High-speed humanoid feels like a step change in robotics

[New Atlas logo]( Robotics [High-speed humanoid feels like a step change in robotics]( [Lordy, that thing is starting to move quickly – and naturally]( You've seen a ton of videos of humanoid robots – but this one feels different. It's Sanctuary's Phoenix bot, with "the world's best robot hands," working totally autonomously at near-human speeds – much faster than Tesla's or Figure's robots. [Read more]( Special Promotion for New Atlas Readers [Score 1TB of storage and protect your files forever with Koofr]( If you've ever watched in horror as your coffee spilled onto your laptop keyboard, you know the feeling of impending doom. Backing up your computer is like donning a digital seatbelt—not glamorous, but essential for safeguarding your data's life. [Read more]( Aircraft [Airfish-8 wing-in-ground effect aircraft slated for service in 2025]( [The Airfish-8: another incarnation of the ground effect vehicle hoping to find commercial success]( Hovering uncannily close to the waves, the Airfish-8 carves its way over water three times quicker than a boat, and 2.3 times more efficiently than an aircraft. Singapore's ST Engineering has announced its first orders, set to enter service in 2025. [Read more]( Energy [Seawater plant will capture 10 tons of CO2 and make 300 kg of H2 per day]( [A rendering of the world's largest ocean-based carbon dioxide removal plant, slated to be built in Singapore]( The world’s largest ocean-based carbon dioxide removal plant is being built in Singapore, and will be capable of capturing 8 million lb of CO2 per year while also producing 231,000 lb of carbon-negative hydrogen. [Read more]( Outdoors [Sub-zero-grade teardrop trailer uses trick axles to get down low]( [The IcePro's manual winch axle system drops its floor down to the ice for drilling and fishing]( A different kind of teardrop-inspired trailer for a different kind of outdoor mission, the new IcePro trailer is a versatile toy hauler and ice hut ready to brave the coldest, iciest conditions North America can hurl its way. [Read more]( Space [Odysseus broke leg on landing thanks to overlooked laser switch]( [Image from Odysseus showing the broken leg and the plume from the throttling engine]( As the Odysseus Moon lander faces its final hours, there's one final twist in the saga: The spacecraft broke one of its legs on landing, thanks to a cascade of mistakes that began back on Earth, when a safety switch wasn't flicked on prior to launch. [Read more]( Science [‘Bad’ cholesterol gene silenced without altering the DNA sequence]( [Epigenetic editing has been used to silence a cholesterol-regulating gene in mice]( By silencing the gene responsible for regulating ‘bad’ cholesterol without altering the primary DNA sequence, researchers have unlocked the potential of epigenetic editing to safely and effectively treat not just this but a wide range of diseases. [Read more]( Aircraft [Sikorsky's new tilt-wing hybrid VTOL aircraft promises 575-mile range]( [Artist's concept of the Sikorsky HEX/VTOL tilt-wing aircraft]( Sikorsky is developing a hybrid-electric vertical takeoff and landing (HEX/VTOL) tilt-wing demonstrator. It's part of a new family of aircraft that'll run the company's new MATRIX autonomy suite, so it'll fly with or without a pilot. [Read more]( Bicycles [One-off Blue Steel hubless-wheel ebike started out as a Schwinn]( [The one-of-a-kind Blue Steel – which we realize is technically not an ebike]( If there had been ebikes in Tron, it's possible that they would have looked something like Blue Steel. The futuristic creation boasts hubless wheels, full suspension and a single-sided front swingarm, although it has the soul of an old Schwinn. [Read more]( Architecture [800,000-sq-ft nature-inspired library seats readers under ginkgo canopy]( [The Beijing City Library takes the form of a forested landscape in the Chinese capital's Tongzhou District]( Described as the world's largest climatized reading space, Beijing City Library forms a forested landscape with terraced hills and a valley. The building is designed to make visitors feel like they're sitting under trees as they read. [Read more]( Robotics [Electric Sheep's jolly AI-powered garden bot edges, trims and blows]( [Electric Sheep will add the AI-powered Verdie landscaping robot to its automated outdoor maintenance solutions from Q2 2024]( Robotic garden helpers have been keeping lawns in trim for decades, but none are as much fun to watch as the Verdie AI-powered outdoor maintenance bot from Electric Sheep as it wheels around edges, blows debris and gets to grips with power tools. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [The numbers are in: Junk food’s toll on physical & mental health]( [Eating junk food has been associated with an increased risk of mental and physical conditions]( Ultra-processed foods like nuggets and pizza have long been in the firing line. But we can't ignore the stats any longer, with new research showing that junk food is served up with a heightened risk of more than 30 different mental and physical issues. [Read more]( Bicycles [5G-connected fat ebike dodges obstacles with AI-driven ADAS]( [Mobile tech company Orbic has launched a 5G-enabled ebike at Mobile World Congress 2024]( The first 5G-enabled ebike has rolled into Mobile World Congress in Barcelona this week, courtesy of Long Island-based mobile device company Orbic. The fat-tire pedal-assist ride also comes with a bunch of cameras and AI crash detection. [Read more]( Health & Wellbeing [COVID brain fog drains 3-6 IQ points for more than a year]( [The study found people with mild cases of COVID still showed cognitive deficits equal to a drop in three IQ points]( Even mild cases of COVID cause significant, measurable cognitive deficits compared to those never infected with the virus, according to one of the largest studies of its type. COVID brain fog is real, and it can sap up to six IQ points for at least a year. [Read more]( Wearables [Wrist-worn patch converts hand movements into messages in real time]( [The prototype patch (white, at left) is adhered to the skin – the black cube at the right is an inertial measurement unit that was used as reference during lab tests]( An experimental new wearable could allow people such as stroke victims to communicate via subtle hand movements. The device takes the form of a relatively thin patch that is temporarily adhered to the skin on the back of the wrist. [Read more]( Materials [Molecular chaos powers potent ice-busting coating]( [Study co-author Gabriel Hernandez Rodriguez shows off his anti-ice coating]( Scraping ice off your car window might get a lot easier in the future thanks to a new spray coating developed by scientists in Austria. That's because of the way the molecules line up – or don't – during its high-tech creation process. 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