Innovation1 min(s) read
design1 min(s) read
weird3 min(s) read
world1 min(s) read
lifestyle7 min(s) read
Published 14:18 21 Nov 2019 GMT
Published 20:40 26 Oct 2018 GMT
Inventors from California and Florida have come together to create a device which harvests drinking water from thin air. The technology is expected to help tackle water shortages in equatorial countries, disaster zones and isolated communities.
Furthermore, they have just won a $1.5 million prize to invest in the project. Rather than compete with one another, the two organisations came together in order to combine their inventions into a viable solution to the water crisis. The Skysource/Skywater Alliance team won the coveted Water Abundance XPrize with their WEDEW (“wood-to-energy deployed water”) system - which uses a shipping container to collect water from the air.
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Every 10 seconds, someone dies of a water-related disease. However, this technology has the potential to combat water shortages using materials which are readily available. “We do a lot of first principles thinking at XPrize when we start designing these challenges,” says Zenia Tata who helped launch the competition. “At any given time, it holds 12 quadrillion gallons - the number 12 with 19 zeros after it - a very, very, big number.”
Californian architect and TED talk alumnus David Hertz has long had a focus on sustainability (including using the wings of a decommissioned 747 jet as a roof for a house) even if it wasn’t always deliberate. “I’ve been repurposing things, really without being so conscious about it, from a very young age,” he explains. “From making skateboards by taking clay wheels off of rollerskates and we’d mount them onto wood. I was really at the birth of BMX, also. I just continued with that idea of what we could do creatively and what we could find or reuse.”
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The first of the two inventions, Skywater, mimics a cloud by taking in warm air which hits cold air and creates condensation. The condensation is then collected and stored. However, where this system uses a lot of electricity, it was combined with a biomass gasifier. When filled with biomass, the material is vapourised by a process called pyrolysis. This is what makes a compost heap hot and it’s this process that creates the warmth needed for the Skywater system to work.
“The most abundant source of fresh water is the Earth’s atmosphere,” the Skywater website explains. “When atmospheric humidity condenses, it falls as rain. Skywater replicates this natural process of condensation by simulating the dew point, which allows it to make water continuously, even in low humidity conditions. This is Skywater's patented adiabatic distillation process.”
However, rather than just being a standard non-electrical, air-to-water system, it also creates biochar - a charcoal which can be added to soil to help plants grow. In areas where biomass isn’t readily available, green energy sources such as solar power could be used to create the necessary temperatures.
But it doesn’t stop there. “Again replicating nature's process,” the website states, “Skywater generates ozone to purify the water. Ozone (O3), a natural occurring gas that is produced in nature when it rains, binds with water to eliminate bacteria and other impurities. Skywater does this by pumping ozone through the water as it is collected. Unlike other water treatment methods such as chlorine, ozone leaves no taste.”
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Hertz has designed dozens of cutting-edge homes up and down America’s west coast, but this project represents something perhaps even more progressive. “It’s a carbon-negative technology,” he explains. “I think the future of technologies is going to be moving to this restorative, regenerative model that actually helps to repair the damage we’ve done.”
“Our process is one that is really antithetical to the slow-moving infrastructure that exists that is not able to be responsive to a changing climate as it is in the case of say, Cape Town, for instance,” Hertz says. “One could imagine these shipping containers being positioned in a state of readiness throughout the world to be able to respond to disasters for both energy and water.”
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The system is already in place in a number of locations however, the addition of biomass power is a direct result of the competition. The money will be used to provide the units to NGOs (Non-Government Organisations) in order to provide clean drinking water in hard-to-reach or drought-prone areas.
This breakthrough is just one of many recent developments in the field of sustainability. However, the project has proven that engineering can provide solutions to some of the world's most formidable problems - and that the power of collaboration over competition cannot be understated.
Published 13:41 24 Mar 2020 GMT
A pair of Italian engineers have gone viral on social media this week, after ingeniously fashioning some impromptu ventilators out of snorkels to give to people in need.
Cristian Fracassi and Alessandro Romaioli, two engineers from the Brescia-based startup company Isinnova, recently learned that their local hospital was running out of ventilators due to the high influx of coronavirus patients flooding the wards.
Related - This nurse was brought to tears by people leaving supermarket shelves empty:
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Offering to help, Fracassi and Romanioli visited the hospital and studied the relevant respiratory equipment, where they learned that the main issue over the lack of ventilators was down to one crucial piece used to connect the oxygen mask to the respirator.
Using a 3D printing machine, they were eventually able to make the piece themselves, and then cobbled together the rest of the apparatus using parts salvaged from ordinary plastic snorkels.
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Speaking to the New York Times in a later interview, Fracassi and Romanioli stated: "Our first few attempts didn't succeed, but eventually we made four copies of the prototype on a small 3-D printing machine that we have in our office. While the valve might look like a simple piece of plastic, it's pretty complex; the hole that diffuses the oxygen is less than a millimeter in diameter."
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They continued: "The day after, we returned to the hospital and gave our valves to a doctor who tested them. They worked and he asked for 100 more. So we went back to the office, and returned to the hospital with 100 more."
They added: "This sparked a second idea: to modify a snorkeling mask already on the market to create a ventilation-assisted mask for hospitals in need of additional equipment, which was successful when the hospital tested it on a patient in need."
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At the time of writing, there have now been 392,331 confirmed cases of COVID-19 across 114 countries worldwide, and a total of 17,156 deaths, according to John Hopkins University. Of these, 63,927 have occurred in Italy, and 6,077 people have died there.
Published 17:31 27 Jul 2019 GMT
It seems like this summer is going to be an absolute sizzler. You know what I mean: eggs frying on pavements, cars turning into ovens-on-wheels, and ice cubes suddenly being in seriously short supply. If you're not prepared to beat the heat, then the blazing hot sun can easily become the bane of your life.
Sure, it's not so bad if you've got air conditioning at work and at home, but for those of us working outdoors, or who are just on the move, then the high temperature can make you absolutely miserable. If only there was a way to carry air conditioning around with you, in a portable way, instead of having to rely on a tiny pocket-sized fan.
Check out this amazing video showing how the incredible invention is supposed to work:
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If you feel the same way, then I have good news for you. As luck would have it, a team of designers working for Sony have come up with a proposal for an awesome, game-changing invention. Namely: as a special air-conditioning unit that can that fit inside your shirt.
That's right, the device (which is called a Reon Pocket) is apparently designed to slide right into the back of a custom-made shirt, where it will rest at the base of your neck and keep you cool.
The Reon Pocket's settings can be controlled via your smartphone, and offer warm air or cold air depending on your personal preference. Currently being crowdfunded in Japan, it's apparently supposed to cost around £100 ($130). The crowdfunding page is almost halfway to its target and promises that the item will be launched next year.
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Sadly, seems as though it will only be available in Japan. In the meantime then, why not invest in one of these amazing ice cube vests to help survive the heatwave?
Published 09:17 02 Aug 2018 GMT
The internet has seen its fair share of bizarre and dangerous challenges over the years. Some of them, such as the Ice Bucket Challenge or No Make-Up Selfie trend, were a force for good, and helped to raise money for important causes. Others, however, have just been downright stupid.
Just this year, in fact, dozens of people - usually younger individuals - have had to seek medical help after participating in the Tide Pod Challenge, the Condom Challenge, and a whole host of other insane internet crazes... but they don't seem to be learning from their mistakes.
On the contrary: just as one idiotic challenge dies out, another seems to rise from the ashes in order to take its place. And this time around, it's The Hot Water Challenge.
As the name implies, The Hot Water Challenge involves - wait for it - hot water. More specifically, it involves a person pouring hot water on themself or another person, or drinking it through a straw.
Hmm, what could go wrong?
Well, to put it simply: a lot. Since the challenge first started making the rounds on social media early last year, a number of children around the ages of 10 and 11 have been hospitalised as a result of participating, and - in one tragic incident - a young girl from Florida actually died after being dared to drink hot water through a straw.
Ki’ari Pope, who was just eight years old when her cousin encouraged her to do the challenge, had chronic respiratory problems and was left unable to talk after swallowing scalding hot water in March 2017. Five months later, she eventually succumbed to her injuries after having difficulty breathing.
Unfortunately, her death did not stop others from trying the challenge.
Just in the past couple of weeks, 15-year-old Kyland Clark was left with second-degree burns after some friends of his threw boiling water over him as he slept. "I looked down at my chest. My skin just fell off my chest, and then I looked in the mirror and I had skin falling off here and on my face," Clark recalls.
The teen was rushed to hospital, where he had to stay for a week in order to receive treatment.
"To see my baby, all burned up like that, it was heartbreaking," said Andrea Clark, Kyland's mother.
Thankfully, the boy's injuries did not turn out to be life-threatening - but he will still suffer the consequences for a very long time.
"There's a limit to what you should do in a challenge and what you shouldn't," Clark advised. "Don't take it overboard."
Really, the only advice we can give on The Hot Water Challenge is "don't do it". Like so many other internet fads, they can wind up having severe consequences - especially for younger children who do not understand the risks and dangers of certain substances.
What's more, if you see or hear someone talking about participating in the challenge (or any other crazy internet dare), let them know how needlessly stupid it is - otherwise, we may see many more injuries occurring.
Published 09:59 28 Sep 2019 GMT
The owners of Wonderful Co., Stewart and Lynda Resnick have announced a $750 million pledge to the California Institute of Technology.
The Resnicks, who made the announcement on Thursday, have advised that the donation is to support environmental sustainability research, per Forbes.
The Wonderful Company is the world's largest producer of pistachios and almonds, and also owns world famous brands such as Fiji Water - artisan bottled water - and Pom Wonderul, which is described on the company website as;
"The world’s largest integrated producer of Wonderful variety pomegranates, renowned for their unique combination of ruby-red color, delicious taste and antioxidants."
Greta Thunberg takes world leaders to task over inaction on climate change in this blistering speech:
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The pledged donation is believed to be the largest gift in the California Institute of Technology's history, and the second largest ever gift to a United States academic institution.
Stewart Resnick said in a statement, per Business Insider;
"In order to comprehensively manage the climate crisis, we need breakthrough innovations, the kind that will only be possible through significant investment in university research.
Science and bold creativity must unite to address the most pressing challenges facing energy, water, and sustainability."
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With the donation, Caltech plans to construct a 75,000 sq ft building, dubbed the Resnick Sustainability Resource Center. The building will serve as a hub for climate change research.
Man swims across pacific ocean to raise awareness about plastic pollution:
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Caltech President Thomas F. Rosenbaum said in a statement;
"Sustainability is the challenge of our times. Stewart and Lynda Resnick’s generosity and vision will permit Caltech to tackle issues of water, energy, food, and waste in a world confronting rapid climate change.
The Resnick Sustainability Institute will now be able to mount efforts at scale, letting researchers across campus follow their imaginations and translate fundamental discovery into technologies that dramatically advance solutions to society’s most pressing problems."
The Resnicks have donated to Caltech before; in 2014 the couple donated $15 million to establish the Resnick Institute Innovation Fund, which provides awards and fellowships for students studying sustainability science. And 10 years ago, the Resnick Sustainability Institute was created after a $20 million donation.
It's up to us - all of us everyday people - to roll up our sleeves and get to work if we want to save the planet before it's too late. While some of us might think it's a lost cause or that no one person can make a real difference, it's simply not true. If every single one of us tries our best to recycle, reduce our carbon footprint, etc then we can salvage our planet for generations to come. And here is a list of 30 everyday individuals who have come up with ingenious ways of saving Mother Earth!
[post_page_title]#1 Two Minute Beach Clean[/post_page_title]
I absolutely love this idea. Whenever I'm at the beach, I always try to bring any cans or bottles with me that I find in the sand. It's my way of keeping the beach clean. So often, people at the beach use it like their own personal landfill and leave their garbage behind, despite all the signs telling people to take their trash with them.
[post_page_title]#2 This Shadow of a Pen[/post_page_title]
Talk about signs. This pen has been made out of recycled plastic. There has been a big push to reuse plastic and recycle it to make other things. It's something that makes perfect sense, why not reduce the amount of plastic waste by recycling it and creating other things? But the shadow that this pen casts looks exactly like a water bottle. As one person so aptly commented, "it's haunted by a water bottle." I like to think of it as a subtle sign that the right thing was done.
[post_page_title]#3 Pencil is Recycled Newspaper[/post_page_title]
This is similar to the one above, as it showcases new life being breathed into old items that otherwise would've ended up in a landfill. This is an absolutely brilliant idea too, as it helps to cut down on the need for trees to be chopped in order to create pencils. You can't argue with that logic. Whoever came up with the idea of substituting old newspapers in order to create pencils is an absolute genius.
[post_page_title]#4 Grass Instead of Paint[/post_page_title]
At first glance, there is nothing unusual about this picture of a parking lot in Hawaii. But if you look closer, you will notice something that is a subtle difference from most parking lots. The dividers to help separate the cars are actually little rows of grass rather than the usual painted lines. There are many paints out there that are toxic to both the environment and animals - people too for that matter.
[post_page_title]#5 Upcycling Mascara Wands[/post_page_title]
As this ad stated, "Please do NOT throw away your mascara wands. Instead, clean JUST THE WAND with Dawn liquid soap, place them in a ziploc bag and mail them to a Wildlife Refuge accepting donations. These little wands are able to be upcycled to clean away oil, larvae, fly eggs, mites, infections, mud and other contaminants from wildlife. Works great for medical care and wound treatment. Mail to: Appalachian Wildlife Refuge P.O. Box 1211 Skyland NC 28776"
[post_page_title]#6 Poland's Glow in the Dark Bike Path[/post_page_title]
Not only does this help the environment, but it looks way cool too! I assume that it's non-toxic paint, but I can't be sure. But let's focus on the positive: it helps cut down on light pollution and doesn't use any energy except solar power. If only this would help spark more of a need for paths like this in other cities around the world!
[post_page_title]#7 Carlsberg Uses Glue Instead of Plastic[/post_page_title]
Carlsberg the beer maker is using glue to keep their packs of cans together, rather than plastic. This is fantastic news for the environment and a good industry practice all around. More companies that brew beer should take this on for their packs of cans.
[post_page_title]#8 Event Bracelets Can Be Planted[/post_page_title]
I remember when I was younger and more into going out to different events or night clubs, always ending up with a different wristband to show where I'd been. But a lot of those bracelets weren't recyclable, and they were just creating more waste for the environment. However, some genius decided to create event bracelets that actually have a purpose. The message on them says to plant with soil and water. How wonderful of a sustainable idea is that?
[post_page_title]#9 This Hidden Message[/post_page_title]
I can't believe that there are actually people who don't separate the plastic from the paper. Rant over. But I do like this little hidden message that this one business added to their products. The design and the thought that went into this was very good. It is just so cute. I love the take on the eco-warrior; I think it's very clever.
[post_page_title]#10 All Natural Ice Cream Cup[/post_page_title]
As a Puerto Rican, I'm well aware of the wonders of banana leaves. We use them in our cooking to seal up our version of tamales which are called "pasteles." They're a Christmas time favorite. But apparently, there are much nobler, eco-friendly uses for banana leaves as well. This, for example, is a brilliant idea. An ice cream cup made out of banana leaves. It is 100% compostable once you're done with your sweet treat.
[post_page_title]#11 This Grocery Store's Cure For Old Bananas[/post_page_title]
Bananas are those fruit that goes off pretty quickly. It's like one day they're nice and green with a hint of yellow, and the next day they're a fruit fly magnet. In order to cut down on waste, this grocery store came up with a genius idea to re-home those close to gone off bananas that probably wouldn't get eaten.
[post_page_title]#12 Stone Notebook[/post_page_title]
As a writer, I do have certain guilt with this next one. I admit, I love my stationery and am always buying paper notebooks. But in my defense, I always, always use every bit of the page when I write. Plus, I always try to look for notebooks made out of recycled paper.
[post_page_title]#13 Rechargeable Batteries[/post_page_title]
I can't tell you how great I think it is that we finally have a product like this. There are so many batteries out there that get used up then chucked into the trash because people aren't bothered to properly recycle them. Well, now we don't even have to worry about properly recycling/disposing of batteries since now they are rechargeable with a micro USB. That means you'll really only ever need to buy them once and you've got them for life.
[post_page_title]#14 This Refill Station[/post_page_title]
This was spotted on a university campus in Canada, and we think it's one of the best ideas out there. There is no other way to say it other than it is a great idea to cut down on single-use plastic consumption.
[post_page_title]#15 This Cup's Label[/post_page_title]
Sometimes, it's almost like it needs to be spelled out for people how exactly they need to deal with their trash. We've seen more of an action on certain companies to label what is recyclable in a way that urges people to recycle. But this cup is completely different. I love that while it looks like a plastic cup, it's actually compostable and can easily go in the bin where it won't take thousands of years to break down.
[post_page_title]#16 The Pencil Tip with Seeds[/post_page_title]
While it's a small gesture, it's actually quite nice. Trees give us a lot in this world. Not only do they provide us with paper and pencils so that we can write, create art, communicate, etc. but they also provide us with an even bigger gift: oxygen. Trees help keep our air clean and fresh so that we don't end up suffocating on our own carbon dioxide emissions. So when we cut them down, it really is important that we replant more and give back.
[post_page_title]#17 Rain Water Toilets[/post_page_title]
There are some people who've adopted the saying, "If it's yellow let it mellow; if it's brown flush it down" as a means of being careful about conserving water. I personally can't being the germaphobe that I am. But I do 100% support the Grand Plaza's thoughts on saving water.
[post_page_title]#18 Alternative to Bubblewrap[/post_page_title]
As a child, I used to love bubble wrap. It was so fun to snap and pop. Any time my mom ordered something fragile I used to get excited because I knew that I could look forward to a good hour of popping fun. Now as an adult who is environmentally conscious, I feel guilty for using bubble wrap. In fact, when we moved house my partner and I, I used our clothes and towels to wrap up the fragile items rather than go out and buy bubble wrap.
[post_page_title]#19 Recycled Paper Notepads[/post_page_title]
Can I just say, I hope this catches on and more universities start doing this? I mean, we've all been there at college where we go to the computer lab and then end up seeing stacks of abandoned printed papers that were discarded. While recycling them is great, there are also the students that use normal computer paper in order to write notes on. That is why I think this is such a great idea. This university has made notebooks for students out of recycled paper.
[post_page_title]#20 These Single-Use Cutlery[/post_page_title]
As the description with the picture says, "Recently, Mexican company BioFase released single-use cutlery and straws that biodegrade in 240 days. The company collects avocado seeds from companies that process avocados to make guacamole or oil." So basically, these items, while they may be single-use, are actually biodegradable since they are made out of avocado seeds. For single-use, this is pretty good.
[post_page_title]#21 Paper Bags Instead of Plastic[/post_page_title]
We've all been to multiple grocery stores where all the produce is packaged into unnecessary plastic packaging. Even items like bananas or oranges - which come with their own protective skin - end up getting placed inside these plastic bags that then aren't properly disposed of and end up floating in the ocean. Enter this brilliant and better system. Paper bags.
[post_page_title]#22 This Bakery's Kind Gesture[/post_page_title]
Do you ever wonder what happens to food items that aren't sold at the end of the day? Most of the time, they end up getting thrown out, which then generates so much unnecessary waste. However, this one bakery had a rather charming idea of how to be more environmentally friendly, but also creating a sense of community. Every day, they leave out their pastries and bread that were not bought so that people can take them free of charge. This is great because rather than throwing the food away, they're sharing.
[post_page_title]#23 This Crafty Japanese Toilet Conserves Water[/post_page_title]
The Japanese are always giving us some crazy, out-there inventions. I mean, we've all heard of some of them like shoes with umbrellas on them, eyedrop funnels, butter graters - some of these are just a bit out there. However, this Japanese toilet is one for the environmental books. It's practical without being kooky. It conserves water by building in the sink to the top of the toilet, meaning that you're flushing the toilet with recycled with the water from the sink.
[post_page_title]#24 Man Power Charge[/post_page_title]
This one is pretty cool. I would love this, where can I get one? Basically, it's a bike that charges your devices through sheer manpower. How cool is that? What I really like about this, is that it isn't just great for the environment, but it also provides a free work out. As I said, I would love this. Besides the way my phone constantly needs charging, I'd be ripped!
[post_page_title]#25 Renovated Bathrooms[/post_page_title]
Renovations cost a lot. Plus, they create a lot of waste. They can also get quite pricy, especially if you are looking to incorporate wood. One bowling alley did something that is innovative, great for the environment, and also pretty cool-looking. They used the wood from old bowling lanes to redo the bathrooms. And the results are pretty awesome. I would want this in my house.
[post_page_title]#26 This Coffee Shop's Compost[/post_page_title]
One local coffee shop has come up with a pretty neat and sustainable idea. They give out free bags of compost which is made from their coffee grounds. Coffee grounds are by nature compostable - and if you've ever had a garden they are great for making your plants grow pretty. Coffee grounds in other places would otherwise get chucked into the trash, and while they're biodegradable, they'd still be creating waste when they could go to a better use.
[post_page_title]#27 This Surprise in a Cigarette Pack[/post_page_title]
Cigarettes are such a bad habit. Not only are they bad for your health, but they're bad for the planet too - in more ways than one. Not only are they producing smoke, but more importantly, the butts are not biodegradable as much as we'd like to pretend they are. Often times they get improperly disposed of and end up in our oceans or rivers, or just overall polluting our planet. This one surprise that came in a cigarette pack is actually pretty cool. It's a recycle pack where smokers can place their used butts and then return them for proper disposal.
[post_page_title]#28 This Clever Shoe Packaging[/post_page_title]
More often then not, when we go shopping we end up with items that are placed into one-time-use plastic bags. While paper bags are a little better, it still makes you feel a little guilty. This shoebox is cleverly designed to circumvent the need for more plastic bags. It incorporates a handle at the end of the box, thus turning your shoebox into its own bag. Very smart right?
[post_page_title]#29 Sustainable Confetti[/post_page_title]
The day after New Year's Eve you can feel a little less guilty about harming the environment with this. It's basically a seedling pack, so if you ever need to celebrate something like a birthday, New Years, baby showers, weddings, etc. you can still do so in an environmentally sustainable way. This definitely something that I could get behind for my next outdoor celebrations. Not only is it environmentally-friendly because it's not plastic, but it also has a fun surprise: wildflowers. And who doesn't like flowers?
[post_page_title]#30 These Biodegradable Bowls[/post_page_title]
Can you imagine how much better the world would be if we just all together cut out single-use plastic? And we need more of a push for items like these leaf bowls. They are made entirely out of leaves that are pressed and dried together, then pinned in place with bamboo.
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