Inhabitat's Week in Green: Off-grid homes and fold-up planes
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.
What does it take for a house to go completely off-grid? A diverse range of energy sources is key -- and this new 3D-printed house can be powered by built-in solar panels or tethered to a hybrid car. We also love this pop-up transparent dome shelter that lets you sleep beneath the stars. In other architecture news, Apple just launched its first store under the guidance of Jonathan Ives -- and it's warmer and more curvaceous than the company's previous brick and mortars. MAD Architects unveiled out-of-this-world plans for a futuristic George Lucas Museum in Chicago. And a team of researchers found a way to build a functional 24-foot rope bridge using drones.
The Volkswagen emissions scandal rocked the auto industry this past week -- and the fallout is severe. The company is being forced to recall 500,000 vehicles and CEO Martin Winterkorn has officially resigned. Meanwhile, the rumor mill is spinning up around Apple's top-secret electric car -- new reports indicate the vehicle could launch as soon as 2019. Tesla is the king of EVs -- but Taiwan-based Thunder Power is looking to steal the crown with a new electric sports car that can travel 373 miles on a single charge. A bullet-shaped super bicycle just broke a new world speed record by hitting 85.71 miles per hour on pedal power alone. And Icon launched an amphibious airplane that can fold up to fit in a camper.
Most wind turbines are gigantic -- but this week a tiny portable turbine blew through nearly all of its Kickstarter goal in a single day. In other tech news, researchers just developed what could be the world's most effective invisibility cloak. It's made from near-microscopic pieces of gold, and it can be draped over virtually any object to conceal it. You've probably never heard of jellyfish leather before -- but it exists, and it could offer a sustainable alternative to cowhide. And since Halloween is just a month away, we showcased the work of Magic Wheelchair -- a nonprofit that creates incredible costumes for children in wheelchairs.
