Researchers at Tel Aviv University have revealed how microalgae produce hydrogen, a clean fuel of the future, and suggest a possible mechanism to jumpstart mass production of this environmentally-friendly energy source. Their results have been published in back-to-back studies in Plant Physiology and Biotechnology for Biofuels. The research was led by Dr. Iftach Yacoby, head […]
Remember that quirky Yael Mer inflatable dress that could save your life when disaster strikes? These floating homes go to the next level: Hurricane Matthew is bearing down on the Caribbean. Would the damage be less devastating if you lived in a floating home? Perhaps, but you’ll have to serve up more than pretty renderings […]
Gotham’s green foliage projects in large urban communities like New York City and Chicago, not only produce year around vegetables; but also help preserve vestiges of former wild pastoral glory. An excellent example of efforts made to put abandoned urban space to good use as a garden park is the High Line urban grasslands park in New York […]
I was shopping online for a candle the other day and quickly realized this: candles have gotten very expensive! Soy candles, aromatherapy candles, eco-friendly candles in fancy jars. If only there was a way to create some nice romantic lighting without breaking the bank. But wait – there is! Introducing the orange peel candle: the […]
We thought we’d never get to say it, but car parking may be becoming dead. It’s already happening in China. It’s become kind of a cliché that there’s never enough parking spaces no matter where you go. We’ve all got anecdotes about circling car parks three or four times looking for a space to back that […]
With the recent news that Dubai and Abu Dhabi ranked number one and two respectively within the Middle East on the Arcadis 2016 Sustainable Cities Index, it’s worth noting that they are still many years away from other places in the world. On a global scale, Dubai reached 52nd place and Abu Dhabi not far […]
Tomatoes are full of lycopene, the cancer-busting carotenoid responsible for the reddish colorations in vegetables and fruits. Red peppers are packed with phytochemicals and beta-carotene, which flood your system with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits. Meet a delicious concoction that combines both in an ancient Middle Eastern recipe with decidedly modern health benefits. Science says the sense […]
France has passed a new law that bans cups, cutlery, plates, and takeaway containers made from plastic. It’s The part of the nation’s Energy Transition for Green Growth Act, which will also carry out a ban on plastic bags in grocery shops and markets beginning in July. The law comes into effect in 2020. French President […]
Say hello to the “Anthropocene”, a new geological epoch brought about by humanity’s impact on planet Earth. A team of geologists say that ash from fossil fuels, plastic waste, rising seas (which are triggering a dramatic increase in upland erosion), and radioactive particles littered by nuclear bomb tests are all contributing to permanent changes in Earth’s rocks. […]
I’m going to thank Donald Trump Jr. for providing a simple way to visualize our decisions regarding human refugees. He said that we should pretend that “those people” are skittles, not someone we could ever imagine being a loved-one– capable of thought, compassion, joy and loss as we believe of ourselves. In junior Trump’s analogy, […]
Do you coo over pictures of baby animals, become indignant when we see images of pollution running into rivers, and love to see the faces of the people who fight to make our planet better? Like us, we love telling stories in pictures. And taking pictures is an essential way to speak to the human […]
Like Cloud, Big Data and other technological buzzwords, the definition of the Internet of Things (IoT) is often stretched to fit a corporate sales pitch. IoT. But what is it? The internet of things connects ordinary objects to the internet. So now we can Google missing luggage and use an online dating service to match […]
We all need better food in our lives. Now Denmark is putting its stake in the ground and ploughing ahead with new ideas. It’s working with leading architects and is making investments in a making huge investments in a balanced whole-systems and ecological approach to growing our food. William McDonough + Partners, GXN, 3XN Architects, […]
Urban farming. High-tech farming. Modern farming, or maybe it’s traditional farming? However you call it, farming in the US is shifting against the tide of large-scale monoculture, chemical company-controlled mega farming, where farmers measure success by operating at smaller loss than the year before. The farming industry is on the verge of collapse. Oil prices are […]
This is an issue of global concern. Climate change, urbanization, and resource depletion (more mouths to feed, burn wood in stoves for, graze more cattle for) is still happening at a fast an alarming clip, influencing our planet’s ability to store CO2 emissions, and protect diversity. We hate scare tactics, but put it into scale […]
Technology is a driving force of innovation. Everything we build, adapt and refine, generally has the express purpose of making our lives on this planet easier. Whether it’s transportation, growing food, or the sending and receiving of information, technology exists to solve a problem or streamline a process. Nevertheless, the environmental cost of this technology […]
If you’ve ever visited a Middle Eastern country, one noticeable difference to Europe is restriction on alcohol. Muslims are not allowed to drink according to scripture (read why Muslims don’t drink here) so depending on the ruling government, access to alcohol may be restricted to your local hotel or nearby speakeasies (big in Iran) or it […]
Israel! You are so good at so many things beyond technology. And food, as locals and tourists know is becoming Israel’s rising star. With hyper-local fresh food production capabilities, Israelis from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem enjoy traditional Mediterranean food, hybridized with any international trend. It makes complete sense in a country that’s into food, and […]
In the recent past, renewable energy has been in the limelight of most of the countries and global corporations. This is due in part to the fact that, there is need to develop sustainable means of energy production that does not have negative impacts on the environment. Solar power is one of the major options and […]
Our favorite eco-organization EcoPeace Middle East are arranging a full moon hike in the West Bank this week with a local center, the Auja EcoCenter which offers tried and true alternatives for better living in desert climates. Auja has been the focus of a number of stories we have covered here on Green Prophet, namely because the […]
Las Vegas has always been the greatest chameleon city in the US. Ever since its foundations were laid, it has been branded and re-branded as anything from the ultimate vent and divorce town during the Great Depression to a kid-friendly place full of water slides and whatnots. The city has also just grabbed headlines for […]
I remember that when I visited Byblos, in the Jbeil district of Lebanon, in the summer of 2011, I felt like a true beholder of history. Historians agree that it’s the second oldest continuously-inhabited city on earth, runner-up only to the Palestinian city of Jericho. I sat at Feniqia restaurant in the heart of the […]
Three public spaces in downtown Amman have been temporarily re-purposed as platforms to promote contemporary design from Jordan and the wider region. This is Amman Design Week, a first-time consolidation of the kingdom’s artistic capabilities, established and emerging, and the excellent choreography of its exhibits rivals that in any world-class city. Supported by Her Majesty Queen Rania Al […]
If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound? If a food worker in Egypt fails to properly wash his hands, does it cause an epidemic in another nation? More than 80 people in seven US states have been infected with food-born Hepatitis A, and at least 32 people have been hospitalized. The […]
Jerusalem’s Bezalel Academy of Art and Design – Israel’s oldest institution of higher learning – is a prolific incubator of brilliant ideas, with its post-grads serving as the school’s best advertising. They move on to produce beautiful artifacts, while kicking forward the antique design credo of “build a better mousetrap”. Now one student has developed a […]
