Happy half-way folks
Our Hump Day edition highlights the maiden flight of a supersonic aircraft designed to consign the troublesome sonic boom to the history books. This means that those on the ground should only hear the equivalent of a car door closing as it passes overhead, instead of a thunderous boom.
There's some fascinating research into kickstarting hair regrowth as well, and a robot helper for chores around the home. Enjoy !
Paul Ridden
Headliner
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic jet completes maiden flight
by David Szondy
NASA's X-59 Quiet SuperSonic Technology (QueSST) experimental supersonic aircraft took to the skies for the first time on October 28, 2025 from Lockheed Martin's famously secret Skunk Works at the US Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, California.
Highlights
Fat breakdown fuels new hair growth in breakthrough study
by Bronwyn Thompson
A surprising trigger for hair regrowth may lie in the body’s fat cells. Researchers have shown that mild skin irritation can trigger fat cells to go into panic mode, sending signals to dormant follicles that can fuel new hair growth within weeks.
3D Solar towers boost electricity production by around 50%
by Michael Franco
Janta Power has just snagged US$5.5 million in a round of seed funding to continue the deployment of its pivoting solar power towers. The vertical design and smart tracking functions of the towers offer big improvements over flat panel arrays.
More Stories
1X's first robot housekeeper is available to pre-order in the US
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
After about a decade in the works, 1X is nearly ready with its Neo humanoid, which is designed to help you with housework and other tasks around the home. It'll ship in 2026, and you can pre-order one in the US right away.
Incredible Tesla camping pod evolves into a more universal micro-RV
by C.C. Weiss
Wheelhome has long been designing truly unique tiny campers. This time, it's outdone itself, building a hybrid roof tent/pop-up camper specially for the Tesla Model 3 and then evolving it into a more practical micro-camping trailer for any vehicle.
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Triumph's Trident 800 gets more goodies and grunt over the little 660
by Abhimanyu Ghoshal
Triumph's Trident 800 is the capable Trident 660's bolder sibling with more power and better components, and with more muscular and throwback-y roadster styling than its bug-eyed cousin, the Street Triple R. Here's everything to look forward to.
Raised walkway transforms wasteland into lush island park
by Adam Williams
Heatherwick Studio is transforming an island from a neglected wasteland into a lush public park. The ambitious project, named Soundscape, will feature an elevated trail, greenery filled buildings, and more.
Promising results for dynamic wireless charging in real-world road tests
by Paul Ridden
Tucking in behind a heavy truck as it crawls along the highway could soon be quite an attractive option for EV drivers. Early results from a wireless charging pilot show the technology capable of transferring "more 300 kW of instantaneous power."
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