Plans are underway to transform a 1960s London courthouse into a carbon neutral commercial and community space, featuring what will be one of Europe’s largest rooftop forests — at 1.4 acres with 125 established trees and over 10,000 plants. In 2020, real estate investment platform Fabrix was given the green light to begin development on […]
Many people don’t think about their clothing being anything more than a fashion statement, uniform, or necessity — but the clothes you put on could one day power up some popular handheld products. Researchers at Nottingham Trent University have created a new type of fabric that can charge simple electronic devices via solar energy: an
Tiny Solar Panels Embedded in Clothing Can Charge a Phone or Smartwatch  Continue Reading »
A team at Yale University took inspiration from turtles and tortoises to develop an innovative amphibious robot that can walk on land and swim — and could potentially help researchers monitor ocean ecosystems. Called ART, or Amphibious Robotic Turtle, it’s a shape-shifting robot with legs that can morph into flippers once introduced to water, a
Meet ART: The Amphibious Robotic Turtle With Limbs That Morph Into Flippers Continue Reading »
Scientists estimate there are at least 14 million metric tons of microplastics on the ocean floor, but these pollutants are everywhere — from the snow on Mount Everest to the bodies of honeybees. Due to their minuscule size, microplastics can also easily infiltrate the human body, and traces have been found in breast milk, blood,
Nonprofit Makes Whirlpools to Remove Microplastics From Water Supply Continue Reading »
Using the wind as a means of harnessing energy is not a newfound concept — turbines have been cropping up for decades now, and wind generates nearly 10% of U.S. electricity. But scientists at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University have developed an innovative new technology that can harness energy from the gentlest of breezes. At just
Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have built a battery-free, wireless underwater camera that can travel up to 130 feet below the surface, a groundbreaking device that may one day be capable of collecting never-before-seen images of the deep sea. We know more about the surface of Mars than Earth’s ocean floors. To
This Underwater Camera Is Battery-Free, Wireless, and Powered by Sound Continue Reading »
It’s difficult to determine the world’s most expensive microscope — one powerful electron microscope cost $27 million to get up and running back in 2009 — but it may be easier to call out the cheapest. The Foldscope is made of paper and costs $1.75 to produce. Don’t let the low price point fool you,
The Award-Winning Paper Microscope That Costs Less Than $2 to Produce Continue Reading »
For nearly two decades, Yasmeen Lari — Pakistan’s first female architect — has directed her considerable talents toward building sustainable shelters and infrastructure for people experiencing homelessness due to natural disasters. A co-founder of the nonprofit Heritage Foundation of Pakistan, 81-year-old Lari had initially retired from her storied career in architecture in 2000. However, she was
Sustainable jet fuel alternatives will soon be taking flight in the commercial airlines industry. New York-based startup Air Company recently announced the launch of its Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF), made from captured carbon dioxide. Major airlines like JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, and even the United States Air Force, among others, have collectively committed to purchasing over
Traveling to a doctor’s office can be arduous for people with Parkinson’s disease, a neurological condition that causes spontaneous, uncontrollable movements and cognitive challenges. But clinical monitoring is essential to track the disease’s progression and evaluate treatment efficacy. A new at-home monitoring system might provide a solution that’s not only more convenient but also more
At-Home Radio Sensors Could Improve Care for Patients With Parkinson’s Disease Continue Reading »
