Weekend Edition: Futuristic flight, DragonFire destruction and strange trees in the world's oldest forest

[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 Aircraft [Video: Wave Engine's UAV test flight brings pulsejet into 21st century]( [Wave Engine Corp's first product - the J-1 engine - has no moving parts, and has launched in style, powering a demonstrator UAV through a successful test flight]( Wave Engine Corp has aced a demonstration flight of a simple jet engine with no moving parts. A modern version of a pulsejet, the J-1 engine powered a UAV through take-off and several mid-air stop/starts before the aircraft nailed the landing. [Read more]( Military [Declassified video shows DragonFire laser weapon in action]( [DragonFire during January]( In a newly declassified video, the $127 million DragonFire high-power laser weapon can be seen spectacularly blasting through mortar rounds and shooting down drones. It's the best look we've had yet of the top-secret battlefield game-changer. [Read more]( Science [Strange trees in world's oldest forest ripped themselves apart to grow]( [An artist's impression of a forest full of Calamophyton trees]( Scientists have uncovered the oldest fossilized forest, dating back 390 million years. The ancient forest was made up of the first trees to ever grow on Earth – bizarre “prototype” trees that had to rip their skeletons apart in order to grow. [Read more]( Medical [Golf, and other men's hobbies, drive a 300% increase in ALS risk]( [Certain hobbies and non-work-related activities have been linked to an increased risk of ALS in men]( Men who golf, garden or woodwork are at higher risk of developing ALS, an incurable progressive nervous system disease, a study has found. The findings add to mounting evidence suggesting a link between ALS and exposure to environmental toxins. [Read more]( Science [Transgenic cows boost human insulin production by 10X]( [Cash cows: Transgenic cattle could boost insulin production and lower its cost]( A genetically modified cow has produced milk containing human insulin, according to a new study. The proof-of-concept achievement could be scaled up to produce enough insulin for all diabetics requiring the life-maintaining drug. [Read more]( Robotics [Video: Shape-shifting ANYmal is starting to climb with cat-like grace]( [ETH Zurich's ANYmal: a shape-shifting biped/quadruped robot running advanced AI]( ANYmal is a truly remarkable robot, capable of standing and lifting things like a humanoid, or slinking around on all fours like a quadruped, with or without wheels. But what's really surprised us now is the eerie grace it's starting to move with. [Read more]( Robotics [Video: GPT-enhanced humanoid speaks and reasons as it works]( [Thanks to a collaboration between Figure and OpenAI, the Figure 01 humanoid robot can now converse with people in real-time, and act on requests to do stuff]( Figure has demonstrated the first fruit of its collaboration with OpenAI to enhance the capabilities of humanoid robots. In a video released today, the Figure 01 bot is seen conversing in real-time. [Read more]( Science [The case for four-color traffic signals]( [An additional white traffic light could improve both vehicle and pedestrian traffic]( If you're comfortable with the present green, amber, and red traffic lights, be prepared to get uncomfortable. New research suggests that adding a white light will speed up traffic and improve safety for both cars and pedestrians. [Read more]( Energy [World's largest tidal barrage energy project proposed in the UK]( [The Mersey Tidal Power project is expected to host 28 turbines at a total capacity of 700 MW, with the development team pushing for operation by 2040]( A plan to build a barrier across the Mersey is starting to take shape. If it goes ahead, the ambitious project would becomes the largest tidal range facility in the world, while also offering pedestrians and cyclists safe passage across the river. [Read more]( Architecture [Armadillo-like stadium hits a home run in Las Vegas]( [The Athletics Ballpark will be fronted by the world's largest cable net glass wall]( Over the years, we've seen architects create stadiums that take all sorts of unlikely forms. This upcoming ballpark by BIG might top them all, however, with its unusual curving metallic exterior likened by the firm to a "spherical armadillo." [Read more]( Energy [Giant 'sand battery' holds a week's heat for a whole town]( [Polar Night Energy is building a new "sand battery"]( A new industrial-scale “sand battery” has been announced for Finland, packing 1 MW of power and a capacity of up to 100 MWh of thermal energy for use during those cold polar winters. The new battery will be 10 times bigger than a prior pilot plant. [Read more]( Robotics [Video: Long, lanky humanoid robots get to work at Amazon facility]( [Digit is currently being trialed as a way to relieve workers of difficult repetitive tasks, not relieve them of their jobs, says Amazon]( Tall, capable, and vaguely insectoid looking, a series of Digit robots are now moving around empty bins at an Amazon research and development facility. The trial run is the first step towards using the bots to automate repetitive warehouse processes. [Read more]( Military [Video: Hypersonic rotating detonation engine in sustained test burn]( [The rotating detonation engine in a sustained burn test]( A revolutionary alternative to conventional rockets that uses controlled explosions has completed its first long-duration engine test as part of Venus Aerospace's partnership with DARPA to develop a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine. [Read more]( Outdoors [Tiny stackable multitool aims to be your EDC jack of all trades]( [Fetos Studio JOAT: small enough to fit on a keychain but powerful enough to take care of a variety of everyday tasks]( We've all seen the multitool with a cache of folding tools inside a single body. We've also seen the one-piece multitool with many functions loaded onto a flat pry bar. Fetos Studio combines those two in what it pitches as the "ultimate" EDC partner. [Read more]( Tiny Houses [Video: Central porch splits plus-sized tiny house in two]( [The Pisgah Park Model is a huge towable home, with a considerable length of 45 ft (13.7 m)]( The Pisgah Park Model is arranged so that its living and sleeping areas are situated either side of a central porch, offering a sense of separation between the two and allowing its owners to embrace an indoor-outdoor lifestyle. [Read more]( Biology [Video: 3D images of over 13,000 museum specimens now free to everyone]( [The openVertebrate (oVert) project allows free access to images of over 13,000 vertebrates]( The openVertebrate project is a significant milestone for natural history museums, researchers, educators, students, and the public, creating the first digital library to offer free access to stunning 3D images of over 13,000 vertebrates. [Read more]( Science ["Cheerios effect" unlocks high-efficiency water harvesting]( [Adding lubricant to a surface improved water condensation rates]( When you pour milk into breakfast cereal, the floating cereal tends to clump together. In fluid mechanics, that phenomenon is known as the ‘Cheerios effect,’ and it’s inspired the development of a unique but more efficient water-harvesting system. [Read more]( Outdoors [Bowlus' rugged, tech-loaded Rivet camper reinvents "entry level"]( [Bowlus presents its new entry-level Rivet, which comes loaded with more off-grid tech and features than you might expect]( Known for some of the shiniest luxury trailers available, Bowlus has been slowly moving downmarket. It continues with the 2025 Rivet, an entry model that still packs off-road upgrades, an off-grid lithium battery and available remote-control parking. [Read more]( Bicycles [700c adventure bike folds flat in 60 secs, journeys on via RV or boat]( [Pull the front wheel off and the Change Adventure folds down to a 37 x 14 x 30-in package ready to grab and go]( Optimized for the space-strapped needs of RVers and boaters, the new Flatbike Change Adventure folding bike is built to be an untethered force in 2-wheeled escape. Throw it in an RV, 4x4, packraft or train and start an epic multi-vehicle expedition. [Read more]( Architecture [Futuristic golf temple is the latest Saudi tourism extravagance]( [Gidori's centerpiece will be named the Monolith and will include 190 luxury apartments]( Saudi Arabia continues to transform its desert landscape into a tourist paradise with Gidori. The project will be centered around a futuristic-looking complex named the Monolith and will be focused on golf and other outdoor activities. 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