"New Mexico Scientists Develop Vacuum Balloon for Supersonic Travel"
Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico are developing a "vacuum balloon" with a hard shell that could potentially carry humans and travel as fast as a commercial airliner. The balloon, made of super-lightweight aerogel, aims to be lighter than the surrounding atmosphere, allowing it to hover indefinitely. While still in the experimental phase, the research could revolutionize transportation, surveillance, and parcel delivery drones, offering an alternative to traditional helium or hydrogen balloons. The physicist leading the project is seeking funding to continue the research, with potential applications in various industries and the possibility of a steampunk-style future with vacuum blimps as a major mode of transport.