Weekend Edition: A “superatomic” superconductor, supercritical CO2, and a surprise evaporation discovery

[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 our Weekend Edition. Darren Quick Editor-in-Chief Electronics ["Superatomic" material beats silicon for fastest semiconductor ever]( [Silicon could eventually lose its crown as the favored semiconductor material]( Scientists have found that a “superatomic” material is the fastest and most efficient semiconductor ever. Taking advantage of a tortoise-and-hare mechanism, the new material can transport energy much faster than silicon. [Read more]( Energy [Supercritical CO2 pilot aims to make steam turbines obsolete]( [The 10 MW supercritical carbon dioxide turbine at the heart of the STEP pilot facility in Texas]( Steam turbines still produce most of the world's power, but supercritical CO2 promises to be much cheaper, and 10% more efficient as a medium than water, using 10X smaller turbines. A US$155-million pilot plant is now complete in San Antonio. [Read more]( Science [Water can evaporate with just light, no heat, says surprising study]( [A surprising new study suggests that light alone can evaporate water without heat – and even do so more efficiently]( Contrary to elementary school science class, it turns out that heat may not be necessary to make water evaporate. Scientists at MIT have made the surprising discovery that light alone can evaporate water, and is even more efficient at it than heat. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Common dietary nutrient blasts blood vessel plaques in study]( [Manganese has been shown to sweep away damaging plaques in the blood vessels of mice]( While statin drugs are good at controlling plaques in blood vessels, they can't eliminate them once they are established. But researchers may have just found a way to blast the circulatory system clean using a common nutrient found in many foods. [Read more]( Energy [Extraordinary contra-rotating floating wind turbines to begin testing]( [Contra-rotating vertical turbines could radically improve yield and reduce LCoE for floating offshore wind projects]( A wildly innovative turbine that could halve the cost of offshore wind is set to go into testing in Norway. The 19-m (62-ft), 30-kW, contra-rotating vertical-axis turbine is a prototype of a design that could scale to unprecedented size and power. [Read more]( Outdoors [Fast-converting Vast camping trailer gets sideways with gear hauling]( [More than four years after its debut as a proof of concept, the SylvanSport Vast hits the market]( After putting its 2019 Vast prototype camper through 50K miles of testing, SylvanSport has launched the production version. The new four-sleeper caravan includes side-load watercraft carry, an in/outdoor slide-out kitchen, and a full-height tailgate. [Read more]( Technology [Smart riot gun refuses to fire if aimed at someone's head]( [The FN Herstal Smart ProtectoR-303T riot gun]( To reduce accidental deaths during civil disturbances, firearms manufacturer FN Herstal has developed a gun that not only fires less-than-lethal elastomer projectiles, it has a digital smart sight that can recognize human heads and refuse to fire at them. [Read more]( Science [All variants of COVID-19 virus can infect the brain, study finds]( [A study has found all variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus can travel into the brain and spread from neuron to neuron regardless of how severe the acute disease is]( Striking new findings have demonstrated how all variants of virus that causes COVID-19 can spread into the brain and travel from neuron to neuron. This indicates losing one's sense of smell is not necessarily linked to the virus infiltrating the brain. [Read more]( Architecture [Seoul skyscraper creates open-air "terrarium" around halfway up]( [Terrarium Cheong-Dam will feature an open garden area around halfway up the building]( ODA Architecture has revealed plans for an unusual new skyscraper in Seoul, South Korea. The tower will allow residents to enjoy some greenery and fresh air without needing to venture down to the ground thanks to an outdoor area around its middle. [Read more]( Automotive [Ford Transit Trail becomes all-out adventure camper van – pod by pod]( [VanDoIt turns the Ford Transit Trail into the versatile Moov adventure camper]( The modularity masters at VanDoIt have officially launched the first camper build atop the Ford Transit Trail turnkey adventure van. The new Moov package fills out Ford's off-road-ready factory van with Lego Technic levels of plug-n-play modularity. [Read more]( Motorcycles [Evoke's new GT motorcycle rocks mammoth battery for electric touring]( [Evoke's 6061-GT: an electric motorcycle packing enough battery and fast-charging to end range anxiety]( Electric touring is officially on the menu ... Sort of. Evoke has built its 6061-GT electric motorcycle around the biggest battery pack ever offered in a production bike: a staggering 30-kWh monster offering more than 600 km (370 miles) of range. [Read more]( Transport [Airbus to launch new low-carbon ocean fleet featuring Flettner rotors]( [Artist's concept of the Airbus ship]( Mentioning Airbus doesn't usually bring the image of sea vessels to mind, but the aerospace giant has announced that it plans to replace its charter fleet that carries components across the ocean with greener, more efficient ships starting in 2026. [Read more]( Military [US to build new nuclear gravity bomb]( [The new bomb will have a yield of about 360 kilotons]( The US Department of Defense (DoD) has announced that the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) will build a new high-yield nuclear gravity bomb called the B61-13 once given Congressional approval and funding. [Read more]( Outdoors [Titanium KeySnap combines a carabiner, keychain and blade]( [The KeySnap's blade is revealed when its carabiner and key ring sections are separated]( While a small blade and other simple tools do come in handy at times, why carry around a separate multitool when you're already using a keychain? That's the thinking behind the all-in-one KeySnap carabiner, which is currently on Kickstarter. [Read more]( Architecture [2023's best skyscraper built from the remains of a 1970s office tower]( [The Quay Quarter Tower in Sydney, Australia, has been named the Best Tall Building Worldwide for 2023 by the influential CTBUH]( The CTBUH has named Quay Quarter Tower, by 3XN Architects, the Best Tall Building Worldwide for 2023. The prestigious authority on skyscrapers hailed the project's clever repurposing of an old high-rise into an eye-catching cantilevering tower. [Read more]( Robotics [Fraunhofer's high-speed logistics robots may steal humanoids' thunder]( [evoBOT's circular, rotating grip pads can lift as much as 65 kg – or carry up to 100 kg]( Early humanoid robots probably won't be able to do much that Fraunhofer's self-balancing evoBOT can't do much faster, and its new autonomous, omnidirectional O³dyn pallet jack looks like another slam dunk for logistics and warehousing. [Read more]( Computers [Quantum computer startup first to break 1,000-qubit milestone]( [Atom Computing's first generation quantum computer in August 2021]( Atom Computing has announced the first quantum computer to pass the 1,000-qubit milestone. The prototype, due to become available for use in 2024, leapfrogs IBM’s announcement of its new quantum computer platform expected in the next few weeks. [Read more]( Aircraft [Ballistic multi-parachute system saves eVTOL in low-altitude fall]( [The X2 eVTOL aircraft fires its low-altitude ballistic parachute]( What happens when something goes very wrong in an eVTOL aircraft? China's AeroHT has released video of its innovative low-altitude multi-parachute system turning a catastrophic propulsion system failure into a soft-ish landing from just 50 m (164 ft) up. [Read more]( Aircraft [China's flying supercar company unveils surprising new vehicles]( [AeroHT unveils a new version of its eVTOL flying supercar]( China's AeroHT is making rapid progress with its eVTOL flying cars, and it's now shown two fascinating new concepts – a six-wheel-drive hybrid-electric "aircraft carrier" van, and a new version of the flying supercar, with a fully concealed airframe. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [Time-restricted eating found to be effective for type 2 diabetics]( [A study has found that, compared to calorie-restricted diets, time-restricted eating is more effective at shedding pounds]( A study has found that for type 2 diabetics, intermittent fasting or a time-restricted diet is more effective for weight loss than calorie-controlled eating and has the same positive effect on blood sugar control. [Read more]( Outdoors [Limited-run Opinel folding knife wears gorgeous Nordic birch handle]( [Like every Opinel No. 08, the Sampo Birch edition has a folding blade and twist lock]( Opinel's timeless No. 08 folding knife has gotten even prettier. The Sampo Curly Birch limited edition 08 trades out the normal wood handle for one made from a special Nordic silver birch, adding a splash of depth to the classic best seller. [Read more]( Marine [No more shoulder checks – RowVista gets rowers facing forward]( [The RowVista forward rowing system lets rowers see where they're going]( Rowing is a great form of exercise, not to mention a highly efficient means of traveling across the water, but … you're facing backwards the whole time. The RowVista system changes that, getting rowers facing in the direction they're headed. [Read more]( Home Entertainment [Paris Rhône aims for big-screen 4K on a budget with the SP005 projector]( [The SP005 4K UHD long-throw LED projector rocks Android TV an a built-in sound system]( Last year, household appliance company Paris Rhône launched a successful crowdfunding effort to break into the home cinema market. That UST projector will now cost you shy of two grand, but you can get 4K for significantly less with its latest model. [Read more]( Automotive [Fin-topped solar car soars through winds and wildfires to victory]( [The solar-powered Infinite sailed to victory in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge despite some challenging conditions]( For the second consecutive time, a team from Belgium has landed in first place in the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge, a competition that sees dozens of innovative solar vehicles race across the often punishing continent of Australia. [Read more]( 3D Printing [Full-color 3D scanner accurately models objects of "any size"]( [Matter and Form's Three scanner makes full-color models of (theoretically) any size]( If you can 3D-scan it, you can 3D-print it – and Matter and Form has announced a super-versatile new way to do so. The Three system creates photorealistic, high-detail, full-color 3D scans of objects from coins to cars, and potentially beyond. [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