Design
This smart vase has a screen that shows you how your plant is feeling
Plants are like pets; they can’t talk to you, per se, but they communicate nonetheless. They droop, sprout, and grow in a nonverbal language that almost seems to communicate emotions. For anyone who’s ever wondered, “How does my plant really feel?” finding the answer could get a whole lot Read More...
Holy cow! Rotterdam is now home to the world’s first floating dairy farm
In 2018, we wrote about a Dutch firm that was planning to create a floating dairy farm that sits on the Maas river in Rotterdam. Well, now it’s actually here: a floating dairy farm where sustainably-sourced milk and dairy products are produced for locals. While the ethics of hosting a bunch of Read More...
The climate crisis has ushered in a new wave of environmentally-conscious design
The environmentally conscious design has existed for years, but this year it’s different. It’s no longer a fringe conversation. It’s no longer an “oh that’s nice” detail. It’s not just about designing the same things, but making them “eco-friendly.” Designers are responding to the Read More...
An Israeli startup created a ‘toy gun’ that treats wounds with nanofiber ‘skin’
What if treating burn wounds and surgical injuries was as simple as operating a water gun? Well, that might soon be the reality after an Israeli startup company invented a mechanical contraption shaped like a children’s toy that squirts a polymer material that mimics skin onto the burn or wound Read More...
Satisfying the Ache for Home
Whole Community Approaches to Accommodation by Amelia Buckley Homelessness has been on the rise in many major cities including Los Angeles and San Francisco, where homelessness rose in the last year by 12 and 17 percent respectively. But even for those who have a home, it’s often not that Read More...
Grow algae in a beautiful way within your home with this micro-farm
There are a bunch of reasons why algae is amazing. First of all, algae is one of the most efficient carbon dioxide scrubbers in the air, “with 10 times greater CO2 fixation than terrestrial plants.” On top of that, adding algae to your diet can contribute to a rich, well-balanced nutritional Read More...
These mini villages teach kids the rules of the road
While a bike ride on city streets can be a blast for kids, for parents it can be a worrying affair watching their kids maneuver around cars and through traffic lights. Of course, the best way for kids to learn the rules of the road is through the first-hand experience, but if kids can get that Read More...
You can toss these shoes into the compost once they’re worn out
Look down at your feet. Your shoes might seem innocuous, but they contain lots of forms of plastic, and often leather, giving them their own sizeable carbon footprint. As all companies try to limit their plastic use, shoe manufacturers are trying to design new shoes with lower embedded Read More...
Concrete could be made cheaper, stronger, and greener using old glass
Although glass is thought of as being relatively eco-friendly because it's recyclable, the fact is that a lot of it doesn't get recycled – this is particularly true of small fragments, that are too fiddly to sort. Now, however, scientists are suggesting that glass waste could be used to make Read More...
Prosthetics have never been cheaper thanks to 3D printing
Making a very simple prosthetic arm can cost $1,000 for the materials alone. But that’s all starting to change thanks to new and improved 3D scanning and printing technology, which can shrink the cost to as little as $4. In Guatemala, where some families might earn $50 in a month, one hospital Read More...