Weekend Edition: Slinging cephalopods, a Down Under drone, and weight lowering

[New Atlas logo]( Welcome to our weekly wrap of the best stories to grace the pages of New Atlas over the last seven days. Lean back, put your feet up and enjoy the Weekend Edition! Darren Quick Editor-in-Chief Biology [Octopuses hurl objects in rare example of animal throwing behavior]( [Octopus throwing in action]( Scientists studying the behavior of wild octopuses off the coast of Australia have made a strange discovery, with the creatures caught hurling silt, algae and even shells at one another in a rare example of animal throwing behavior. [Read more]( Military [Enormous underwater military drone won't be waterproof]( [The Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Anduril is now developing for the Australian Navy will use a "wet hull" that lets water in and out freely]( US military contractor Anduril has signed a US$100 million contract with the Australian Navy, to design and deliver three iterations of an Extra Large Autonomous Undersea Vehicle (XL-AUV). These drones will be as big as buses, but not watertight. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Do you even lift? Lowering weights may be faster route to muscle growth]( [A new study suggests eccentric contractions may be a more efficient way to build muscle]( Scientists have offered new insights into what the most efficient workouts might look like, with a new study demonstrating that a focus on lowering weights rather than lifting them may be a more effective way to increase muscle mass. [Read more]( Energy ["Telescoping can" wave energy device beats test predictions by 20%]( [The Archimedes Waveswing prototype has been installed for testing over the last 6 months, and is delivering better results than expected]( Scotland's AWS Energy has reported results some 20% better than predicted for its Archimedes Waveswing, a prototype wave energy generator that's been undergoing ocean-based testing at the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney for the last 6 months. [Read more]( Computers [IBM reveals Osprey, the world's most powerful quantum computer]( [IBM has unveiled the Osprey, the world's most powerful quantum processor, boasting 433 qubits]( IBM has unveiled the most powerful quantum processor in the world – the Osprey, with a massive 433 quantum bits (qubits). The new chip headlines a raft of advances in quantum computers announced, as the company prepares for a massive leap next year. [Read more]( Outdoors [Hovering Tentsile cabin creates multi-story winter tree camp]( [The Insulated Cabin is a new option for making tree tent camping warm enough for all four seasons]( Spending the night in a Tentsile tree tent can be a truly inspiring way to camp, but hovering in a mesh dome loses appeal once winter hits. The new Insulated Cabin supports cold-weather camping while creating impressive multi-story Tentsile setups. [Read more]( Military [Britain test fires its first high-energy laser weapon]( [The DragonFire laser weapon]( The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has announced that it successfully test fired Britain's first high-powered, long-range laser directed energy weapon (LDEW), called DragonFire, on October 17 at the Porton Down science park test range in Wiltshire. [Read more]( Good Thinking [Go-anywhere Nomad Desk folds up and travels in a backpack]( [Inventor Richard Heng with his Nomad Desk]( Over the past couple of years, a lot of people have discovered the joys of telecommuting from locations other than their official workplace. The Nomad Desk was designed with such folks in mind, as it can be folded up and carried in a backpack. [Read more]( Automotive [Volkswagen builds motorized office chair with headlights and horn]( [Volkswagen has crammed a bunch of tech from its vans into a motorized office chair]( Looking to branch out, Volkswagen has tried its hand at designing transport for workers stuck behind a desk. VW’s new high-tech office chair comes complete with an electric motor, headlights, horn, an entertainment system, and even a trailer hitch. [Read more]( Automotive [Mitsubishi shrinks lovable Delica van into future micro camping icon]( [The tiny, adventurous Mitsubishi Delica Mini shares its SUV-cum-MPV styling with the older, larger Delica D:5]( With its small size and 4WD, the Mitsubishi Delica is a beloved favorite for adventure van lifers. The new Mitsubishi Delica Mini shrinks that adventurous spirit down even more, to kei size. It promises to make an amazing micro-camper once it's here. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Sleep apnea may be a causal factor for Alzheimer's, study concludes]( [A new study has added to a large body of observational evidence linking sleep apnea to Alzheimer's by demonstrating in mice how disordered sleep breathing affects the brain]( New research in Nature Communications has strengthened the link between sleep apnea and dementia, by using preclinical models to demonstrate exactly how breathing disruptions during sleep can cause brain changes associated with Alzheimer's disease. [Read more]( Military [Long-range robotic submarine sweeps the waters for days at a time]( [Artist's concept of the REMUS 620 undersea drone]( It may look like a fat torpedo, but there's more than meets eye with HII's newly unveiled REMUS 620 medium-class UUV, which is an autonomous robotic submarine that combines artificial intelligence with an operational range of 275 nm (316 mi, 509 km). [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Study states low-protein processed foods are driving obesity epidemic]( [The research suggests that in order to meet their daily protein requirements, people eat too much in the way of low-protein processed foods]( Processed foods have never been favorites of nutritionists, and recent research now bolsters the claim that such foods are the leading cause of obesity in the Western world. It all comes down to something known as the Protein Leverage Hypothesis. [Read more]( Outdoors [Roamer survival axe multitool hacks modern adventures]( [Roamer Korea NOA multitool components]( The knife may be the center of the multitool universe, but the axe appears more often than one might expect. The Roamer NOA is the latest survival multi-axe, packing over half a dozen functions into a modular handle below its razor-sharp axe blade. [Read more]( Energy [New charging approach could extend battery life by at least 20%]( [Every cell in a battery pack is different, and deteriorates at a different rate. New research finds charging them differently can significantly extend the life of your entire pack]( The many cells that make up a lithium battery pack are not all equal; some will degrade and die faster than others. New research out of Stanford has found that the whole battery can live much longer if each cell gets an individual charging treatment. [Read more]( Space [10-billion-year-old ruins of Earth-like planet found around nearby star]( [Astronomers have spotted the ruins of an Earth-like planet that existed around 10 billion years ago]( Planets have been born, lived and died long before Earth even existed. Now astronomers have detected the ruins of ancient planets around two unusual white dwarf stars, including an Earth-like world that existed almost 10 billion years ago. [Read more]( Outdoors [Jeep micro-camper specs tough enough to trail Wrangler across the map]( [It's not clear if the Jeep Edition Addax trailer will have available rooftop tent options, but it's shown here with an OVS Bushveld fold-out hardshell]( The all-new Addax Overland trailer is a military-grade off-road hauler and micro-camper. It looks intriguing for any serious overlander or backcountry camping enthusiast ... so much so that it debuts as an officially branded Jeep trailer. [Read more]( Space [Bizarre star may have a solid surface, according to X-ray observations]( [An artist's impression of a magnetar]( Stars are hot balls of plasma, but astronomers have now spotted a super strange one that may have a solid surface. Its intense magnetic field is strong enough to overcome its blistering temperatures and “freeze” its outer layers into a solid crust. [Read more]( Environment [Europe found to be warming twice as fast as the rest of the globe]( [Scientists expect heatwaves to become more common in Europe (and elsewhere) as temperatures continue to rise]( Scientists tracking climate change have found Europe is seeing temperatures increase at more than twice the global average, and is experiencing a rate of warming higher than any continent on the planet. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Study tracks airborne spread of COVID between different hotel floors]( [The case study found structural deficits in the building contributed to airflow, and subsequent COVID infections, between non-adjacent rooms on different floors]( A striking new case study illustrates just how pervasive SARS-CoV-2 aerosol transmission can be, describing a trio of infections in a Taiwan quarantine hotel with the virus likely traveling through walls and floors in a poorly ventilated building. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Experimental breast cancer vaccine passes first human trials]( [A therapeutic vaccine being trialed is designed to help the immune system better target breast cancer by homing in on a certain protein over-expressed by tumors]( A new paper in the journal JAMA Oncology has reported the results of a decade-long Phase 1 human trial testing an experimental breast cancer vaccine. The treatment was found to be "very safe" and a large Phase 2 trial is now underway testing efficacy. [Read more]( Military [Black Hawk helicopter flies autonomous "rescue" mission without crew]( [The Black Hawk carried out medical and logistic missions without humans aboard]( The line between crewed and uncrewed aircraft has blurred even more after a Sikorsky Black Hawk helicopter carried out a demonstration cargo mission as well as a medical "emergency rescue" entirely on its own without anyone aboard or human guidance. [Read more]( Outdoors [Striking Starlink-ready outhouse reinvents pooping in the woods]( [Some might prefer a more natural, rustic look, but the Jupe does partially blend in thanks to its reflective front glass and semi-reflective walls]( If there were ever a product begging for improvement, the porta-potty would be it. Jupe looks to free the world of the old porta-potty with the Portal, a self-contained wilderness bathroom that aims for a glamping-grade experience when nature calls. [Read more]( Architecture [NYC skyscraper wears its structure outside to free up space inside]( [425 Park Avenue's tapering design culminates in three distinctive "blades" at the top of the building]( Foster + Partners has completed its third skyscraper in recent weeks. Rising to a height of 206.45 m in New York City, 425 Park Avenue is defined by an eye-catching exterior that puts its bracing on the outside, freeing up floorspace within. [Read more]( Bicycles [Lightweight Geo ebike takes just a second to fold up and in]( [The Geo's unusual frame is made from a composite of recycled fibers and plant-based resins, and is claimed stronger and lighter than aluminum]( A commuting by ebike that involves hopping on and off trains or buses during the journey can be a whole lot easier if you can fold your ride. Ossby has introduced what's sure to be an attention-grabbing pedal-assist ride that does so in a second. [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