Weekend Edition: Rocket Lab's plan to search for life on Venus

News that a biomarker pointing to the possible presence of microbial life high in the atmosphere of Venus has stirred renewed interest in our forbidding neighbor, but Rocket Lab has had its eye on that prize for sometime. This week New Atlas spoke with CEO Peter Beck about the company’s plans to explore the planet in 2023. Enjoy that interview, plus our regular round up of top stories in the Weekend Edition. [Space]( [Rocket Lab's CEO on visiting Venus in 2023 to search for life]( [A global view of Venus, which has garnered more attention after phosphine gas was discovered in its atmosphere]( Rocket Lab has plans for a private mission to Venus in 2023. New Atlas spoke with the company’s CEO Peter Beck about the road ahead, his long-time fascination with our nearest planetary neighbor and the machinery that he plans to use to explore [Read more]( [Marine]( [Oceanbird's huge 80-meter sails reduce cargo shipping emissions by 90%]( [The Oceanbird's giant wing sails can retract to a quarter of their length for overhead clearance or safety in storms]( This concept ship, due to sail in 2024, can carry 7,000 cars across the Atlantic in 12 days. It's some 50% slower on average than a comparable diesel ship, but burns next to no fuel thanks to its five colossal wing sails, saving money and emissions. [Read more]( [Space]( [Possible signs of life detected in Venus' atmosphere]( [A potential biosignature for life has been detected in the atmosphere of Venus]( While Mars may be the most likely place we might find life beyond Earth, it's not alone. High in the atmosphere of Venus, astronomers have made the startling discovery of a gas called phosphine – a strong contender for a sign of microbial life. [Read more]( [Photography]( [Nature has appointed a spokesturtle: The Comedy Wildlife Photo Awards]( [Nature has appointed a spokesturtle]( Lighting, composition, exposure, technique ... None of it matters if your photo can't tell a story and convey emotion – and the finalists from the 2020 Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards each tell a thousand words, and hopefully give you a grin! [Read more]( [Virtual Reality]( [Facebook's Oculus Quest 2 takes wireless VR to the next level]( [Lighter, faster, more powerful and a lot cheaper; the Oculus Quest 2 is a solid, if evolutionary, upgrade to Facebook's all-in-one wireless VR system]( The original Oculus Quest was a VR game-changer, and the new Quest 2 offers significant upgrades in power, memory, graphics, resolution, framerate and 3D cinematic audio, as well as being smaller and lighter. It's also a heck of a lot cheaper. [Read more]( [Health & Wellbeing]( [New Microbiome Health Index provides a “credit score for your gut”]( [The proposed test will not detect specific disease but instead offer an indication of one's general health status]( Researchers at the Mayo Clinic have developed a test, called the Gut Microbiome Health Index, that can predict a person’s general health status by measuring the levels of 50 gut microbial species. [Read more]( [Games]( [PlayStation 5 price and release date finally announced]( [The Sony PlayStation 5 comes in two models – one with an Ultra HD disc slot, and a digital-only version]( Sony has finally answered the last lingering questions about the PlayStation 5. After playing coy for months, the company has now revealed the next-generation console’s price, release date, plus a few new games and subscription service features. [Read more]( [Photography]( [GoPro unveils 5K, dual-screened, hyper-smooth Hero9 Black]( [The GoPro Hero9 Black sells for US$449.99, or $349.98 if buyers commit to one year of the GoPro subscription service]( When it comes to actioncams, the name that everyone knows is GoPro. The company has just announced its latest model, the Hero9 Black, which is promised to be sharper, smoother and "screenier" than any of its predecessors. [Read more]( [Science]( [Australian stinging tree reveals entirely new family of neurotoxins]( [The needle-like protrusions on the Australian stinging tree inject a novel neurotoxin that can cause long-lasting excruciating pain]( Australian researchers have solved the mystery behind the sting of one of the most venomous plants on the planet. The newly discovered neurotoxin explains how Australian stinging trees cause pain that can last for extraordinarily long periods. [Read more]( [Automotive]( [Retrolicious Nissan Z Proto tiptoes through the past toward the future]( [Nissan looks to combine elements of past, present and future in the next Z]( The bright-eyed yellow canary sitting before you is the all-new Nissan Z Proto, an early look at what Nissan's cooking up with the 7th-gen Z. Nissan has moved in a retro direction with the Z design, folding in inspiration from past Z models. [Read more]( [HitchFire swing-away truck grill invites adventurers to grill anywhere]( [HitchFire wagers that surfers, bikers, skiers and other outdoor enthusiasts might love the idea of fast, accessible after-activity grilling]( From the team behind Tepui tents comes HitchFire and its new Forge 15 grill. A burlier breed of hitch-mounted grill, the Forge 15 rides behind the bumper, ready to fire up for everything from a couple burgers at the trailhead to a full tailgate. [Read more]( [Mobile Technology]( [Apple launches new Apple Watches, iPads, and an Apple One bundle]( [The Apple Watch Series 6 brings with it some new colors but a similar design]( We would ordinarily have seen a new iPhone by this point in September, but Apple is behind schedule this year. It has, however, used a special online event dubbed Time Flies to launch new Apple Watches, iPads, and subscription services. [Read more]( [Computers]( [Microsoft retrieves its experimental underwater data center]( [Microsoft has hauled up its experimental underwater data center]( Data centers require heavy-duty cooling and maintenance. Microsoft has now finished a two-year test of an unconventional solution – dropping a data center to the bottom of the sea – and found that it was more reliable than land-based facilities. [Read more]( [Medical]( [Secrets of maturing hair cells point to new treatments for hearing loss]( [Scientists have made a discovery could one day lead to regenerative treatments for hearing loss]( Scientists investigating regenerative treatments for hearing loss have made an important advance, demonstrating how a single protein can determine whether embryonic hair cells mature into adult hair cells, or follow a different path entirely. [Read more]( [Photography]( [Sony unveils the world's smallest and lightest full-frame camera]( [Sony's Alpha 7C is the smallest and lightest full-frame camera (with interchangeable lenses and in-body image stabilization) ever built]( Panasonic stunned us with how tiny it managed to make its full-frame 5S mirrorless video/stills camera, and now Sony has unveiled a proper full-frame rig some 30 percent lighter again. The alpha 7C puts pro-grade imaging in the most portable package ever. [Read more]( [Wearables]( [Bose crams its excellent noise canceling tech into wireless earphones]( [Industry leading noise cancellation from Bose has been squeezed into a pair of true wireless earphones]( For years, the noise cancellation prowess of the QuietComfort range of headphones from Bose has been at the top of the game. Now the audio gear maker has managed to miniaturize the tech and squeeze it inside a new pair of true wireless earphones. [Read more]( [Military]( [Loyal Wingman combat drone powers up engine for the first time]( [Loyal Wingman tethered down for its first engine test]( The age of the unmanned combat jet is a step closer after Boeing Australia announced that its Loyal Wingman aircraft has fired up its commercial turbofan engine for the first time in anticipation of its first test flight. [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 © 2020