Electric power is the future of flight, according to Airbus, which has teamed up with Daher-Socata to start production of small, battery-powered airplanes for the flight-training market. On the success of the first public flight of the E-Fan prototype early last year, the two companies plan to design, develop, and certify the E-Fan 2.0, a two-seat training aircraft, by 2017. Airbus says it intends this airplane to be the first in a line that will lead to bigger, more capable electric-powered aircraft, culminat…

At the Miami Yacht and Brokerage Show in February, the Neapolitan shipbuilder Arcadia Yachts introduced a new version of its 85-foot yacht that has been reworked to meet the demands of the U.S. market. The Arcadia 85 U.S. Edition has an adapted layout with an open galley, a dressing area in the VIP cabin, and space for a clothes washer and dryer. The U.S. version is also equipped with a more powerful air-conditioning system and increased insulation, ensuring maximum comfort for guests onboard.

Like the stan…

Johns Hopkins scientists report that rats exposed to high-energy particles, simulating conditions astronauts would face on a long-term deep space mission, show lapses in attention and slower reaction times, even when the radiation exposure is in extremely low dose ranges.

The cognitive impairments — which affected a large subset, but far from all, of the animals — appear to be linked to protein changes in the brain, the scientists say. The findings, if found to hold true in humans, suggest it may be possibl…

Australia’s Lizard Island resort welcomes guests for the first time since a devastating tropical cyclone damaged the property.

Why Go: Since opening as a resort in 1998, Lizard Island has been revered for its unspoiled natural surroundings. It has 24 pristine white-sand beaches and there are a multitude of quality dive sites at the adjacent Great Barrier Reef; acclaimed big-game fishing is available nearby at the Ribbon Reefs. But in April 2014, the resort’s guests were evacuated as Tropical Cyclone Ita app…

Jaeger-LeCoultre recently introduced a new variation of its Master Calendar watch that pairs the astronomical timepiece with a visually fascinating dial crafted from a meteorite. Each dial is carved from a single slab of a meteorite that was discovered in Sweden and is believed to have originated from the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Because of the chaotic internal structure of the meteorite, no two dials will look exactly the same. The artisans at Jaeger-LeCoultre painstakingly carve numerous plate…

Your environment has a lot to do with how well you sleep, and if you have trouble in that department, you’ve probably read plenty of advice about maintaining a bedroom that’s calm, cool and clear of glowing electronic gadgets.
When you think about your sleep environment, remember to include your “sleep buddy”—the person you share your bed with.
There is a connection between sleep quality and a couple’s interactions during the day, according to research published in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine. It’s a …

On February 21, Premiere Napa Valley’s annual barrel auction raked in $6 million in total (an average of $286 per bottle), surpassing last year’s record-setting sum of $5.9 million and making it the event’s most successful sale to date. Following a walk-around tasting, dozens of buyers from some of the top retail and restaurant outlets in the world vied for the 225 small lots of wine, all of which were created exclusively for the event. The highest overall bidder was Total Wine & More, an independent retai…

Molecular inhibitor represents new treatment target for drugs to halt atherosclerosis

Working with mice and rabbits, Johns Hopkins scientists have found a way to block abnormal cholesterol production, transport and breakdown, successfully preventing the development of atherosclerosis, the main cause of heart attacks and strokes and the number-one cause of death among humans. The condition develops when fat builds inside blood vessels over time and renders them stiff, narrowed and hardened, greatly reducing …

Presented this year at the Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie, the Richard Mille RM 19-02 Tourbillon Fleur is a women’s tourbillon with an artistic twist. Positioned on the dial at 7 o’clock is a representation of a magnolia composed of five 18-karat-white-gold petals hand painted purple. Every 5 minutes, these petals open to reveal the watch’s beating flying tourbillon—a version of the complication that is supported by only a lower bridge. As the petals open, the tourbillon—which is set with seven rub…

Is play part of your plan for health? Leisure activities, particularly group activities, are a vital part of keeping adults healthy in mind and body, says Jeremy Barron, M.D., medical director of the Beacham Center for Geriatric Medicine at Johns Hopkins. But according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, time spent on leisure and sports activities over the weekend peaks in our late teens and then diminishes as adult responsibilities monopolize our free time.  

To help make play a priority in your life a…