Weekend Edition: A train speed record, “zombie” COVID particles, and a mystery drone

[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 Transport [China claims new speed record with vacuum-tube maglev train]( [China claims its T-Flight vacuum-tube maglev train has set a world speed record in prototype testing. It's eventually targeting at least 1,000 km/h, significantly quicker than an airliner]( China's biggest missile manufacturer is working on a hyperloop. CASIC claims it's clocked the fastest speed ever for a superconducting maglev vehicle – over 623 km/h – during tests in a low-vacuum tube just 2 km long. [Read more]( Science [“Zombie” COVID particles may be responsible for lethal disease]( [Research reveals SARS-CoV-2, unlike other common-cold-causing coronaviruses, can break down into tiny particles that overstimulate the immune system causing severe or persistent disease]( A new study may explain the variable severity of SARS-CoV-2 from person to person. Using AI-driven machine-learning researchers discovered the virus is broken down into fragments, and this debris resembles peptides that overstimulate the immune system. [Read more]( Military [BAE Systems shows off mystery drone at defense show]( [BAE System's mystery drone]( In a teaser of things to come, BAE Systems has displayed a model of its future drone at the World Defense Show in Riyadh. Steeped in more mystery than a Raymond Chandler novel, it gives us a hint of what future military drones might look like. [Read more]( Aircraft [Lignin breakthrough unlocks cost-competitive, carbon-neutral jet fuel]( [A breakthrough moment for sustainable aviation fuel]( A simple, cheap pretreatment promises to radically cut the price of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) made from waste wood biomass – potentially making it cost-competitive with fossil-based jet fuel, while cutting down emissions by up to 80%. [Read more]( Materials [Sustainable process turns sewage sludge into high-value activated carbon]( [Researchers have developed a simple, sustainable way of converting sewage sludge to activated carbon]( Researchers have developed a simplified, sustainable method of converting sewage sludge from wastewater treatment into high-value activated carbon that can be used in a wide range of industrial and residential applications. [Read more]( Materials [Researchers create green steel from toxic red mud in 10 minutes]( [Researchers have turned the red mud waste from aluminum production into green steel]( Researchers have devised an economical way of reducing the environmental impact of both the steel and aluminum industries by using hydrogen to melt down the toxic red mud left over from aluminum production to produce green steel in around 10 minutes. [Read more]( Automotive [Two-story Redtail Skyloft camper lives its best van life ... for $530K]( [Redtail looks to attract well-heeled, adventurous buyers with a new tier of camper van]( Redtail Overland made a name for itself with a hard-walled pop-up rooftop tent ... with $20K+ price tag. Realizing the pricing math didn't work for an RTT, it has now integrated the hard-walled Skyloft into a luxurious $530K glamper van. [Read more]( Biology [Completely new type of "biological entity" discovered in our bodies]( [Stanford scientists have discovered a completely new type of microbe in the human microbiome, which they call Obelisks]( Our bodies are home to trillions of microbes, including bacteria, viruses, fungi, and a whole host of others. Now, Stanford scientists have discovered an entirely new class of biological entities inside us, which they’ve ominously named “Obelisks.” [Read more]( Medical [Non-opioid proves effective for acute surgical & non-surgical pain]( [Clinical trials of a non-opioid analgesic found it was effective at treating surgical and non-surgical acute pain]( A series of Phase 3 clinical trials into a novel oral, non-opioid painkiller has found that it’s effective in treating acute pain in both surgical and non-surgical settings. The drug's manufacturers plan to seek FDA approval in mid-2024. [Read more]( Environment [Sugar cane waste converted into concrete-beating Sugarcrete]( [A modular reusable floor slab made of Sugarcrete, designed in partnership with Britain's Grimshaw Architects]( After sugarcane crops have been harvested, a great deal of waste known as bagasse is left over. That substance has been incorporated into an eco-friendly building material called Sugarcrete, which recently won an international Climate Positive Award. [Read more]( Around The Home [Compressor-free BLSTRsander is a sandblaster for everyday use]( [The BLSTRsander is presently on Kickstarter]( Sandblasters are great for removing paint and rust from surfaces but they're generally not considered home-use tools, since they must be used with an air compressor. The BLSTRsander is different, in that it's self-contained and compressor-free. [Read more]( Outdoors [Sub-$3K micro-camping pod works as both truck and trailer camper]( [Drop it on a basic utility trailer, and the Tusca HitchHiker becomes a simple squaredrop camper]( With its perfectly named HitchHiker Camper, Tusca Outdoors presents what might just be the world's lightest fully enclosed hardshell camper. The chassis-less camping pod can ride in either a pickup bed or utility trailer and weighs under 200 lb. [Read more]( Robotics [Shock video shows Atlas robot training for automotive work]( [Atlas is by far the most advanced humanoid robot ever built, capable of explosive athleticism and remarkable agility]( It's a shock video because Atlas is unboxing and racking shocks – sorry about that. But it's also a shock because Atlas has always been a humanoid robotics research platform, not a commercial product – and this new video has us wondering. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Contemporary tiny house maximizes interior space with "upside-down" layout]( [The Ellèbore tiny house has a length of 6 m (20 ft) and is based on a double-axle trailer]( Baluchon likes to experiment with different layouts in an attempt to squeeze as much living space as possible out of its tiny houses. Its latest model is arranged so that the living room is placed upstairs and the bedroom is downstairs. [Read more]( Automotive [First 2,000 Aptera solar EV Launch Edition production slots claimed]( [Early adopters have eaten up 2,000 production slots for Aptera's Launch Edition solar EV, raising more than $33 million in the process]( A futuristic-looking electric vehicle that was launched way back in 2007 is finally on the road to production. Following a year-long crowdfunding effort, the first 2,000 Aptera Launch Edition solar EV production slots have now been taken. [Read more]( Biology [Synthetic microbes gang up to safely smash weeds and fuel wheat growth]( [A healthy way to control problematic weeds could be a game-changer for wheat crops]( Herbicides were once touted as ‘miracle’ chemicals, but their days may be numbered as researchers work on targeted SynComs, microbial sharp-shooters that can take out weed infestations, enrich soil and, importantly, are safe for us and the environment. [Read more]( Science [First 3D-printed functional human brain tissue grows like the real thing]( [Researchers have 3D printed brain tissue that grows and functions like regular brain tissue]( Researchers have used a novel technique to 3D print brain tissue whose cells developed into functional neurons that communicated with each other in a matter of weeks. The approach could be used to study the healthy and unhealthy brain or test drugs. [Read more]( Pets [1,000 American dogs required for life extension drug trial]( [An 11-year-old Whippet called Boo is the first to be enrolled in a study to test a life-extending drug for dogs]( An 11-year-old Whippet called Boo is the first dog enrolled in a study to trial a drug designed to extend the healthy lifespan of senior dogs of almost all sizes. The researchers are looking for pawticipants across the US to enroll in the study. [Read more]( Drones [Auto-follow chopsticks grab flying UAVs from the back of a vehicle]( [The Black Recon system launches and recovers drones autonomously from the back of military vehicles]( Mesmerizing video shows Teledyne FLIR's new autonomous drone-catching cradle matching the movements of a model helicopter and grabbing it the instant it's within reach. It'll allow soldiers to launch and recover drones from inside their vehicles. [Read more]( Automotive [Winnebago reenergizes Revel camper van for weeklong off-grid adventure]( [Winnebago adds some new, improved touches to the revamped Revel camper van]( The Winnebago Revel camper van has been steadily evolving since its 2017 debut, and now Winnebago doubles down on its off-grid capability. The company multiplies the new van's battery and fresh water capacity for up to 7 days of off-grid autonomy. [Read more]( Collectibles ["Bookfind of the century" sells for $2.23 million]( [Purchased cheaply at auction as a second edition with extensive Latin "marginalia" by an unknown hand, this copy of "De humani corporis fabrica" was found to have been Andreas Vesalius' personal copy, and the thousands of autograph notes were his revisions for a third edition that never saw publication, offering rare insight into the mind of one of history's most important scientists and teachers.]( In 2007 a Canadian doctor paid $14,250 for a well-used second edition of "De humani corporis fabrica" (1555) covered in latin annotations by an unknown hand. The handwriting turned out to be that of the man who wrote the book - Andreas Vesalius - one of history's most important scientists and teachers. [Read more]( Architecture [Extraordinary cantilevering One Za'abeel is an engineering triumph]( [One Za'abeel consists of two skyscrapers which rise to a height of 235 m (770 ft) and 305 m (1,000 ft), respectively]( Dubai is full of eye-catching skyscrapers but One Za'abeel, by Nikken Sekkei, is sure to stand out even there. The project takes the form of two adjacent towers which support a horizontal bridge section that forms the world's longest cantilever. [Read more]( Energy [WaveRoller sea-floor generator approaches commercial deployment]( [A 350-kW Waveroller prototype en route to installation off Portugal in 2019]( Wave energy remains one of the least-exploited clean energy options, with huge potential as part of a green energy grid. Finland's AW Energy is preparing to field a contender at scale – the Waveroller – which sits on the sea bed generating up to 1 MW. [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