How artificial intelligence could save the planet
In many respects, 2016 was the year of artificial intelligence (AI). Innovations such as big data, advances in machine learning and computing power, and algorithms capable of hearing and seeing with beyond-human accuracy have brought the benefits of AI to bear on our daily lives. By working Read More...
Boosting the solar protection factor with nature-inspired sunscreens
The ideal sunscreen should block UVB and UVA radiation while being safe and stable. In the journal Angewandte Chemie, Spanish scientists have introduced a new family of UVA and UVB filters based on natural sunscreen substances found in algae and cyanobacteria. They are highly stable and enhance the Read More...
GM and Honda plunge $85M into hydrogen fuel cell push
General Motors and Honda today announce a joint venture to build next-generation fuel cell systems, adding fuel to the idea of hydrogen as a form of alternative propulsion. The collaboration, called Fuel Cell System Manufacturing, will set up shop in GM's Brownstown, Michigan plant where the Read More...
Academics build ultimate solar-powered water purifier
You've seen Bear Grylls turn foul water into drinking water with little more than sunlight and plastic. Now, academics have added a third element—carbon-dipped paper—that may turn this survival tactic into a highly efficient and inexpensive way to turn saltwater and contaminated water into Read More...
The eco guide to responsible travel
I love an untapped resource (as opposed to a very overstressed one). The responsible travel movement is perfect. It takes the huge global travel industry (1.2 billion people holidaying abroad in 2015) and shapes it into a force for good, rather than one that trashes local host communities, Read More...
U.K. government facing legal action over failure to fight climate change
The U.K. hasn’t even come close to their goal of cutting emissions by 57 percent by 2032, prompting environmental legal activists to get prepared for a trip to court with the government. Under the 2008 Climate Change Act, the government has a legal obligation to come up with ways to meet its Read More...
France bans unlimited soda refills in an effort to reduce obesity
Despite the fact that the level of obesity in France is below the EU average, research shows it's on the rise. That’s why lawmakers in France have banned all restaurants and other spaces catering to the public from offering unlimited sugary soft drinks. The World Health Organization has shown Read More...
Drilling for good: Iceland is making a giant hole to capture geothermal energy
Iceland is already one of the world’s greatest users and suppliers of geothermal energy, producing nearly 26 percent of its energy from geothermal sources. Now the country is taking it a step further by boring a hole that extends 3.1 miles beneath the earth to take advantage of the extreme Read More...
Immigrants are America: U.S. responds to the order of the new president
If there’s one thing that can be taken away from Donald Trump’s ban on Muslims, it’s the fact that so many people and organizations are willing to stand up to his order. The heads of Apple, Twitter, Tesla, Microsoft and Uber have announced they will resist the new immigration policy, taxi Read More...
Take it from Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius and stop comparing yourself to others
Comparing yourself to others is a natural part of being human. It's hard not to, but if you find yourself comparing all the time, it can make you lose sight of what you really want in life. If you want to stop comparing yourself to others, consider these wise words from an ancient Read More...