Ecologyst Environmentally Transparent Brand

Ecologyst has created a truly transparent clothing company where the retail, factory and warehouse spaces are all in the same location. The large new Ecologyst facility in Victoria, British Columbia recently opened to the public. Here, the shoppers and the people making the clothing are only separated by a few steps. The Ecologyst brand is known throughout Canada for creating […]

Turning Plastic Waste Into Vanilla Flavouring

Scientists have converted plastic bottles into vanilla flavoring using genetically engineered bacteria. According to research published in the journal Green Chemistry, genetically engineered E-Coli bacteria has been used to convert terephthalic acid (TA) from plastic waste into vanillin. Joanna Sadler, co-author of the study, said, “This is the first example of using a biological system to upcycle plastic waste into a […]

The Race For An Antiviral Covid Pill

If last year was all about repurposing old drugs to target COVID-19 while developing vaccines, the focus of much research this year is certainly on producing novel antiviral drugs to help treat those sick with the disease. While many have reasonably focused on vaccines to help prevent hospitalizations and deaths, they are only one part of the armory necessary in […]

Self-Curing Resin Results In Tougher Bicycle Helmet

Bike helmets work by absorbing impact energy that would otherwise be passed through to the wearer’s head. An experimental new helmet is claimed to do so better than conventional models, thanks to a special resin. With a few notable exceptions, bicycle helmets typically consist of an outer plastic shell that dissipates impact energy by cracking, along with an underlying expanded […]

Imagining The 2056 Olympics

  As long as the name of the Olympics holds some kind of international prestige, people and countries are going to do whatever it takes to grab those gold medals. But with technology developing at a rapidly accelerating pace, what does that going to mean for the state of global athletics? Maybe it’s a good time to dream ahead. Let’s […]

Liquid-Filled Optical Fiber

Although optical fibers are highly effective at data transmission, they’re also relatively brittle. An experimental new type of optical fiber addresses that limitation, by incorporating a core made of liquid glycerol. Ordinarily, optical fibers are made of either solid glass or a solid transparent plastic. The former is able to carry light pulses over a longer distance, but will break […]

Zero Waste Kitchen Targets Cleaner, Greener Space

Given how hot and dry much of North America has been this year, traditional campfires are currently banned in many regions. The FireCan offers an alternative, as it’s a portable propane-powered fire pit that sits above the ground. Created by Washington-state-based outdoor gear manufacturer Ignik, the FireCan is basically a heavy-duty steel box that gets hooked up to a user-supplied […]

Beautiful Bamboo Community Center

VTN Architects’ recently completed Casamia Community House is the latest example of the firm’s skill in using bamboo as a construction material. The building has been designed to be durable and withstand severe weather, and features an intricate arched ceiling that reaches a maximum height of almost 9 m (roughly 29 ft). Casamia Community House is located on a very […]