World's largest and most efficient aircraft engine aces first tests

[New Atlas logo]( Aircraft [World's largest and most efficient aircraft engine aces first tests]( [Rolls-Royce workers assembling the giant UltraFan technology demonstrator]( Rolls-Royce has completed the first ground tests on its massive UltraFan engine, claiming it's at least 10% more efficient than any other large aero engine in service today. This carbon/titanium beauty will roll out on airliners in the 2030s. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Grab two powerful pocket-sized flashlights for only $33]( From emergencies to outdoor escapades, you need a flashlight to light the way. The 8-in-1 MaxLight Mini Super Bright Utility Flashlight is 30 times brighter than the flashlight on your phone. You can grab two for $32.97 this week only. [Read more]( Laptops [Spacetop AR laptop puts the screen on your face]( [Man working in coffee shop with transparent computer screen in front of him]( Seeking to free laptop users from small displays that limit functionality, Sightful has unveiled a laptop with no screen. Instead, AR glasses project a 100-inch virtual screen anywhere, transforming any space into a screen-filled portable office. [Read more]( Science [Sunlight-activated powder disinfects water in just 60 seconds]( [Among other potential applications, the powder could be used by backpackers collecting drinking water on the go]( If you leave a clear bottle of water in the sunlight, the UV rays will kill any microbes in that water, making it drinkable … but it has to sit in the sun for at least six hours. A new sunlight-activated powder, however, does the job in one minute. [Read more]( Remarkable People [SR-71 pilot, photographer and storyteller Brian Shul dies at 75]( [Legendary SR-71 Blackbird pilot, photographer and storyteller Brian Shul has reportedly passed away, aged 75]( The aviation world has lost one of its brightest luminaries. Major Brian Shul was an incredible survivor and a top gun pilot – but also a gifted photographer and storyteller, whose stories about the extraordinary SR-71 Blackbird will live forever. [Read more]( Science [Edible CBD coating keeps fruit fresher for longer]( [A new coating made of CBD helps preserve fruit for far longer, to reduce food waste]( It may be delicious and healthy, but fruit is frustratingly fickle, often going bad quickly in the fridge. Now, researchers in Thailand have developed an invisible, edible coating made with cannabidiol (CBD) that can preserve fruit for much longer. [Read more]( Bicycles [Virgo full-face helmet is made for high-speed ebiking]( [The Virgo helmet is presently on Kickstarter]( Given the fact that many ebikes can travel at speeds of up to 28 mph (45 km/h) with little rider effort, should those riders be wearing special helmets? The folks at French startup The Beam seem to think so, which is why they created the Virgo. [Read more]( Materials [Octopus-inspired ink can change color on demand]( [New color-changing materials are made up of different-colored microbeads that rise or sink in response to different colored light]( A new light-activated ink can change color on demand. It’s made up of colored microbeads that rise in response to different wavelengths of light to change a surface color, which could be useful for new displays or active camouflage systems. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Luxury tiny house fits big home comforts into portable package]( [The CC 31' x 10' was built to order at a cost of US$210,000]( A lot of tiny houses are small and basic, but they can also be luxurious too. This example by MitchCraft Tiny Homes has a spacious interior layout that includes the sort of comforts you'd expect from a traditional home, like a dishwasher and a bath. [Read more]( Materials [Feel like monitoring an erupting volcano? There's a sensor for that]( [A University of Houston researcher holds a newly developed piezoelectric sensor that operates under extreme temperatures and harsh environmental conditions]( Monitoring extreme environments requires a sensor continues to work in high temperatures. Now, researchers have developed a piezoelectric sensor that operates reliably at the temperature of erupting mafic lava, the hottest type of lava on Earth. [Read more]( Bicycles [Veloretti puts focus on simplicity and safety with Electric Two ebikes]( [Veloretti has refined the overall minimalist look for the Electric Two series ebikes, while also improving onboard smarts and safety features]( Amsterdam-based e-mobility company Veloretti has updated its stylish Ivy mid-step and Ace step-over city ebikes that launched in 2021, refreshing the overall look, improving cooked-in smarts and adding new safety features. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [At every stage from farm to table, more microplastics enter your food]( [Australia's national science agency has reviewed studies on microplastics and called for more research into their effects on global health, food safety and security]( Globally, micro- and nanoplastics and plastic additives are widespread across our food supply. While we have an understanding of how they get there, there remains a massive gap in what we know about their effects on our health. 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