Could a kinetic projectile really shake an M1 Abrams tank to pieces? China thinks so

Plus: How bubble curtains could protect marine wildlife, Russian and China allegedly crack hackproof quantum comms                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 January 02, 2024 | [Read Online]( A new Chinese study makes a remarkably bold claim: A compact 44-pound metal sphere traveling fast enough could knock out a 70-ton main battle tank from mere shockwaves alone. This challenges beliefs that immobilizing heavily armored multi-million dollar machines like the M1 Abrams requires complex armor-piercing sabot rounds or shaped explosive charges. Instead, researchers assert that high-velocity inert projectiles can disable the target by shaking main battle tanks apart without penetration, and without killing the entire crew. We have the full, surprising story in today’s [Must Read](. 🎙 New podcast [Retrofit AI and automation: the future of construction and mining]( 🚨 AI Logs is your essential update on all things artificial intelligence. To receive the very latest insights every Wednesday, starting tomorrow, [subscribe now](. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. What else is happening today? Reading time: 5 minutes Did a friend forward this e-mail to you? [Subscribe ✉](  VIDEO OF THE DAY The best of military mechanics in 2023 In our first Military Mechanics episode of the year, we’ve curated the top episodes from 2023 for Interesting Engineering enthusiasts. 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MUST READ 📳 [China claims its new kinetic weapon makes tanks shake to bits]( In simulations, researchers found that a small spherical round traveling over Mach 4 could shake critical components loose inside tanks like the M1 Abrams with irreparable effects. Despite no exterior indication of damage, the high-speed 25-megajoule impacts cause bolts and equipment to fail from extreme internal shockwaves transferred throughout the entire vehicle. With a fraction of conventional ammunition's volume and no explosive filler, the rounds only need a glancing shot to terminate armored vehicles’ combat abilities. If substantiated outside of simulations, this novel approach to dealing with armored vehicles could force sweeping changes across mechanized warfare, and such an anti-tank weapon might also be non-lethal to the tank crew. [Read more >]( [INNOVATION]( 🫧 [Bubble curtains to shield whales during offshore wind construction]([Â]( Amid concerns over underwater noise threatening whales during US offshore wind farm installations, Thayer Mahan Offshore has successfully piloted giant walls of air bubbles to turn down the volume. By absorbing most of the deafening acoustic energy, the first large-scale bubble curtain deployment aims to deliver progress toward sustainable energy and wildlife conservation. [Read more >]( [SCIENCE]( 🔐 [China and Russia claim unhackable satellite quantum link]( Chinese and Russian scientists encrypted and sent images over a record 2,600 miles (3,800 kilometers) distance via an ultra-secure quantum channel between two ground stations. The breakthrough showcases practical encryption key distribution from China's quantum satellite Mozi to terrestrial receivers. 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