Weekend Edition: Medical marvel, Moon water, and a battery at the bottom of the sea

Medical science passed an extraordinary milestone this week when US surgeons transplanted a genetically-modified pig heart into a terminally-ill 57-year-old man. Elsewhere, China's Chang'E-5 lunar lander detected traces of water in rocks on the Moon's surface, Dutch startup Ocean Grazer unveiled an intriguing renewable energy storage system, and ASUS revealed the world's first 17.3-inch foldable OLED laptop. Enjoy our look back at the best stories of the week, and thanks for reading! Noel McKeegan Editor-in-Chief Medical [World-first pig-to-human heart transplant performed in US]( [The successful procedure took about eight hours]( In a historic procedure surgeons have, for the first time, transplanted a genetically modified pig heart into a living human. The patient is still alive, has not rejected the organ and is being monitored at the University of Maryland Medical Center. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [This lifetime learning bundle ft. Rosetta Stone is now over $1,500 off]( Help your loved one finally tackle the language (or languages) they’ve wanted to master with The Unlimited Lifetime Learning Subscription Bundle ft. Rosetta Stone, now on sale at over $1,500 off. [Read more]( Energy [Ocean Battery stores renewable energy at the bottom of the sea]( [The main components of the Ocean Battery system: the flexible bladder (top left), the concrete reservoirs (bottom left) and the machinery units (yellow, center) containing pumps and turbines]( As useful as renewable energy sources are, they need to be backed up by storage systems. Ocean Battery is a new design for an energy storage system that functions a bit like a hydroelectric dam at the bottom of the sea. [Read more]( Automotive [Beachy 540 camper van rolls out as a nomadic budget beach house]( [The Beachy Van 540 is a versatile, beach-inspired camper van]( Hobby spinoff Beachy launched one of the most stylish caravans of 2021, and it will soon grow the family with the Beachy Van 540, a small camper van that brings the same cool, surf-and-sand vibes everywhere it travels. [Read more]( Laptops [Asus launches first 17-inch foldable OLED laptop]( [The various display mode options of the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED laptop]( Laptops can already be thought of as folding devices, but generally not in the same way as, say, Samsung's Galaxy Fold. There are exceptions of course, but Asus has unveiled something different at CES 2022 in the shape of the Zenbook 17 Fold OLED. [Read more]( Automotive [Mitsubishi shows off electric micro-camper and Delica overlander]( [Mitsubishi plays with tiny, all-electric kei camping in the Minicab-MiEV B-Leisure Style concept]( Van life and pursuit of leisure are shaping up to be major themes at this year's Tokyo Auto Salon. Mitsubishi will roll those themes into the electric kei camper and all-terrain mini-camper van concepts it brings to the show. [Read more]( Outdoors [BiteFighter string lights chase mosquitoes from decks and yards]( [The 12 BiteFighter LEDs are joined by three repellent diffusers]( Tiki Brand shifts gears from the torches nearly synonymous with its name and strings up a full strand of outdoor lights complete with silent, odorless mosquito repellent diffusers. The lights create a warming ambiance while fighting off pests. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Yale team develops clip-on monitor to detect coronavirus exposure]( [The Fresh Air Clip can be used to screen indoor environments and establish whether they are high-risk areas for exposure to SARS-CoV-2]( Engineers from Yale University have developed a wearable device that can help individuals assess whether they have been exposed to SARS-CoV-2. The device clips onto a person’s clothes and capture aerosolized viral particles in the surrounding environment. [Read more]( Medical [How mRNA vaccines could transform skin cancer treatment]( [Preclinical research is pointing to a possible mRNA skin cancer vaccine that could prevent the disease from developing in the first place]( A new study from Oregon State University proposes mRNA-induced production of a specific protein may prevent melanoma, while mRNA pioneer BioNTech is already up to Phase 2 human trials for its unique skin cancer vaccine. [Read more]( Space [China's Chang'E-5 lander finds first onsite evidence of water on the Moon]( [The basalt of the Moon could be a source of water]( Data from China's Chang'E-5 lunar lander analyzed by an international team led by the Chinese Academy of Sciences shows that the robotic spacecraft has, for the first time, detected traces of water in the rocks and regolith on the Moon's surface. [Read more]( Aircraft [Majestic flying catamaran concept reimagines the blimp]( [The Air Yacht by Lazzarini Design would sail the skies on a honeycomb of helium]( Pierpaolo Lazzarini is no stranger to pushing the envelope when it comes to design concepts. His latest effort, the Air Yacht, is designed to travel the sea or the skies in style, buoyed by twin helium-filled airships. [Read more]( Biology [Live fish brain study reveals surprises about where and how memories form]( [A microscope image of a zebrafish brain, with synapses highlighted in green]( Scientists have managed to watch memories form inside the brains of live fish in real time. And the results were intriguing – synapses formed in one part of the brain while disappearing from another, rather than strengthening as previously thought. [Read more]( Aircraft [Gravity Industries Jet Suit takes part in NATO mountain rescue exercise]( [Richard Browning with blood plasma in tow on his way to an "injured soldier"]( Having already carried out flights of its Jet Suit in separate rescue and military demonstrations, UK company Gravity Industries has combined the two as part of a NATO Mountain Warfare Rescue Exercise. [Read more]( Automotive [Hankook rolls out latest i-Flex airless tire on Hyundai concept vehicle]( [Hankook showed the latest iteration of its i-Flex airless tire at CES 2022]( As part of a decade-long effort to make punctures a thing of the past, Hankook has shown the latest version of its airless i-Flex concept tire at CES 2022 where it provided the shoes for Hyundai’s L7 concept vehicle. [Read more]( Electronics [Touchscreen tech swaps rare metal for graphene, with no performance drop]( [Graphene could help reduce our reliance on the rare element indium for touchscreen devices]( Indium is one of the rarest metals on Earth, but it’s a key ingredient in ubiquitous electronic devices. Engineers have demonstrated a way to swap indium for graphene, which is made from common carbon, while retaining the same electronic properties. [Read more]( Space [James Webb Space Telescope completes deployment as mirror opens]( [Artists depiction of the JWST showing the huge 5-layered sunshield]( NASA's US$10 billion James Webb Space Telescope has completed its final deployment without a mishap. Starting today at 8:53 am EST, the starboard wing of the 21-ft gold-plated primary mirror began to swing, locking into position about 4 hours later. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Colorful tiny house serves as pint-sized home for parent and child]( [The Tiny House Planedennig has a total length of 6 m (19.6 ft), which is small even by tiny house standards]( This simple but somewhat colorful-looking tiny house serves as the primary home for its owner and child. Though it sports compact dimensions, it has some notable features, including a bathtub, a netted play area, and a relatively spacious kitchen. [Read more]( Automotive [Here's what you won't be driving in 2030]( [From lounge chair to bed]( Driverless cars are on the way and designers are anticipating the day they'll be unshackled from the constraints of conventional cabin layouts by creating concepts that redefine the car, inside and out. Here's a taste of what's in store. [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