Headliner
Watch: World's fastest drone hits 408 mph to reclaim speed record
by Stefan Ionescu
Father-son duo Luke and Mike Bell, from Cape Town, South Africa, have set a new quadcopter drone speed world record. Their Peregreen V4 drone clocked a top speed of 657.59 km/h (408 mph) to reclaim their Guinness World Record.
Today’s newsletter sponsor
Someone just spent $236,000,000 on a painting. Here’s why it matters for your wallet.
The WSJ just reported the highest price ever paid for modern art at auction.
While equities, gold, bitcoin hover near highs, the art market is showing signs of early recovery after one of the longest downturns since the 1990s.
Here’s where it gets interesting→
Each investing environment is unique, but after the dot com crash, contemporary and post-war art grew ~24% a year for a decade, and after 2008, it grew ~11% annually for 12 years.*
Overall, the segment has outpaced the S&P by 15 percent with near-zero correlation from 1995 to 2025.
Now, Masterworks lets you invest in shares of artworks featuring legends like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso. Since 2019, investors have deployed $1.25 billion across 500+ artworks.
Masterworks has sold 25 works with net annualized returns like 14.6%, 17.6%, and 17.8%.
Shares can sell quickly, but my subscribers skip the waitlist:
*Per Masterworks data. Investing involves risk. Past performance not indicative of future returns. Important Reg A disclosures: masterworks.com/cd
Highlights
New Ford Nugget camper van goes old school with splash of retro
by C.C. Weiss
The Ford Nugget may forever have the spirit of a carefree 22-year-old, but the camper van is actually turning the big 4-0 this year. To celebrate, Ford Pro is kicking off 2026 with a special edition styled to match the original Nugget from 1986.
Artsy neo-retro electric motorcycle races to 150 mph top speed
by Utkarsh Sood
The whole point of making new bikes from scratch is creating them the way you want, right? Think aviation-inspired geometry, carbon-fiber body, top-spec components, and an artsy design. Throw a 150-mph electric motor in there, and see you later!
Special promotion for New Atlas readers
Max out your tax refund with H&R Block Deluxe Tax Software for $10 off
Tax Day is coming — are you prepared? With H&R Block Deluxe + State software, you’ll have everything you need to file your return with confidence. Normally this package retails for $59.99, but right now you can save $10 and get it for just $49.99.
More Stories
Flexible tiny house can be configured from ultra-small to apartment size
by Adam Williams
Designed with flexibility in mind, Indigo River Tiny Homes' IndigoGo! is a single-floor tiny house. It's available in a range of sizes and configurations, from ultra-small all the way up to apartment-sized.
Drone on wheels: Radical redesign smashes world R/C car speed record
by Loz Blain
A British hobbyist has applied multicopter drone thinking to radically simplify the steering and powertrain of his high-performance radio-control car – and absolutely demolished the world top speed record in the process.
Honda's futuristic cuboid camper shocks and awes the RV world
by Ben Coxworth
When you think of trailer companies, Honda probably isn't the first name that comes to mind. Nonetheless, the automaker has just revealed its prototype Base Station travel trailer, which can be towed by a compact SUV as small as a Honda CR-V.
Jetbeam packs five different lights into one sleek palm-sized tool
by Michael Franco
Calling the Jetbeam E28 a "flashlight" is almost a disservice, as the gizmo can pump out five different light sources and serve as a battery bank to charge your devices. It's currently blasting through its Kickstarter campaign with just a few days left.
Segway's new e-dirt bike is three gas bikes in one: 150cc, 200cc and 300cc
by Utkarsh Sood
Motorcycle manufacturers are getting more and more open to taking risks, it would seem. Case in point: Segway's Xaber 300. Its highlight is three selectable power modes that simulate 150cc, 200cc, and 300cc gas bikes.
Elsewhere
🧪 Science YouTuber reverse chemical engineers Coca-Cola to recreate the world's most popular non-alcoholic beverage.
Get your next issue ad-free – and support our work: join New Atlas Plus!