Welcome to our newest News column: So, What Is It? Things are constantly popping up and change with how fast technology moves in this day and age, so when we come across something new or sparks our interest, we’ll take a dive into learning more and sharing our findings with you. These will not be long, in-depth posts (we totally get it; you’re busy people!). Think of them more as a highlights brief on the topic. We hope this will be the first of many posts like this, and we hope even more you’ll be back to check out what we discover next!

So, what is Hyperloop, or rather Hyperloop Transportation?

Hyperloop is a new form of super speed ground-level transportation in which people could travel in a hovering pod inside a vacuum tube at speeds as high as 760 mph (that's just shy of the speed of sound). These pods could be built either above or below ground. The idea behind this new mode of transportation is to make travel between cities faster, easier, and more eco-friendly, as some hyperloop concepts would use magnetic levitation similar to bullet trains.

It's currently being developed by a number of companies, including Elon Musk's Boring Company and Richard Branson's Virgin Hyperloop. Virgin Hyperloop One made history as the first company to successfully test hyperloop technology. It includes magnetic levitation, much like the technology used in advanved high-speed rail projects in Japan and Germany.

HyperloopTT, a U.S-based start-up company that's been developing hyperloop travel since 2013, says it plans to apply for federal funding for the development of "the world's most advanced hyperloop project" in the Great Lakes if the law is passed. Other companies throwing their hat into the hyperloop ring are Hardt Hyperloop in the Netherlands and TransPod, a Canadian company.

For a further explaination behind the concept of hyperloop, check out this video. It's on the longer side (12 minutes), but if you're intrigued, it's worth the watch.

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We discovered hyperloop technology in this Changing America article. Had you previously heard of hyperloop? What do you think --- is hyperloop the transportation mode of the future?