Weekend Edition: A solar-powered car, a flying car, and a record-breaking wingsuit flight

[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. Aircraft [Switchblade flying car gets production redesign after first flight]( [The design for the sleeker and easier-to-build production version of the Switchblade]( It was just a year ago that the Switchblade flying car made its first flight, moving one step closer to real-world usage. Based on what was learned in that flight, its makers have now unveiled the design for the production version of the vehicle. [Read more]( Automotive [Aptera solar-powered car doesn't need to be plugged in to recharge]( [The Aptera looks pretty slippery in black and white]( Aptera Motors has just successfully completed its first low-speed function test of its fully solar-powered electric vehicle. The PI2 doesn't have to be plugged in to recharge and instead gets its daily driving power directly from the sun. [Read more]( Outdoors [Video: First-ever wingsuit foil pushes human flight to record levels]( [Peter Salzmann experiences the glory of flight, gliding into the world record books on October 24, 2024]( Peter Salzmann has already pushed wingsuiting to a new level via electric propulsion. Now he's back, unplugging the power with a dramatic new foil system designed to push man closer to the gravity-flaunting freedom of bird kind. [Read more]( Automotive [Kia's tiny pod camper battles Toyota for modular micro-RV supremacy]( [Kia further fleshes out the camper possibilities of its upcoming PBV ecosystem]( Who would've thought less than two weeks after our late look at the Toyota Kayoibako mini-camper concept, Kia would release an adorable tiny camper of its own? It's the PV5 WKNDR, and it's even cuter than the Kayoibako, plus more modular to boot. [Read more]( Motorcycles [Honda's cutting-edge V3 engine gets boosted with electric compression]( [The concept engine was created from scratch]( If electrics aren't yet ready to take over in the motorcycling world, maybe forced induction could rule the next era. Honda has just dropped a revolutionary large-capacity V3 combustion engine at EICMA, with an electric supercharger. [Read more]( Motorcycles [Benda's bobber is this year's meanest looking 250cc machine]( [The Napoleonbob 250's muscular girder forks give it the road presence of a much larger capacity bobber]( Since 2018, Chinese motorbike outfit Benda has made a name for itself with its strikingly modern takes on cruisers. Interestingly, its smallest capacity bike is perhaps the most aggressive little 250cc machine on the EICMA exhibition floor this year. [Read more]( Transport [Longest Hyperloop vacuum journey completed in European test facility]( [A new scale model Hyperloop test facility in Europe has achieved a record for longest vacuum capsule journey]( In what feels like news straight out of 2016, a Hyperloop testing facility in Europe has completed the longest-ever vacuum capsule journey. The milestone could bring this oft-forgotten promise of high-speed transport one step closer to reality. [Read more]( Wearables [Adjustable-tint sunglasses use photographic filters as their lenses]( [A pair of the Lombell sunglasses will currently set you back $89.99]( Variable neutral density (ND) filters are handy tools for photographers, in that their opacity can be adjusted simply by rotating them. So, why not use them for adjustable-tint sunglasses? Well, that's exactly what eyewear company Lombell has done. [Read more]( Aircraft [CycloTech's 750-lb CycloRotor-powered eVTOL aims for takeoff in 2025]( [Like the CruiseUp concept shown here, CycloTech's BlackBird eVTOL demonstrator will feature six rotors]( Austrian flying vehicle tech company CycloTech is building an eVTOL demonstrator to showcase its CycloRotor-powered propulsion system for electric flight. The firm is hoping to commence test flights in early 2025. [Read more]( Motorcycles [Looking back: The 4.2-liter, 48-cylinder, world record-holding Kawasaki]( [This 4.2-liter 48-cylinder Kawasaki is called the Tinker Toy]( Whitelock's eye-popping 48-cylinder "Tinker Toy" was built to put a full stop on an escalating arms race in the UK custom motorcycle scene – and it certainly did, becoming one of the world's most outrageous and iconic motorcycles in the process. [Read more]( Robotics [How it works: The wobbly but precise high-torque Harmonic Drive gear]( [The wave generator is the business end of the Harmonic Drive]( The Harmonic Drive is a key part of countless robotic applications. Incredibly simple yet quite odd to watch, this gear system is extremely precise with an impressive torque-to-weight ratio, even if it does wobble. So how does it work? [Read more]( Sleep [Need to sleep? Study pinpoints optimal melatonin dosage and timing]( [Taking melatonin at the right time, in the right dose, could get you a solid night's sleep, says a new study]( Melatonin is already a popular supplement for those who struggle to get a solid night's sleep. But the dosage of the supplement and the best time to take it has remained largely a trial-and-error endeavor. A new study puts that uncertainty to bed. [Read more]( Fitness & Exercise [Muscle memory: A long break from exercise has little impact on strength]( [Study finds an extended break from weight training won't put you back at square one]( Good news for those who need to hit pause in getting fit: Even after a 10-week break from training, it took very little time to return to pre-hiatus levels. The study has revealed fascinating new insights into the power of mysterious muscle memory. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Small and simple tiny house is an affordable road warrior]( [The Mo.5 450 is a compact tiny house that can sleep up to four people and starts at just £32,990 (almost US$43,000)]( With its usable length of just 4.5 m, the Mo.5 450 tiny house definitely isn't suitable for raising a family. However, its small size makes it a good fit for regular travel, and it has a space-saving interior that sleeps four. [Read more]( Biology [Alcohol consumption is widespread in the animal kingdom]( [A spider monkey enjoys the fruits of the Spondias mombin tree]( Despite observations of "wasps getting drunk" and "beetles consuming beer," it has been thought that alcohol in the non-human animal world hasn't been deliberate. Ecologists challenge this theory, saying it's far more commonplace and strategic. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [2,500-lumen 4K projector aims to make home cinema easier for beginners]( [BenQ's latest 4K projector boasts a bunch of features to help take the stress out of setup for beginners]( BenQ has launched a new 4K UHD projector, which is aimed at folks new to the projector-based home cinema universe, with AI smarts on hand to help "transform modern living spaces into theater-style settings with unparalleled ease and sophistication." [Read more]( Automotive [Fierce Ford Super Duty camper truck preys on adventure, dens anywhere]( [Tiger grows its felidae family of all-terrain adventure trucks with the all-new Panthera]( The all-new Panthera overland motorhome is designed to push the boundaries of RVing well beyond glamping resorts and park campgrounds. The all-terrain powerhouse comes from one of the most established names in the American overland industry. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [Ultra-short-throw laser projector shines bright in well-lit rooms]( ["The UHL3660 delivers 6,500 lumens of brightness, ensuring crisp, clear images even in well-lit settings"]( Ricoh boasts that its lenses are the preferred choice of top projector makers around the world, so it's no surprise that its latest laser projector makes use of Ricoh glass "to deliver high-quality, color-rich 4K images from just centimeters away." [Read more]( Architecture [Incredibly slim Dubai skyscraper will be just one apartment wide]( [The Muraba Veil is an incredibly thin supertall skyscraper in Dubai that will have a width of just 22.5 m (73 ft)]( Work is currently underway on an extremely slim new skyscraper in Dubai. Despite its supertall height of 1,246 ft, the building will be just one apartment wide – or 73 ft. Residence pricing starts at just under $5 million. [Read more]( Consumer Tech [Phone vibrations detect spoiled milk – without opening the carton]( [The VibMilk app uses vibrations from an off-the-shelf smartphone to detect if milk is going bad]( An app will detect if your milk is spoiled using a smartphone’s built-in vibration motor – and you don’t need to open the carton. According to the researchers behind the tech, it could help prevent sickness and liters of the white stuff being poured down the drain. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Timber tiny house embraces traditional Japanese woodworking technique]( [The Morena is crafted from timber and features an eye-catching charred wooden exterior]( The Morena is an eye-catching tiny house that has been expertly crafted from wood by Madeiguincho. With a length of just 24 ft, it features an open and spacious interior layout that sleeps up to two people in comfort. [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