Bike-sharing systems: Philadelphia integrate equity strategies Bike-sharing systems have been growing in popularity across the U.S. in the past decade. Since the launch of Smartbike DC (now called Capital Bike Share) in Washington D.C. in August of 2008, residents in many major American cities now have access to a bike-share system. That’s the good news.…
In Vancouver, shipping containers are the new tool libraries This spring, Vancouverites may find renting a set of camping equipment as easy as borrowing a book from the library. The Thingery project is a recent initiative launched by Vancouver Tool Library founder Chris Diplock. The first Thingery pilot project was carried out in summer 2016, and Diplock…
Denmark’s reduce recidivism with architecture “We truly believe, and evidently the statistics support us in this, that a hard and less-stimulating environment creates more re-offenders,” Mads Mandrup, an architect and partner at C.F. Møller Architects About 70 miles southeast of Copenhagen, in the town of Gundslev, Storstrøm Prison looks more like a university campus than a…
3D printer technology project makes prosthetic limbs for amputees in Haiti The majority, about 80 percent, of the world’s estimated 33 million people with limb loss live in poor countries and are often without access to prosthetics care. Amputees are victims of war, violent conflict, natural disasters, unsafe working conditions, and lack of healthcare. Haiti has a particularly large…
Germany is now home to the world’s largest wind turbine The German town of Gaildorf is now home to the world’s largest wind turbine. Max Bögl Wind AG constructed the turbine, and its central hub alone measures some 178 meters (584 feet). When the length of the blade is added to that, the turbine’s height is 246.5 meters…
Researchers claim they’ve found a way to reverse type 2 diabetes Researchers from Newcastle and Glasgow Universities believe they have found a way to effectively reverse type 2 diabetes, without requiring a new kind of drug or invasive surgery. Type 2 diabetes is a chronic condition that affects how a person’s body metabolizes sugar, either because…
Tesla just announced six new projects to restore power in Puerto Rico After Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico earlier this year, Elon Musk was quick to offer Tesla’s services as an energy provider. The largest energy contract in the restoration efforts ultimately went to Whitefish, a small energy company from Montana, but they’ve…
New cancer studies aim to treat those chemotherapy has failed One of the first line treatments for cancer is chemotherapy, which can be a long, stressful process. While some patients certainly benefit from the treatment and see their cancer go into remission, others may not see the same effect. For those chemotherapy has failed, as…
The inmates who teach other prisoners to read Half of England’s prisoners are illiterate. Since most of us learn to read and write in the first year or two of school, it feels almost impossible to imagine. But Angela Cairns, CEO of prisoners reading charity Shannon Trust, knows all too well how illiteracy can feel.…
Kamakhya temple is all set to become India’s cleanest pilgrimage site The state government of Assam is vying to elevate the Kamakhya temple, its most touted pilgrimage hotspot, as the cleanest pilgrimage site in the country. The ancient temple has been declared as a Swachh Iconic Place, with Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurating and laying…