Headliner

World's largest all-electric plane completes maiden flight
by David Szondy
Another record falls as the world's largest all-electric airplane makes its maiden flight. On August 12, 2026, Heart Aerospace's 25,000-lb (11,340-kg) X1 demonstrator aircraft took to the skies over Plattsburgh, New York for a 27-minute FAA flight test.
Today’s newsletter sponsor
EAST OAK Launches Pitmate™ Tabletop Smoker for Easy Outdoor BBQ
EAST OAK’s Pitmate™ 20-Inch Tabletop Electric Smoker combines electric convenience with authentic wood-smoked flavor, offering 544 square inches of cooking space in a compact, beginner-friendly design.
Highlights
Compact tiny house embraces nomadic off-grid living
by Adam Williams
While many tiny homes have been trending steadily larger, this off-grid model takes things in the opposite direction. Created with mobility in mind, it would be a good fit for those wanting a nomadic lifestyle.
Robotic tiles autonomously Lego-snap into floating smart structures
by Malcolm Azania
A self-arranging fleet of FloatForm robots requires minimal coordination for navigating, avoiding collisions, magnetically adhering to each other, and detaching themselves. FloatForms could create emergency platforms or future work and living space.
Special promotion for New Atlas readers
Get Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and more for just $20
Microsoft Office apps have been a staple for decades for a reason — they’re dependable and they work. Take advantage of these helpful tools with a Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows license on sale now for just $19.97.
More Stories
The 2026 Harley Street Glide 3: Meet your personal amusement park ride
by Boris Mihailovic
How’d you like to have a real, honest-to-hellness, smash my inside goop and smear me like red-meat porridge while I scream, amusement park ride in your garage? All you have to do is buy a 2026 Harley-Davidson Street Glide Three.
Folding kitchen fits in an SUV, feeds up to eight people
by Maryna Holovnova
BBQ is arguably best enjoyed outside, but cooking outdoors comes with quite a bit of planning. Not to mention that most barbecues are not really portable. They are great for the backyard, but too bulky and heavy for travel.
Acura's razor-sharp concept reveals its future design language
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Acura is commemorating its 40th anniversary with the introduction of a new design direction for its upcoming cars, showcased in this striking two-door concept vehicle. Be careful not to take your eye out while you stare at its pointy bits.
Dreame D30 Ultra robovac review: This is what $540 gets you
by Joe Salas
I expected the mid-tier $540 Dreame D30 Ultra to feel like a budget robovac after testing a $1,400 flagship unit. I wasn't entirely wrong ... just mostly wrong.
Eye-popping turntable flips vinyl into a vertical spin
by Paul Ridden
Though streaming rules the listening roost, physical formats like vinyl are growing in popularity. If you want to wow your friends while spinning your latest album acquisition, vertical turntables are sure to fit the bill – such as the Ruka TD-1.
Special promotion for New Atlas readers
Wake Up Smarter About AI.
The president of OpenAI. The CEO of Google. The founder of LinkedIn. We talk to the people building AI. Every morning, we put what they told us in your inbox.
What they're actually worried about. What they're betting on. What's coming next. Delivered in five minutes, before your first meeting.
With one email, and only five minutes, you can stay ahead of 99% of the world.
Tiny e-truck does real work – tows more than Ford and Toyota pickups
by Utkarsh Sood
How does a mini electric truck that’s barely longer than a Mini Cooper tow more than most modern-day trucks twice its size? I’m talking about the Telo MT1, the compact truck that's slated to hit production by the end of this year.
DARPA honors drone teams for light copters that carry heavy loads
by Ben Coxworth
Presently, cargo-carrying helicopters and multirotor drones have at best a 1:1 payload-to-body-weight ratio. DARPA's Lift Challenge, however, recently asked teams to design drones with a ratio of 4:1 or better.
Elsewhere
On a palm-sized scale, an origami-style circular paper airplane can fly longer than its bi-winged counterparts. But will the design scale up? James Whomsley of the ProjectAir YouTube channel has built an enormous circle-winged flyer to find out.
Get your next issue ad-free – and support our work: join New Atlas Plus!












