"Mind-boggling" Stanford research turns human blood cells into functional neurons

[SCIENCE]( ["Mind-boggling" Stanford research turns human blood cells into functional neurons]( In breakthrough new research described as "somewhat mind-boggling," a team at Stanford University has developed a technique than can transform human immune cells found in a regular blood sample into functional neurons in just three weeks. [Read more]( [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS]( [Learn the Art of Project Management with 11 Courses for Just $29]( Companies big and small count on project managers to ensure their initiatives arrive on time and on budget, which is why these professionals routinely earn six figures for their services. From setting up projects in JIRA to streamlining pipelines with Agile and Scrum, this bundle boasts 11 courses to get you up and running with the project management essentials. [Read more]( [SCIENCE]( [Half-billion-year-old fossils are the oldest animal footprints ever found]( Scientists have found the earliest animal footprints ever discovered. The tracks and burrows, dating back half a billion years to the Ediacaran Period, were made by some of the earliest bilaterian animals, and reveal that more complex lifeforms arose earlier than previously thought. [Read more]( [OUTDOORS]( [In photos: Adrift in a sea of monstrous camping machines at the world's biggest cross-country vehicle expo]( This year, we made our first trip to Germany's Abenteuer Allrad (Adventure Allwheel) show. Most expos start when you enter the gates, but this one starts the second you step out of the car as the parking lot hosts the wildest collection of 4x4+ camping vehicles you're likely to see. [Read more]( [ARCHITECTURE]( [Perforated facade helps skinny home keep its cool in sub-tropical Australia]( ​​Together, David Toussaint and Kirsty Volz have more than 30 years of experience in architecture, but a recently purchased patch of land wedged in along a railway presented the couple with a new kind of challenge. [Read more]( Sponsored by Taboola //gizmagptyltd.cmail20.com/t/d-l-bykhkdd-wtkuhhtil-s///gizmagptyltd.cmail20.com/t/d-l-bykhkdd-wtkuhhtil-w/ [HEALTH & WELLBEING]( [The bacteria that could lead to a probiotic-based immunization for stress, anxiety and depression]( Intriguing new research suggests that a particular bacteria may have beneficial anti-inflammatory effects on the brain. Early studies in rodent models found that through injections of the bacteria the animals can be "immunized" against displaying anxious responses to stressful situations. [Read more]( [AIRCRAFT]( [Video: Kitty Hawk demos its production-ready solo sport Flyer]( Today we get our first look at the production-ready Flyer from Kitty Hawk, a 10-rotor, single seater sport and leisure multicopter that gives pilots around 20 minutes of flying saucer fun at altitudes up to 10 feet. Check out photos and videos of the Flyer in action! [Read more]( [COMPUTERS]( [Microsoft deploys underwater data center off the coast of Scotland]( Water-cooling systems have long been used in computers, but how do you scale that up for huge data centers? According to Microsoft, you drop the data center to the bottom of the ocean. As Phase 2 of Project Natick, the company has just deployed a data center in the frigid waters off Scotland. [Read more]( [DIGITAL CAMERAS]( [Time-lapse gigapixel panorama brings London to life]( ​Gigapixel images provide an excellent vehicle for taking in impressive views while also enabling watchers to zoom in for a closer look. Now a Gigalapse has been created, which combines time-lapse and gigapixel photography for a round-the-clock look at London.​ [Read more]( [ARCHITECTURE]( [Zaha Hadid Architects to transform Russia's largest port]( Following an architectural competition, Zaha Hadid Architects (ZHA) has been given the nod to head a 13.9 hectare (34 acre) development of Russia's largest shipping port, Novorossiysk. The project is due to begin construction in the second half of 2019. [Read more]( [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS]( [The best VPN deal of the year]( Protect your network from third parties, stay anonymous and access any content you want on the Internet. NordVPN creates a secure connection between your computer and the Internet, guarding your data and your privacy on up to six devices at the same time. With features including Double data encryption, Automatic Kill Switch and a worldwide network covering 56 countries, NordVPN is currently offering its 3-year plan for $2.75 per month - that's a 77% discount! [Read more]( [AIRCRAFT]( [The head-first VTOL personal aircraft concept not for the faint of heart]( Yes, that's a head poking out the end of this terrifying personal flight concept. Called the Dart Flyer, it's essentially a quadcopter with a winged pilot cocoon on top of it. Definitely not one for nervous flyers, it's been submitted as a contender in the GoFly challenge, sponsored by Boeing. [Read more]( [AUTOMOTIVE]( [Daimler unveils heavy-duty eCascadia and medium-duty eM2 electric trucks]( Daimler Trucks is establishing a global organization for electric mobility called the E-Mobility Group. To kick that off, the company announced that its division in the US, Freightliner, will be adding two new electric commercial trucks to its offerings: the Freightliner eCascadia and the eM2 106. [Read more]( [DRONES]( [Parrot looks to the insect world for folding 4K camera drone]( Parrot says that the Anafi drone has been 2 years in the making, and has looked to insects to inform its design. Two rotor -packing arms fold out on each side of its thorax, its head is home to the camera and gimbal and the abdomen contains the drone's battery. [Read more]( [WEARABLES]( [Smart jewelry that sends out a call for help claims $1 million Women's Safety XPrize]( A discreet piece of smart jewelry that sends an alert to loved ones and tracks her location when a woman feels in danger has taken out the US$1 million XPrize for Women's Safety, the foundation has announced today. [Read more]( [MEDICAL]( [New antibiotic silences genes to single out bad bacteria]( Antibiotics aren’t very picky, indiscriminately wiping out both good and bad bacteria and upsetting the balance of your microbiome. Now, researchers at Penn State have developed a new approach to make a drug that can single out a specific, opportunistic bacteria known as C. difficile. [Read more]( [ENVIRONMENT]( [Browse 20 years of planetary changes with NASA's interactive Worldview tool]( NASA has just introduced a new tool where 20 years worth of satellite photos can be browsed one by one, with the ability to watch on as major events like forest fires and hurricanes play out. [Read more]( [MILITARY]( [Expendable aerial decoy to provide protection for large military transports]( Leonardo Aerospace has taken the wraps off of its new expendable electronic countermeasures decoy for protecting large military transport aircraft. Billed as the first of its kind for transport protection, the BriteCloud 55-T is designed to confuse the targeting systems of radar-guided missiles. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [Juno gets mission extension to complete science objectives]( NASA's Juno orbiter mission to Jupiter has been thrown a lifeline after the approval of a 41-month extension. The unmanned spacecraft will have additional time to complete its primary science observations, with the extra time required due to the spacecraft taking longer than planned orbits. [Read more]( [GOOD THINKING]( [Morphing trolley designed for easier car-free shopping]( ​If you lead a car-free lifestyle, then you likely have to transfer your groceries from the store's shopping cart to your own hand cart or bicycle trailer in order to get them home. Gudrun and Harald Buschbacher have decided to address that situation, with their multifunctional shopping trolley. [Read more]( [MEDICAL]( [Belt uses termite-listening tech to detect IBS]( ​Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition that causes bloating, diarrhea and constipation. It's also difficult to diagnose – often a colonoscopy is required in order to do so. Soon, however, it may be possible for doctors to simply use a belt that listens to patients' guts. [Read more]( [ELECTRONICS]( [Sonos Beam combines smart speaker and soundbar]( The wireless audio experts at Sonos just unveiled their newest device: The Sonos Beam. Built specifically for the living room, and with Amazon Alexa functionality on board, it rolls the functions of a smart speaker and a soundbar into a single device. [Read more]( [GOOD THINKING]( [Animal-sorting AI tackles reams of camera trap photos]( ​So-called "camera traps" – motion-activated cameras that automatically take photos of passing wildlife – are a great way of determining the type and number of animals present in a given area. Now, they could prove even more useful, thanks to a new artificial intelligence (AI) system. [Read more]( [AUTOMOTIVE]( [Audi tops its SUV range with new Q8]( Audi has launched a new top-of-the-range sport utility, the Q8, which will be coming to the US in the fourth quarter of 2018. Details are still somewhat sparse, but the new production model will loosely follow the design guidelines of concepts shown before, including the legendary Audi Ur quattro. [Read more]( [OUTDOORS]( [Car-powered shower puts users in hot water]( If you're dirty and sweaty from performing an outdoor activity, it's understandable that you don't want to drive home that way. Wouldn't it be nice if you could take a hot shower first? Well, the portable Geyser System lets you do so – depending on how you define the word "shower." [Read more]( [SPACE]( [New Horizons emerges from hibernation ahead of historic rendezvous with Ultima Thule]( ​​NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft has successfully awoken from a planned 165-day hibernation period ahead of its historic flyby of the Kuiper Belt object Ultima Thule, which is set to take place on New Year’s Day 2019. [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 © 2018