Beautiful Ideas

This sounds like something out of a Harry Potter movie. Imagine wrapping yourself in a cloak... and basically becoming invisible. A Canadian company has now invented a 'Quantum Stealth' material that can 'bend' the light around a target. It has…

Perhaps too often, we see terrifying images of robots that might reputedly run amok in our streets. Here's another option. Robots will enhance the way that we live and work on the planet. Here's one example. Rocos is a robot…

There is huge merit in knowing the source of foods that you eat. However... here's a powerful initiative. Imagine being able to track your new woolly jumper back to its source (ie the Merino sheep), and to even be kept…

Have you ever heard of the Ig Nobel Prizes? Hilarious! They were originally established back in 1991 as a parody of the Nobel Prizes. They set out to nominate global achievements that first make people laugh, and then make them…

Imagine an electric vehicle battery that could last for 90 years without recharging. The batteries are reconstructed from nuclear waste (depending on how you view this, it's a blessing that it at least puts the waste to some use. Or…

Did you know that it can take up to 20 000 litres of water to produce a single kilogram of cotton? Here's a part-solution. A team of London students have determined how fabrics can be made from a salt-tolerant plant…

Here's one of the great secrets to (almost) sounding intelligent. Learn how to ask worthwhile questions. This article features 200 for you. That will be enough to get you through your next conversation.

I love the thinking behind this little device. It's called a Solar Buddy. And what's it for? Well... the intention is to relieve what is called 'energy poverty' in less advantaged countries. The group behind this project intend to gift…

I've always loved the work of the X-Prize Foundation. They find benefactors who are prepared to offer a large incentive for developing all-new ideas. Here's one of their latest: A competition for 18- to 25-year-olds to reimagine protective face masks.…