Ultra-efficient toroidal propeller gets contra-rotating double upgrade

[New Atlas logo]( Marine [Ultra-efficient toroidal propeller gets contra-rotating double upgrade]( [Sharrow stacks propellers into a contra-rotating design for outboards and sterndrives that require them]( Sharrow's extraordinary toroidal propellers were already some 30% more efficient than traditional designs – and now the company has put two of them together into a coaxial, contra-rotating propeller that promises to be even more energy-efficient. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [This $40 art-therapy app could help you decompress]( If your favorite way to unwind is scrolling—or doomscrolling—on your phone, it’s time to break the cycle with a healthier habit. Groodles is an app that helps you journal, express emotions, work through feelings, and more with art-based exercises. [Read more]( Energy ['Drinking bird' toys upgraded to generate clean energy from water]( [A commercially available drinking bird toy – the generator version definitely has a few more bits and bobs added]( Scientists have converted a children's "drinking bird" toy into a tool that generates usable amounts of electricity. The generator could one day be utilized to power a wide variety of small electronic devices, both indoors and outside. [Read more]( Outdoors ["World's lightest" rooftop tent diets down to skin and bones]( [Tentbox gives the new Go RTT plenty of adjustable light and ventilation by way of three large mesh windows, a skylight and a foot wall vent]( With its all-new Go, Tentbox grabs the rooftop tent market's top spot for ultralight design. The Tentbox Go isn't the sleekest, fanciest car-top abode, but it sets up in under two minutes, sleeps two, and is light enough to ride atop small cars. [Read more]( Medical [First sleep apnea drug reduces severity in 70% of trial cases]( [A nasal spray reduced the severity of obstructive sleep apnea]( Obstructive sleep apnea hugely impacts health and well-being, but as those with the condition know, treatment is very limited. Now, a new nasal spray has shown promise in alleviating the symptoms of the most common sleep-related breathing disorder. [Read more]( Automotive [New cars are failing at unprecedented rates, and it's getting worse]( [The statistics suggest there's worse to come for the car industry]( New cars bought in the last few years have twice as many quality problems as they had in 2010. Some well-known brands are averaging more than five issues per car – and the stats show things will probably get a lot worse before they get better. [Read more]( Space [Gibberish download may save Voyager 1 deep space probe]( [Artist's concept of Voyager 1]( NASA's Voyager 1 deep space probe may get a new lease on life thanks to an unexpected download from one of its onboard computers. After months of sending back gibberish instead of collected data, the craft may have provided a clue to its salvation. [Read more]( Robotics [Apollo humanoid lends a helping hand on the Mercedes production line]( [The Apollo pilot will see Mercedes-Benz explore "new possibilities with the use of robotics to support our skilled workforce in manufacturing"]( Humanoid robots are entering the workforce. Following in the footsteps of Figure 01 at BMW and Digit in Amazon's R&D facility, Apptronik's Apollo bot is helping skilled human workers build cars for Mercedes-Benz. [Read more]( Collectibles [Jobs and Musk smash auction records ... and the auction isn't finished yet]( [As we publish this article, these two cards from technology entrepreneurs Steve Jobs and Elon Musk are now the two most expensive business cards that have ever been sold - and the auction doesn't finish until 21 March 2024 at 6 p.m. ET with extended bidding likely.]( The booming alternative assets market space added yet another heavyweight genre this week as the world record for a business card was smashed twice today by both Steve Jobs and Elon Musk, and the auction still has four days to run. [Read more]( Aircraft [Autonomous vortex-surfing cargo gliders promise 65% cheaper air freight]( [Aerolane's prototype cargo gliders both still have engines and propellers installed at this point, but have a custom autopilot system designed to surf the lead plane's wake vortex for maximum efficiency]( A West Texas company says it's found a remarkably simple way to slash air cargo costs as much as 65% – by having planes tow autonomous, cargo-carrying gliders behind them, big enough to double, or potentially triple their payload capacity. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Genetic variants link meat consumption to increased bowel cancer risk]( [Genetic variants have been linked to an increased risk of colorectal cancer in people who eat a lot of red and processed meat]( Researchers have identified two genetic markers that may explain the link between eating red and processed meat and bowel cancer. Understanding the disease process and the genes underlying it can help develop better prevention strategies. [Read more]( Computers [Hold on: World's fastest AI chip will massively accelerate AI progress]( [The Wafer Scale Engine (WSE-3) is the world's fastest AI chip]( If you think things have happened fast in the last year, hold on: Cerebras Systems present the Wafer Scale Engine 3 (WSE-3) chip, which powers the Cerebras CS-3 AI supercomputer with a peak performance of 125 petaflops. It’s scalable to an insane degree. [Read more]( Automotive [Video: Lightweight truck bumpers reduce crash deaths by up to 60%]( [Crash testing the new lightweight bumper structure showed a huge reduction in passenger death and injury risk]( A new Swedish-designed front end for transport trucks could help reduce driver deaths in collisions with passenger cars. The structure is designed to both spread and absorb the force of impact between the two vehicles. [Read more]( Architecture [Extraordinary blocky tower stacks buildings within a building]( [Epiq rises rises to a height of 100 m (328 ft) in Quito, Ecuador]( Described as "buildings within a building" by BIG, the recently completed Epiq takes the form of a series of stacked blocks. The tower's unusual design is well-suited to the local climate and maximizes outdoor space and views. [Read more]( Aircraft [World's largest aircraft delivers colossal cargo to makeshift airstrips]( [The Radia Windrunner offers a cargo volume seven times larger than the mighty Antonov]( The 108-m (356-ft) long Radia Windrunner is designed to transport cargo too big for the road, to short, semi-prepared airstrips on rough terrain. It would dwarf the majestic 84-m (275-ft) long Antonov An-225 Mriya, which is sadly no longer with us. [Read more]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com]( (or [gizmag.com]( before August 2016). 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