Vollebak's plant and algae T-shirt becomes "worm food" in 12 weeks
Tech-based clothing startup Vollebak has launched a T-shirt made entirely from wood pulp and algae, which breaks down in soil or in a composter within three months. More
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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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Beatrice Sangster-Bullers combines fashion and AI to make "emotionally intelligent" clothing
Central Saint Martins fashion graduate Beatrice Sangster-Bullers integrates artificial intelligence into garments that display the wearer's emotions. 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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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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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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London Marathon offers edible seaweed drinks capsules as alternative to plastic bottles
Over 30,000 edible drinks capsules made from seaweed were handed out to runners at the London Marathon yesterday, in a bid to reduce plastic waste. 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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Bioplastics could be "just as bad if not worse" for the planet than fossil-fuel plastics
Bioplastics could potentially be worse for the environment than conventional plastics, according to recycling expert Arthur Huang. More
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Note Design Studio champions closed-loop sustainability with Formations installation
Note Design Studio has installed geometric totem poles inside a historic Milanese building to showcase the potential of Tarkett's IQ Surface, a new material that can be continuously recycled. More
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Watch our talk with Arthur Mamou-Mani about his bioplastic COS installation
Dezeen editor-in-chief Marcus Fairs spoke to architect Arthur Mamou-Mani about the design of Conifera, his 3D-printed bioplastic installation for COS, in this talk filmed by Dezeen during Milan design week. 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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University of Wollongong uses stem cells to 3D-print human ears
Researchers from the University of Wollongong in Australia have developed a 3D bioprinter that can replicate human ears for use in reconstructive surgery. More
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Scientists turn carbon dioxide back into coal
Carbon dioxide could be removed from the atmosphere and stored as a solid in a bid to manage climate change, using a new technique pioneered at Australia's RMIT University. 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
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UNStudio develops The Coolest White paint to cool down our cities
UNStudio and Monopol Colors have created an extremely reflective white paint that can reduce the amount of heat buildings absorb and cool cities in the face of climate change. More
