Weekend Edition: From see-through bamboo to 13-cents-a-shot energy weapon

[New Atlas logo]( Welcome to our weekly wrap of the best stories to grace the pages of New Atlas over the last seven days. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Weekend Edition. Materials [Transparent bamboo: A fireproof and waterproof alternative to glass]( [Scientists have developed transparent bamboo that's also water- and fire-resistant]( Glass might soon have some competition from an unlikely rival – bamboo. Scientists in China have turned regular old bamboo into a transparent material that’s also resistant to fire and water, and suppresses smoke. [Read more]( Military [New energy weapon replaces million-dollar missiles at 13 cents a shot]( [The RFDEW costs 13 cents per shot]( A new directed energy weapon is being rolled out to bolster British defense capabilities. And, at 13 cents a shot, it's just as effective, but a lot cheaper than the multi-million dollar missiles it's designed to replace. [Read more]( Marine [Ridiculously simple idea cuts cargo ship emissions by 17.3% in first trials]( [A head-slappingly obvious way to immediately reduce global shipping emissions]( That's without any modification to the ships themselves, too. The ambitious 'Blue Visby Solution' proposes enormous fuel and emissions savings for cargo ships worldwide, simply by being smarter about speed and timing and eliminating inefficiencies. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Not-so-tiny house provides apartment-like living experience]( [The Urban Park Max has a length of 38 ft (11.6 m)]( The Urban Park Max, by TruForm Tiny, pushes the very definition of a tiny house. But its substantial size offers the benefit of a spacious interior that provides a comfortable apartment-like living experience on wheels. [Read more]( Materials ['Absolute miracle' breakthrough provides recipe for zero-carbon cement]( [Old concrete can be recycled in furnaces used to recycle steel, in a new method that drastically reduces the CO2 emissions of both]( A new solution from Cambridge University could recycle both concrete and steel at the same time, by throwing old concrete into steel-recycling furnaces. If done using renewable energy, the process could make for completely carbon-zero cement. [Read more]( Good Thinking [Swiss scientists invent a new type of chocolate]( [Scientists in Switzerland have created a new type of chocolate that uses a lot more of the cocoa fruit]( Bored of the regular chocolate varieties in your grocery store? Swiss scientists have invented a brand new kind of chocolate made of “cocoa fruit jelly.” The new concoction uses more of the cocoa fruit, making it healthier and more sustainable. [Read more]( Technology [Autonomous robot invents the world's best shock absorber]( [Boston University's autonomous AI robot gingerly discards it's latest plastic pancake]( Build, weigh, crush, measure, discard, redesign, repeat. All day, all night, never stopping. Boston College's autonomous AI robot MAMA BEAR has struck gold after three years and 25,000 attempts, with the world's most impact-resistant shape. [Read more]( Military [US Air Force releases first official pics of B-21 bomber in flight]( [The B-21 Raider in flight]( Although snapshots of the B-21 Raider nuclear bomber in flight have been taken previously by the public, these weren't with permission. Now the United States Air Force has released the first official images of the aircraft in the air. [Read more]( Materials [Spiky stainless steel and copper delivers one-two punch to bacteria]( [Even thick-skinned bacteria is no match for the copper-coated spiky surface of the etched stainless steel, as illustrated in this exaggerated rendering of the material]( To help combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, researchers have been experimenting for years with drug-free methods to blast disease-causing bugs. A new type of stainless steel does exactly that, in a convenient and affordable way. [Read more]( Space [Pulsed plasma rocket promises a wild acceleration in space travel]( [Artist rendering of a Pulsed Plasma Rocket in orbit]( NASA and Howe Industries are working on a new rocket to make the trip to Mars much more manageable. The Pulsed Plasma Rocket could boast 100,000 N of thrust, unlocking speeds of up to half a million mph to cut months off a return trip to the Red Planet. [Read more]( Medical [Nutrient profile of popular diet linked to slower brain aging]( [Brain imaging along with blood analysis has revealed which nutrients slow cognitive decline]( By combining brain scans and nutritional intake data, a study has found a nutrient profile that puts the brakes on brain aging. What's more, that profile matches an easy-to-follow popular eating plan that's been proven to convey multiple benefits. [Read more]( Bicycles [$349 conversion kit gives your regular bike a motor boost]( ["Consumers are looking for more affordable and sustainable transport options, and the Swytch Go Kit is the ideal solution," said Swytch CEO, Oliver Montague. "Installation has also never been easier, so anyone can enjoy the benefits that electric bikes have to offer"]( As we discovered in 2022, traditional bikes can be given a new lease of life with an ebike conversion kit. But the price can be steep. The London-based makers of the kit we tried has now launched a budget-friendly option called the Swytch Go. [Read more]( Materials [Long-life low-carbon concrete switches 80% of its cement for coal ash]( [Dr. Chamila Gunasekara holds a sample of the low-carbon concrete]( RMIT researchers have developed a new type of "green concrete" that incorporates twice as much recycled coal ash as existing low-carbon concretes, halves the amount of cement required, and lasts even longer than regular Portland cement concrete. [Read more]( Environment [Elon Musk's plan to address the "very solvable" water scarcity crisis]( [Elon Musk addresses the 10th World Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia]( Elon Musk dropped in on the 10th world Water Forum in Bali, Indonesia, and outlined a plan to solve humanity's growing water scarcity crisis. "The potential for solving any given water issue is very good," he told the assembled dignitaries. [Read more]( Space [World's first commercial spaceplane in final stages before debut ISS flight]( [Sierra Space's autonomous, uncrewed spaceplanes are expected to make transporting critical goods between Earth and the ISS a much more efficient task]( The world's first winged commercial spaceplane has arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, its final destination before its makes history this year, embarking on its debut uncrewed mission to the International Space Station. [Read more]( Motorcycles [China's 8-cylinder, 2-liter megatourer heralds a global motorcycle conquest]( [Souo's first motorcycle has a 4-valve, DOHC, 8-cylinder, 2000cc engine - that's two 1000cc four-cylinder engines joined together. All the liter sports bikes now produce more than 200 horsepower, so we expect that 400 hp would be relatively easily achievable should Souo desire to make a further splash when the horsepower figures are announced.]( We love an adventurous startup, but GWM's new "clean sheet" motorcycle company announced last Friday really does look ominous in its potential to disrupt the established motorcycle industry order. [Read more]( Medical [Blood pressure meds: Timing your dose determines how well they work]( [The effectiveness of blood pressure medication depends on when you take them]( Early birds and night owls should take blood pressure medication at different times of the day to minimize their risk of a heart attack, according to a new study that looked at whether our internal clock affected medication effectiveness. [Read more]( Science [Frozen human brain tissue works perfectly when thawed 18 months later]( [Scientists in China have developed a new chemical mix that can allow brain tissue to be frozen and thawed without damage]( In good news for future animation figureheads, there might be a new way to revive frozen brains without damaging them. Scientists in China have developed a new chemical concoction that lets brain tissue function again after being frozen. [Read more]( Urban Transport [Single-seater electric micro-car takes aim at big city congestion]( [The Zigy electric quadricycle for one is a concept study at the moment, but its designers are seeking industry partners to move to prototyping]( The designers who brought us the nifty Revolve wheelchair in 2021 have now turned their attention to the problem of inner-city mobility. Noting that many SUV-sized vehicles only have a single occupant, the team has designed a compact EV for one. [Read more]( Robotics [Watch: Sony's new microsurgery robot stitches up a corn kernel]( [Sony's microsurgery robot operates on a corn kernel]( Sony has shown off its new surgical robot doing some super-precise work sewing up a tiny slit in a corn kernel. It's the first machine of its kind that auto-switches between its different tools, and has successfully been tested in animal surgery. [Read more]( Outdoors [Tactical cot-tent pitches a comfier way to camp at ground level]( [Helinox finally invites Americans to get up off the ground and enjoy the comfort of a cot with the built-in protection of a tent]( Helinox is best known in North America for its light, compact chairs, cots and camp furniture. Now it's bringing over some coveted Asian-market kit for Americans to get their hands on, including slim, solo-sleeper cot-tents. [Read more]( Transport [Self-balancing commuter pods ride old railway lines on demand]( [Two of the Monocabs making a trial run – these test models are equipped with extendible "catching devices" that keep them from tipping over in the event of a mishap]( Country folk tend to like the independence offered by their cars, so how do you get them to use public transit? The Monocab system may be the answer, as it utilizes individual on-demand pods that travel on existing abandoned railways. [Read more]( Energy [40% of US lithium needs could come from unlikely source in Pennsylvania]( [Runoff from fracking operations is not usually considered a good thing, but a new finding reveals it could be a source of a very valuable metal]( Thanks to the increase of electric vehicles and other battery-using technologies, the demand for lithium is expected to skyrocket in the coming years. One odd but potent source of the metal is a Pennsylvania wastewater stream, says a new study. [Read more]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com]( (or [gizmag.com]( before August 2016). [Update profile]( | [Unsubscribe]( Copyright New Atlas © 2022