Hi all! I’m Abhimanyu, I've been working closely with Loz on rebuilding this newsletter, as well as contributing to New Atlas for just over a year now. Nice to meet you!
Can you imagine peering through your office window at a frozen landscape of ice as far as the eye can see, with temperatures dropping to -40 °C (-40 °F)? That's what it's like for the research team at Australia's Davis Station in Antarctica. The base is getting a massive multi-million dollar 'kit-of-parts' upgrade over the next few years, and Adam – who normally has his eye on more diminutive buildings – has the details on what's coming up out there in our headliner.
In health news, heart disease continues to reign supreme as the most common cause of death around the world. That's upsetting, for sure, but the study on this notes that such data can empower countries to take precise action and help citizens prevent these conditions. We can also follow the lead of the woman who lived to 117 years in Bron's eye-opening piece, and unlock the secrets to a long life.
There's some cool tech that's just broken cover too: a cute little tennis coaching robot, a feature-packed guitar amp, and a ridiculously overpriced ebike that, if nothing else, is awfully pretty.
Enjoy today's issue – and let us know if you've got your eye on clever inventions and surprising breakthroughs we can dive into!
Headliner
Aging Antarctic research station set for extreme-environment upgrade
by Adam Williams
Hugh Broughton Architects is no stranger to designing for extreme environments and the British firm has now been commissioned to deliver a series of upgrades for Australia's Davis Station in Antarctica.
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Today’s highlights
Heart disease kills 1 in 3 people worldwide, surprising no one
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
A report based on data compiled between 1990 to 2023 across 204 countries found that cardiovascular diseases remain the most common cause of death among humans. Heart conditions are behind one in every three deaths on the planet.
$20K ebike costs more than a car ... and no one's sure why
by C.C. Weiss
The Specialized S-Works Turbo Levo 4 LTD takes premium e-MTB pricing to alarming heights, costing more than a new Nissan Versa. With a powerful e-drive and marbly blue-swirl paint, it is definitely a wondrous bike, but is it really worth the price?
Extraordinary feature-packed smart amp rewrites the guitarist's playbook
by Paul Ridden
Lava Music caused a glitch in the Matrix a few years back with an oddball carbon-fiber acoustic guitar rocking built-in digital effects. Now the company is looking to reshape the amplification landscape with "the world's most advanced amp."
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More stories
Extraordinary feature-packed smart amp rewrites the guitarist's playbook
by Paul Ridden
Lava Music caused a glitch in the Matrix a few years back with an oddball carbon-fiber acoustic guitar rocking built-in digital effects. Now the company is looking to reshape the amplification landscape with "the world's most advanced amp."
117-year-old woman's remarkable health may also help us live longer
by Bronwyn Thompson
Scientists have taken the most detailed look yet at the biology of a record-breaking woman who lived 117 years and 168 days free of cancer, cardiovascular disease and dementia. And many things they discovered could help us achieve our own longevity.
This ball-shooting robot wants to be your tennis coach
by Ben Coxworth
Behold, the rise of the tennis-coaching robots. First there was the PongBot, followed by the Tenniix and the Acemate. Now, there's the possibly even more capable ball-shooting, performance-assessing, AI-packin' Aceii One.
Review: Luba 2 AWD AI lawn mower turned me into the neighborhood hero
by Joe Salas
It's 2025, and we have AI. We have humanoid robots that can do front flips. We have autonomous delivery vans and taxis. And yet, the craziest thing to me is having a little autonomous robot doing my yard work.
Promising anti-aging drug fails to live up to the hype
by Paul McClure
Animal studies say rapamycin can slow aging – but does it work in humans? A new review finds the evidence for the off-label, low-dose use of the drug in healthy adults is thin, inconsistent, and far from conclusive.
Apple cider vinegar controversy undermines weight-loss claims
by Bronwyn Thompson
A headline-grabbing study on apple cider vinegar has been pulled from the record, striking a blow to the science and wellness worlds. The research, which claimed that the tonic triggered massive weight loss, was found to be riddled with errors.
Anker wheels out tri-laser outdoor theater with huge inflatable screen
by Paul Ridden
Following the success of its Nebula X1 outdoor projector, Soundcore has wrapped a Pro version in a big ol' wheeled outer skin and paired it with a 200-inch inflatable screen for what's being billed the "world's first mobile theater station."
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