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Motion sensor uses AI to recognize when wildlife is running from poachers
Scientists at the University of Twente in the Netherlands are mixing motion sensors with machine learning to create a powerful tool that could help combat wildlife poaching. Motion sensors have already given conservationists the ability to track the whereabouts of endangered animals, but this new Read More...
Too Good to Go connects restaurants with customers to prevent food waste
Since it’s virtually impossible to know exactly how much food they will sell on a day-to-day basis, many restaurants and grocery stores are usually left with excess food at the end of the day – most of which ends up getting tossed. Too Good to Go is an app that aims to prevent this by Read More...
Only in Japan: These transparent public toilets turn opaque when in use
Japan is quite famous for its elaborate toilets, which can exhibit features such as bidet washing, drying, seat warming, and even deodorization. Now Japan is adding to its reputation for unique toilets after installing public toilet cubicles around Tokyo that are transparent. What? Transparent Read More...
Smart urban design is the best defense we have against future pandemics
Throughout history, disease outbreaks have forced new innovations in urban design: Fighting cholera epidemics in the 1800s, for example, necessitated the building of new plumbing and sewer systems and the devising of new zoning laws to prevent overcrowding. As the new coronavirus lays bare the need Read More...
This is how Oslo cut pedestrian and cyclist deaths to zero
In an effort to make the city center free of cars, over the last few years, Norway’s capital of Oslo has been busy replacing nearly all street-side parking spots with bike lanes and sidewalks. The result? Last year, the city recorded zero pedestrian or cyclist deaths, bringing the capital in line Read More...
20 years on, the world’s biggest trash dump is now a green oasis
In its heyday, the Fresh Kills trash dump on Staten Island was one of the world’s great eyesores. Imagine New York’s Central Park with trash mounds 20 stories high. Now imagine that times three. That’s how bad it was. By the late 1970s, an estimated 28,000 tons of trash arrived at Fresh Read More...
How car-free streets unite communities: A firsthand account from Oakland
The Optimist Daily has never been shy to support urban planning that favors pedestrians over motorists. Not only does it make the streets safer, but it can also clean up the air in a city dramatically. But beyond all this, perhaps the biggest benefit of clearing the streets of cars is that it turns Read More...
Nivea is testing a refill station in Germany that aims to reduce plastic waste
One of the most effective ways to close the tap on plastic pollution is to reduce the material’s production in the first place. Reusable packaging plays a key role here since it allows for a product to be consumed over and over again without the need for unnecessary single-use plastic. To Read More...
Eco-friendly fungus leather looks and feels like the real thing
From processing plastic waste to sequestering carbon to protecting astronauts from cosmic radiation, fungi have the incredible potential to benefit a wide range of industries. According to a recent study, this impressive living organism also holds the potential to help scientists develop a more Read More...
These colorful dome houses were built to help empower the local community
Reimagining the way we give rise to our built environment is key to reducing its heavy environmental footprint. A compelling architectural project in Iran shines light on how this can be achieved by engaging local communities as well as using simple materials that have been around for Read More...