World's first commercial sand battery begins energy storage in Finland

[New Atlas logo]( Energy [World's first commercial sand battery begins energy storage in Finland]( [A new type of battery being put to use in Finland is exploring the potential of sand as an energy storage medium]( Polar Night Energy says it's developed and commercialized a super-cheap, super-simple way of storing energy for anywhere between hours and months, simply using heated sand. Its first 8-megawatt-hour thermal battery has gone online in Finland. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Optimize your daily nutrition with a personalized regimen by Rootine]( Simply take the at-home health tests, and Rootine will take over 100 data points to deliver a precise customized formula of the key vitamins, minerals and compounds for your body. Receive a gift ($30 value) when you purchase with code NEWATLAS30. [Read more]( Space [NASA loses radio contact with CAPSTONE lunar probe]( [Artist's concept of CAPSTONE]( In a development that's thrown a spanner in the works of its US$37.2-million Artemis moon mission, NASA has lost radio contact with its Cislunar Autonomous Positioning System Technology Operations and Navigation Experiment (CAPSTONE) CubeSat space probe. [Read more]( Biology [Study argues insects feel pain, raises questions around ethical farming]( [If insects feel pain, what are the ethical implications for current insect farming practices?]( A new review article suggests insects have the capacity to experience pain. The research summarizes the latest behavioral and molecular science and concludes pain states in insects could have ethical implications for current farming practices. [Read more]( New Atlas Plus [Support New Atlas and get our ad-free layout for just $19 a year]( New Atlas has been a reliable source for inspiring science and tech news for 20 years. Now we’re asking for your support so we can continue to deliver no-nonsense, independent journalism – and you can enjoy our pages without the distraction of ads! [Read more]( Architecture [Polestar's sleek spaceship-like treehouse lands in a Finnish forest]( [The Koja is installed in a Finnish forest at a height of 6 m (19.6 ft) above the ground]( Polestar has decided to dip a toe into architectural design. The Swedish automotive brand has created a sleek minimalist treehouse likened to a spaceship that features generous glazing to frame the view of the surrounding forest. [Read more]( Science [Zero-waste poultry processing tech may boost production of lab-grown meat]( [From left, team members Eleanor Soole, Lau Joo Hwa, William Chen and Teng Ting Shien – Hwa holds a tray made from chicken feather protein, while Chen displays a dish of the pulverized feathers]( In a typical poultry processing facility, much of the waste is simply dumped in a landfill or burned. Two new processes, however, make use of the feathers, blood and bones – plus one of them may ironically reduce the number of chickens slaughtered. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Tiny shapeshifting robots brush and floss your teeth, kill bacteria]( [A new tooth-cleaning system uses shapeshifting microrobots to brush and floss, and kill bacteria]( Like many menial tasks, there may soon be a way to outsource brushing your teeth to robots. A new system of microrobots can change shape to form bristles or floss, and don’t just brush plaque away but release antimicrobials to kill bad bacteria. [Read more]( Automotive [Zodiac Stargazer offers you a ride in a swiveling telescope on wheels]( [Hyunsik Moon's Zodiac Stargazer, a vision of a mobile astronomical telescope for two]( Designer Hyunsik Moon has caught our eye with a very odd EV concept. The Zodiac Stargazer places two passengers in an astronomical telescope on wheels, which can rotate to face directly upward, giving you an extraordinary window to the universe. [Read more]( Biology [Study suggests orca attacks are scaring away great white sharks]( [Lead scientist Alison Towner inspects the carcass of a great white shark that was killed by an orca]( Although great white sharks have few natural enemies, orcas have been known to prey on them. A new study now shows that due to attacks by just two orcas, great whites are staying away from parts of South Africa. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [New clues to how COVID may trigger immune damage in the brain]( [SARS-CoV-2 infection was found to trigger the production of immune molecules that damage cells lining blood vessels in the brain]( A small autopsy study examining brain tissue from deceased COVID-19 patients is offering clues to how this coronavirus can lead to brain damage. The findings suggest an abnormal immune response could be damaging vascular cells in the blood-brain barrier. [Read more]( Bicycles [VIS LightPool Taillight shines down and out for better visibility]( [The VIS LightPool Taillight is presently on Kickstarter]( If a motorist just sees a red light up ahead, they might not realize it's a bike's tail light – at least, not at first. The VIS LightPool Taillight is designed to address that problem, by alternately shining down along with outwards. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Quirky shed packs in everything from solar power to a chicken coop]( [The Gardenrobe measures 20 ft (6 m) in length and has a width of 4 ft (1.2 m)]( Pin-Up Houses is known for creating unique designs. However, the firm's latest model, a shed/storage space named Gardenrobe, mixes together such disparate features as solar power, rainwater collection, and even a chicken coop. [Read more]( Science [Mice cloned from freeze-dried cells could improve species conservation]( [Researchers have demonstrated a new method for cloning mice from freeze-dried adult cells]( Japanese scientists have successfully cloned mice from freeze-dried adult cells, which can be stored easily for long periods of time. The cloned mice were later able to have their own offspring, potentially aiding conservation of endangered species. [Read more]( Mobile Technology [Asus powers the next generation of mobile gamers with ROG Phone 6 launch]( [The Asus ROG Phone 6 series gaming smartphones can be optioned with a clip-on external cooling system]( The gaming wing of consumer tech giant Asus, the Republic of Gamers, has unveiled the latest edition of the ROG Phone, a mobile gaming powerhouse running Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon chipset and sporting a 165-Hz AMOLED HDR10+ display. [Read more]( Medical [Fat-burning molecule recruits neighboring cells in fight against obesity]( [Human brown fat cells can be seen in red]( In the quest to tackle obesity, a new study has brought a new molecule into the mix. The authors were able to demonstrate how the molecule can be targeted with treatments to prevent weight gain in mice on high-fat diets. [Read more]( Sports [Semi-automated offside technology to track players at 2022 soccer World Cup]( [The semi-automated offside technology being used at forthcoming 2022 World Cup soccer matches makes use of AI, stadium cameras and a sensor-packed match ball]( Soccer's international governing body, FIFA, has developed semi-automated offside technology that uses AI, stadium cameras and a connected match ball to assist on-field referees with offside calls at 2022 World Cup matches in Qatar. 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