At the Pioneers Festival in Vienna last month, AeroMobil, a Slovakian startup, unveiled the thing that we have all been dreaming about since we saw that first episode of the Jetsons while still wearing diapers: The flying car. (Pics and video)
The Markthal Rotterdam is an enormous new market hall that has opened its doors in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, and it’s turning quite a few heads. The market hall is a curiously elongated horseshoe of a building, has a 36,000 square foot mural covering its rounded ceiling. (Photos)
A massive environmental disaster dubbed “the quiet Chernobyl,” is shown in series of NASA satellite images that reveal the shocking decline of water levels in the Aral Sea. (Photos)
Shaunacy Ferro: Hanging out at the library might just become cool as Calgary, Canada has plans to build a new lending library. The library will be designed by Snøhetta, an architecture firm. The library will have a 240,000-square-foot center and will be more than just a repository for plastic-protected books. Twice as large as Calgary’s existing public library, it’s designed to be both a circulating public library and a community gathering space, a combination bookstore/computer lab/cafe/event space/social hub that provides a pathway between two disconnected neighborhoods. (Photos)
An innovative bicycle designed by Schiller allows people to safely ride on water. It is the world’s most advanced water bicycle with a responsive steering mechanism, multi-speed drive train, twin propellers, and dual chamber pontoons. (Video and pics)
Recently, the travel world has gone into a frenzy over the knee defender, a little $22 device that caused quite the scuffle on a United Airlines flight. The plastic attachment clips onto the seat, and prevents the person sitting in front of you from reclining. It is banned by most U.S. carriers, yet a man tried to use it on a flight and really annoyed the woman in front of him. Words were exchanged, drinks were thrown, and eventually the plane was diverted to Chicago and the two offenders were taken off of the plane.
The Segway offers transportation solutions that would reduce congestion, pollution and other environmental problems. The unique design and function of the Segway has a fresh idea and excites the imagination of several people, designers included. If we fast forward a few years, we will see quite a number of concept vehicles entering the market with the same vision. Here are some of these futuristic models Segway lovers would need to look out for in the near future. (Pics)
We are living in a time where the concept of robotic healthcare isn’t as foreign as it might seem. In regard to healthcare, the surge of innovation is supported by a strong attention to the world of technology and robotics. The evolution of the healthcare market is astonishing. We are becoming more accustom to the idea of automation and exploring the possibilities with open minds rather than anxiety. (Photos and videos)
As always, if your airline seat is not comfortable, just get up and walk around!
Quote of the Day:“The reason people find it so hard to be happy is that they always see the past better than it was, the present worse than it is, and the future less resolved than it will be.” – Marcel Pagnol
The Nimbus is a funky little hybrid that looks like a retro-styled SUV, but its actual story is even more intriguing. The Nimbus concept car is a microbus that can take electric hybrids off-road. The concept comes from Brazilian designer Eduardo Galvani who claims it offers a greater driving range and better fuel economy than any hybrid currently on the market. (Pics)
Futuristic cities hold a strong appeal in our imaginations. The idea that some of the most outlandish cities from science fiction might be within our technical reach tomorrow is exciting. Here is a collection of some very interesting, fascinating, and exciting futuristic city concepts. (Photos)