🌎 New Atlas stories of the week

by C.C. Weiss

Helix builds some of the most power-dense electric motors in the world. Now it's working to springboard that compact, power-packed design into a marine pod drive ecosystem it believes will help change the face of everyday boating.

by Aaron Turpen

VW added a mild refresh to the Jetta to update its looks a bit, but has otherwise not messed with the car’s basic formula of getting you there on the cheap. Sadly, though, the manual transmission is only available on the sport-centric GLI model.

by Michael Franco

Amid a flurry of announcements showing that it's going from strength to strength, electric vertical takeoff and landing maker Archer has said it's purchasing an airport in Los Angeles from which its futuristic vehicles will launch and land.

by Utkarsh Sood

Honda has revealed the V3R 900 E-Compressor Prototype, following up on the electronically-blown forced induction V3 motor that it introduced at last year’s EICMA. Honda states it’s a 900cc motor with the "performance of a 1,200cc engine."

by Bronwyn Thompson

Researchers have demonstrated how a secret weapon made in the gut, produced by consuming pomegranate and walnuts, can rejuvenate the immune system in middle age, shielding us from cell damage, inflammation and chronic diseases including cancer.

by Maryna Holovnova

Fruit smoothies have become a huge trend in healthy lifestyle world – and for good reason. They are a quick source of vitamins, fiber, and antioxidants, and they take just a few minutes to make! Bananas are the number-one ingredient for a good smoothie. Creamy and naturally sweet, they seem to pair well with pretty much every other fruit ... or do they?

by Paul McClure

Some people don’t lose enough weight after bariatric surgery, but a new study shows that adding a daily shot of GLP-1 drug liraglutide can help patients shed extra pounds and may reduce the need for further surgery.

by Malcolm Azania

Survivors of childhood trauma experience high risk for depression. If they have high levels of SGK1 in their brain tissue, they’re at greater risk. Combined with genetic screening for the protein, SGK1 inhibitors could be a life-saving intervention.

by Adam Williams

The Sofia tiny house measures 172 sq ft and is suitable for one or two people to live off-grid full-time. Its interior features a clever space-saving layout that maximizes space.

by C.C. Weiss

Alphago's stretched, oversized The Cube glamping tent features an air tube frame designed to inflate within minutes at the push of a button. Want to make a cube city? Simply zip multiple tents together into a sprawling air-beam compound.

by Adam Williams

3D-printed architecture has evolved at lightning speed – and the pace shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. A recent example of this is a non-towable tiny house that was printed in just one week.

by C.C. Weiss

We've all heard of the waiter's corkscrew, but a barista's Swiss Army knife? Victorinox has teamed up with La Marzocco to create a special-edition multitool that combines timeless Swiss Army standards with specialist coffee tools.

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

No, it's not AI. What you're looking at above is a skydiver framed by the roiling chromosphere of the Sun. That's the result of weeks of meticulous planning, a whole lot of astrophotography know-how, plenty of math, and patience.

by Malcolm Azania

Bumblebee Power is changing the space race with wireless charging technology suitable for missions to Mars. It’s one giant step for the impact of space-tech entrepreneurs, and even more surprising for a company advertising tech for charging phones.

by Bronwyn Thompson

This week, talk of the AI bubble bursting has intensified with Google top executive Demis Hassabis throwing some fuel on the fire while discussing the release of the tech company's Gemini 3 model. He also thinks some players will weather the storm.

by David Szondy

Nuclear waste and a hydrogen economy may seem poles apart, but a new study by the University of Sharjah claims that spent fuel from nuclear power plants could be used to increase the efficiency of converting water into hydrogen and oxygen.

by Shirl Leigh

A recently published study shows promising results from combining edible turkey tail fungus with a solution of wood fibers. The end product is a natural sustainable waterproof coating that may be be a replacement for single-use plastic food wrap.

by Pranjal Malewar

Antarctica's ice cores are like frozen diaries of Earth's past. Most continuous records go back about 800,000 years. But in a region called the Allan Hills, a special patch of blue ice holds reveals snapshots dating back as far as 6 million years.

by Jay Kakade

A stealthy parasite queen can turn an ant colony against itself. The invading queen has been found to sneak into an ant colony, creep towards the resident ant queen, and spray a chemical that tricks ants into slaughtering their own mother.

by Bronwyn Thompson

You won't find us endorsing aggression towards animals very often, however, scientists have discovered that raising your voice to seagulls – especially if you're male – will make them think twice about stealing your food. It's simply science.