Weekend Edition: The past, present and future of life on Earth

[New Atlas logo]( This week, Michael Irving looks at how the collapse of the planet's magnetic field may have enabled ancient life to get a foothold on Earth. I examine how we're dramatically changing the planet's present-day landscape, bringing you the story of a Siberian crater known as the Gateway to Hell that's rapidly devouring the countryside, fueled by global warming – and right now we're powerless to stop its march. There's some good news for the future, though: Michael Franco examines a wildly ambitious magma-drilling geothermal development, and Loz Blain heads down to the sea bed to detail an innovative energy storage idea that works with natural forces, not against them. Now more than ever, it can feel like the news is an endless stream of environmental doom and gloom. But we remain inspired by the innovators working to solve these problems and steer humanity toward a better future here on Earth. Their ideas should be seen, and challenged. The best should be elevated and funded. It's our privilege to give these efforts a share of the global spotlight. From the whole team, have a great weekend! Bronwyn Thompson New Atlas Environment [Earth's 'Gateway to Hell' is growing by 35 million cubic feet each year]( [This ever-growing permafrost-destroying 'sink hole' was originally a small gully in the 1960s]( Whether a John Carpenter fan or not, you shouldn't need much convincing to see that the thawing of subterranean permafrost at the poles is not really a good thing. Siberia's biggest sinkhole is now devouring the landscape around it at an alarming rate. [Read more]( Energy [Drilling into magma: Risky plan takes geothermal to supercritical extremes]( [The Krafla Magma Testbed will attempt to harness the power of magma beneath the Earth's surface to generate more efficient geothermal energy]( The Krafla Magma Testbed "has the potential to be for geoscientists what the Large Hadron Collider has been for particle physicists." So say researchers working on the project to drill into a magma chamber to explore massive geothermal power. [Read more]( Biology [Would we exist if Earth's magnetic field hadn't collapsed 500m years ago?]( [An artist's impression of the Ediacaran Period, a time when the Earth's magnetic field was at its weakest]( The Earth’s magnetic field is vital for life – without it, the Sun’s radiation would sterilize the planet. But a new study suggests we wouldn’t be here at all if that magnetic field hadn’t almost completely collapsed half a billion years ago. [Read more]( Energy [Sea-bed 'air batteries' offer cheaper long-term energy storage]( [BaroMar says its undersea compressed energy storage system creates an air battery cheaper than any other for long-duration storage]( Israeli company BaroMar is preparing to test a clever new angle on grid-level energy storage, which it says will be the cheapest way to stabilize renewable grids over longer time scales. This innovative system lets water do the work. [Read more]( Aircraft [Groundbreaking spaceplane crashes before landmark aerospike rocket test]( [The MIRA I looking]( It was set to be the world's first flight test for an aerospike rocket engine, but the MIRA I prototype crashed on takeoff before the most innovative part of its propulsion system could fire. Undeterred, Polaris is building two bigger prototypes. [Read more]( Robotics [Chinese humanoid factory video plunges back into the uncanny valley]( [Still frame from a video shot inside a humanoid robot factory in China]( A 20-second video from inside a Chinese humanoid robot factory is causing some consternation today around social media. It shows a range of highly realistic-looking, partially skinned humanoids under construction. [Read more]( Architecture [Plans for larger, higher Baltimore bridge keep channel clear for ships]( [The Francis Scott Key Bridge replacement is expected to be in place by 2028]( Following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, a team made up of high-profile architects and bridge-building experts has proposed a new – and safer – replacement to ensure a similar tragedy can't happen again. [Read more]( Automotive [Sub-$12k electric micro-car will roll on US roads later this year]( [The Eli Zero is classed as a LSV or NEV in the US, and will go on sale from Q3 for a starting price of $11,990]( LA-based Eli Electric Vehicles is launching its flagship Zero electric micro-car in the US market later this year, hoping to build on sales success in Europe and beyond. The teeny two-person city dweller starts at just $11,990. [Read more]( Marine ['Underwater bicycle' propels swimmers forward at superhuman speed]( [Yes, this fella's swimming in clip-ons]( French company Seabike has developed a swimming device that uses your own leg power to accelerate you through the water at superhuman speeds. This crank-driven pusher prop looks a bit like an underwater unicycle... We'd love to take one for a spin! [Read more]( Military [High-speed military amphibian skims the waves using Surface Effect]( [Artist's concept of SECAT. We've enhanced this image for clarity and replaced the ocean.]( Textron is developing a remarkable new Surface Effect amphibious transport for the US Navy and Marines. It can carry 50 tonnes of cargo, skims the waves at 50+ knots (57+ mph, 92+ km/h), and operates in water just four feet (1.2 m) deep. [Read more]( Good Thinking [80-in-1 titanium multitool stack splits into magnetic utility cards]( [You can customize the TitanSpin as you see fit through any combination of five different cards]( With a "more is more" approach to its latest offering on Kickstarter, London-based Gadget On has packed everything from a sundial clock to a SIM card ejector into its new TitanSpin multitool. And, oh yeah, the whole thing is also a fidget spinner. [Read more]( Robotics [China's home-grown general-purpose humanoid jogs out at 6 km/h]( [The Tiangong robot is billed as the "world's first full-sized humanoid robot capable of running solely on electric drive"]( The Beijing Humanoid Robot Innovation Center has unveiled Tiangong, an electrically-driven general-purpose humanoid that's capable of stable running at 6 km/h, while also able to tackle slopes and stairs in "blind conditions." [Read more]( Automotive [Review: 2024 Land Rover Defender proved us right, purists be damned]( [2024 Land Rover Defender continues to be both on-road and off-road capable]( The British are known for things like putting milk into hot tea and adding extra vowels to words. They are not, however, known to bring back nostalgic nameplates just for the marketing of it, which is why I test-drove the Land Rover Defender. [Read more]( Technology [Google's medical AI destroys GPT's benchmark and outperforms doctors]( [Google's Med-Gemini is an AI specialized in medicine]( Google Research and Google’s AI research lab, DeepMind, have detailed the impressive reach of Med-Gemini, a family of advanced AI models specialized in medicine. It's a huge advancement in clinical diagnostics with massive real-world potential. [Read more]( Robotics [Forest walker robot takes a brutal beating and keeps marching]( [A LimX engineer belts the P1 Biped's knees with a fallen tree branch]( Somebody better break it to the Ewoks: crafty log tricks aren't gonna cut the mustard. LimX Dynamics has released video of its P1 Biped – heavily inspired by the AT-ST walker from Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, taking an absolute pounding with ease. [Read more]( Automotive [Pop-up Cube camper cuts out canvas for four-season hard walls]( [Cube Series puts its hard-wall pop-up camper design on a chassis all its own]( Cube Series debuted a few years ago with a lifting hard-wall pickup camper, and it's now launched the trailer version. The all-season shelter tows low but lives tall with a 4-sleeper layout that includes a dinette, kitchen and collapsible bathroom. [Read more]( Motorcycles [BMW Motorrad's magic button = auto & manual in the same bike]( [BMW's new Automated Shift Assist (ASA) completely eliminates the need for a rider to operate the clutch, but only if you want it. In M mode, it operates just like a normal motorcycle except it will change down automatically if you 're going to stall the engine. In automated D mode, it changes automatically based on how you are using the bike.]( BMW Motorrad has announced a new Automated Shift Assistant (ASA) technology that operates the clutch and gearbox of a motorcycle to offer a smoother, faster, more precise gear shift. If you’re thinking “what for”, then you’re probably an existing motorcyclist. That was my first reaction when I saw BMW’s press release, but as I read onwards, I changed my mind. [Read more]( Robotics [Video: Iron-shelled robo-snails swarm together for off-road tasks]( [A swarm of the robo-snails work with one another to traverse a gap]( Even though snails are slow and slimy-bottomed, they've inspired a new type of robot that could be quite useful. Groups of these bots can operate independently or join together in order to perform tasks that would otherwise be impossible. [Read more]( Technology [OpenAI's Sora makes its first official music video]( [Director Paul Trillo has used Sora to create a four-minute music video for singer/songwriter Washed Out]( Though OpenAI is yet to make the Sora text-to-video model available to the public, its ability to produce realistic, high-res video clips already has movie makers worried for job security. Now the tool has moved into the world of pop music videos. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Mirasol tiny house makes space for guests and good times]( [The Mirasol is clad in red cedar, with aluminum accenting]( One of the challenges of downsizing is that it's awkward to have friends over. Despite its compact size, Baluchon's Mirasol ensures its owner's social life won't suffer with a guest sleeping area and a kitchen that opens onto an outdoor bar. [Read more]( Aircraft [$190,000 eVTOL deliveries begin July – no license required]( [The Pivotal Helix is a single-seat eVTOL (electric Vertical Take-Off & Landing) PAV (Personal Aerial Vehicle) with a range of 20+ miles (with 20% reserve) and a cruise speed 55 knots (63 mph). You can order now for July 2024 delivery, and no license is required, though you can't take delivery until you have completed the training.]( Personal flight is currently undergoing a renaissance thanks to the rapid advancement of so many requisite industrial technologies. The next phase is poised to begin and the production version of this aircraft could well mark the occasion in history. [Read more]( Energy [Lithium-free sodium batteries exit the lab and enter US production]( [Blue has become Natron Energy's signature color owing to the patented Prussian Blue electrons it uses for the fast, frequent transfer of sodium ions that underpin its claims of 10 times lithium-ion's cycling speeds and a 50,000-cycle lifespan]( Natron Energy fell a little behind schedule on production plans for its sodium batteries but officially commenced production of the rapid-charging, long-life lithium-free batteries this week, bringing to market an intriguing new storage alternative. [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