Design
World's most breathtaking greenhouses
"The yearning for nature is really strong, and particularly if you're a city dweller, it's even more important." Jim Eyre, one of the founding directors of WilkinsonEyre, speaks as an architect who can attest to the power of nature within an urban environment. He is part of the team responsible for Read More...
Building computers with nanowires made from bacteria
You know the nanowires used in computers? Well, researchers from the U.S Navy have found a way to craft them from a genetically modified bacteria found just about anywhere on Earth. The team of researchers altered the bacteria so that it would be 2,000 times better at conducting electricity at the Read More...
Natural scale caterpillar soft robot is powered and controlled with light
Researchers, using the liquid crystal elastomer technology have demonstrated a bioinspired micro-robot capable of mimicking caterpillar gaits in natural scale. The 15-millimeter long soft robot harvests energy from green light and is controlled by spatially modulated laser beam. Apart from Read More...
This new apartment building has an ‘Uber room’ to wait for your ride
There was the building in D.C.’s NoMa neighborhood that tried to lure new tenants with a communal English bulldog that everyone could call their own. Then there are the rooftop dog parks, pools and gardens on buildings in neighborhoods where D.C.’s newest residents flock to pay $2,000 for a Read More...
MIT creates windows that change color to save energy
A team of MIT researchers has created windows that instantly change color when the sun’s too strong in order to save energy. It’s not magic, it’s a technique that uses electrochromic materials that can go from transparent to nearly black by applying a bit of electricity. Color-changing Read More...
Drones save lives and limbs by detecting and detonating landmines
Before IS retreated from the historic city of Palmyra, the extremist group left the area littered with landmines. The dangers of such an act are obvious, which is why Massoud Hassani of Afghanistan created the Mine Kafon Drone. The drone flies low to the ground over mined areas to locate mines Read More...
Imagine a hyperloop that uses underwater tunnels to replace cargo ships
Before you ever board a hyperloop for a half-hour trip from San Francisco to L.A., it's possible that the ultra-fast transit system might help deliver the things you buy. Hyperloop One, the Los Angeles-based startup that ran a demo near Las Vegas earlier this year, is working on cargo Read More...
Building materials that tap into nature's elegant, and harmless, designs
Wednesday, August 10, 2016 - 12:59amThis article orignially appeared in the Verdical Group blog. Every year, about 15 billion tons of carbon dioxide are emitted into the atmosphere from concrete production alone. As cities continue to grow (according to the U.N., world urban populations Read More...
Could the building block of the future be compressed recycled plastic?
A new startup by the name of ByFusion has a novel solution for tackling the growing problem of ocean plastic: turn it into construction material. The U.S-based startup has a patented process where they collect plastic trash from the ocean and compress it into sturdy, construction-quality bricks. Read More...
Man hand-builds awesome amusement park that's inspired by nature
Kids are spending less time outdoors than prison inmates, and it's leading to a whole host of problems like obesity, nature deficit disorder and lower levels of what could be called "ecological literacy". But how do you get screen-addled kids excited to go outdoors? Perhaps we could learn from Read More...