🪂 Dropping a survival kit from the sky

Headliner

Space-age manna: USAF & SpaceX drop survival kit from orbit

by David Szondy

Many a shipwrecked sailor has wished that a survival kit complete with liferaft would drop from the sky. Now, the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has completed a test using an orbital SpaceX Starfall reentry capsule to do just that.

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Highlights

AutomotiveTransport

Inside Oilstainlab's quest to build a supercar on its own terms

by Utkarsh Sood

Oilstainlab isn't interested in following the established playbook, instead it's exploring a more unconventional approach to a modern supercar. Co-founder and CEO Nikita Bridan sheds light on the intricacies of how its first-ever car is coming about.

Outdoors

Human composting becomes legal as garden-variety burial demand surges

by Bronwyn Thompson

Burial and cremation are no longer the only two options we have in deciding what happens to us at the end of life, as turning your body into compost is gaining legal status across the world. The latest to give it the green light is Australia.

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AutomotiveTransport

First Drive: 2027 Volkswagen Atlas ups its game

by Aaron Turpen

Volkswagen’s popular three-row SUV is back for 2027 with fresh sheet metal, a much-needed interior upgrade, modern tech, and smoother road manners. New Atlas headed to Alabama to check out the new Atlas.

Tiny HousesOutdoors

Cottage-like tiny house trades portability for light-filled comfort

by Adam Williams

With its XL dimensions and lack of wheels, this cottage-like tiny house isn't a good fit for would-be nomads. However, what it loses in ease of movement, it makes up for with a spacious and light-filled interior.

RoboticsEngineering

Subaquatic robot leverages biomimetics for natural movement

by Maryna Holovnova

Researchers keep drawing inspiration from nature to build more advanced robots. This time, they turned to the feather star to design an aquatic robot capable of 3D maneuvering, which could change the way we explore the underwater world.

AutomotiveTransport

Mercedes-AMG GT SUV looks to outsprint its electric rivals

by Simon Heptinstall

The 1,153-horsepower Mercedes AMG GT electric SUV rockets to the front of the world’s hyper SUVs, with 0-60-mph in just 2.4 seconds and a vast array of race-bred onboard tech.

EnergyEngineering

Solar-powered 'leaf' generates hydrogen while purifying seawater

by Etiido Uko

Hydrogen production from electrolysis is typically a relatively complex, energy-intensive process. So is wastewater treatment. Yet, scientists have developed an artificial “leaf” that can do both using only solar power.

The Agentic Engineering Playbook top engineers are using

Most engineers are stuck babysitting AI one prompt at a time. A handful have figured out how to build agents that plan, execute, and self-correct on their own. Sign up for The Code and get The Complete Playbook for Agentic Engineering. Claude Code, subagents, MCP, all of it.

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RoboticsEngineering

Finger-controlled robo beetle sports artificial muscles & two-way feedback

by Maryna Holovnova

Inspired by insects, South Korean researchers have developed a robotic beetle with artificial muscles that allow it to get into tight spaces and grip objects. The coolest part? A human can control it with a flick of a finger – quite literally.

AutomotiveTransport

Volkswagen's best-known SUV goes pure electric

by Utkarsh Sood

VW has pulled the plug on the ID.4/ID.5, replacing them with a compact electric SUV called the ID. Tiguan. That might not seem like big news on its own, but when you consider we’re talking about VW’s bestseller here, suddenly, that’s a big deal.

MilitaryEngineering

BAE brings multi-shot laser-precision missiles to quadcopter interceptors

by David Szondy

BAE Systems has upped the counter-drone firepower of a quadcopter while keeping costs down by equipping a Malloy T-150 UAV with enough laser-guided precision missiles to counter multiple drone threats during a recent test at a US Air Force base.

Elsewhere

Making a splash: There are numerous options available for getting from A to B as quickly as possible. But few (if any) are as wild as hopping on a motorcycle to cross a stretch of water, as this new Guinness World Record demonstrates.

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🪂 Dropping a survival kit from the sky

Headliner

Space-age manna: USAF & SpaceX drop survival kit from orbit

Today’s newsletter sponsor

Become An AI Expert In Just 5 Minutes

Highlights

Inside Oilstainlab's quest to build a supercar on its own terms

Human composting becomes legal as garden-variety burial demand surges

Special promotion for New Atlas readers

Enjoy lifetime documentary deep dives with one $150 payment

More Stories

First Drive: 2027 Volkswagen Atlas ups its game

Cottage-like tiny house trades portability for light-filled comfort

Subaquatic robot leverages biomimetics for natural movement

Mercedes-AMG GT SUV looks to outsprint its electric rivals

Solar-powered 'leaf' generates hydrogen while purifying seawater

Special promotion for New Atlas readers

The Agentic Engineering Playbook top engineers are using

Finger-controlled robo beetle sports artificial muscles & two-way feedback

Volkswagen's best-known SUV goes pure electric

BAE brings multi-shot laser-precision missiles to quadcopter interceptors

Elsewhere

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