Mike Schropp of TotalGeekdom has combined technology and the natural world with his modified desktop computer that uses its own heat to grow plants! The compact DIY unit allows the plants — in this
We’d like to think that here at Inhabitat, we are rather clued in to the latest in robotics, however a new development has blown our minds. A group of scientists at the University of Hawaii have
Residents of Japan may be able to breathe a sigh of relief as the World Health Organisation (WHO) recently announced that radiation levels in most of the country are “below cancer-causing
Despite recent clashes between the US and Chinese solar industries, it seems that the entire solar power sector is prospering. As stated in a new report from GlobalData, with the ever-increasing number
Solar panels must be regularly cleaned and maintained in order to keep them operating efficiently and maximize the amount of sunlight they convert into electricity. With this in mind, a group of
Algae fuel and other biofuels have gained popularity in recent years to the point that even the US Military has adopted it as jet fuel. Given its recent rise to prominence, it’s not particularly
With China becoming the world’s leader of solar cells and panels, it was hoped that their mass production would help bring down global prices. However, in order to aid domestic manufacturing, the
The world’s first Solar-Geothermal Hybrid power plant has been inaugurated in the town of Fallon, Nevada. Just ten months ago Nevada Senator Harry Reid announced that the addition of solar panels
Since Japan shut down all its nuclear power stations in the wake of the Fukushima disaster, the country has been exploring ways to replace the 30 percent of national power which was generated by nuclear
Tidal farms, which use underwater turbines to harness the power of the planet’s oceans and convert it into electricity, are something that we frequently mention here at Inhabitat. While there are
Dr. Steven Chu, head of the US Department of Energy, gave an information-packed, 50-minute speech at the World Renewable Energy Forum in Denver on Wednesday. Speaking to a crowd of renewable energy
Yesterday Africa’s first bio-ethanol cooking fuel plant opened in central Mozambique. The partnership between Novozymes and CleanStar Mozambique, NDZiLO, will provide cleaner, safer and cheaper cooking
According to a study published in the journal Nature Climate Change, Americans are willing to pay for slightly higher electricity bills for clean energy. The survey, led by researchers from Yale and
Wind energy is one of the cleanest, most reliable sources of renewable energy out there, but there’s one strike against it: Most wind turbines aren’t exactly the most attractive sight. But for
While solar energy has long been touted as the key to solving the planet’s energy demands, the problem of efficiency has always hampered it. However, a team of engineers from the University of
Here at Inhabitat, we are huge fans of any technology that can improve the lives of disabled people, such as exoskeletons and robotic suits. However, Brown University, working with the Department of
“Wij krijgen Kippen,” which roughly translates from the Dutch to ”we pick up chickens,” has an unusual educational tool for informing the public about energy usage — their
Star Trek might be just a TV show for many of us, but some believe that such high-tech space exploration might soon become a reality. An engineer known simply as “BTE Dan” believes that with
Could what’s in this little container keep our planet healthy? The simple reality is we need to find a way to put carbon back into the soil, and making something called ‘biochar’ is
Food waste has long been a problem, but it seems a particular foodstuff is more harmful than others. According to a team from Edinburgh University, wasted milk that is poured down the drain can create a
Saudi Arabia has long been a wealthy country because of its enormous oil reserves. But the kingdom also is rich in sunlight, and it now promises to invest over $100 billion to develop 41 gigawatts of
China’s economy is growing at unprecedented rates, and the superpower has been doing everything it can to generate enough power to support it. So far the nation has invested in everything from
We’ve seen scientists use viruses to generate electricity in car batteries before, however a team from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab)
According to a group of American youths, the US government is failing to uphold the preamble to the constitution —specifically, the government has failed “promote the general Welfare” of the
Yesterday legislation dubbed the “End Polluter Welfare Act” was announced in Congress by Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) and U.S. Representative Keith Ellison (D-MN). The bill will put an end to as much
Going to the gym is of course great for your health, but there are at least two things that we dislike about traditional fitness clubs: you have to exercise inside (which feels particularly silly in the
When driving along a sprawling motorway towards the UK city of Bristol at night, a massive glowing helicoidal tower welcomes visitors and locals. Installed in 2008, the tower, called Twist, was designed
Last year, we reported on The Center for Testing, Evaluation and Innovation (CITE) – a town that would be built over 20 square miles of virgin desert in Lea County, New Mexico in order to test
