Vegan leather may sound like an oxymoron because, well, it is an oxymoron. So what even is vegan leather — besides being an ethical, sustainable, and cruelty-free alternative to traditional leather!? Well, as you probably already suspected: It isn’t leather at all! Vegan leather has a couple of different names — you may have heard of “artificial leather” or “synthetic leather” […]

Commonly used to make a wide variety of items, low-density polyethylene can be recycled into new plastic, but there’s much more waste than recycling facilities can currently handle. With that in mind, scientists have now devised a method of converting the material into something else – jet fuel. Led by Assoc. Prof. Hanwu Lei, a team at Washington State University […]

It was about a year ago that we first heard about Transcend Air Corporation’s Vy 400, a planned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) six-seater aircraft that will ferry passengers in and out of cities. Now, the Boston-based company has announced plans for floating environmentally-friendly landing pads for the aircraft. Known as “vertipads,” the barge-based landing spots are being developed in […]

According to a US Geological Survey estimate, anywhere from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of bats are killed by wind turbines annually – in the US alone. New technology may help reduce those numbers, however, by causing the turbine blades to whistle at the animals. Bats are killed either when they collide with the blades, or when the […]

A sparkler on your ring finger might be pretty, but it’s fairly possible that it was acquired by slave labor, underpaid workers, and in unsafe, life-threatening conditions. If your diamond wasn’t sustainably sourced, then chances are it is doing more harm than good. The truth about diamond engagement rings is that there is no tradition behind the popularized concept. In […]

In the digital age, it’s easier than ever to make the switch from paperwork to storing important documents digitally. Almost everything from bank and credit card statements to monthly bills like electric, insurance, and car payments have an online-only option. Instead of wasting paper to send your statements via snail mail, companies can simply invoice you via email. And with […]

You’re out on your first jog in more than a week. You’ve been running for maybe a half hour when you’re suddenly overcome by a shortness of breath. Your chest feels strangely tight, and as you breath you emit an odd rasping, wheezing noise. Is it your fitness level that’s faltering, you wonder, or could there be some external reason […]

An innovative new method of drawing direct electrochemical energy from seawater means submersible robots, vehicles and detectors could go deeper and longer into the unknown. The extreme conditions of the ocean depths present huge challenges for underwater exploratory, repair and monitoring devices, and being tethered via a powered-lifeline to a ship on the surface is not only limiting, it’s often […]

Styrofoam is not eco-friendly stuff. It’s made from petroleum, it can’t be efficiently recycled, it’s non-biodegradable, and it creates pollution when burned. A new plant-based foam reportedly has none of those drawbacks, however, plus it’s claimed to actually insulate better than regular Styrofoam. Developed by scientists at Washington State University, the experimental foam consists of about 75 percent cellulose nanocrystals. […]

A noble plan to improve housing access for those in need through cutting-edge construction technology is gathering momentum, with a blueprint now in place for what is billed as the world’s first 3D-printed community. Set to take shape in Latin America, the cluster of homes is designed for families living on less than US$200 a month, and will ideally serve […]