Lifeboat Foundation

What would Aliens look like? We should not expect aliens to look like us — they might even be completely mechanical.

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Airbus has completed wind-tunnel testing of its eXtra Performance Wing demonstrator in its quest to quickly test and accelerate advanced innovative technologies that will decarbonize the aviation industry. The demonstrator model was tested in the Filton wind tunnel near Bristol, England.

Launched last September, the eXtra Performance Wing project takes inspiration from nature to improve wing aerodynamics and performance. It is intended to be compatible with any future aircraft configuration and propulsion system to reduce CO₂ emissions.

To make a more efficient aircraft with lower carbon footprints, Airbus is testing wing technologies that are based on the behavior of bird flight with wings. Initially, the technology was introduced at a smaller scale through another Airbus project, AlbatrossONE, which tested semi-aeroelastic hinged wings that – like the seabird – unlocked during the flight when experiencing wind gusts or turbulence. Now, the eXtra Performance Wing will also examine new technologies, including gust sensors, pop-up spoilers, and multifunctional trailing edges to enable active control of the wing.

A simple colour change could indicate the presence of potentially hazardous hydrogen gas thanks to a new sensor developed by researchers in Germany. The micron-scale device, which uses so-called “supraparticles” that turn from purple to pink in the presence of hydrogen, could help prevent explosions by making it easier to detect and localize leaks at fuel stations, generators and pipelines.

Sending miniature robots deep inside the human skull to treat brain disorders has long been the stuff of science fiction—but it could soon become reality, according to a California start-up.

Bionaut Labs plans its first clinical trials on humans in just two years for its tiny injectable robots, which can be carefully guided through the brain using magnets.

“The idea of the micro robot came about way before I was born,” said co-founder and CEO Michael Shpigelmacher.