New Atlas Audio
Listen to New Atlas articles read aloud by professional narrators. Simply visit an article below and hit the "Listen to Article" button below the headline to get started.
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Atari’s latest attempt at reclaiming relevance is by rehashing its original success story – Pong. Once a mainstay of arcades everywhere, the legendary game has now been shrunk down into a portable “table” as the Mini Pong Jr. -
Boeing's Loyal Wingman combat drone has taxied under its own power for the first time, carrying out several ground maneuvers at speeds of up to 14 knots (16 mph, 26 km/h) and stopping on command.
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Ironclad beetles can survive being run over by a car and scientists have now unlocked some of the secrets behind this incredible toughness, which they say paves the way for a new breed of materials that bear similar characteristics.
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A new study claims to explain the association between gum disease and diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even Alzheimer’s. The research demonstrates how periodontitis can initiate a systemic immune response that spreads throughout the entire body.
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Given that not everyone has the same tolerance for hot chilis, it would be good if there were a simple, portable means of objectively assessing how hot they are. Well, scientists have developed just such a gadget – and it plugs into a smartphone.
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In 1859, British photographer Thomas Sutton created a camera with a unique water-filled lens – it allowed for some interesting effects. Low-fi camera company Lomography has replicated that lens, and included it in a 35-mm panoramic film camera.
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Typically, motion capture systems are confined to one studio containing multiple cameras, and they require subjects to wear sensor-equipped body suits. A new setup, however, is based around a single chest-mounted camera.
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The cutting-edge polar research ship the RRS Sir David Attenborough – otherwise known as "Boaty McBoatface" – has finally set sail from its shipyard. It will now be put through trials before being officially handed over for service later this year.
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Researchers have developed a new white paint that can reflect over 95 percent of sunlight, which can cool the surface even lower than the ambient temperature. Painted on a building, the new paint could help cut cooling costs and energy use.
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By observing a barn owl in flight as it contended with strong winds, scientists have discovered how its wings can act as a suspension system to absorb the forces in mid-air, lessons they hope to apply to the development of small-scale aircraft.
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As a storage solution for renewable energy, scientists see great potential in what are known as redox flow batteries. A new design from Linköping University is a decidedly green version of this, being the first made from all-natural materials.
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In summer months sunlight comes with an unwanted side order of heat. Now, researchers have developed windows that can change color automatically when heated by sunlight, to keep buildings cool – and to top it off, they’re solar panels as well.
