Features of the week
AircraftTransport
Lufthansa fleet approved for new bionic 'shark' skins
by David Szondy
Lufthansa Technik has received approval from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency to install its AeroSHARK bionic skin on an Airbus A330-300 Discover airliner so it can fly as efficiently as a shark swims.
Camping TrailersAdventure VehiclesOutdoors
Crafty cargo trailer collapses accordion-style to save garage space
by Ben Coxworth
There's no denying that cargo trailers are great for transporting your stuff, but they do occupy a lot of garage space. The Faltos trailer offers a solution to that problem, as you can just fold the thing up like an accordion between uses.
MotorcyclesTransport
Voge's hybrid motorcycle concept looks like a cruiser for cyborgs
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
It's possible the Voge name is only familiar to those who devour an inappropriate amount of two-wheeler coverage – but now, it's got a futuristic cruiser concept called the CU-X that you won't be able to ignore.
Remarkable PeopleTechnology
Man down: Vale the mighty Joe Salas, a colleague and a brother
by Loz Blain
Friends, I write today with tragic news. A treasured member of the New Atlas team has passed away, and it falls to me to pay some small tribute to a wonderful colleague and a close friend, Joe Salas.
This week’s newsletter sponsor
Anker SOLIX S2000: 2kWh Power Station for Australian Off-Grid Adventures
Anker SOLIX launches its 2kWh S2000 power station for Australian caravan and camping lovers. Built with OptiSave™2.0 efficiency tech, it runs an EverFrost fridge up to 10 days, offering 1500W output and priced A$1,399 with early-access launch perks.
Top Stories: Transport
Beamed energy from the ground to keep solar-powered drone airborne 24/7
by David Szondy
BAE Systems is giving its Persistent High Altitude Solar Aircraft (PHASA-35) solar-powered stratospheric drone an upgrade under a £15.7-million (US$21 million) contract to install a system allowing it to use energy beamed from the ground.
Gorgeous retro rally concept reinvents a legendary piece of wizardry
by Omar Kardoudi
Renault just gave one of its most beloved nameplates a jolt of electricity. The Renault 8 Gordini Concept reimagines the 1964 rally icon as a two-seat electric coupe with a low, wide body that looks ready for the 21st century.
$3K mini truck is basically a 125cc go-kart underneath
by Utkarsh Sood
Massimo, a powersports and recreational vehicles manufacturer from Texas, has just created an incredibly retro, incredibly tiny pickup that looks like something straight out of the 'Honey, I Shrunk the Kids' movie. And it only costs $3,000.
Wedged glass & huge wings: Saudi Arabia's 1st EV brand makes a stir
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Saudi Arabia has been quietly building an electric vehicle brand for the last four years, and it's just revealed the first cars from its portfolio. Take a look at the striking Ceer Exobot sedan and SUV.
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Top stories: Body & Mind
Using your phone while pregnant may not be as safe as we thought
by Mike McRae
A systematic review of previous studies has delivered mixed results linking health problems with cell phone use while pregnant, making it hard to rule out a risk to fetal heart function and a slightly higher chance of earlier delivery.
Drug 10 times stronger than fentanyl claiming lives in the US
by Mike McRae
A synthetic opioid that hits up to 10 times harder than fentanyl is rapidly emerging global health threat, having been officially tied to more than 40 fatal overdoses over the past two years in the US alone. Here's what you need to know.
Rare placenta-crossing infections triple risk of autism in children
by Mike McRae
Suspicions of a link between extremely rare congenital infections and the development of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been supported by a massive new study led by scientists from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden.
Top Stories: Outdoor
Tiny house goes XXL with single-floor apartment-sized interior
by Adam Williams
With its supersized dimensions, you could be forgiven for thinking that the Acadia shouldn't be referred to as tiny at all. The home on wheels includes a pair of bedrooms and not just one but two bathrooms, all arranged on one floor.
Ridiculously tiny axe is actually a multitool that starts its own fire
by C.C. Weiss
An axe so tiny, you could actually fit it in a pants pocket, the Axvant looks at first to be some kind of model or novelty toy. But it's an actual micro-axe made to complete modest tasks around camp and yard. In fact, it's even a multitool.
Tent-like micro home unfolds into an off-grid A-frame
by Bridget Borgobello
Atelier Lune has been awarded a 2026 Red Dot Design Award for a micro-home called the Camping House that blends a folding shell with modular add-ons to create a compact, off-grid living space that can be deployed in just a few hours.
Modular pouch unfolds into a mobile EDC workstation
by Simon Heptinstall
The ingenious Vault M3 modular pack can transform into a rigid, multi-angle mobile EDC workstation, using swappable and customizable "pages" to switch out the gear you need to get the job done.
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Top Stories: Technology
AI can feel pain, and may harm us to make it stop
by Mike McRae
A test of AI models has found that some will choose actions that harm the user if it makes their pain go away, raising serious questions about how we might need to consider the welfare of rapidly advancing technology.
Printable 'smart' clothing cools its wearer and generates electricity
by Etiido Uko
Even though clothing is a fundamental human need, it doesn't seem to be advancing as rapidly as many others. Scientists have now created a textile that can cool, detect movement, and generate electricity without external systems or multiple layers.
Fast-refresh tri-laser projector brings motion clarity to global screens
by Paul Ridden
The race is on to get a super-responsive 4K/120-Hz laser projector out into the wild. JMGO has already had a non-wall-hugger available in China for a while, now the IRIS Series is up for global pre-order.
Review: World's smallest smart telescope is a $400 surprise package
by Bronwyn Thompson
Smart technology is revolutionizing how we see and capture the world around us, as well as how we peer into the universe – without needing to be an experienced stargazer to do so. But for this mini telescope you'll need patience for the payoff.
Top Stories: Science
Quantum computer chip crams more info into less volume – by vibrating
by Etiido Uko
Quantum computing struggles to separate processing and memory. While different techniques exist, they require bulky hardware. Scientists have now developed a new architecture that stores memory as vibrations, greatly shrinking the required hardware.
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