Stanford team develops brain-rejuvenating antibodies that let old mice think like youngsters

In our weekly round of the best stories to cross our keyboards this week we take a look at researchers turning back the clock for mice brains - and maybe humans -, a thermal battery that holds the promise of energy storage that is cheap, eco-friendly, and scalable, and a kit that turns even small vans and SUVs into "micro campers" for an equally micro price. And that's just a taste of what's on offer. [MEDICAL]( [Stanford team develops brain-rejuvenating antibodies that let old mice think like youngsters]( In a stunning piece of research, Stanford neuroscientists have hunted down a single gene that encodes a protein responsible for age-related cognitive losses, targeted it with special blocking antibodies, and shown in mice that these antibodies can rejuvenate old brains to work as well as young ones. [Read more]( [SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR NEW ATLAS READERS]( [Safety First — Protect Your Entire Family's Online Activity & Browse Without Restriction for Life for One Low Price]( Online privacy and protection of your data that will virtually last forever, as well as unrestricted streaming and access to the content you want: That's what you get with a lifetime subscription to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited, a top-notch VPN solution from the security experts with 5 years of experience. More than 10 million customers globally have entrusted their online protection to KeepSolid VPN Unlimited. [Read more]( [DRONES]( [Stunning drone photos show the beauty of Barcelona from above]( ​​As one of the world's top tourist destinations, there'll be no shortage of snaps showing Barcelona from all kinds of angles. But few, if any, do so with the jaw-dropping elegance of this photo set from drone photographer Márton Mogyorósy. [Read more]( [OUTDOORS]( [Patriot X1-H camper trailer expands into an off-grid shelter at the push of a remote]( Australia's Patriot Campers builds some of the most toughest expedition-ready camping trailers on the planet. With the all-new X1-H, Patriot simplifies set-up, trading its traditional fold-out tent for a hard-topped tent that pops into a 2+ sleeper shelter at the push of a key fob. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [First ever private lunar mission enters orbit around the Moon]( ​​A historic mission to the Moon is approaching its crescendo, with the Israeli-built Beresheet lander today entering orbit around our largest satellite and preparing to close in on its surface. [Read more]( Sponsored by Taboola //gizmagptyltd.cmail19.com/t/d-l-pwuhdt-wtkuhhtil-s///gizmagptyltd.cmail19.com/t/d-l-pwuhdt-wtkuhhtil-w/ [ARCHITECTURE]( [Fans and spirals inform the design of stunning Shanghai Grand Opera House]( Snøhetta has been selected to lead the design of the new Shanghai Grand Opera House in China. The building's design is influenced by an open fan and will feature an impressive spiraling staircase that offers public access to its rooftop. [Read more]( [AUTOMOTIVE]( [After just 20 hours of training, Wayve's fast-learning AI car is already driving itself on unfamiliar roads]( ​Forget large arrays of sensors and radars. Forget hard-coded road rules. British startup Wayve taught a car to teach itself to drive, and using only some cameras, a sat-nav and 20 hours' worth of experience, it's already driving itself short distances on unfamiliar UK roads. [Read more]( [SCIENCE]( [How jet lag could help put the brakes on brain disease]( ​There’s plenty to be said about the negative health effects of jet lag, but could a journey through the clouds have a silver lining? New research suggests that indeed it might, uncovering evidence that disruptions to circadian clocks can have a protective effect on neurons. [Read more]( [OUTDOORS]( [Simple kit turns small vans or crossovers into cozy micro campervans for under $750]( We were just getting used to mini-campervans, and now a company called Simple has downsized things to "micro camper van." Its solo and two-person conversion kits install in minutes, carving out a functional living space inside van or SUV at a cost lower than some tents. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [Dark Energy instrument snaps its first shot of the sky]( The first images from the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) were snapped this week. DESI is designed to hunt for clues about dark energy by building a comprehensive 3D map of the sky. On April 1 DESI achieved “first light” with a mesmerizing image of the Whirlpool Galaxy. [Read more]( [MEDICAL]( [Blue light might just take the "super" out of superbugs]( Antibiotics were one of the 20th century's most important scientific discoveries, but their usefulness is quickly fading. Researchers at Purdue University have found that blue light can weaken a particularly nasty “superbug” and make it vulnerable to even mild antiseptics again. [Read more]( [MEDICAL]( [3D-printed transparent skull could offer clearer views of Alzheimer's at work]( There is a lot to learn about Alzheimer’s and how it can be better treated. Scientists now have an inventive new tool with which to look into such matters, in the form of a transparent skull that allows them to peer into heads of mice. [Read more]( [BIOLOGY]( [Scientists witness lizard lay eggs and give live birth in same litter]( Normally, animals reproduce by either laying eggs or giving birth to live young, but an Australian species of lizard can apparently do both in the same pregnancy. Scientists witnessed a three-toed skink lay three eggs before giving birth to a live baby, which has never been observed before. [Read more]( [BICYCLES]( [Delfast gets down to business with fleet-ready Partner e-bike]( ​Back in 2017, Delfast launched an e-bike claimed capable of 236 miles of electric range per charge. And now the company has reworked that model to create the Partner, which is lighter and smarter and is aimed squarely at small-to-medium businesses.​ [Read more]( [ARCHITECTURE]( [Western Europe's tallest skyscraper planned... for a small Danish town]( Planning permission has been granted for Western Europe's new tallest skyscraper – though it's not in London or Paris as you might expect. Instead, the destination for the Tower Village skyscraper, by Dorte Mandrup, is a small rural Danish town called Brande with a population of around 7,000. [Read more]( [AUTOMOTIVE]( [Wingamm disguises a fiberglass monocoque motorhome as a Ducato camper van]( Wingamm motorhomes and caravans are always head-turners, but one in particular will make you do a double-take. Smart and stylish, the new City Twins looks at first like a fairly standard Fiat Ducato camper van but is actually a custom-built fiberglass shell planted on a Ducato cab chassis. [Read more]( [BICYCLES]( [Latchit Rack takes mountain bike transport to a new level]( ​When it comes to transporting mountain bikes in pickup trucks, many people choose to place the bikes with their front wheels hanging over the tailgate. The just-released Latchit Rack takes this idea and runs with it, reportedly allowing for both more secure and more efficient transit. [Read more]( [BIOLOGY]( [Great white sharks are able to tolerate the negative effects of heavy metals]( The blood of great white sharks found in the waters off the coast of South Africa has been found to contain quantities of heavy metals that would be dangerously toxic to other forms of marine life, according to a newly published study. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [New galaxy discovered that's light on dark matter]( In a pair of studies published this week, astronomers have shed new light on dark matter through close observation of a galaxy previously found to have very little of the stuff, while the same team found a new example of a similar oddball galaxy. [Read more]( [ENERGY]( ["World's first working thermal battery" promises cheap, eco-friendly, grid-scalable energy storage]( A South Australia-based startup says it's built a thermal energy storage device with a lifetime of at least 20 years​ that can store six times more energy than lithium-ion batteries per volume, for 60-80 percent of the price. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [The Sun's magnetic field might be 10 times stronger than we thought]( A new study indicates that the Sun's magnetic field is 10 times more powerful than previously thought. By analyzing a solar flare using the Swedish Solar Telescope David Kuridze was able to determine that the magnetic field is an order of magnitude greater than measured by Earthbound instruments. [Read more]( [SPACE]( [EU pursuing a "rocket catcher" to chase down boosters in mid-flight]( ​​Historically, space launches are anything but cheap, but reusable rocket programs like those from SpaceX and Blue Origin promise to significantly reduce costs (if they’re not already). In a similar vein, the EU is looking to develop a "rocket catcher" that snaffles boosters in mid-air for reuse. [Read more]( [BIOLOGY]( [Fossil site is first ever to show deaths from mass extinction asteroid impact]( An international team has found a massive collection of fossils of fish and other animals in North Dakota that were killed by a seismic sea wave and a shower of burning glass beads less than an hour after the asteroid strike 66 million years ago off the shore of what is now Yucatan. [Read more]( [SPORTS]( [Ultimate tailgater RV turns parking lot into party with sports bars, patios and hot tub]( Thor Industries used the RVX show to get serious about its products, but it also had some fun ... a lot of fun. Its custom Heartland Cyclone tailgater trailer pulls up stadium-side, screens games on numerous TVs, keeps the beer flowing with a keg fridge, and provides plenty of space to kick back. [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 © 2019