The widespread adoption of self-driving cars will create a major bump in carbon emissions without changes to their design, a study from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology has found. More about MIT study finds huge carbon cost to self-driving cars
Expanded cork, construction waste and human urine feature in this roundup of brick alternatives, designed to reduce the masonry unit's embodied carbon footprint. More about Seven alternative bricks made of reclaimed waste and biomaterials
ZeroAvia has flown what the aviation company claims is the largest aircraft yet to be run on a zero-emissions hydrogen-electric engine, testing a 19-seater plane over the skies of England. More about ZeroAvia test-flies largest airplane powered by hydrogen-electric engine to date
North Carolina firm Plantd Materials has developed a material consisting of processed perennial grasses that it says will be lighter and stronger than traditional timber boards while capturing more carbon.
More about Plantd Materials creates OSB board alternative from processed grass
Design studio PriestmanGoode has collaborated with startup Skyted on a mask that uses jet-engine technology to absorb the wearer's voice so they can make calls in public without being overheard. More about PriestmanGoode unveils voice-absorbing face mask
London design studio Special Projects has worked with clinical psychologists to develop SlowMo, a mental health app for people experiencing psychosis that will be trialled by the UK's National Health Service. More about SlowMo app aims to help people with psychosis
Digital spaces can create communities but the ownership-obsessed metaverses envisioned by tech companies are depressing and uninspiring, writes Holly Nielsen. More about "Metaverses will be the digital equivalent of huge empty cities without character or community"
Architecture studios Carmody Groarke and TRANS Architectuur Stedenbouw have collaborated with material researchers to develop a brick made from local construction waste, which will be used to build the new wing of the Design Museum Gent. More about Municipal waste used to form low-carbon brick for Design Museum Gent extension
Car manufacturer Hyundai has revealed an Ioniq 5 car with wheels that can rotate up to 90 degrees so that it can "crab" drive sideways at this year's Consumer Electronics Show. More about Hyundai debuts car that can drive sideways
The sale of single-use plastic tableware and certain takeaway containers will be prohibited in England starting this autumn, the UK government has announced. More about England bans single-use plastic plates and cutlery to limit "devastating" pollution
Researchers from MIT and Harvard claim to have solved the mystery behind the durability of ancient Rome's concrete structures, and are now aiming to bring a modern version of the recipe to the market. More about MIT and Harvard researchers find secret to "self-healing" Roman concrete
Japanese "calm technology" company Mui Lab has unveiled the consumer-ready version of its Mui Board – a minimalist control hub for the smart home that looks like an unassuming block of wood. More about Mui Board enables smart home control from a plank of wood
Environmental organisation A Plastic Planet has launched an online platform to help architects and designers source plastic-free materials for their projects and avoid the "minefield of misinformation" around more sustainable alternatives. More about PlasticFree is a database of over 100 plastic alternatives for designers and architects
The latest edition of our weekly Dezeen Debate newsletter features BMW's i Vision Dee colour-changing concept car. Subscribe to Dezeen Debate now. More about Dezeen Debate features BMW's colour-changing concept car
Chinese electronics brand TCL has launched a pair of augmented-reality glasses at CES 2023 called RayNeo X2, with features including language translation and GPS navigation. More about TCL unveils AR glasses that overlay the world with digital info
Vancouver startup Glüxkind Technologies has unveiled a pram for babies at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, which uses artificial intelligence to push and rock itself. More about AI-powered Ella pram provides an "almost nanny-like experience"
Chinese technology brand Lenovo has developed what it claims is the "world's first" full-sized OLED double-screen laptop, which debuted at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last week. More about Lenovo unveils folding laptop with two full-sized screens
A screen-less smartwatch has launched at the 2023 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), promising to improve health and reduce stress without becoming a distraction. More about Nowatch is a health-focused smartwatch that doesn't tell the time
From concrete-like building materials to restaurant crockery made from the eateries' own food scraps, this roundup explores eight projects created using discarded shells. More about Eight innovative materials and products made from salvaged seashells
Electronics company Sony has unveiled an adaptable PlayStation controller named Project Leonardo that allows gamers with limited motor control to "craft their own play experience", as its first foray into accessible gaming equipment. More about PlayStation debuts highly customisable controller for gamers with disabilities at CES