demonstrated that eating fruits and vegetables positively contributes to our gut microbiome]( By comparing the bacteria found in fruits and vegetables to those found in the human gut, researchers have demonstrated, for the first time, that consuming fruits and vegetables contributes positively to the bacterial diversity of our gut microbiome. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Fungus in the gut linked to severe COVID-19]( [High levels of antibodies targeting Candida albicans, a common gut fungus, were linked to the most severe cases of COVID]( New research reveals the severity of COVID-19 may be linked to a fungal population living in our gut, and perhaps novel antifungal medicines can be developed to treat the disease. [Read more]( Automotive [Smart Ford electric camper van looks into digital nomadism's future]( [Bailey looks into the future with the innovative, Ford E-Transit-based Endeavor EV camper van]( After decades of caravans, Bailey is turning its attention to camper vans. Its innovative new Endeavor EV stands on a Ford E-Transit and comes loaded with a multipurpose lounge, Amazon Alexa voice control, touchscreen command and electric appliances. [Read more]( Science [Low-calorie sugar breakthrough could make allulose a household name]( [Professor Shota Atsumi, UC Davis Department of Chemistry, led a team that found a new way to coax microbes into making allulose, a potential substitute for table sugar]( Natural sugar allulose is 70% as sweet as table sugar, with only 10% of the calories, and does not affect blood glucose or insulin, making it an ideal sugar replacement. Yet producing it has been a huge roadblock. Scientists say they've cracked the code. [Read more]( Wearables [Lightweight AR glasses float a big screen in front of your eyes]( [The Xreal Air 2 series AR glasses feature Sony's latest Micro-OLED displays wrapped up in a lightweight package that puts the focus on user comfort]( Augmented-reality wearable producer nReal has rebranded to Xreal and launched two pairs of AR glasses designed to virtually float a huge screen in front of your eyes. The Air 2 and Air 2 Pro models are up for pre-order now. [Read more]( Bicycles [Sliding Pop-Cycle commuter gets electric twin]( [The E-Pop-Cycle gains carbon-fiber components, a front-hub motor and 80-km battery]( Back in March, South Korean bike manufacturer Bokyong launched the Pop Cycle on Kickstarter, a folding commuter with a slide-in/slide-out frame. Now the company is crowdfunding an ebike version with tasty carbon fiber mixed in. [Read more]( Architecture [Futuristic sci-fi museum forms a nebulous star cloud in China]( [The Chengdu Science Fiction Museum has officially opened by hosting the WorldCon and Hugo Award science fiction awards for the first time in China]( Zaha Hadid Architects has completed the Chengdu Science Fiction Museum, and it looks just as extraordinary as the renders previously promised. The building's amorphous form is envisioned as an expanding nebula cloud with a star at its center. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Enjoy $50 worth of global data for $25 with aloSIM's lifetime plan]( If you have a traveler on your gift-giving list, here’s a solution that will bring joy and convenience to their adventures—aloSIM, the eSIM that keeps on giving. More than just a stocking stuffer—it's a ticket to staying connected. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [5-Year study shows Tai Chi could help counter Parkinson's advance]( [Tai Chi can now add "Parkinson's fighter" to its already impressive list of health benefits]( While its movements are slow and gentle, Tai Chi is actually a martial art. Now, a study shows that it can not only help people learn movements grounded in self defense, but it can also help them fight the symptoms of Parkinson's Disease. [Read more]( Mobile Technology [Motorola gets the bends for latest demo of flexible phone concept]( [Motorola says that the latest flexible smartphone concept "builds upon the display and mechanical innovations from other foldable and rollable devices"]( Lenovo held its Tech World 2023 expo yesterday, with Motorola taking a second stab at a flexible smartphone concept that can be wrapped around the wrist like a bracelet, arched on a table top or stood on its own base. [Read more]( Space [Roman set to ID our furthest-known exoplanet in its uncharted-space jaunt]( [Star struck: This simulated image shows the region of the Milky Way that Roman’s survey will cover]( NASA’s anticipated Roman Space Telescope is taking shape, and will soon measure light from a billion galaxies, perform a microlensing survey deep in the Milky Way, monitor hundreds of millions of stars and peer into unseen galactic neighborhoods. [Read more]( Drones [World's largest quadcopter drone takes flight]( [The University of Manchester team with its Giant Foamboard Quadcopter]( University of Manchester engineers set themselves the task of building and flying the biggest quadcopter drone in history, and to keep things legal with aviation authorities, they made some interesting materials choices. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Bittersweet symphony: Our favorite music can help us deal with pain]( [Listening to our favorite bittersweet music can reduce our perception of pain, researchers have found]( A new study has found listening to our favorite music and the emotional responses it produces, particularly if it’s bittersweet, is more effective at reducing our perception of pain than unfamiliar relaxation music. [Read more]( Computers [First look: The world's first naturally-lit, anti-eye-strain monitor]( [Eazeye's monitor splits in two, with the rear section tilting back to reflect ambient light from above through the LCD screen]( Some folk find regular monitors harsh on the eyes, and look to e-ink and RLCD screens to reduce eye strain and fatigue. Another option is the Eazeye monitor is designed to use ambient backlight, via a reflector panel behind a transmissive screen. [Read more]( Medical [Scientists regenerate damaged hearts by reprogramming metabolism in mice]( [Scientists have found a new potential way to restore heart function after a heart attack, by reprogramming its energy metabolism]( Heart tissue normally can't regenerate after an injury. But now, scientists at Max Planck have shown in mice that reprogramming the energy metabolism of the heart allows it to regenerate after a heart attack, which could open new therapies. [Read more]( Science [Microbes in surface soil may indicate presence of diamonds down below]( [A raw diamond in a piece of kimberlite ore]( Locating diamond deposits in the earth isn't always an exact science, so the greater the number of methods of doing so, the better. A new study now suggests that soil microbes may point the way to such buried treasures. [Read more]( Medical [Magnetic stimulation improves movement & balance 12 years after stroke]( [Using magnetic stimulation on the brain of a man who had a stroke 12 years ago improved his movement and coordination, a case study has shown]( Researchers used repetitive magnetic stimulation on the brain of a man who’d had a stroke 12 years ago, improving his walking speed, balance, and coordination. The innovative treatment offers hope to others affected by stroke, even years after. [Read more]( Good Thinking [Levelmarker 2.0 is set to make using spirit levels straight-out easier]( [The Levelmarker 2.0 is presently on Kickstarter]( When using a spirit level (aka bubble level) to mark mounting points on a wall, you almost need three hands. The Levelmarker 2.0 is designed to address that problem, by combining level-holding and mark-making in a simple two-handed job. [Read more]( Bicycles [Portola folding ebike priced at under a thousand bucks]( [The Portola is described as a "convenient, functional and powerful folding ebike that won't break the bank"]( A month after launching the new Prodigy city bike, San Diego's Ride1Up has added a flexible option for commuters who may need to carry their ride on a train for part of the journey. The firm's first folding ebike is available for just $995. [Read more]( Environment [Altered plant turns red to warn of environmental pollutants]( [The normally green altered thale cress plant in red-alert mode]( Checking for pollutants in the environment via soil sampling and other traditional methods can be a laborious process, but what alternatives are there? Well, scientists have now engineered a plant to turn red when exposed to specific toxic chemicals. [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 © 2022