The most read New Atlas stories of 2017
Here at New Atlas we cover a wide variety of topics, so it's always interesting to arrive at the end of another year and see what most struck a chord with readers over the past 12 months.
A Novel Aluminum–Graphite Dual-Ion Battery
A novel low-cost aluminum–graphite dual-ion battery is reported. The battery shows a reversible capacity of ?100 mAh g?1 and a capacity retention of 88% after 200 charge–discharge cycles.
How to Make an Ionic Liquid
This is an easy-to-make ionic liquid or deep eutectic solvent that I've made. Basically it's Epsom salt (magnesium sulfate heptahydrate) and glycerin/glycerol in a 1:3 molar ratio.
Skin patch puts the burn on body fat
There are already skin patches that help people quit smoking … could patches that help them lose weight be far behind? Well, thanks to research being conducted at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, the things already exist - for mice,
SpaceX BFR construction will start in 4 to 6 months
The SpaceX BFR (Big Falcon Rocket or Big Fucking Rocket) has a planned payload of 150,000 kg (330,000 lb) when flying reusable or 250,000 kg (550,000 lb) when flying expendable, making it a super heavy-lift launch vehicle.
Progress to scalable Molecular Machines
Researchers detail an artificial molecular machine that moves a substrate between different activating sites to achieve different product outcomes from chemical synthesis.
Beyond Crispr -Cas9 Gene editing
Crispr/Cas9 is a riboprotein complex composed of a short strand of RNA and an efficient DNA-cutting enzyme. Crispr/Cas9 sometimes cuts in the wrong places. And it has no off-switch.
Blue Origin reveals first commercial payloads
When Blue Origin's New Shepard made its seventh test flight on December 12, it not only carried the latest version of the company's Crew Capsule 2.0, but also its first dozen commercial payloads under full US FAA license.
Ice Age Earth
Global FREEZE lasting 120 YEARS threatens 'more intense' winters from 2019
Checkmate Humanity
In four hours, a robot taught itself chess, then beat a grandmaster with moves never devised in the game's 1,500-year history and the implications are terrifying
Snowden's New App Turns Your Phone Into a Home Security System
Your digital security, any sufficiently paranoid person will remind you, is only as good as your physical security. The world's most sensitive users of technology, like dissidents, activists, or journalists in repressive regimes, have to fear not jus
Zaha Hadid's sustainable "sand dune" emerges from the desert
We first reported on Zaha Hadid's sand dune-shaped Bee'ah headquarters back in late 2014. The project is now well underway, with significant sections already finished, and some further details have been revealed regarding its sustainability. It's exp
Back to Immortality
Dr. Michael West created a series of five videos which are on Youtube – Back to Immortality.