Weekend Edition: US Air Force defies tradition, bikes of the year, and a bigger, better robo-dog

[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 our Weekend Edition. Military [US Air Force refuels a tanker plane backwards]( [A C-5M transport aircraft prepares to refuel a refueling tanker]( In a topsy-turvy bit of military aviation, the US Air Force used a C-5M Super Galaxy heavy transport to refuel a KC-10 Extender refueling tanker aircraft, pumping fuel backwards up the boom from transport to tanker instead of the other way around. [Read more]( Robotics [Unitree B2 quadruped robot is better, stronger and faster]( [The Unitree B2 quadruped robot is claimed to tip the scales at about 60 kg (132 lb)]( While Boston Dynamics may have pioneered the field of quadruped "robot dogs," Chinese company Unitree has definitely done a good job of jumping on board. Its latest industrial robot, the B2, offers some major improvements over its predecessor. [Read more]( Bicycles [From metal tires to wearable airbags, our top 10 bike picks for 2023]( [The full-carbon Veli mountain bike, with its sweet and uniquely suspended caboose, is one of our favorites from the past year]( As 2023 draws to a close, it's time once again for our annual look back at some of the year's most interesting bicycle-related innovations. Not all of these things will be big sellers, but they definitely all deserve credit for following the road – or trail – less cycled. [Read more]( Automotive [Review: 2023 Dodge Hornet isn’t what we expected]( [The 2023 Dodge Hornet is a strong looker]( The 2023 Dodge Hornet looked to be an okay entry into a popular vehicle segment. The Hornet is relatively compact and, on paper, has good numbers. But most of my colleagues have not been kind to the Hornet. However, I think they’re wrong. [Read more]( Military [US Navy receives first long-range robotic submarine]( [Orca showing off its mast]( The US Navy has taken delivery of its first giant robotic submarine. Boeing's Extra Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (XLUUV), also known as "Orca," has completed acceptance tests including extensive surface and underwater trials. [Read more]( Space [NASA completes record sustained burn of revolutionary rocket engine]( [The RDRE fired for a record 251 seconds]( NASA has pushed forward a revolutionary new rocket technology at its Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. Engineers at the facility fired the 3D-printed Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE) for a record 251 seconds with 5,800 lb of thrust. [Read more]( Photography [Best photos of 2023: Animals, aurorae and amazing landscapes]( ["A Lemon's Life," depicting a juvenile lemon shark in the Bahamas, was the winner of the Mangroves & Underwater category of the 2023 Mangrove Photography Awards]( Every year, countless stunning images are submitted to photography competitions around the world. From cosmic structures to microscopic marvels and everything in between, here is a snapshot of the most awe-inspiring photographs of 2023. [Read more]( Outdoors [Top teardrops, tent-tops and tiny ebike camping trailers of 2023]( [The X-Cabin shares its shape with basic commercial and horse trailers but gets upgraded into a stylish trailer trailer with its polished aluminum skin, windows, baby moon wheels and accessories]( In addition to numerous motorized tiny campers, 2023 brought to light many new towable micro-RVs. Our top picks of the year include an Airstream-style camping cube, a scenic glass-doored teardrop and multiple ebike-pulled caravans. [Read more]( Good Thinking [Efficient construction system stacks self-contained modules like Legos]( [A dormitory at a military facility, which was built utilizing the new system]( Erecting an entire building from scratch can be time-consuming and expensive, which is why many companies look to factory-built prefabricated structures. A new technology takes that idea further, with prefab blocks that are stacked like Lego blocks. [Read more]( Medical [Novel helmet liner 30 times better at stopping concussions]( [A new, lightweight foam made from carbon nanotubes could be the future of protective helmets]( Researchers have developed a new, lightweight foam made from carbon nanotubes that, when used as a helmet liner, absorbed the kinetic energy caused by an impact almost 30 times better than liners currently used in US military helmets. [Read more]( Automotive [Pop-up SUVs to camp-on ebikes: Most impressive tiny campers of 2023]( [The Nugget comes standard with an outdoor table and chair set]( This year saw more than its fair share of mini- and micro-campers, ranging from small-but-spacious all-electric MPV campers to airline-compatible camper kits ready to travel the world. Here's a look at our favorite tiny motor vehicle campers of 2023. [Read more]( Bicycles [Moving e-mobility forward: Top 10 ebike innovations of 2023]( [Yamaha's Y-00Z MTB concept, which was presented at this year's Japan Mobility Show, is among our picks for 2023's top ebike innovations]( In case you hadn't noticed, electric pedal-assist bikes have really made their mark during 2023, to become a vital component in the mobility mix. For our look back over a year overflowing with ebikes, we revisit some of the tech highlights. [Read more]( Space [Best space photos 2023: Stunning star shows and a bear on Mars]( [A James Webb image of Uranus, clearly showing its rings and some of its moons]( Space is one of the most versatile and photogenic subjects, and this year was no different. From a sunrise captured by the International Space Station to the most distant star ever observed, here are some of the best space photographs taken in 2023. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Small but perfectly formed: Top 10 tiny houses of 2023]( [As the year comes to a close, we've chosen our selection of 2023's top 10 tiny houses]( 2023 has been another big year for the small living movement and, as it comes to a close, we're taking a look at 10 of the most interesting and innovative tiny houses we've seen over the past 12 months. [Read more]( Drones ["Flying dragon" robot harnesses the "crazy hose" effect to fight fires]( [The "Flying Dragon" firefighting robot rains down watery death on a test fire]( Japanese researchers have created and open-sourced a flying firefighting hose that levitates and steers itself to fight fires using its own water pressure as a two-part propulsion system, spraying water down onto fires and keeping operators safe. [Read more]( Science [Sniffing women’s tears reduces male aggression by 44%, study finds]( [A study has found that sniffing female tears reduces male aggression]( A fascinating study has found that sniffing female tears significantly reduced male aggression and decreased activity in aggression-related brain networks. It’s suggested that the effect, which is also seen in rodents, serves a protective function. [Read more]( Medical [Head zaps help surgeons transfer skills from VR to IRL]( [Applying a subtle electric current during training improved the transfer of skills to the real-life setting, a study has shown]( Researchers found that applying a gentle electric current to the head during virtual reality training helped budding surgeons to more easily transfer the skills they’d learned to a real-life setting. [Read more]( Architecture [Bold, ambitious, and sometimes crazy: 2023's top 10 architectural oddities]( [New Atlas reflects on the year's most outlandish, extraordinary and ridiculously ambitious architecture projects]( From a massive globe-shaped entertainment venue that can be illuminated as an oversized emoji, to a plan to build a skyscraper so big it can fit 20 Empire State Buildings, here's our pick of the top 10 architectural oddities of 2023. [Read more]( Robotics [Mugatu bipedal robot takes a radically simplified approach to walking]( [The Mugatu robot is one example of what is known as a "passive dynamic walker"]( Walking bipedal robots excel at tasks such as traversing uneven terrain, but because they're so mechanically complex, they can't be made very small. That could soon change, however, thanks to the development of the Mugatu robot. [Read more]( Bicycles [Thok's "e-SUV" designed for everyday urban travel and weekend off-roading]( [Thok says that the MIG e-S has been "designed for everyday life, filled with work, commitments, appointments, and brief moments of free time to take advantage of some movement"]( Italian ebike maker Thok has added a versatile road and trail buster called the MIG e-S to its mountain bike lineup, a Shimano-powered workhorse that's designed to get riders to work as well as out of the city and into the rough. [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