An Australian university is using a giant water battery to become carbon neutral
The University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia is setting a shining example of how the power of sunlight can be used to keep buildings cool. Recently, the Queensland university invested in a giant water battery that stands three-stories high. The giant battery harnesses power from over 6,000 Read More...
How AI technology is revolutionizing animal conservation
Wildlife conservationists often struggle with gathering vital information about species without disrupting their lives and habitats. While studying black rhino populations in Africa, conservationists Zoe Jewell and Sky Alibhai grappled with how to study the animals without tranquilizing and placing Read More...
This carbon-negatives raincoat is made entirely from algae bioplastic
A New York designer, by the name of Charlotte McCurdy, has created a water-resistant jacket made from a bioplastic material derived entirely from large-celled algae. Because the jacket is made of algae, which is the single biggest capturer of CO2 from the atmosphere, it’s technically Read More...
New modular units could restore dignity to transitional homeless shelters
Inside a typical transitional homeless shelter, where people stay while waiting to get a spot in permanent housing, 20 or 30 beds might be clustered together in a single room. Privacy doesn’t exist. But a new, modular design (not shown in photo) for shelter furniture, called Dome—a little like Read More...
How to steer clear of dry, irritated skin this winter
Of all the beautiful things that come with winter, dry skin is not one of them. Our skin tends to get drier in the winter, not only because of the cooler air but also because of central heating, which can cause conditions such as eczema to flare up. With winter coming quicker and quicker, here are Read More...
Microsoft experiment shows the end may be near for the 40 hour work week
Research into human productivity has led many small companies to adopt revolutionary 4 day work weeks. Lately, Microsoft has been testing out the theory on a massive corporate scale. In an initiative called, "Work Life Choice Challenge", Microsoft employees in Japan were given Fridays off for the Read More...
Slingshotting pumpkins and other ways to deal with post-Halloween pumpkin waste
After each Halloween, more than 1 billion pounds of pumpkin get tossed out and left to rot in America’s landfills. Some are thrown away the day after Halloween, contributing to the 30.3 million tons of annual food waste in the U.S. When left to decompose in a landfill, that food waste Read More...
These artificial sunflowers move like real flowers to harvest solar energy
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: nature is the best source of inspiration for the design. In that light, scientists from UCLA have designed tiny solar panels disguised as sunflowers that mimic the behavior in plants known as phototropism, which is what plants do when they bend to Read More...
Forget about antidepressants—these natural alternatives do the job much better
The winter season’s shorter days and colder weather can worsen depression symptoms, so this week, we are re-sharing an article from last year with four natural depression remedies shown to combat the winter blues. Check them out: Exercise: As we frequently report, the benefits of exercise are Read More...
Apple pledges $2.5 billion to fight California’s affordable housing crisis
Amid California’s housing availability and affordability crisis, many community members, like teachers, firefighters, first responders and service workers, are struggling to find a roof over their heads, leaving them with no other choice but to live behind the community they have long called Read More...