Design
Animal rights groups have successfully persuaded Prada to ban fur
In a classic case of ‘better late than never’, luxury brand Prada has announced that it will finally ban the use of all fur in future fashion lines. The major fashion company joins a growing list of designers who have been successfully pressured by animal rights advocates to ban fur from their Read More...
A few simple changes can turn your home into a place of serenity
You may live in an apartment or a house, but does it feel like a real home? Do you get a feeling of calmness when you walk through the door? If you don’t, there’s no need to fret. With a few simple changes to the setup of your place, you can turn your living space into a real home that makes Read More...
This high-tech wood reflects sunrays and keeps homes cool
Conventional construction materials used for building our homes are most often inefficient. Cooling our houses during the warm season, for instance, usually requires a staggering amount of energy and associated carbon emissions. In an attempt to find a solution to this, scientists at the University Read More...
These 10 homes blend into their natural surroundings brilliantly
Home should be a sacred space: the place where you feel secure, and can unwind at the end of a long day – it’s also where we entertain friends, and increasingly, a place to work or study. New methods and materials introduced since the early 20th Century have offered architects and daring Read More...
These brilliant prefab homes generate their own water and energy
If you ever dreamed of having a little off-the-grid house in the woods, then you have to see these tiny prefab homes from a startup by the name of PassiveDom. These beautiful little homes feature big glass windows and rooftop solar panels that power both the heating and cooling systems of the home. Read More...
These hummingbird-like drones could eventually be used to save lives
Although birds have been inspiring drones for years, the agility of the hummingbird is one that researchers have been struggling to emulate. But now researchers at Purdue University have managed to capture the swift movements of the hummingbird, building a hummingbird-like drone that flies Read More...
Carbon capturing ‘mechanical trees’ to be deployed across the US
Unless you've been living under a rock, you probably know the world needs to urgently cut the amount of carbon dioxide dumped into the atmosphere. One way to make a serious dent is carbon capture - a group of technologies that has been gaining momentum lately, and has been cited by the United Read More...
Engineers develop squishy robots designed to aid rescue in disaster areas
From mowing lawns and cleaning windows to lending a hand to astronauts aboard the International Space Station, robots are being designed to do an ever-expanding set of tasks. Now, Squishy Robotics, a Berkeley-based startup, has come up with squishy shape-shifting, sensory robots, with potential Read More...
Why countries around the world are building highway overpasses just for animals
Highways are disastrous for the environment. These wide, dangerous roadways can cut wildlife from the resources they need to thrive, causing them to make the perilous journey from one side to the other. Countless animals have become roadkill as a result, not to mention the many drivers who have Read More...
Lego is making bricks that teach blind students how to read Braille
In one of the newest Lego sets under development, the bumps that hold the toys together have a second purpose: They also help children learn Braille. The series of dots on each brick represents a different letter of the Braille alphabet, the numbers zero through nine, and a handful of math symbols. Read More...