> Amazing there is still something to find in a sort algorithm.

While more of an implementation detail, you might enjoy:

https://ai.googleblog.com/2006/06/extra-extra-read-all-about...

if you haven't seen it.

Discussed at the time and later, eg:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=1130463

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=14906429