Nick Lavars
New Atlas
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Contact Nick
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Past articles by Nick:
Adopting Monty Python silly walks boosts calories burnt per stroll
Fitting regular walks into your daily routine can be a great way to get some active minutes into your day, but what if you make that walk as inefficient as possible? A new study has explored this idea via gaits exhibited in a Monty Python sketch. → Read More
Amount of microplastics on Mediterranean Sea floor triple in 20 years
A new study documenting the accumulation of microplastic particles on the floor of the Mediterranean Sea has shed some new light on plastic pollution, finding that concentrations of this material on the floor of the Med has tripled since 2000. → Read More
Gel sheets soak up three times as much liquid as paper towel
Scientists at the University of Maryland have developed a novel gel sheet material with excellent absorption abilities, which they imagine finding use everywhere from messy kitchens to operating theaters. → Read More
Repurposed acne drug reverses hand osteoarthritis in animal models
Scientists investigating new treatments for hand osteoarthritis have made promising new inroads through research on a drug originally developed for acne and psoriasis, with work now underway to ascertain its potential as a new clinical therapy. → Read More
Skydio's streamlined docking stations keep drones charged and in flight
Startup Skydio’s latest approach to self-charging drones involves affordable and compact base stations that can be deployed in a variety of settings, as it looks to put self-sufficient aircraft in the hands of more and more users. → Read More
UN's landmark nature protections a "Paris moment" for biodiversity
In what is being hailed as an historic moment for the environment, world leaders at the UN’s Biodiversity Conference COP15 in Montreal have reached an agreement to ramp up protections of the planet’s precious natural ecosystems. → Read More
Solar-powered car claims new EV speed record over 1,000 km
An engineering team in Australia working at the cutting edge of electric vehicle design have laid claim to a new world record, using the Sunswift 7 solar-powered car to cover 1,000 km (621 miles) on a single charge in less than 12 hours. → Read More
Laser-pulsing skin patch goes deep to uncover signs of cancer
Engineers have developed an electronic patch capable of monitoring biomolecules in deep tissue, which they say can be used to detect a range of life-threatening conditions, including organ dysfunction and malignant cancers. → Read More
NASA's asteroid-slamming spacecraft dislodged 2 million lb of debris
The collision between NASA’s DART spacecraft and the asteroid Dimorphos was always going to be a spectacle. By analyzing data from telescopes and tiny satellites nearby, scientists are now piecing together some fascinating details around the event. → Read More
Modular water bottle also brews tea and stashes your snacks
Everybody has their favored ways of carrying and consuming water as they go about their day and The Modular Bottle from New York outfit Ebite is as versatile a solution as you could hope to find, with swappable caps and tea infusion inserts. → Read More
Spacewalks shelved as Russian ISS module springs a significant leak
Astronauts and mission control on the ground are busy investigating a leak aboard the Russian Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft docked to the International Space Station, after a mysterious plume erupted from its exterior on Wednesday. → Read More
Magnetically stirred electrolyte puts high-density batteries in the mix
The excellent energy density of lithium metal could enable batteries to power smartphones for days, and by designing a new electrolyte that can be controlled via magnetic fields, scientists have now edged this technology a little closer to reality. → Read More
New protein-based armor material can withstand supersonic impacts
Researchers at the University of Kent have developed a protein-based family of synthetic materials that can withstand supersonic impacts. Called TSAMs, they see these materials one day finding use in military and space applications. → Read More
Molecule that mimics insulin opens new doors for a diabetes pill
Scientists in Australia have opened up some new possibilities around oral insulin, by identifying a molecule that activates receptors in a similar way to the hormone, thereby laying new foundations to explore digestible drugs that mimic its effects. → Read More
Air New Zealand eyes Alice electric plane for regional travel
Covering short distances with zero emissions is the modus operandi for electric aviation startups like Eviation, whose Alice plane has caught the eye of Air New Zealand as the carrier works to reduce its carbon footprint. → Read More
3 million bottles worth of microplastics falling on Auckland each year
Researchers in Auckland have used advanced chemical analysis to calculate the amount of microplastic particles falling from the sky over the city, equating it to three million plastic bottles each year. → Read More
Solid-state EV battery stays in shape to hint at huge range extensions
A new solid-state battery design points to a new solution to the technology's stability issues, with researchers developing a novel electrode material that retains its volume throughout charging to enable the battery to endure hundreds of cycles. → Read More
MIT's slimmed-down solar cells would add only 20 kg to a rooftop
Solar cells that are thin and flexible hold unique promise, as they could be applied to all kinds of irregular or otherwise unsuitable surfaces. Thinner than a human hair, a new lightweight solar cell continues to push the envelope in this space. → Read More
Engineered wood generates electricity as it dries
By tinkering with fine details within wood, engineers in Sweden have come up with an interesting new way of harvesting electricity that leverages natural processes that already take place in drying wood. → Read More
One-minute bursts of everyday activity linked to a longer life
Finding time to exercise can be tricky business, but there's still a lot to gain from squeezing in short spurts. A new study highlights the effects of one-minute bouts of vigorous activity, which were linked to a longer life in thousands of subjects. → Read More