💀 Skull-gobbling brain cancer (Rating test)

Knowledge is power, but sometimes it can be awfully scary to learn new things. We now know that an especially aggressive type of brain cancer not only affects the brain, but also the immune system – and it even eats away at the skull. Bron has the scoop on this alarming discovery, along with what it's teaching us about treatment.

Elsewhere, I gleaned through a fascinating project involving modified microbes that feed on carbon dioxide dissolved in seawater and transform it into ingredients we can use to make biodegradable plastic. There's also some neat survival gear to geek out on, including a portable power station and an aviator's ember. Get into all of it in today's issue below!

– Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Highlights

CancerIllnesses and conditionsBody and Mind

This brain cancer eats through the skull to sabotage body’s defenses

by Bronwyn Thompson

For the first time, scientists have detailed how glioblastoma has a unique path of progression, aggressively gnawing away at the skull bone itself to affect marrow – explaining why drugs that are intended to impede its growth end up making it worse.

EnvironmentScience

Ocean CO2 becomes sustainable plastic, thanks to modified microbes

by Abhimanyu Ghoshal

Scientists in China have devised a way to capture carbon dioxide stored in seawater, and convert it into biodegradable plastic precursors. This approach could reduce the acidification effect of CO2 emissions in marine ecosystems, with an added bonus.

GearOutdoors

Aero engine-inspired pocket piston combusts fire out of thin air

by C.C. Weiss

The new Aviator's Ember from Aerohart applies aerospace-grade materials to an age-old design, providing powerful fire-starting performance that carries lightly in a pocket. Like an engine piston, it compresses air for fast, furious combustion.

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Review: Bluetti Elite 100 V2 portable power station lightens the load

by Noel McKeegan

Portable power stations keep getting smarter, smaller, and more practical – and Bluetti’s new Elite 100 V2 is no exception. We head to the campsite to see if this pint-sized powerhouse delivers.

Wellness and Healthy LivingBody and Mind

Best moisturizers for treating scars: Sometimes, cheaper is better

by Paul McClure

Not all scar moisturizers are created equal. A new study shows that some of the cheapest, most basic creams outperform expensive, heavily marketed products, with one budget option topping the list for moisture retention and barrier repair.

PhotographyConsumer TechTechnology

GoPro gets back into the gimbal game – with the Fluid Pro AI

by Ben Coxworth

Although GoPro's Hero actioncams have featured digital image stabilization for quite some time, the company hasn't recently offered gimbals … but now it's doing so again. The Fluid Pro AI 3-axis gimbal not only tracks subjects, it also packs a light.

ArchitectureTechnology

Recycled shipping containers form one-of-a-kind observation tower

by Adam Williams

The versatility of shipping containers ensures that architects never run out of ideas for using them as a building blocks. This example, by Atelier-r, uses a pair of the metal boxes to form a unique observation tower.

Autonomous combat aircraft unveiled as Europe’s loyal wingman

by David Szondy

Autonomous fighter planes are popping up all over the place these days as more air forces opt for pilotless loyal wingmen. The latest example is Europe's version, the multi-role Helsing CA-1 Europa, which has just made its public debut.

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