Pollution levels decrease and the health of people improves when cities plant trees. Studies show that America’s trees save thousands of lives a year, mainly by preventing breathing-related problems (they also make you feel like you have more money, if you’re into that sort of thing).
Crack Garden is Not What it Sounds Like
Crack garden
This crack garden is not what it sounds like… It’s a sustainable, simple and cheap answer to a design problem. How to make a garden out of a concrete slab without spending a fortune. (Pics)
Land of Giants – Power Lines Turned Into a Work of Art
Land of Giants
Most of us take the aesthetic nature of power lines and pylons for granted. In fact, it’s hard to remember a time before the things crisscrossed the landscape. That’s why we were stoked when we came across this concept by Massachusetts-based architects Choi+Shine. Part infrastructure, part public art project,
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Living Wall Systems
Example of a BioWall
We’ve all seen them in action (sort of), so now it is time to check them out on a new level and get at least a cursory look at the different off-the-shelf options out there for living walls. A few select companies are offering systems that are available to North American buyers and beyond. Here’s a summary of what I have found to date… (Pics)
‘Alien Skull’ Spotted On Mars In Satellite Images
Alien Skull?
UFO spotters are claiming they have spotted an alien skull on Mars after NASA beamed back satellite images from the planet.
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The Tornado Tower
Tornado Tower
A young Sweden based architecture firm Visiondivision believes in strong concepts and constantly re-investigating their role as architects by always pushing the limits of their field of work and the strategies of their design. Tornado, is an entry for an opera competition in Taiwan which was a collaboration with Markus Wagner, a member of Svensk Standard. This project is reminscent of the Dubai Dynamic tower by David Fisher – the building in motion, both projects are really impressive! (Pics)
Genetic Testing: Do We Really Want To Know Everything Our Genome Has To Say?
Once impenetrable, the individual genetic code is becoming an open book thanks to kits that scan for genes linked to scores of traits and diseases, from bladder cancer and baldness to male infertility and memory loss.
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The Walking House
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CvxIB83Y0PA[/youtube]
Sure, when the oil shortage becomes oil-no-more, it would be nice to drive around in search of fuel like Mad Max, but what would be even better is to have your own movable home to wander the wasteland in. Something on legs that can roam anywhere. Something like this. But faster.
Traffic Light Tree
Pierre Vivant’s Traffic Light Tree
This bit of public art blends nature with traffic in one confusing sculpture. It’s Pierre Vivant’s Traffic Light Tree. A giant sculpture of fully-functioning traffic lights in London. For some reason it’s parked next to a roundabout near Canary Wharf.
Study Implicates Climate As A Major Driver Of Wildfires
Climate has been implicated by a new study as a major driver of wildfires in the last 2,000 years. But human activities, such as land clearance and fire suppression during the industrial era (since 1750) have created large swings in burning, first increasing fires until the late 1800s, and then dramatically reducing burning in the 20th century.
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Solar Powered Bus Stops
Miami is the land of the surf and the beach; hot babes and dishy guys dot the landscape. A little change in scene is about to happen because the residents are going eco friendly in a very subtle way.
City Gateway Inspired By Surrounding Desert
The United Arab Emirates keep building their Blade Runner-ish cities in the middle of the desert, with buildings like the Ras Al-Khaimah Gateway, a 2.9 million square feet hotel, conference and exhibition complex that looks like some kind of alien mothership from outer space.
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