Hi all - Loz here, back from a couple weeks away from the desk that gave me some time to put a fork in an after-hours project I’ve been nibbling on for ages now. You may remember I threatened you a couple of weeks ago with an original music release, under a title picked from the top 5 vote-winners in the 2024 New Atlas Band Name of the Year awards.
I do not make such threats idly. So here it is… My first true solo project, a series of late-night fever dreams from when the kids are in bed. I wrote ‘em, sang ‘em, played all the instruments, even produced, recorded and mixed them myself. So whatever’s wrong with them, there’s nobody else to blame! I give you… The Full Otter, available on lots of platforms. Enjoy!
Having now rudely forced a mix tape upon you, let’s take a look at what’s happening in the world of actual human progress!
😀
Loz Blain
Headliner
ADHD stimulants don’t work the way we thought they did
by Bronwyn Thompson
ADHD drugs have been thought to sharpen attention, but a new study has found something very different is at play. They don't offer laser-sharp focus but boost wakefulness and engagement, helping the brain stick to tasks it would otherwise give up on.
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Highlights
11 coolest, most covetable mid to massive camper vans and RVs of 2025
by C.C. Weiss
From self-driving smart trailers to on- and off-road explorers that bulge out in every direction to maximize living space, some truly jaw-dropping and inspiring camper vans, travel trailers, large motorhomes and expedition trucks emerged in 2025.
Chinese museum steps aside so that nature can speak
by Bridget Borgobello
Inspired by a vision to support nature, architectural firm Studio Link-Arc has completed the Yunlu Wetland Museum in Yunlu Wetland Park in Shunde, within southern China’s Pearl River Delta. It combines a bird-watching tower with exhibition spaces.
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Can't see to one side? Hemianopia finally has a treatment
by Malcolm Azania
Researchers at Switzerland’s EPFL have created a new neurotherapy that vastly and non-invasively improves vision for patients with hemianopia-related vision loss. Previously, patients suffering from the condition simply had to learn to live it.
Are AI data centers still needed, or have the Swiss punched holes in them?
by Malcolm Azania
Researchers from Swiss university EPFL have removed the AI middle-man. There's reportedly no need to access Big Data centers, as their new downloadable Anyway Systems software can handle your AI processing needs locally.
These three discoveries change how we understand coffee and the heart
by Bronwyn Thompson
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive substances on the planet, yet despite more than two billion cups being drunk each day, its impact on heart health remains surprisingly complex – and often misunderstood. This year we got answers.
The mystery of Japan’s underwater 'crop circles' has a romantic twist
by Bronwyn Thompson
In 1995, divers first noticed a group of bizarre sandy "crop circles" on the seabed near southwest Japan. But it took decades for scientists to identify the marine artists behind them – and why they were building such geometrically precise structures.
Nano-magnets may defeat bone cancer and help you heal
by Malcolm Azania
Magnetic bioactive nanocomposites can eliminate tumors through magnetic arson while helping build new bone. Integrating bioactivity with magnetic performance may be key step in creating smart nanomaterials for oncology and medical regeneration.
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