Weekend Edition: Sharp knives, classic rides, and the best photography of 2021

We're celebrating some of the world's finest photography this weekend with a look at the stunning winners from three prestigious annual awards. Elsewhere, Nick Lavars discovers a wooden steak knife that's sharper than steel, Paul Ridden finds out what happens when a Telecaster meets a Stradivarius, and Ben Coxworth checks out a beautiful velomobile with some very classic lines. Enjoy the New Atlas Weekend Edition! Noel McKeegan Editor-in-Chief Photography [The best of the Pano Awards – the world’s most spectacular photo contest]( [Highlight - Open, Built Environment. Winter Moonrise Over Los Angeles.]( Arguably the world’s most spectacular photography competition, the Pano Awards continues to deliver awe-inspiring images celebrating the art of panoramic photography, from fairy-tale sunrises to surreal cities poking through the clouds. [Read more]( Aircraft [Jetson One personal eVTOL looks like a ton of fun to fly]( [The Jetson One flies along at highway speeds, with LiDAR-enabled obstacle avoidance]( If anyone can think of a more perfect name for a personal eVTOL, we're listening! Sweden's Jetson Aero has already sold out the 2022 production run of this cute little single-seat kit build, which is capable of zooming along at 63 mph. [Read more]( Materials [Steak knife made from hardened wood is 3 times sharper than steel]( [A steak knife made from a new form of hard wood was able to slice through meat with ease]( Scientists have come up with a new hardened form of wood that can be fashioned into sturdy nails or knives that are almost three times sharper than a standard dinner table knife ... and they're dishwasher safe, too. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Clariti helps get your work life organized without lifting a finger]( Overwhelmed by your inbox? Get Clariti, the web app that organizes teamwork, automatically. No silos, no problems: Clariti categorizes emails, team calls and chats and events by topic and files them into TopicFolders (much like desktop folders). [Read more]( Photography [Highlights from the 2021 Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards]( [Winner - Behavior, Mammals. Head to Head. Svalbard reindeer. Nikon D5 + 180–400mm f4 lens at 400mm 1/640 sec at f4 ISO 3200.]( For over half a century the Wildlife Photographer of the Year has spectacularly celebrated the natural world. This year’s crop of winners is no exception, from Svalbard reindeer going head to head to a frightening cluster of wandering spiders. [Read more]( Photography [The best of the 2021 Close-up Photographer of the Year Awards]( [2nd Place - Animals. Fight. Sony RX10M4, ISO 400, 1\6400sec at f/6.3, ISO 160, 20sec at f/6.3.]( Now in its third year, the Close-Up Photographer of the Year competition has quickly become an impressive showcase for macro photography. Highlights in 2021 include surreal shots of fungi and a rare glimpse at fighting toad-headed agama lizards. [Read more]( Medical [Wounded cancer cells supercharge immune system to destroy tumors]( [Scientists have discovered a new way to enhance the ability of T cells to fight tumors]( MIT scientists have developed a new technique to jump-start the body's immune system with the help of injured cancerous cells, with the approach shown to be capable of completely eliminating tumors in mouse models of the disease. [Read more]( Urban Transport [Finnish-built Kinner velomobile is like a human-powered classic car]( [The Kinner velomobile should sell for €15,000 (about $17,448)]( We've told you about quite a few velomobiles over the years, some more polished and professional-looking than others. The two-seater four-wheeled Kinner is certainly one of the most exquisite we've seen so far. [Read more]( Computers [Apple does the unthinkable with new MacBook Pro 14 and 16]( [The new MacBook Pro comes in 14- and 16-inch versions]( Apple has unveiled its new 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros, taking some huge steps forward as well as some very welcome steps back. It seems this US$2 trillion behemoth has done the last thing anyone expected – and actually listened to its customers. [Read more]( Music [Fender launches beautiful Telecaster inspired by 300-year-old Stradivarius]( ["When I started designing the Violinmaster, I had to include as many violin elements in the guitar as possible," said Fender Custom Shop Principal Master Builder, Yuriy Shishkov]( For his latest limited-edition build, the Violinmaster Telecaster Relic, Fender Custom Shop's Principal Master Builder Yuriy Shishkov has been inspired by the 1713 "Gibson-Huberman" Stradivarius owned and played by celebrated violinist Joshua Bell. [Read more]( Energy [Radiant aims to replace diesel generators with small nuclear reactors]( [Radiant's 1-megawatt nuclear micro-reactors are small enough to fit in shipping containers, and thus easily transported]( California company Radiant has secured funding to develop a compact, portable, "low-cost" one-megawatt nuclear micro-reactor that fits in a shipping container, powers about 1,000 homes and uses a helium coolant instead of water. [Read more]( Automotive [Extraordinary RV fuses Land Rover 4x4 toughness with Airstream style]( [The Aerover ready to wow the crowds at the Goodwood Revival show in September]( Duckworth Overland has set out to meld two of the most recognizable products in land travel: the Land Rover Defender and the streamlined aluminum camper. The resulting "Aerover" has go-anywhere 4x4 grit and stylish coachbuilt living accommodations. [Read more]( Architecture [Ambitious supertall tower turns skyscraper design on its head]( [Affirmation Tower will reach a height of 1,663 ft (506 m)]( Sir David Adjaye's firm is planning an ambitious new skyscraper for NYC. Affirmation Tower is slated to become one of the west's tallest buildings and will feature a striking cantilevering design that looks a little like an upside down skyscraper. [Read more]( Bicycles [Stealthy range-extended Bonc bike might tempt even hardened ebike haters]( [Bonc ebike]( A new contender in the race to make the sleekest ebike, Bonc uses a frame-integrated battery to maintain the thin-tubed diamond geometry of a road commuter. An inconspicuous water bottle-style range-extender boosts available assist to 85 miles. [Read more]( Around The Home [Mella aims to bring mushroom-growing tech to users' kitchens]( [The Mella Smart Mushroom Fruiting Chamber is currently on Indiegogo]( Although there's nothing quite like freshly picked mushrooms, growing the things yourself can be quite challenging. That's where the Mella Smart Mushroom Fruiting Chamber comes in, as it's designed to make doing so much easier. [Read more]( Medical [Protein identified as key link between appetite suppression and obesity]( [Scientists have made a significant discovery around the way the body suppresses appetite]( The hormone leptin is central to the way our bodies regulate appetite. A new study has revealed some of the molecular machinery behind its functioning, and shown how the loss of a key protein can drive insatiable appetites and obesity in mice. [Read more]( Automotive [Foxconn launches multi-billion dollar Foxtron electric car company]( [The Foxtron Model E, developed with Pininfarina, signals Foxconn's lofty ambitions in the electric car business]( Yes, that Foxconn, the Taiwanese electronics giant best known for manufacturing iPhones, Nintendos, Playstations, XBOXes, and a lot more. Yesterday it unveiled its first three vehicles, including a Model E luxury sport sedan designed by Pininfarina. [Read more]( Mobile Technology [Google's back in the mix with high-end yet affordable Pixel 6 phones]( [The Pixel 6 and 6 Pro come in white, black, pink, "sorta sunny" and some other region-dependent color schemes]( Google has finally presented its new Pixel 6 and 6 Pro smartphones, powered for the first time by the company's own Tensor chips. And while they're certainly feature-heavy premium-tier flagships, perhaps the most impressive thing is the price. [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 © 2021