Ben Coxworth
New Atlas
Edmonton, AB, Canada
Contact Ben
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Ben:
JCR electric skateboard's speed is controlled by leaning fore and aft
While there are now a ton of electric skateboards on the market, almost all of them are controlled by a handheld remote. The Chinese-made JCR Board, however, is controlled by shifting your weight – leaving your hands free. → Read More
Rodeo claims title of "world's first 3D-printed carbon downhill MTB"
Of all the different types of bicycles, downhill mountain bikes have to withstand the most abuse. That's why Colorado-based Revel Bikes decided to 3D-print one of things out of carbon fiber, as an acid test of the technology – the result is the one-off Rodeo. → Read More
Wooden electric eLyly snow scooter draws on Finnish lore
Spring may be grudgingly approaching in the Northern Hemisphere, but that doesn't mean we're done with hearing about new forms of winter transport. One of the latest is the eLyly, a wooden electric snow scooter. → Read More
Scientists unlock the survival secret of water-squirting mother mussels
It would be an understatement to say that mussels and other mollusks usually aren't thought of as being particularly active. Recently, however, scientists have documented a water-squirting behavior in just one species, which is apparently using the action to give its larvae a fighting chance. → Read More
Wrist-zapping wearable found to reduce severity of Tourette's tics
There may be new hope for people afflicted with Tourette's syndrome, in the form of a wrist-worn device. In a test of the technology, the majority of participants experienced a reduction in tic severity of at least 25%. → Read More
Self-healing conductive gel could make "soft robots" truly soft
In order to reach their full potential, soft robotic devices can't just consist of rigid electronic components encased in squishy rubber. A new material could help in that regard, as it's soft, self-healing and electrically conductive. → Read More
Tractor-towed Vulcan automatically spots and pulls weeds
Nobody likes the idea of herbicides in their veggies, yet hiring workers to pick weeds by hand can be prohibitively expensive for farmers. The Vulcan farm implement offers an alternative, as it automatically spots and yanks out weeds while leaving crop plants alone. → Read More
Eco-friendly, fire-resistant cladding material is made of recycled glass
Although glass is known for being fully recyclable, the US Environmental Protection Agency states that only about one third of post-consumer glass actually gets recycled. A new glass-based building cladding material could help boost that number. → Read More
Light-activated biodegradable implant delivers meds on demand
While there are already a variety of implants that dispense medication within the body, most of them either can't be externally controlled, or they eventually have to be surgically removed. A new one, however, uses light to avoid both problems. → Read More
High-tech soil sensor designed to help farmers conserve precious water
Soil moisture sensors can help farmers save water, by letting them know when their crops actually need to be watered. An experimental new sensor could be particularly helpful, as it incorporates a special material which makes it highly sensitive to moisture. → Read More
Ursa replaces a sleeping bag and foam mat with a full-on "camping bed"
While some people might say that sleeping bags and thin foam mats are key aspects of the camping experience, other folks just find them too claustrophobic and uncomfortable. The Ursa Sleep System was designed with that second group in mind. → Read More
Australia is using an imported insect to control an imported weed
What do you do if a South American weed is choking up your local Australian waterways? In the case of the cabomba plant, scientists are enlisting the help of the weed's natural South American enemy, the tiny cabomba weevil. → Read More
Urtopia unveils sweet-looking, lower-priced Chord ebike
A couple of years ago we first heard about the Urtopia, a lightweight carbon fiber ebike made by a Hong Kong startup of the same name. Well, the company has just announced its lower-priced Chord ebike, which is less fancy but perhaps better-looking than its predecessor. → Read More
Study suggests a mix of trees works best for cleaning air in cities
We all know that trees help clean the air in cities, but which trees do so best? According to new research conducted in Sweden, a mixture of deciduous and coniferous trees will give you the most bang for your buck. → Read More
Feiyu does away with the cord for Pocket 3 modular wireless actioncam
Last year we reviewed the Feiyu Pocket 2S, an actioncam with a hard-wired detachable gimbal camera head. Well, Feiyu has now upped its game with the fully wireless Pocket 3, which looks like it should make for much easier shooting on the go. → Read More
Robotic system checks on corn plants by measuring leaf angles
In order to see how well a corn plant is performing photosynthesis, you need to check the angle of its leaves relative to its stem. And while scientists ordinarily have to do so manually with a protractor, a new robotic system can now do the job much more quickly and easily. → Read More
Non-soggy biodegradable drinking straws made from wood waste
Although disposable plastic straws are being phased out in some countries, their "greener" replacements have a few shortcomings of their own. Well, scientists have now developed bioplastic straws that don't get soggy, but do biodegrade when discarded. → Read More
Eco-friendly Folkloric Explorer eBoat is powered by the Sun
When conducting educational cruises in remote areas, eco-conscious guides don't always have the option of charging their electric boat from an existing grid. The Folkloric Explorer eBoat was designed with that fact in mind, as it can reportedly be completely solar-charged. → Read More
Laser used to spot and identify bacteria in a matter of minutes
Currently, in order to see what type of bacteria (if any) are present in a liquid sample, bacterial cultures have to be grown in a lab over the course of several hours – or even a few days. A new laser technique, however, works in just minutes. → Read More
V2M tech is designed to catch car problems – by listening for them
While there are some mechanical problems that can easily be detected by a car's onboard sensors, there are others which are a bit trickier. The V2M system is designed to catch those other ones, by listening for them using onboard modules. → Read More