Headliner
World's most terrifying convenience store hangs off the side of a cliff
by Bronwyn Thompson
This tiny store 120 meters (394 feet) up a vertical cliff face has earned the title of being the world's most inconvenient convenience store. While it serves as a critical rest stop for climbers, I think I'd rather die of thirst than try to visit it.
Today’s newsletter sponsor
Titaner Razorbill Resculpts the Tanto Through Precision CNC
Titaner Razorbill combines a CNC-sculpted Modified Tanto blade, M390/14C28N steel, a Grade 5 titanium frame lock, and faceted geometry in a folding EDC tool built around precision, control and structural design.
Highlights
RoboticsEngineering
Adorable waddling robot can pick up stuff and learn new tricks
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
This cute little robot duck isn't actually a toy. It's actually a platform for budding roboticists to train on and develop skills. But heck, this might be the most fun design for a hackable machine we've seen yet.
Knives and MultitoolsGearOutdoors
The James Brand's new multitool is as sleek and ultramodern as it gets
by C.C. Weiss
Building on the design language it debuted with the new Elko knife, The James Brand packs multiple functions inside the all-new Helton EDC tool. The Helton, then, is a sleek, lightweight piece of EDC that's as easy to carry as it is to use.
Special promotion for New Atlas readers
Get 8 Microsoft Office apps for life for just $50 (MSRP $220)
Skip subscription fees and get essential Office apps with one license. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 gives you access to eight apps for life for a one-time payment — and right now it’s on sale for just $49.97.
More Stories
MilitaryEngineering
US Army to install nuclear micro-reactors on 20 domestic military bases
by David Szondy
In a two-for-one move, the US Army has announced that it has authorized the construction of up to 20 nuclear micro-reactors across military bases in the continental United States to provide reliable power and boost the country's nuclear industrial base.
Good ThinkingTechnology
Laser tech detects fake alcohol bottles non-invasively
by Maryna Holovnova
Counterfeit alcohol is a global problem that continues to cause deadly methanol poisoning outbreaks in many countries. Recently, scientists have developed a technology that can detect methanol in alcoholic drinks without even opening the bottle.
DronesConsumer TechTechnology
Video: Cat-clawed drone is the first to land on near-vertical ice walls
by Omar Kardoudi
The Ice Dart is a quadcopter designed by researchers at the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec to solve a problem that has quietly limited drone science for years: there's almost nowhere safe to land in the harshest environments on Earth.
Alzheimer's & DementiaBrain HealthBody and Mind
Particles from a joint replacement can enter your brain, study finds
by Mike McRae
New findings by a team of researchers from the US and Australia have complicated an ongoing debate over whether a total joint arthroplasty may increase the risk of Alzheimer’s disease.
Pickup CampersAdventure VehiclesOutdoors
Telescopic pickup camping topper lifts into panoramic 5-man truck hut
by C.C. Weiss
Radica has never been known to follow convention. Its original widened pickup cap camped like nothing out there, and its subsequent launches followed suit. The new Stargate lands as a telescopic pop-topper that becomes the most spacious Radica yet.
Special promotion for New Atlas readers
Become An AI Expert In Just 5 Minutes
If you’re a decision maker at your company, you need to be on the bleeding edge of, well, everything. But before you go signing up for seminars, conferences, lunch ‘n learns, and all that jazz, just know there’s a far better (and simpler) way: Subscribing to The Deep View.
This daily newsletter condenses everything you need to know about the latest and greatest AI developments into a 5-minute read. Squeeze it into your morning coffee break and before you know it, you’ll be an expert too.
Subscribe right here. It’s totally free, wildly informative, and trusted by 600,000+ readers at Google, Meta, Microsoft, and beyond.
SportsConsumer TechTechnology
Dual-output sports bottle delivers water or energy gel on demand
by Ben Coxworth
While many cyclists like to alternate between sipping water and energy gel, doing so can be an awkward, messy and wasteful process. The Dualfuel Sports Bottle is designed to change that, as it can be switched between water and gel output modes.
AI and HumanoidsTechnology
AI shopping cart users spend 32% more at supermarkets
by Etiido Uko
One of AI's many promises is that it will help us do everything better. Work faster, research more seamlessly, and perhaps be more financially prudent? Well, not exactly. Research suggests that AI-assisted shopping may end up making you spend more.
GearOutdoors
Powerful compact pump also illuminates your campsite
by Maryna Holovnova
Ideal outdoor gear combines a few functions, saving space in your backpack. Unexpected items can make surprisingly useful combinations, and this new Kickstarter project proves that a sleeping-pad pump and a cozy tent lantern make a pretty good pair.
Elsewhere
Scientists in Chile have designed a new vest for injured penguins. As well as looking very dapper, these garments are threaded with copper and zinc, and are being used to help the birds recover from injuries.
Get your next issue ad-free – and support our work: join New Atlas Plus!