New Atlas Audio

Listen to the latest news in science and new technology from New Atlas!

New Atlas Plus subscribers can now listen audio versions of our content created in partnership with Gyst Audio.

When you see Audio available next to an article, you can simply click through and hit the "Listen to this article" button to have the latest news read to you.

You can also create your own playlists or listen to all the latest stories offline.

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Military Audio available

US Air Force tests hypersonic missile on bomber flight

David Szondy June 14, 2019

The US Air Force's new hypersonic missile takes to the air for the first time as an AGM-183A ARRW went aloft strapped under the wing of a B-52, the engine-less prototype was not dropped, but was equipped with sensors to record drag and vibrations on the vehicle and the aircraft.

Artist's concept of a hypersonic missile

Environment Audio available

Cotton waste finds new life as eco-friendly plastic

Ben Coxworth June 14, 2019

When a cotton gin is used to separate cotton fibers from their seeds, a lot of lint is produced as a waste product. Currently, much of that cotton lint is just burned or put in landfills. Thanks to recent research out of Australia, however, it may soon be converted into biodegradable plastic.

PhD candidate Abu Naser Md Ahsanul Haque (left), Dr. Maryam Naebe and associate research fellow Dr. ...

Science Audio available

Rigorous study explains how a single gut bacteria species can eat Parkinson’s disease drug

Rich Haridy June 13, 2019

An exciting new study has offered the first rigorous description of how a single bacterial species can specifically disrupt the efficacy of a drug used to treat Parkinson's disease.

A new study describes how the primary drug treatment for Parkinson's disease can be metabolized in ...

Medical Audio available

Superbug gene that resists "last resort" antibiotics detected in US for the first time

Michael Irving June 13, 2019

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria might also be one of the biggest medical issues of the 21st century. Now, a bacterial gene that grants resistance to “last resort” antibiotics has been detected in a patient in the US, for the first time.

A gene known as mcr-3.1 that grants bacteria like Salmonella resistance to "last resort" antibiotics has ...

Aircraft Audio available

SkyVU uses computer vision to make flight data recording more affordable

Ben Coxworth June 13, 2019

Unlike their larger, commercial airliner cousins, small private aircraft aren't required to use flight data recorders. As a result, many pilots don't bother with them, in order to save money. A new system could change that, though, by utilizing computer vision tech for a cheaper "black box."

The SkyVU system incorporates two cockpit-mounted 4K cameras

Outdoors Audio available

Amphi aims to turn swimmers into bionic mermaids

Ben Coxworth June 13, 2019

We've seen mermaid-type monofins before, and we've also seen so-called underwater scooters. A group of US/UK entrepreneurs has gone and combined the two, in the form of a monofin that gives swimmers an electric boost with each kick.

The Amphi is a fiberglass monofin – that's equipped with a kick-activated electric thruster

Environment Audio available

Nano-sensor in a streetlamp shines light on urban air pollution

Paul Ridden June 13, 2019

Given that the WHO estimates that seven million premature deaths annually around the world are caused by air pollution, monitoring air quality is vital. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology have developed an optical nano-sensor that can be mounted to most streetlamps.

The new optical nano-sensor can accurately detect low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide

Medical Audio available

Memory-preserving particles could form part of an Alzheimer's vaccine puzzle

Nick Lavars June 12, 2019

Scientists have developed what they describe as a vaccine to keep the brain clear of clumps of tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s, and found that treating mice in this way helped stave off the kind of memory decline associated with the disease.

A new type of virus-like particle has been shown to improve Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice. Could ...

Medical Audio available

How deadly pufferfish toxin led to a breakthrough long-lasting local anesthetic

Rich Haridy June 12, 2019

A new study has developed a novel method to tame one of the world’s most potent toxins, tetrodotoxin, commonly found in the pufferfish. The research demonstrates a way to control the spread of the toxin and harness it into a local anesthetic that can numb targeted regions for up to three days.

A new slow release local anesthetic based on pufferfish toxin can potentially numb targeted areas for ...

Automotive Audio available

Scania's hoverboard-like modular electric axles transport people by day, garbage by night

C.C. Weiss June 12, 2019

Forget the skateboard chassis; Swedish brand Scania is exploring something that's much more of a hoverboard chassis. Its NXT autonomous EV concept uses detachable front and rear axles as the basis of a modular vehicle system that can go from dropping kids at school to dropping garbage at the dump.

The bus module features plenty of windows for open views