Austin, TX
Zoocade: first US hologram zoo opens in Austin, Texas
Zoocade, the first hologram zoo in the US, has opened in Austin, Texas. The innovative attraction is an alternative to traditional zoos.
From software company Axiom Holographics, Zoocade utilises hologram technology to offer a wildlife experience without the need for live animals.
It features a more than 60-foot holographic tunnel through which visitors walk while wearing 3D glasses to view three themed shows – Africa, Australia and dinosaur.
An alternative to traditional zoos
The Africa experience introduces guests to holographic hippos, lions, giraffes and elephants, while the Australia element features koalas, kangaroos, crocodiles and snakes.
In the dinosaur section, guests can meet a Brachiosaurus and a T-Rex, among others.
“The hologram zoo is like a tunnel that you circle through, and as you walk through it, the content changes,” Reva Enzminger, who brought the concept to Texas, told the Dallas Morning News.
Zoocade is an alternative to traditional zoos, enabling animal encounters regardless of weather.
“As a mom, I’ve gone to the zoo many times, and the animals don’t come out because it’s hot or cold,” Enzminger said.
Other hologram zoos can be found in Australia, China and Canada, and there are already plans to expand Zoocade in Texas.
“I’m already looking at other tech attractions that I can include in this, and once we get the right formula, we’re going to grow as fast as we can in Texas,” Enzminger said.
Laser light used to project objects
Bruce Dell, chief executive of Axiom Holographics and creator of the hologram zoo, told the BBC in 2023:
“You are projecting an object in the air that appears to be real because as you walk around it you are seeing it from all sorts of different angles.
“So, you use laser light and we project these objects into the air.”
Twycross Zoo in the UK previously offered an exhibition called Projecting Hope featuring holograms of critically-endangered animals to raise awareness.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Texas’ highway system dropped two spots since 2025, and now ranks at No. 27 in the country for its cost-effectiveness and overall conditions, according to the Reason Foundation’s 2026 Highway Report.
The report assessed pavement conditions, fatalities, deficient bridges, infrastructure costs and congestion levels across the United States. Texas earned the following rankings:
- 33rd in urban interstate pavement conditions
- 21st in rural interstate pavement conditions
- 39th in urban arterial pavement conditions
- 12th in rural arterial pavement conditions
- 3rd in structurally deficient bridges
- 26th in urban fatality rate
- 42nd in rural fatality rate
- 41st in traffic congestion
“More than 42,000 of the nation’s 618,923 highway bridges, nearly 7%, are still structurally deficient. Arizona, Nevada, and Texas reported the lowest percentages of deficient bridges,” the report said.
The full report can be found online.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Small hail peppered the Austin area as strong thunderstorms moved through Saturday.
A few of the storms dropped rain and up to pea-sized hail in San Marcos, Dripping Springs and the Austin metro area.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was issued for Williamson County around 8:15 p.m., and then canceled shortly after. However, it was enough for the Two Step Inn music festival in Georgetown to cancel shows for the rest of the evening. Event organizers say the festival will run as planned Sunday.
KXAN’s First Warning Weather team is monitoring the storms. We will update this post as the evening continues.
AUSTIN (KXAN) — Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Society Sons of the American Revolution unveiled a new monument at the Texas State Cemetery on Saturday, dedicated to Texas Revolutionary War soldiers.
“We must educate every generation about why it is that America grew from a tenuous 13 colonies into the most powerful country in the history of the world,” said Governor Abbott. “This monument here is an enduring testament to the heroes who fought for the freedom that is unique to America.”
The monument was dedicated to 69 soldiers who fought in the American Revolutionary War and later settled in Texas, according to a press release.
Among those that were honored, Abbott recognized:
- José Santiago Seguín, grandfather of Texas Revolutionary hero Juan Seguín.
- Peter Sides, who fought in the 2nd Battalion of the North Carolina Regiment of the Colonial Army, and was later killed in the 1813 Battle of Medina, fighting for Mexican independence against Spain.
- Antonio Gil Y’Barbo, the founder of Nacogdoches.
- William Sparks, who fought as a mounted rifleman in the American Revolution and later settled in Texas. He had two sons and two grandsons who fought in the Texas Revolution.
“This year marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, which not only gave freedom to the British colonies of North America, but inspired movements for freedom and liberty all over the world,” said TSSAR President Mel Oller. “Texans played a role in the war too, and it’s important to recognize them, and the sacrifices they made for our freedom.”
At the monument unveiling, Abbott was also inducted into the Sons of the American Revolution and received its Silver Good Citizenship Medal.
-
Indianapolis, IN4 minutes ago1 dead after shooting on Indy’s near south side
-
Pittsburg, PA10 minutes agoGame #22: Tampa Bay Rays vs. Pittsburgh Pirates
-
Augusta, GA16 minutes agoWhat is the cheapest city in Georgia to live with a roomate?
-
Washington, D.C22 minutes ago12th Honor Flight Tallahassee returns home from successful trip to Washington D.C.
-
Cleveland, OH28 minutes agoSupercross: Results From Cleveland, OH
-
Austin, TX34 minutes agoHow Texas’ road, bridge conditions compare to other states
-
Alabama40 minutes agoAlabama edge to pattern his game after 2-time Super Bowl Champ
-
Alaska46 minutes agoAlaska Senate committee advances draft capital budget, boosting funds for school maintenance