Hi all! Loz here, and welcome to the first Sunday evening newsletter (for those of you in the USA, anyway!) - it’s a format we’re trialling since there’s so many stories over the weekend that the Monday newsletter ends up being a monster!
Headlining today’s edition is something very neat that Joe’s dug up for the shed: meet the world’s smallest precision milling machine. There’s also a gorgeous set of photos from the Sony Alpha Awards if you’re in the mood for a bit of aesthetic appreciation - #4 and #11 in the gallery strike me as two different kinds of pure chaos.
Other snippets that caught my eye today include the phone flashlight to end all phone flashlights, and a promising early intervention for type 1 diabetes patients that uses existing medications.
Enjoy! 🙂
Loz Blain
MD @ New Atlas

Professional milling machine for people who don't own forklifts
by Joe Salas
Precision milling used to mean giant, pricey shop machines out of reach for most makers. You could design the "next big thing," but could you actually build it? Now you can.
Today’s highlights

Lose yourself in these winning photos from the 2025 Sony Alpha Awards
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
The winners of this year's Sony Alpha Awards from Australia and New Zealand are truly captivating: from evocative frames of the natural world to dramatic and intimate human stories.

Microwave weapon downs 49 drones with a single blast
by David Szondy
In a demonstration not so much of marksmanship but more of the advantages of microwaves, an Epirus Leonidas directed energy, high-power microwave (HPM) anti-drone weapon has knocked 49 Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAV) out of the air with one shot.
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Existing drug slows progression of type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed
by Paul McClure
An existing transplant drug has shown promise in slowing the progression of type 1 diabetes in newly diagnosed young people, potentially paving the way for the first therapy that modifies the disease after diagnosis.

Czinger's 3D-printed hypercar breaks 5 Cali track records in 5 days
by Utkarsh Sood
Driving 1,000 miles of public road to set five official production car lap records in five consecutive days is no mean feat. Certainly not for a car that has 3D-printed and machine-designed components. Well, the Czinger's 21C is just built different.

USA's new tallest timber tower halted mid-build, future uncertain
by Adam Williams
The USA – and world's – new tallest timber skyscraper has been under construction for a few months. However, despite speedy progress, it has run into some issues and the future of the ambitious project is looking uncertain.

Thumb activated BOOST button for folding fat-tire adventure ebike
by Paul Ridden
Earlier in the year, budget-friendly ebike maker Engwe treated commuters to a thumb-activated torque boost for more help when needed. Now that feature has made its way to the Engine Pro 3.0 fat-tire adventure folder.

Shipping container tiny house designed for long-term living
by Adam Williams
Sonic Steel recently completed another notable example of shipping container-based architecture. Named the Mark VI - VIC, the compact home features a well-designed interior that's suitable for full-time living for up to two people.

Dual-light adventure phone punches more than 650 ft into the darkness
by Paul Ridden
When a tough case just won't cut the mustard, rugged phones step up as the everyday companion for rough-and ready adventurers. Unihertz sub-brand 8849 has just unveiled what it's calling the "world's first rugged phone with 200-m dual flashlights."

New bidirectional electric jet ski fast-charges in 30 minutes
by C.C. Weiss
Electric powersports marque Taiga gets more ambitious with a larger, more versatile electric adventure PWC that seats up to three people. Despite the extra size, the new Orca WX3 still promises hours' of time on the water per 30-min charge.
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UV light is a fast, effective way to deactivate indoor airborne allergens
by Paul McClure
Scientists have shown that far-UVC lights, which are already commercially available, can rapidly break down common airborne allergens, offering a safe and fast new way to ease asthma and allergy triggers indoors.

Mushrooms make the difference in first-of-its-kind super-composting toilet
by Ben Coxworth
Composting toilets are a great idea, but no one likes to think of the waste sitting there and fermenting. A new eco-friendly toilet gets around that problem by using mushrooms to facilitate the composting process, plus it uses no water to do the job.

First Drive: 2026 Can-Am Outlander Electric quiets the wilds
by Aaron Turpen
Western Wyoming is beautiful in the fall. With trees beginning to change, sunsets getting more spectacular, and animals beginning to migrate, there’s a lot going on. And I got to glide through it all silently on the back of an electric ATV.

Amphibious assault ship of tomorrow targets a wide range of missions
by David Szondy
What will the Royal Navy's amphibious strike force of the future look like? Design consultancy BMT Group has its own answer as it unveils Ellida Strike concept multi-role strike vessel designed to put combat troops ashore without port facilities.

First-ever look at just how sports damage the brain
by Bronwyn Thompson
Soccer heading has long been suspected of impacting brain health, but where and how it leaves a mark has been a blind spot. Now, for the first time, scientists have a clear picture of the damage and why repeated impacts can impair cognition over time.
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