Weekend Edition: Blood Falls explained, an ammonia engine and eVTOL approvals

[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 Science [Antarctica's mysterious Blood Falls aren't made by minerals after all]( [Blood Falls in Antarctica, where scientists have finally gotten to the bottom of why the water is so red]( A bright red waterfall isn’t something you’d expect to see on the icy landscape of Antarctica, but that’s what’s pouring out from the foot of Taylor Glacier. Scientists now claim to have solved the mystery behind the crimson waters of Blood Falls. [Read more]( Automotive [GAC China says it's building "world first" ammonia engine for cars]( [GAC has presented what it calls the world's first ammonia engine for passenger cars – an alternative clean(er) motoring technology]( Ammonia has been proposed as a clean fuel for ships, airliners, trucks and trains, but China's GAC believes it could also have a future in passenger cars. It's built a combustion engine to test the theory, capable of reducing emissions by around 90%. [Read more]( Aircraft [Weird gimballed-cabin eVTOL "flying car" receives limited FAA approval]( [In flight mode, the cabin turns to face sideways, then stays gimbal-stabilized as the aircraft tilts further and further forward, until its side body panels become airfoils and you end up with a unique eVTOL biplane airframe with panoramic views during efficient cruise flight]( One of the eVTOL world's oddest ducks has announced a milestone of sorts. Alef's Model A is a US$300,000 electric car that's ... kinda street legal, but also capable of a very unique form of flight. The company has announced limited FAA certification. [Read more]( Aircraft [Joby's first production eVTOL air taxi is cleared to fly]( [The first eVTOL aircraft to come off Joby's pilot production line has been cleared to fly]( The first production prototype has rolled off Joby Aviation's production line in Marina, California, and the FAA has cleared it to begin flight tests with a special airworthiness certificate. It's likely to be the first eVTOL delivered to a customer. [Read more]( Photography ["Compact" medium-format camera launched as a pricey travel companion]( [The Phase One XC has been "purpose built for travel photographers who demand the finest in image quality"]( Denmark's Phase One has unveiled its "most compact digitally integrated camera to date." The 150-MP XC can be had with a color or black-and-white digital back, and sports an integrated – rather than interchangeable – lens. And it's very expensive. [Read more]( Technology [Researchers can now 3D-model a room just from your eye reflections]( [Researchers have recreated 3D models of rooms just from eye reflections]( Neural radiance field (NeRF) technology is starting to show some incredible capabilities in turning 2D images and videos into 3D models, but University of Maryland researchers are taking things to another level, using nothing but eye reflections. [Read more]( Robotics [Robotic dog turns up the heat with a flamethrower backpack]( [The robotic half has artificial intelligence]( If you thought that putting a rifle on a robotic dog was daft enough, what about one with an actual flamethrower on its back? Not just a concept, Throwflame is taking preorders for its Thermonator flamethrower-wielding quadruped robot. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [Epson gets down to business with "lights on" Full HD laser projector]( [Epson describes the Pro EX11000 3LCD laser projector as "a perfect multi-use display solution for the evolving workplace"]( As the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be behind us, offices have reopened but staff may find themselves adopting a hybrid working approach. Epson has developed the Pro EX11000 Full HD laser projector to meet the needs of just such people. [Read more]( Mobile Technology [Onyx launches compact pocket PC with eye-friendly color ePaper screen]( [More than an e-reader, the Boox Tab Mini C can serve as a sketch pad, jotter, organizer and tablet PC]( After launching a 10-inch color E Ink tablet back in April, Onyx International has now introduced a baby brother in the shape of the Boox Tab Mini C – a Qualcomm-powered ePaper pocket computer with "performance on par with traditional tablets." [Read more]( Computers [Clever Aussie brain-computer interface leaves your skull intact]( [Synchron's brilliant Stentrode device: a simple, safe, reliable brain-computer interface that doesn't need chunks of skull cut out]( Australian startup Synchron, backed by Bill Gates and Jeff Bezos, looks set to beat Elon Musk's Neuralink to market with a safe, reliable brain-computer interface that any hospital can quickly install – without cutting a hole in your skull. [Read more]( Robotics [Grain-flinging robot goes into granaries so farmers don't have to]( [The Grain Weevil robot flails its way through a bin full of corn grain]( While farmers have to perform a number of difficult tasks, tending to the grain stored inside grain bins (aka granaries) is particularly arduous – not to mention dangerous. That's where the Grain Weevil grain bin management robot is made to come in. [Read more]( Bicycles [Dual-battery, AWD trail monster rides the line between ebike and moped]( [The boundary pushing X-Trail Pro can ride with the front hub only, or rear only, or both together]( Ebike startup Bandit recently opened its first direct-to-consumer bricks-and-mortar store in Santa Monica, California, and is celebrating with the launch of a long-range, dual-motor, full-suspension beast called the X-Trail Pro. [Read more]( Electronics [Computer memory prototype ditches 1s and 0s for denser data storage]( [Cambridge scientists have tested a prototype of a new form of computer memory, made using barium bridges between thin films of a disordered material]( Cambridge scientists have developed a new prototype for computer memory that could make for faster chips that could hold up to 100 times more data. The system is made up of barium bridges between films of a disordered material. [Read more]( Medical [New subtype of depression named, could change diagnosis and treatment]( [Cognitive biotype depression may require a different approach to treatment]( For the first time, through brain scans, assessments and therapies, researchers have identified a subtype of depression that features more pronounced cognitive dysregulation, with common treatment missing the mark on combatting debilitating symptoms. [Read more]( Aircraft [Boom reveals supersonic specs at Paris Air Show]( [Artist's concept of Overture]( At this year's Paris Air Show, Boom Supersonic announced a raft of new supplier agreements that reveal technical specifications for the company's planned Overture supersonic commercial airliner and its custom Symphony engine. [Read more]( Outdoors [Wing-like origami solar panels bring hundreds of watts to home or camp]( [Family camping gets a little help from Mother Nature]( Levante upscales origami-inspired portable solar charging with systems that expand like wings to multiple times their packed size. With hundreds of watts of power, the units are an intriguing solution for RVing, sailing and off-grid homesteading. [Read more]( Drones [Review: Hover Camera X1 is the ideal drone for most people]( [The Hover Camera X1 is presently on Indiegogo]( Most folks aren't big-time aerial cinematographers, so they don't need a $1,000-plus drone – what they do need is something small, inexpensive and easy to use, that still shoots great video. As I discovered, the Hover Camera X1 fits that bill to a T. [Read more]( Bicycles [Inflatable bike helmet packs small, weighs little and takes the hits]( [The Inflabi was unveiled this week at the Eurobike show in Germany]( Bike helmets can be bulky things to carry around, which is why we've seen ones that fold or collapse when not in use. The Inflabi takes yet another approach, however, in that it simply gets deflated and rolled up. [Read more]( Music [Ultimate Ears sets new "gold standard" with 21-driver in-ear monitors]( [Each UE Premier earpiece is home to 21 drivers for the promise of "a signature sound with unparalleled fidelity, control and precision"]( How many speaker drivers do earphones need to deliver great stereo sound? One in each earpiece? Two? Six? The Knowles Corp has partnered with Ultimate Ears Pro for the release of the UE Premier in-ear monitors, which rock 21 drivers per earphone. [Read more]( Energy [Fast, low-cost direct lithium extraction could avert a supply crisis]( [Direct Lithium Extraction promises more lithium, cheaper, faster and using vastly less land than traditional brine evaporation processes. Volt's system is particularly good with low-concentration brine]( Canadian company Volt Lithium has developed and pilot-tested a new low-cost lithium extraction method to pull this critical battery metal out of low-concentration brines. Now it plans to turn old oil fields into lithium production operations. [Read more]( Medical [Wearable noninvasive sensor monitors sweat for signs of inflammation]( [Researchers have created a wearable noninvasive sensor that monitor for a biomarker of inflammation in sweat]( Researchers have developed a wearable, noninvasive sensor that monitors for a biomarker of inflammation in the wearer’s sweat. They say the device could be used at home by people with chronic inflammatory diseases. 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