[New Atlas logo]( Welcome to our weekly wrap of the best stories to grace the pages of New Atlas over the last seven days. Sit back, relax and enjoy the Weekend Edition. Darren Quick
Editor-in-Chief Biology [Sorry, but the T. rex doesn't look anything like you think it does]( [Artist interpretation of a juvenile Edmontosaurus disappearing into the lipped mouth of a Tyrannosaurus]( With a revelation that threatens to ruin some childhood toys or a Jurassic Park rewatch, paleontologists have given one of the most famous dinosaurs a facelift, proposing that the ferocious Tyrannosaurus sported a set of scaly, lizard-like lips. [Read more]( Technology [The case for how and why AI might kill us all]( [Our current methods of training and aligning intelligent AIs do not scale well into the future]( Forget the collapse of employment, forget the spam and misinformation, forget human obsolescence and the upending of society. Some believe AI is flat-out going to wipe out all of biological life at its earliest opportunity. Here's how and why. [Read more]( Automotive ["Inside-out Wankel" rotary engine delivers 5X the power of a diesel]( [LiquidPiston's XTS-210 is an ultra-portable, multi-fuel capable rotary engine delivering as much power as diesel piston engines five times its size and weight]( LiquidPiston says its new XTS-210 solves the efficiency, lubrication and fuel type issues of Wankel rotary engines. This supercharged, liquid-cooled two-stroke claims 5X the power of an equivalent size or weight diesel engine, and 3X the torque. [Read more]( Science [An ancient ocean floor has landed next to the Earth's core, says study]( [A computer illustration showing a cutaway of the Earth revealing its red-hot core]( Everyone is familiar with sunken treasure on the ocean floor. Now, researchers may have found an ancient ocean floor that is itself a type of geological buried treasure. What's more, it has mountains that are five times taller than Everest. [Read more]( Space [Earth hit by brightest gamma-ray burst on record in 1-in-10,000-year event]( [GRB 221009A may have been produced by the collpase of a black hole]( NASA has confirmed that our solar system was struck by a gamma-ray burst originating 1,900 light years away that was brighter than any since the beginning of human civilization in a "1 in 10,000 year" event that blinded space satellite sensors. [Read more]( Medical [First-of-its-kind mRNA treatment could wipe out a peanut allergy]( [A novel mRNA treatment may equip the body with the tools to reverse a peanut allergy]( While three million Americans suffer from a nut allergy, there's little in the way of medical intervention. But in a world first, researchers have taken a cue from the pandemic vaccines and used mRNA technology to help the immune system fight back. [Read more]( Wearables [More evidence that smartwatches can detect and predict heart issues]( [ECG-equipped smartwatches are proving very useful in diagnosing and predicting a range of heart conditions]( A good smartwatch might be your best friend if you're at risk of various heart conditions. Many not only track heart rate, but can also take electrocardiogram (ECG) readings, and evidence is building that they can spot or predict a range of issues. [Read more]( Military [AeroVironment introduces latest Switchblade 300 suicide drone]( [The Switchblade 300 Block 20 can be operated by a single soldier]( AeroVironment has rolled out its latest variant of its Switchblade 300 loitering missile system, more commonly known as a suicide drone. Building on the previous Block 10C, the Switchblade 300 Block 20 boasts greater endurance and ease of operation. [Read more]( 3D Printing [Shell Wall tech claimed to reduce weight of concrete walls by over 70%]( [A freestanding Shell Wall element at the University of Michigan Campus]( 3D concrete printing (3DCP) technology is already known to offer a more efficient approach to constructing buildings. A new type of 3DCP is said to be better, resulting in walls that are a claimed 72% lighter than their conventional counterparts. [Read more]( Robotics [Tiny hybrid robot can identify, capture a single cell]( [Researchers have created a micro-robot propelled by electricity and magnetic fields that can identify and capture a single human cell]( Researchers have created a micro-robot the size of a single biological cell that navigates using both electricity and magnetic fields and can identify and capture a single cell, opening the door to a vast array of applications. [Read more]( Technology [GPT-4 becomes 30% more accurate when asked to critique itself]( [GPT-4 can significantly improve its performance by designing and executing tests to critique its own performance, as shown here with its results on the AlfWorld test]( Even if the unlikely six-month moratorium on AI development goes ahead, it seems GPT-4 has the capability for huge leaps forward if it just takes a good hard look at itself. Researchers have had GPT critique its own work for a 30% performance boost. [Read more]( Technology [The beautiful, hilarious surrealism of early text-to-video AIs]( [Will Smith eating spaghetti in a video generated by Modelscope, with a faint logo from Shutterstock revealing its source]( A new creative AI system called ModelScope is now pumping out short videos in response to text prompts. The early results are wonderfully bizarre and thoroughly memeworthy â but it's immediately clear how immensely powerful these tools will become. [Read more]( Wearables [Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph "controls the forces of gravity"]( [The Monovortex is a one-off concept watch]( At Watches & Wonders Geneva 2023, Swiss watch manufacturer Roger Dubuis has unveiled its concept wrist timepiece called the Monovortex Split-Seconds Chronograph that introduces three new complications to the world of haute horlogerie. [Read more]( Automotive [Review: 2023 Lexus RX 350h brings a fifth generation of hybrid luxury]( [2023 Lexus RX 350h]( Lexus completely redesigned the RX hybrid for 2023, marking the fifth generation for the luxury utility. Changes include a new powertrain, lots of convenience and driver assistance technologies, and (finally) new infotainment. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Forest micro-cabin explores simplicity and sustainability]( [The Magnolia Eco-Cabin is situated in a forest in Nederland, Colorado]( Michael Quirk designed this micro-cabin to demonstrate the efficacy of sustainable building practices. Named the Magnolia Eco-Cabin, it was built with locally sourced and recycled materials, and runs off-the-grid with solar power. [Read more]( Medical [New drug offers âtwo-for-oneâ treatment of heart failure, sleep apnea]( [A new drug tempers nervous activity from the brain, alleviating both heart failure and associated sleep apnea]( Heart failure is commonly complicated by sleep apnea, a co-morbidity that further reduces a personâs lifespan. A promising new drug could treat heart failure and sleep apnea by targeting the nervous activity that drives both. [Read more]( Science [Listen in as stressed plants pop off about their discomfort]( [Cactus in a pot with microphones next to it]( If a plant is stressed but no one hears it, does it still make a sound? Researchers say yes, it certainly does, although it emits a popping noise in a range too high for us â but not for other animals â to hear. [Read more]( Medical [New weight-loss finding could reduce appetite without surgery]( [Being able to control appetite stimuli in the gut may offer a successful alternative to weight-loss surgery]( While weight-loss surgery is effective, it can also be expensive and come with a host of unpleasant side effects. Scientists hope that by regulating a certain bile acid, the benefits of surgery can be replicated without a single invasive procedure. [Read more]( Sports [Boxing Buddy training aid lets punching bags fight back]( [The Boxing Buddy is presently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign]( While punching bags do help boxers hone their craft, the things don't replicate one key aspect of real boxing â they don't punch back. The Boxing Buddy, which is currently on Indiegogo, is designed to address that shortcoming. [Read more]( Military [Lockheed Martin ARRW knocked out of US hypersonic missile race]( [Artist's concept of the ARRW missile]( The options for a practical hypersonic missile for the US have narrowed to one after Assistant Secretary of the Air Force Andrew P. Hunter revealed that the Department of Defense is cancelling Lockheed Martin's ARRW (AGM-183A) program. [Read more]( You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at [newatlas.com]( (or [gizmag.com]( before August 2016).
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