Largest ever mass of Sargassum seaweed drifts toward North America

[New Atlas logo]( Environment [Largest ever mass of Sargassum seaweed drifts toward North America]( [When the Sargassum mat washes ashore, it becomes a decaying mass that smells of rotten eggs]( ESA's Sentinel-2 satellite is tracking what may be the largest bloom of Sargassum seaweed ever recorded as it drifts toward the US East Coast, threatening to dump millions of tons of rotting vegetation on thousands of miles of beaches. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Save money without skimping on quality with this MacBook Air, only $195]( When a new MacBook Air can run you north of $1,000, you have to ask yourself if those features are worth cost. Instead, consider buying refurbished. One new-to-you 13” MacBook Air is on sale for under $200; one less device in our landfills. [Read more]( Medical [Protocol predicts Alzheimer's 10 years in advance with 80% accuracy]( [The number of people with dementia is set to almost double every 20 years, according to Alzheimer's Disease International]( In new research, the presence of a blood-based sugar molecule helped predict the onset of Alzheimer's up to a decade before symptoms appeared. The protocol could join others in spotting the condition early and slowing its progression. [Read more]( Science [Natural treatment could make you almost invisible to mosquito bites]( [The cellulose nano crystals could be applied as a transparent spray or gel to act as a "chemical camouflage"]( They're the deadliest animals on Earth, spreading diseases such as malaria, chikungunya and yellow fever and causing more than 350 million illnesses in humans each year. Our latest weapon in the war on mosquitoes could be a cheap, abundant biomaterial. [Read more]( Outdoors [Bubble teardrop is an effervescent camper with Swiss Army-grade galley]( [New Zealand's Bubble Caravans puts its own stamp on the teardrop trailer]( Bubble Caravans has launched a unique teardrop that combines throwback design cues with a bubbly shape and comfy queen interior. Throw in a galley that flips and slides open like a multitool, and you get a one-of-a-kind micro-camper. [Read more]( Environment [Salted crops seen as powerful tool to combat climate crisis]( [Salt has preserved everything from fish to cucumbers over the years, so why not carbon-containing crops as well?]( Could salt, one of the oldest preservatives around, help keep carbon deep underground for thousands of years? Researchers believe it can, and that it might offer a way forward in containing a gas that's a major contributor to climate change. [Read more]( Bicycles [Ferla Lagom cargo ebike is claimed to be the most powerful of its kind]( [The Ferla Lagom is currently being offered at an introductory price of US$3,999]( If you're gonna be hauling kids and cargo around on your ebike, then that bike had better have some oomph. Well, the Ferla Lagom sounds like a good choice, as it lays claim to the title of "the most powerful long-tail electric cargo bike ever built." [Read more]( Biology [Water-absorbing feathers could inspire better bottles and fog harvesters]( [Scientists have taken a microscopic look at the belly feathers of the male desert sandgrouse, the only bird whose feathers can absorb and hold water]( The belly feathers of the male desert sandgrouse can absorb and carry water. Researchers have, for the first time, closely examined the unique structure of these feathers to see how they do it and whether the process might be adapted for human use. [Read more]( Environment [Plant-and-wood-based material is strong, yet dissolves when discarded]( [Some of the items made from the isomalt-cellulose/wood material]( While reusing cutlery is always better than discarding it, most people aren't going to be packing a knife and fork whenever they grab some fast food. Scientists have thus designed a plant-and-wood-based material that dissolves once broken apart. [Read more]( Science [Wearable plant patch monitors for disease, environmental stressors]( [Researchers have developed a wearable plant patch that senses disease and environmental stressors]( We may be one step closer to using technology to ensure productive, disease-free crops, thanks to the development of a multifunctional electronic patch ‘worn’ by plants that monitors for the presence of pathogens and environmental stressors. [Read more]( Music [HyperSwitch allows players to reconfigure guitar pickups using a mobile app]( [The HyperSwitch is compatible with most passive pickups, and allows players to design, store and recall custom pickup configurations using a mobile app]( Tweaking guitar pickup configurations from maker presets can involve breaking out the soldering iron and lots of experimentation. The HyperSwitch uses the power of a smartphone and a Bluetooth connection to simplify the process. [Read more]( Medical [Minimally-invasive surgical tools pop into shape inside the body]( [As MaSoChain instruments are pushed out of a catheter, magnets within their segments cause them to take on predetermined shapes]( One of the challenges of laparoscopic surgery lies in getting surgical instruments into the patient's body via a narrow catheter. Scientists have set about addressing that problem, with magnetic instruments that pop into and out of shape as needed. [Read more]( Medical [Pragmatic approach may be the way forward for clinical trials]( [A new US clinical trial evaluating cancer treatment is adopting a pragmatic model, which lowers many of the barriers that usually come with clinical trials]( That a new cancer trial is about to start in the US is positive but not out of the ordinary, right? Except it is. This trial will be one of the first undertaken in a real-world clinical setting and represents a new model for future clinical trials. [Read more]( Automotive [Volta hatches US launch plan for medium-duty electric trucks]( [Volta Trucks will debut its Class 7 Zero electric medium-duty truck in the US at the ACT Expo in California, ahead of pilot trials in late 2023]( Almost three years after sharing renders for its electric goods hauler, Volta Trucks has announced that it's heading to the US. A Class 7 Volta Zero design-verification prototype is set to roll into California ahead of pilot trials in late 2023. [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