Urban

Microsoft Flight Simulator adds beautiful Nordic views in its latest update

Just in time for the launch of Microsoft Flight Simulator on Xbox Series consoles next month, developer Asobo Studios has added some extra details that players will appreciate. World Update V is focused on the Nordic region (specifically Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden), bringing stunning vistas to an already visually impressive title. A brief… Read more

The latest tool in fighting wildfires is homes that won’t burn

A home Homebound Inc. is rebuilding stands under construction after it was destroyed in the Tubbs Fire in the Fountain Grove neighborhood of Santa Rosa, California, on September 16th, 2020.Photo by Michael Short / Bloomberg via Getty Images Building codes are on the frontlines of California’s fire fight With wildfires raging more uncontrollably in the… Read more

The pandemic was the bloodiest year for driving in over a decade

Road deaths jumped 7.2 percent in 2020 from the year before, hitting a 13-year high, even though people weren’t driving as much, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). But while NHTSA’s numbers paint a grim picture, they offer only a glimpse at what’s shaping up to be a historically bloody year of… Read more

Fiat 500e review: Do electric cars get any cuter than this?

(Pocket-lint) – When it comes to small cars, there’s one model that’s always really stood out: the Fiat 500. Relaunched in 2007 – and revised in 2015 – the Fiat 500 has secured its position as something of an icon. Alongside the Mini, it’s perhaps one of the most distinctive and commonly sighted small cars… Read more

Hot summer days are even hotter for many Americans of color

In cities across the US, people of color are enduring hotter summer temperatures than their white counterparts, new research shows. It’s another sign that the consequences of rising temperatures will hit vulnerable communities harder than others. A person of color, on average, lives in a census tract that’s more than a full degree Celsius (nearly… Read more

You can now explore a surreal Gucci garden inside Roblox

For the next two weeks, the virtual realm of Roblox is getting a dose of high fashion. Currently, fashion house Gucci is hosting an artsy garden space, which will be available for Roblox users to explore starting today through to May 31st. The space was conceived as a virtual counterpart to a real-world installation called… Read more

Angell electric bike review: A match made in heaven?

(Pocket-lint) – The e-bike space is a fascinating one at the moment, with big brands hopping on board to release their own electrified bikes, but a very healthy independent scene also pumping out unique options too. The best electric bikes: Get around fast on these top ebikes One such bike is the Angell, a French… Read more

Getting hospitals ready for the next pandemic

Illustration by Alex Castro / The Verge The more hospitals cooperate, the better they’ll fare in an emergency As surges of COVID-19 cases spread throughout the United States over the past year, hospitals overwhelmed with patients quickly ran out of everything: masks, gloves, beds, space, doctors, nurses. Hospital workers in New York City, one of… Read more

We may never know the exact toll of the pandemic

This pandemic has taken millions of lives around the world — and researchers are realizing that the true death toll may be much higher than the official numbers we see every day. As of May 3rd, the death toll in the US officially stood at 574,043, but a new analysis published this week by the… Read more

How the video game S.T.A.L.K.E.R. inspired a wave of real-world Chernobyl tourists

A virtual world leads to IRL excursions By Darmon Richter Apr 29, 2021, 12:32pm EDT Illustration by Alex Castro At the entrance to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone in Ukraine, 35 years on from the worst nuclear disaster in history, a yellow souvenir van sells T-shirts, key rings, and glow-in-the-dark “Chernobyl condoms,” all branded with gas… Read more

Luminar’s LIDAR will take flight in new partnership with Airbus

Luminar, the newly public LIDAR company, is teaming up with the largest aircraft manufacturer in the world to bring its laser-guided mapping and perception technology to new heights. LIDAR, the laser sensor that sends millions of laser points out per second and measures how long they take to bounce back, is seen as a key… Read more

New York State just passed a law requiring ISPs to offer $15 broadband

Internet should become a lot more affordable in New York after Governor Andrew Cuomo signed a bill that requires all Internet Service Providers operating in New York state to offer a $15 a month broadband option for low-income consumers. According to NY Assembly member Amy Paulin (via Bloomberg), the average price of broadband in New… Read more

Stromer ST2 e-bike review: too hot for Europe

If you buy something from a Verge link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics statement. The words “Swiss design” conjure images of luxury watch movements and delicately sculpted eyeglasses, not hulking e-bikes with thickly welded frames and face-melting power. Stromer is here to challenge those assumptions and force a rethink of how… Read more

Google Earth’s historical 3D time lapses show the ravages of climate change

Google Earth is getting a new 3D time-lapse feature that lets you observe how Earth has changed from 1984 to 2020, allowing you to see just how much the devastating effects of climate change have already shaped the geography of the planet. “It’s best for a landscape view of our world,” Rebecca Moore, director of… Read more

Cruise is bringing its driverless robotaxis to Dubai in 2023

Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company backed by General Motors and Honda, will launch its first international robotaxi service in Dubai in 2023. The news was announced early Monday by Dubai’s crown prince, Hamdan bin Mohammed. As part of the ride-hailing service, Cruise will use its fully autonomous Origin vehicles, which it first unveiled in 2019…. Read more