Design

How Torvinen Jaakko’s ugly wood can lay the foundations for green building

Canada's forests generate billions of dollars in economic value each year, yet vast amounts of irregular timber are downgraded to wood chips or biomass. A collaboration between researchers at Carleton University and Aalto University is challenging that model, demonstrating how "ugly wood" can be transformed into high-value architecture while reducing waste and storing more carbon in buildings.

Barnacle glue could fix coral reefs, inspire new advances in building and medicine

Aalto University researchers create a protein-based adhesive inspired by barnacles and mussels that works underwater and could aid coral reef restoration.

Jaakko Torvinen finds that the next green building revolution is misfit trees

Crooked, forked and curved trees are often treated as second-class timber. They are considered less valuable, and not suitable for load bearing walls or support systems in building. If a tree trunk is not straight enough to become a saw log, it is frequently diverted into pulp production or burned for energy. Now, new research from Aalto University could help change that.

5 great wearable luggage solutions to hack low cost airlines

Wearable luggage so you can hack low cost air travel

The fossil fuel problem hiding in your wardrobe

The fuel pumps don't lie. When oil prices spike, everyone pays, and lately, we have all been feeling the pain. But the effects of this...

The Pilsok Beetle Bag is the only backpack you will need in your van – or your life

I am picky about bags. Not in a fashion way because I don't care about logos. I care about whether a thing will hold...

Meet Seramic Materials from Abu Dhabi

Based in Masdar City, Abu Dhabi, Seramic Materials was founded in 2019 by Dr. Nicolas Calvet and Dr. Jean-François Hoffmann, researchers working at the intersection of renewable energy and materials science. The company grew out of the Masdar Institute ecosystem and is supported by clean tech programs like The Catalyst, with early backing of around $150,000 and more than $2 million invested in research and development over time.

From Crawling to Playtime: Kids’ Room Rugs and Baby Play Mats for Daily Play

Introduction: Explaining the Importance of Play for Children's Development Play is an essential aspect of a child's life. It is through play that children learn...

Pinatex bio-materials files for bankruptcy

Piñatex was among the earliest widely publicized plant-based leather alternatives and played a significant role in raising awareness of agricultural waste valorization within fashion supply chains.

Creative Gifts for Christmas

With the gift holidays officially open now is the time to reconsider gift giving, especially now with the current economic crisis! First, do you...

Knit Your Own Sustainable Beard

Keeping a beard is standard practice according to the "sunnah" in Islam.  That Arabic term generally refers to ways of the prophet Mohammad: he was fully bearded.  Muslim men are encouraged to grow beards when reaching adulthood as a symbol of manhood, purity and maturity.

How AI Can Help Eco-Materials Grow Up

moss is an experimental AI writer grown from the neural compost of Karin Kloosterman’s mind — a synthesis of her memories, research, and wild intuitions. Programmed on her patterns of thought, moss writes where technology meets spirit, decoding the secret language between nature, machines, and human longing.

Green Architecture at Home: Eco Decks as a Bridge Between Indoors and Outdoors

A lot of people think that all wood is equal, but this is not the case. Most of the time, decking materials come from irresponsible logging. This is not natural and sustainable at all. If you want to make responsible choices, you need to look at FSC certified lumber, bamboo, or recycled composites.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Jane Goodall Back Cruelty-free Lab Diamonds

Sarah Jessica Parker has expanded her creative footprint, stepping into the world of fine jewelry as a partner and spokeswoman for Astrea London, a...

This furniture isn’t built, it grows from mushrooms

In Mumbai, architects Bhakti Loonawat and Suyash Sawant are reimagining what furniture can be. Through their studio Anomalia, they grow consoles, blocks, and textiles from mycelium—the root network of fungi—transforming agricultural waste into durable, lightweight, and fully biodegradable designs. From Venice Biennale installations to everyday tables, their mushroom-grown creations offer a radical alternative to conventional furniture and a vision for circular living.

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Different Types of Hair Loss Treatments Explained

efore exploring treatments, it helps to understand why hair falls. Hair loss isn't one condition — it has different causes, and those causes affect which treatments actually work.

Dead Sea Scroll mystery may be solved by a calendar that lost touch with the seasons

The 364-day calendar did not disappear entirely. Instead, it may have survived as an ideal: a memory of perfect time at Creation and perhaps a calendar to be restored in the End of Days.

Mysterious metal space balls wash up on Australian shore

Mysterious metallic spheres dubbed "space balls" washed ashore on Forrest Beach in Queensland, Australia. The objects were identified by the Australian Space Agency as pressure vessels from a space launch vehicle that re-entered Earth's atmosphere, and crews successfully removed the safe debris.

Kansas City’s Second Attempt at a Conversion Therapy Ban: What the Proposed Ordinance Does and Why It’s Being Rewritten

Kansas City is attempting to revive protections against conversion therapy with a new ordinance carefully designed to withstand recent First Amendment challenges. Rather than banning conversion therapy by name, the proposal targets harmful therapeutic practices linked to increased risks of depression and self-harm, creating what supporters hope could become a legal model for other U.S. cities.

What to Look for in a Senior Living Community That Truly Delivers

Choosing a sustainable senior living community means looking beyond appearances to care quality, nutrition, safety, social connection, and long-term well-being.

Topics

Different Types of Hair Loss Treatments Explained

efore exploring treatments, it helps to understand why hair falls. Hair loss isn't one condition — it has different causes, and those causes affect which treatments actually work.

Dead Sea Scroll mystery may be solved by a calendar that lost touch with the seasons

The 364-day calendar did not disappear entirely. Instead, it may have survived as an ideal: a memory of perfect time at Creation and perhaps a calendar to be restored in the End of Days.

Mysterious metal space balls wash up on Australian shore

Mysterious metallic spheres dubbed "space balls" washed ashore on Forrest Beach in Queensland, Australia. The objects were identified by the Australian Space Agency as pressure vessels from a space launch vehicle that re-entered Earth's atmosphere, and crews successfully removed the safe debris.

Kansas City’s Second Attempt at a Conversion Therapy Ban: What the Proposed Ordinance Does and Why It’s Being Rewritten

Kansas City is attempting to revive protections against conversion therapy with a new ordinance carefully designed to withstand recent First Amendment challenges. Rather than banning conversion therapy by name, the proposal targets harmful therapeutic practices linked to increased risks of depression and self-harm, creating what supporters hope could become a legal model for other U.S. cities.

What to Look for in a Senior Living Community That Truly Delivers

Choosing a sustainable senior living community means looking beyond appearances to care quality, nutrition, safety, social connection, and long-term well-being.

NuCicer — Chickpeas Move to the Center of the Plate

NuCicer has developed Nuchi, a new class of chickpea with 50% more protein and 25% less fat than conventional varieties. Co-founder Kathryn Cook explains how wild chickpea genetics, AI-guided breeding, and centuries-old biodiversity could transform the future of sustainable protein.

How Torvinen Jaakko’s ugly wood can lay the foundations for green building

Canada's forests generate billions of dollars in economic value each year, yet vast amounts of irregular timber are downgraded to wood chips or biomass. A collaboration between researchers at Carleton University and Aalto University is challenging that model, demonstrating how "ugly wood" can be transformed into high-value architecture while reducing waste and storing more carbon in buildings.

A Face Swap Tool for Training and Internal Comms

Corporate training videos often require repeated filming, travel, and production resources every time policies or personnel change. AI-powered face swap tools offer a more sustainable approach by extending the life of digital training content, reducing unnecessary reshoots, and helping organizations communicate more efficiently—provided they are used transparently with clear consent and ethical governance.
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