Headliner
Neanderthals were actually making fire 400,000 years ago
by Jay Kakade
Once thought an exclusive human skill, the ability to make fire on demand has long been seen as a turning point in our evolutionary story. But new research suggests Neanderthals also mastered fire-making hundreds of thousands of years before Homo sapiens.
Highlights
$3,200 rugged mini is the perfect cheaper Honda Trail 125 alternative
by Utkarsh Sood
Mini motos have never been about speed or the spec sheet; they’re all about approachability, reliability, and going places you’d think twice about on bigger bikes. The AJS Imber 125 is exactly that, while being cheaper than the OG, Honda Trail125.
Review: 2026 Nissan Leaf comes back to relevance without losing its charm
by Aaron Turpen
The Nissan Leaf is, in its own way, a big part of modern automotive history. It’s the first affordable EV. And this all-new 2026 model keeps that groundbreaking premise, but updates it to relevance in today’s more saturated market.
More Stories
Injectable antibodies in nanoparticles could replace hour-long infusions
by Malcolm Azania
A new MIT method eliminates the need for hour-long infusions of antibodies for immunocompromised patients. With highly concentrated particles of antibodies created without a centrifuge, mass-manufacturing of better single-shot antibodies is here.
Camping pods, micro trailers & SUV clingers: Top 12 tiny RVs of 2025
by C.C. Weiss
2025 brought us some truly wondrous, often oddball tiny camping creations that included extra-petite inflatable tow-pods, self-powered rooftop A-frame micro-cabins, and platform-agnostic camper capsules built to roam from automobile to trailer.
Honda is exploring steering-assist crash avoidance for motorcycles
by Utkarsh Sood
Honda’s new patent asks one weird but very interesting question: what if motorcycles came equipped with a steering-assist system, which would help with crash avoidance – a feature most modern-day cars come with?
The 'Hell-Plant' of Death Valley offers hope to a hotter world
by Malcolm Azania
Extremophilic Tidestromia oblongifolia alters its own photosynthesis to thrive in heat that would kill most plants. By reorganizing its cells and reshaping its chloroplasts to keep producing energy, is it the future of GMO crops in climate chaos?
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Elsewhere
🪛This charming PC game has you repairing iconic gadgets from the 2000s in your own little store in Tokyo. Check out the trailer below, and join the Steam playtest to try it out right away!
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That’s it from New Atlas for 2025. We’ll see you in your inbox on January 2. Happy new year to you and yours from the entire NA crew! 🎆