Viking-style seaweed thatch updated into prefab panelling
Traditional Danish seaweed thatching could be updated into a sustainable contemporary building material, according to research by Kathryn Larsen. More
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Scientists develop "greenhouse shields" to grow food on Mars
Researchers at Harvard University have devised a way to terraform Mars by placing sheets of silica aerogel on the planet's surface, which would warm it up to make it suitable for growing plants. More
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Bricks made from loofah and charcoal could promote biodiversity in cities
Plants and insects can thrive on the surface of these Green Charcoal bio-bricks, engineered as an alternative to concrete by researchers at the Indian School of Design and Innovation in Mumbai. More
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Nienke Hoogvliet's Kaumera Kimono is dyed with wastewater
Dutch designer Nienke Hoogvliet used a byproduct from the wastewater treatment process to create the dyed pattern on this kimono, which is intended to be passed down through the generations. More
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Smart chest binder promises to ease pain for trans people
Transgender men and non-binary people have a safer, more comfortable option for chest binding in the form of Breathe, a smart garment designed by Loughborough University student Miles Kilburn. More
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MIT researchers engineer "cyborg" plants for motion-tracking and sending notifications
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's "cyborg botany" researchers have turned plants into sensors and displays, suggesting we use them as a gentle alternative to electronic screens. More
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Shahar Livne makes bio-leather shoes from slaughterhouse waste
Israeli designer Shahar Livne has designed a pair of sneakers with alternative leather inserts made from the wasted fat, bones and blood of animals. More
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Totomoxtle is a material bringing rare corn back from the brink of extinction
Mexican designer Fernando Laposse has developed Totomoxtle, a marquetry material made from the colourful husks of heirloom corn species that restore vital biodiversity. More
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Aivan grows headphones from fungus and yeast
Fungus, yeast-based bioplastic and other materials grown by microbes have been used to make the Korvaa headphones, designed by Finnish studio Aivan in collaboration with scientists. More
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Studio Mumbai's handmade furniture references traditional craftsmanship
Indian architecture firm Studio Mumbai will exhibit 14 furniture and homeware items crafted from a mix of "universal" and more unusual materials, at Maniera gallery in Brussels. More
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University of Stuttgart creates biomimetic pavilions based on sea urchins and beetle wings
The University of Stuttgart has continued its experiments into biomimicry and robotic construction with two pavilions at the Bundesgartenschau horticultural show in Germany. More
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Basse Stittgen gives discarded eggs new life as bioplastic tableware
German designer Basse Stittgen aims to address the issue of global food waste and overconsumption with a series of tableware objects made solely from out-of-date eggs. More
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Snow nanogenerator would allow solar panels to generate energy on wintry days
US researchers have invented a nanogenerator that could one day be added to solar panels to keep them producing energy when covered in snow. More
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Kelly Jazvac presents "beautiful and horrific" plastiglomerate lumps at Milan Triennale
Chunks of "plastiglomerate" found by Canadian artist Kelly Jazvac on a Hawaiian beach form part of this year's Milan Triennale exhibition, illustrating how the anthropocene era is leading to the formation of new man-made minerals. More
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Thermobimetal shutters by Doris Sung self-regulate the temperature of buildings
Buildings could be cooled with zero energy using the Invert shading system, made from a smart material called thermobimetal that changes shape in response to heat. More
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Thomas Vailly uses sunflowers to make bio-based materials
Eindhoven-based designer Thomas Vailly explores turning sunflower crop waste into bio-materials to make sustainable products from insulation panels to iPhone cases. More
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Neri Oxman builds with melanin for Totems project
Neri Oxman's Mediated Matter Group at MIT has designed an installation using melanin — and says the skin pigment will inevitably be used in architecture. More
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Bontrager's WaveCel bike helmet promises to radically reduce head injury
US bike brand Bontrager has launched an improved bicycle helmet that they say is 48 times more likely to prevent concussion than standard foam versions. More
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Digitalab turns cork into thread for sustainable furniture and lighting
Portuguese studio Digitalab has won the rising star award at Stockholm Furniture Fair, with an innovative method of turning cork into thread. More
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Researchers re-engineer cob into sustainable new building material CobBauge
Ancient building material cob has been brought up to contemporary standards by a team of British and French researchers, who see it as an environmentally friendly option for homes. More
