Features of the week
World first Kia pop-up tiny camper changes the face of van life
by C.C. Weiss
The first camper kit developed specifically for Kia's PV5 van hit the market a couple weeks ago, and now we have the world's first pop-up PV5 production camper. Sussex's pop-top PV5 promises to open up new heights of Kia electric base camping.
New 2 World Trade Center set to rise as 1,226-ft supertall skyscraper
by Adam Williams
Almost 25 years after the September 11 attacks, the World Trade Center site's rebuild is nearing completion. The new 2 World Trade Center skyscraper is due to begin construction soon and will serve as headquarters for American Express.
Bonkers omnidirectional electric 'bike' balances on a single ball wheel
by Omar Kardoudi
The latest mobility build from British inventor James Bruton is his most unhinged yet. He sits on a huge single ball that moves him in any direction, steered – for now – by a hot-glued foam fin. Not a balance bike as such, more a big-ball unicycle.
McMurtry begins manufacturing a hypercar you can drive upside down
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Ten years since the company formed, McMurtry Automotive is bringing the record-setting Spéirling Pure hypercar to life. It's going into production at a new manufacturing facility in England, for $1.34 million apiece.
This week’s newsletter sponsor
Every headline satisfies an opinion. Except ours.
Remember when the news was about what happened, not how to feel about it? 1440's Daily Digest is bringing that back. Every morning, they sift through 100+ sources to deliver a concise, unbiased briefing — no pundits, no paywalls, no politics. Just the facts, all in five minutes. For free.
Top Stories: Transport
Temperature-sensitive tires automatically deploy retractable studs
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Finnish tire brand Nokian has launched a winter tire that features studs which deploy only when it's cold out – so they bite into the ice and give you better traction. It's all thanks to a proprietary 3-layer construction technology.
Century-old 1,172cc flat-four moto could go for over $100,000 at auction
by Utkarsh Sood
The Holden comes with a gargantuan 1,172.8cc flat-four engine; one of the earliest experiments in high-cylinder motorcycle design. Bonhams takes this example to auction in April , and pre-show estimates sit between £40,000 and £70,000.
Long-tail cargo ebike: Fun for the whole family
by Stefan Ionescu
The Swoop ASM is a long-tail cargo ebike designed for families, offering high payload capacity, a smooth ride, a Shimano EP-6 motor, automatic shifting, powerful brakes, and included accessories. Pre-orders start at $4,499 including launch discounts.
Australia launches 3D-printed, Mach 8 hypersonic missile from US soil
by David Szondy
Australia's Hypersonix Launch Systems has made a historic launch of its next-generation DART AE hypersonic aircraft from Wallops Island, Virginia. Taking off aboard Rocket Lab's HASTE launch vehicle, the DART AE reached a top speed of Mach 8.
Special Promotion for New Atlas readers
Laptop? Tablet? This Microsoft device is both — and it’s 72% off
Your life happens on the go — your work should be able to go and grow with you. Get portability and aesthetics without having to sacrifice productivity and workability thanks to the Microsoft Surface Pro.
Top stories: Body & Mind
Intermittent fasting fails to live up to its weight-loss hype in new study
by Michael Franco
News about intermittent fasting seems to change as frequently as the apps on your phone need upgrading. Yet another new study about the eating practice seeks to put doubts to rest after rounding up data from 22 randomized clinical trials.
Top Stories: Outdoor
Family friendly tiny house packs three bedrooms into 32-ft layout
by Adam Williams
With its Avalon 32', Dragon Tiny Homes has revealed an all-new tiny house that's ready for full-time family living. It features a spacious interior layout that manages to pack three bedrooms into a towable interior.
Indestructible teardrop camper is a literal escape pod ready to vanish
by C.C. Weiss
The all-new 2026 Goldfields Escape Pod camper brings together a virtually indestructible off-road build with a fully loaded living space that multiplies its footprint upon parking, mellowing hot, unwelcoming terrain into comfortable base camp.
Smart outdoor lantern brings radar-based science to backwoods lighting
by Simon Heptinstall
Recent advances made in the automotive world have found an unlikely application: a new high-performance portable lantern called the CampLight Pro. And it’s such a cool bit of kit that it could change the way we light the outside of our homes too.
Gerber retools camp multi-plier to bridge backcountry with backyard
by C.C. Weiss
Since launching the Stakeout multitool in 2022, Gerber has grown the family with new tools and tweaks. This year, it's released the Stakeout Drive, a multi-plier with flip-out driver meant to seamlessly shift from weekday DIY to weekend adventure.
Top Stories: Technology
World’s most efficient RC drone flies 3.5 hours on a single charge
by Omar Kardoudi
Most drone engineers pick a lane. You build for speed, or you build for range. Luke and Mike Bell, the father-and-son team from South Africa already famous for pushing electric quadcopters to velocities that seemed positively absurd, appear to be building for both.
3D-printed cave home: Rock the modern Flintstones lifestyle
by Adam Williams
Described as Japan's first two-story 3D-printed home, the O House is inspired by cave structures. Built to meet the country's strict seismic requirements, it combines cutting-edge robotic construction with earthquake-resistant engineering.
New video may offer glimpse of secret F-47 fighter
by David Szondy
In what may be a hint of things to come or a subtle act of disinformation, Pratt & Whitney has released a video possibly featuring a tantalizing new image of the Boeing F-47 sixth-generation fighter plane being developed for the US Air Force to replace the F-22.
Ingenious invention turns wheelchair users into Steadicam operators
by Shirl Leigh
The Caerus Steadicam was initially designed for wheelchair users to work in the film industry, but there are advantages also for the able-bodied since the weight distribution is spread out on the wheelchair, and there's no need for tracks or dollies.
Let us know what you’d like more or less of in this weekly roundup - just reply to this email and we’ll take it on board!
Get your next issue ad-free – and support our work – join New Atlas Plus!
|
