This week the team piloting the Phoenix lander were able to declare that, for the first time, we have found what we know to be water ice beyond the Earth. Humanity also took measures to get closer to the stars: Virgin Galactic unveiled its WhiteKnightTwo spaceship carrier plane, and the "world’s first practical jetpack" had a successful go of it.

Here on Earth, we enjoyed our own technological milestones. You could wake up to the smell of bacon instead of an alarm, for instance, or use a flashlight as a torch. Of course, with every few steps forward you're bound to stumble back once or twice. Yeah, we're looking at you, Australia.

Check out more robots, futuristic cars and crazy designs from throughout this week:

Alfa Romeo Bertone BAT 11 is one amazing-looking car
It's retro, it's futuristic — it's the #1 car of choice for the garage of tomorrow.

Murasaki-bot recounts the world's (much debated) oldest novel
Future host of Reading Robots.

Take a shower on a plane, in-flight
A new part of Emirates’ insanely elaborate first class amenities.

Telemegaphone lets anyone call and shout over the mountaintops
Let anyone say anything over a powerful megaphone? We're sure it'll all be polite, well-mannered stuff.

The Rube Goldberg Bank
Space bong or the perfect savings tool?

Strange-looking building’s random design conceals method to its MADness
To build, or not to build?