Weekend Edition: Paintball security, college rankings and biology discoveries

[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 the Weekend Edition. Good Thinking [Movement at the top in 2024 World University Rankings]( The 2024 QS World University Rankings were released this week, and with three new key metrics added to the scoring process, several universities have rocketed to the international forefront, while traditional icons are being pushed below the fold. [Read more]( Technology [Paintball-blasting home security camera redefines 'enter at own risk']( [The creators of PaintCam Eve want it to be a new, rather artistic force in neighborhood watch]( The humble home security camera is now ready and willing to choose violence. This innovative machine uses AI to identify friends and family, and will pepper anyone else with paintballs – or tear gas rounds – at "ultra-high precision." Good lord. [Read more]( Biology [Two lifeforms merge in once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event]( [The algae Braarudosphaera bigelowii has been found to have absorbed a cyanobacteria called UCYN-A, which may be a huge step forward for evolution]( Scientists have discovered that a once-in-a-billion-years evolutionary event is underway, as two lifeforms have merged into one organism that boasts abilities its peers would envy. Last time this happened, Earth got plants. [Read more]( Environment [45% of China's urban land is rapidly sinking due to manmade development]( [Researchers call for committed intervention to stall China's urban areas subsiding to "catastrophic" depths]( A perfect storm is brewing for China's cities due rising sea levels and accelerated subsiding land. Scientists have now sounded the alarm that, without intervention, urban areas below sea level will triple by 2120, impacting up to 128 million people. [Read more]( Materials [Goldene: New 2D form of gold makes graphene look boring]( [Goldene is a new 2D form of gold that could be coming for graphene's crown]( Graphene is the Novak Djokovic of materials – it’s so damn talented that it’s getting boring celebrating each new victory. But an exciting new upstart is challenging graphene’s title. Meet goldene, a 2D sheet of gold with its own strange properties. [Read more]( Architecture [USA's tallest building approved for Oklahoma City]( [Assuming all goes to plan, the Legends Tower will reach a height of 1,907 ft (581 m)]( Officials have given the thumbs up for a new tallest skyscraper in the United States – and it's not headed for New York City or Chicago, but to a tornado-prone area with a relatively small population: Oklahoma City. [Read more]( Automotive [Hydrogen combustion engine fires up on road to land speed record run]( [This Ginetta G20 will be reworked into a proper hydrogen-fueled land speed record car]( The latest hydrogen ICE to rumble to life was born with a special mission: claim a land speed record or two for the emerging hydrogen-combustion space. A University of Bath team has successfully gotten its hydrogen-burning prototype working. [Read more]( Robotics [Video: Boston Dynamics unveils stronger, more capable electric Atlas robot]( [The all-electric Atlas humanoid robot was announced this Wednesday (Apr. 17th)]( Boston Dynamics has unveiled a stronger, more agile, fully electric version of its Atlas humanoid robot. The kinda creepy-looking thing is already slated to enter use on Hyundai's automotive production line. [Read more]( Outdoors [3-wheel tank-track motorcycle crawls over the most brutal terrain]( [Oruga's renders of the Unitrack show the same motorcycle in a variety of different rugged environs, its intended natural habitat.]( Bet you haven't seen one of these before! This unique single-track all-terrain vehicle rocks three wheels with massive balloon tires inside a proprietary monotrack system, driven by a grunty electric motor. But... How do you steer the thing? [Read more]( Outdoors [Acoustic navigational tech gets scuba divers using GPS maps]( [Intended for applications such as search and rescue, salvage operations and recovery efforts, the system allows divers to make their way to geographical waypoints, and mark locations of interest]( Because GPS doesn't work underwater, divers usually can't track their real-time position on a digital map. The new Diver Navigation System (DNS) gets around that problem, however, using both floating and wearable acoustic transponders. [Read more]( Architecture [Boeing 737 becomes a spectacular cliff-hanging luxury home]( [The Private Jet Villa's original doors open onto netted seating areas]( This extraordinary residence is crafted from the fuselage of a Boeing 737 and perched on the edge of a cliffside in Bali. It has received a new luxurious interior, including a bedroom with a jacuzzi in the cockpit. [Read more]( Outdoors [All-terrain exoskeleton turns your body into a superhuman e-hiker]( [Recreational exoskeletons aim to do for hiking, climbing and running what ebikes have done for cycling, letting people rise above their physical limitations]( This new recreational adventure exoskeleton welcomes anyone to high-level hiking, scrambling and climbing, upgrading your anatomy with an extra 900 W of leg power. It shoulders up to 83 lb of load, sprints at speeds over 16 mph and packs down small. [Read more]( Outdoors [Offline squaredrop camping trailer deploys fold-out cafe and bathroom]( [Offline's Domino (pictured) is about to get a bigger brother]( We've previously looked at several Offline camping trailers, and now the builder is preparing a flagship. Still built tough enough for the Outback, the new Solitaire expands to create an ensuite bathroom next to its cafe lounge, kitchen and bedroom. [Read more]( Architecture [Honeycomb House showcases the future of urban living in Germany]( [The Honeycomb House boasts innovative spatial dynamics]( In the city of Munich, a groundbreaking endeavour is transforming communal living. Crafted by architectural firm Peter Haimerl Architektur, the Clusterwohnen Wabenhaus – aka the Honeycomb House – is a symbol of efficiency and community harmony. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Video: Mi Casita tiny house rewrites the book on space-saving design]( [Mi Casita's interior layout is quite busy, owing to all the features that Modern Tiny Living has shoehorned into its compact space]( Despite its modest length of just 26 ft, the Mi Casita tiny house has a space-saving interior that fits in the kind of features we'd usually expect in a much larger model, including a bathroom with a tub and a downstairs bedroom. [Read more]( Energy [World first energy storage unit demonstrates zero degradation over 5 years]( [CATL has managed to squeeze 6.25 MWh of LFP battery capacity into a 20-ft container, while also promising zero degradation of power and capacity for the first five years of operation]( China's CATL – the world's largest EV battery producer – has launched TENER, which is described as the "world's first mass-producible energy storage system with zero degradation in the first five years of use." [Read more]( Biology [First known fractal molecule is a natural mathematical marvel]( [A molecular model of the fractal protein, showing clear signs of a Sierpiński triangle structure]( Fractals are a fascinating type of pattern for mathematics nerds, with their repeating, artificial-looking structures. Now, scientists have discovered the first known fractal protein – and it seems to be an evolutionary accident. [Read more]( Automotive [8-seat mini-camper shifts instantly from MPV to RV via stackable pods]( [The Adria Mode is a new style of modular camper van]( Adria has introduced a unique ultra-adaptable mini-camper it calls the Mode. It does away with large, fixed camping furniture in favor of modular pods that carry easily, pack neatly on the ride and offer multipurpose utility at camp. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [Ranking Apple TV+ sci-fi shows: From 'Severance' to 'For All Mankind']( [Ranking all the Apple TV + sci-fi shows from worst to best]( Apple TV+ has clearly invested in top-shelf science fiction as a defining pillar of its offering – and overall, it's put together an impressive slate. From outright successes to grand artistic swing 'n' misses, here's our ranking, worst to best. [Read more]( Marine [ABB's cycloidal marine propellers: Efficient thrust in any direction]( [ABB describes the Dynafin concept as "essentially a cycloidal propeller with individually controlled blades"]( Earlier this month, we featured a Whale Design propeller that looked to nature for improved efficiency. Switzerland's ABB Marine has also been inspired by "the dynamic motions of a whale's tail" for its multi-blade Dynafin propulsion concept. [Read more]( Medical [Sleep apnea: Mouthguards less invasive, just as effective as CPAP]( [The SomnoDent Flex®, the mandibular advancement device (MAD) used in the study]( Obstructive sleep apnea can cause or contribute to high blood pressure, so a new study examined which sleep apnea treatments – a CPAP machine or a mouthguard that keeps the airways open – was more effective at lowering blood pressure. [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