Weekend Edition: A wall-building robot, a new form of magnetism, and a giant nut-cracking rat

[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 Robotics [Robotic excavator builds a giant stone wall with no human assistance]( [The HEAP excavator at the construction site – an overlay on the boulders at left illustrates how each one was scanned prior to placement]( Building a wall by stacking randomly shaped boulders could almost be the definition of hard work – both physically and mentally. It's the sort of thing we might want robots to do, so it should come as no surprise that one has in fact just done it. [Read more]( Physics [Scientists discover strange new form of magnetism]( [Scientists have discovered a strange new form of magnetism]( Scientists at ETH Zurich have discovered a new type of magnetism. Experiments show that an artificially produced material becomes magnetic through a mechanism that hasn’t been seen before. [Read more]( Science [Scientists capture first-ever photos of giant coconut-cracking rats]( [An artist's rendition of the recently discovered species Vangunu giant rat (Uromys vika),]( In 2017, scientists discovered a new species of giant rat that can reportedly crack open coconuts. Now, this extremely rare creature has been captured in the wild on camera for the first time. [Read more]( Science [Reducing intake of one amino acid improves longevity & health in mice]( [Reducing mice's intake of amino acid isoleucine produced improvements to longevity and health]( Research found that reducing the intake of a single amino acid by two-thirds improved the lifespan, weight, and health of middle-aged mice without requiring a drop in calorie intake. Limiting isoleucine intake may be a key to healthy aging. [Read more]( Space [NASA tests laser communications across 10 million miles of space]( [The DSOC attached to the Psyche deep-space probe]( NASA's Deep Space Optical Communications (DSOC) unit aboard the Psyche spacecraft has switched on, establishing a super-speed laser data link at a distance of 10 million miles (16 million km), or 40 times the distance from the Earth to the Moon. [Read more]( Medical [Drugs identified that may reverse brain fog caused by COVID-19]( [Researchers have used lab-grown brain organoids, such as the one pictured here, to identify drugs to reverse premature brain aging caused by COVID-19 infection]( Researchers have found that SARS-CoV-19 infection can cause ‘zombie’ cells to accumulate, contributing to the brain fog associated with long COVID, and have identified drugs that can reverse this virus-related premature aging. [Read more]( Medical [Spent coffee grounds may protect brain from neurodegenerative disease]( [Millions of spent coffee grounds end up in landfill each year]( Caffeic acid, derived from coffee grounds, could help shield the brain from developing diseases such as Alzheimer's and Parkinson's. With six million tons of grounds dumped each year, this could be the most valuable 'upcycling' of the by-product yet. [Read more]( Outdoors [Goose Gear's DIY RV kit turns Subaru or RAV4 into slick camper wagon]( [Goose Gear creates a light camper wagon out of assemble-yourself modules]( Goose Gear has long been offering interior camper equipment for popular off-roaders like the Toyota 4Runner. This year, it's slimmed its in-vehicle camping hardware into a weekend-warrior friendly DIY kit that makes micro-campers out of popular CUVs. [Read more]( Bicycles [Versatile Bosch-powered cargo ebike can haul for 150 miles]( [The 46er can haul up to 130 lb on the rear rack, 20 lb on the optional front tray, and can also accommodate 260 lb of rider weight]( The 46er cargo ebike rides with the tag line "agility meets capability" and is presented in a number of nifty setup options, is available in two Bosch Performance configurations, and can be had with dual batteries for up to 150 miles of hauling. [Read more]( Automotive [Think Tesla's Cybertruck is a mess? Meet the Robotruck 1T]( [Aitekx reveals the Robotruck 1T at the 2023 LA Auto Show]( Here's something we didn't expect to see at the 2023 LA Auto Show: a new Cybertruck-like e-pickup that manages to look weirder than the Tesla. It's the Robotruck 1T, and it comes with a 550-mile range and 6-foot expandable pickup box ... er ...prism. [Read more]( Technology [Utter chaos at OpenAI puts GPT in jeopardy – why should you care?]( [Who are the players in the ongoing turmoil at OpenAI]( One of the world's most important companies seems set to implode and lose its entire team, after a bizarre chain of events beginning with the unexplained sacking of CEO Sam Altman. The future of AI – and maybe humanity itself – swings in the balance. [Read more]( Automotive [Cute Japanese electric kei van heading to the US in 2025]( [HW Electro has confirmed that the Puzzle electric minivan will be heading to the US from 2025]( HW Electro has revealed a new light electric concept called the Puzzle, a boxy minivan designed with disaster relief in mind and sporting external power outlets, USB ports, a crowbar and a first aid kit. [Read more]( Automotive [Electrified trailer cuts fuel consumption in semi-trucks by 36.3%]( [A plug 'n' play electrified trailer that reduces fuel consumption on trucks to about the level they can do without a trailer on]( Range Energy makes truck trailers, with a clever connection to any standard tractor cab, loaded with electric powertrains to turn any semi into an efficient hybrid. They also let you push entire trailers around by hand at the depot in "shopping cart mode." [Read more]( Space [Hubble confirms Earth-sized exoplanet only 22 light years away]( [Artist's concept of the nearby exoplanet LTT 1445Ac]( The chances of finding extraterrestrial life have improved slightly after NASA announced that its Hubble Space Telescope has confirmed the size of an Earth-sized exoplanet only 22 light-years from Earth, the nearest that passes in front of its star. [Read more]( Space [Both stages of SpaceX Starship rocket blow up on "successful" test flight]( [Starship lifiting off]( SpaceX's second launch attempt of its giant Starship rocket on Saturday once again ended in destruction, though the company declared the test flight a success, with the Starship second stage reaching the edge of space before contact was lost. [Read more]( Outdoors [Life Cube tent is an inflatable camping micro-cabin for truck and lake]( [Camp on your truck, on the ground or even on the water]( Life Cube's new LC-8 is a tent like no other. It travels to the night's destination in the trunk of the vehicle and inflates into a 6.5-foot-high six-sleeper micro-cabin ... on the ground, atop a pickup truck or floating on the water. [Read more]( Space [Astonishing energy of BOAT gamma rays revealed]( [Gamma rays can be produced from the two steams of jets formed when supermassive stars collapse into themselves at the end of their lives]( Earlier this year, it was reported that Earth was hit by the brightest gamma-ray bursts seen since the dawn of civilization. Now, a team of astronomers has assigned a value to the energy contained in those blasts and it's staggering to say the least. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Not-so-tiny Orca makes a splash with spacious apartment-like layout]( [The Orca Edition Park Model features a spacious interior layout measuring 528 sq ft (50 sq m), all arranged on one floor]( Mint Tiny Homes knows a thing or two about designing extra-large tiny houses, and now the Canadian firm has used this experience to produce a spacious apartment-like living experience on wheels named the Orca Edition Park Model. [Read more]( Outdoors [$2,000 IO carbon fiber rooftop tent is as light and slim as they come]( [Inspired Overland's Ultra-Lightweight Carbon Fiber RTT offers plenty of ventilation when needed]( Inspired Overland (IO) followed up a winning SEMA 2022 by taking home another SEMA award at this month's show. The product that got it there was the all-new Ultra-Lightweight Carbon Fiber Rooftop Tent, one of the lightest, thinnest RTTs available. [Read more]( Medical [Vitamin B12 helps reprogram cells to heal tissue & fight chronic disease]( [Normal pancreatic cells (left) undergo reprogramming (right) when boosted by B12]( Vitamin B12 doesn't get much time in the spotlight, but as well as its role in red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis, scientists have now found that it is key to cellular reprogramming and tissue regeneration, as well as curtailing inflammation. 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