Miapolis is the brainchild of Kobi Karp, an architectural firm with headquarters in Miami. The skyscraper represents a 975-meter structure that is planned to be built for Watson Island.

If the plan will be successfully accomplished, the building will surpass the currently highest structure in the world - Burj Khalife in Dubai, which is 183 meters high.

Miapolis includes an amusement park, observatory, several restaurants and a wide range of shops that occupy a total area of 1.96 million square feet. In addition, the 160-story high tower will include 1,000 apartments, a hotel with 792 rooms and office space totaling 1 million square feet, reports WorldArchitectureNews.

The project is expected to provide 35,000 permanent and 46,000 construction jobs. Miapolis is expected bring the City each year $39 million. It will also generate about $2.5 billion to the local economy.

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Toshiba Corp. will build a new electric power system for Okinawa Electric Power Company, based in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. The new generation power system features special storage batteries to collect electricity produced by solar panels and other alternative energy sources, informs Techon.

Japanese engineers look forward to carry out a number of tests of the power station in Miyakojima, Okinawa, starting this autumn. To perform the trials, engineers will add two photovoltaic systems (3MW, 1MW) and two storage batteries (4MW, 200kW) to existing buildings that feature 2 thermal power plants (21,500kW, 40,000kW), a gas turbine plant (15,000kW) and 5 plants that makes use of wind power (900kW x 4, 600kW x 1).

By making use of the photovoltaic panels, the huge power plant is expected to generate about 3MW of electricity. Toshiba will use its 'SCiB' 4MW sodium-sulfur batteries along with 200kW lithium-ion batteries. Both types of batteries have a quicker charge-discharge cycle. The photovoltaic system will include polysilicon solar cells developed by Sharp Corp.

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Bell Labs, the research branch of Alcatel-Lucent, a telecom company, has recently launched a global effort to make the Internet 1,000 times greener in just 5 years.

Currently the company is discussing the plan with 15 other representatives from the IT industry, academia, science laboratories and NGOs. The list of members that are interested in the project includes: AT&T, China Mobile, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, and MIT's Research Laboratory for Electronics. The consortium has already received a name - Green Touch.

It is worth mentioning that these companies emit about 300 million tons of greenhouse gases - the amount equivalent to gas pollution of 50 million vehicles. According to Bell Labs, by 2015 the consortium will try to register daily greenhouse gas emissions a few times less than the yearly amount registered today.

The company has already given an open invitation to everyone interested in the project. It also stated that the system for making the Internet green is unique. Each individual entity is going to have an open system of intellectual property rights that aims at helping to facilitate technology transfer on the international level. For more information on the subject click here.

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The South Korean tech giant LG recently presented its latest invention - flexible e-paper which resembles the traditional newspaper. The device could save tons of paper, wastewater and considerably cut carbon emissions.

LG presented a model that has a 19-inch screen and is just 0.3mm thick, which is equivalent to five sheets of paper. The device weights 130 grams and is different from other e-readers due to the fact that it features a new technology that allows it to bend and return to initial shape.

Because of the resemblance to the traditional newspaper, the company expects high demand for its invention.

Not only does the invention represent an alternative for traditional newspapers and such devices as the Amazon Kindle; due to the debates about the environmental impact of other e-readers and the concerns regarding the harvesting of hundreds of millions of trees to produce paper, LG's latest invention can truly become a mass product.

Currently there is no information on the amount of energy the device is going to consume. But it is known that the 19-inch display was developed only for the show and that the product that will hit the markets is going to have an 11.5-inch display, informs DigiTimes. The company's latest invention will appear in the first half of 2010.

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The Eco Bus Shelter represents a project designed by Indian designer Ramesh Kanth, who decided to mix a bus shelter and rainwater harvesting system.

The final result looks just like an ordinary bus stop, which however, makes use of a system that recycles rainwater. The latter can be used when the weather is dry and earth needs water.

The shelter could be placed in locations that lack rainfalls. Taking into consideration that a large amount of rainwater is gathered in gutters, the bus shelter would be a useful invention that would recycle rainwater and use it more wisely.

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Energy crisis is one of the most discussed topics not only among politicians but designers as well. The latter often try to focus on aesthetic design of an eco-friendly device that would make people aware about the climate change issue. Having this in mind, Anthony Castronovo decided to design a beautiful solar-powered kinetic sculpture which was commissioned by Beth Deutch and Larry Rubin in Rumson.

Their creation, called Heliotropis, resembles a flower and is expected to be completed this year. The flower features built-in solar panels to gather energy from the sun. The generated electricity will be used to make the flower's glass petals move inward and outward.

The two designers are considering using ceramic and glass for their project. Currently they are deciding on the colors of the petals. The main idea of the sculpture is to motivate people to make use of alternative sources of energy.

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According to a Japanese scientist, he managed to create a "hummingbird robot" able to flutter around in the air by using a fast wing motions. The robot has almost the size of a real hummingbird. It features micro motor and 4 wings that flap at a speed of 30 times per second.

Hiroshi Liu, the 46-year-old scientist who works at Chiba University east of Tokyo and specializes in creating robots based on real creatures says that his latest invention is able to turn up, down, left or right by making use on a special infrared sensor. The robot weights only 2.6 grams.

Liu says that the robot can fly in a figure of 8 more stably than a real helicopter. He mentioned that he further plans to make his latest invention float at one point in mid-air. In addition, the researcher looks forward to mount a micro camera on the robot by March 2011, reports Physorg.com.

Though little, the robot has cost Liu a stunning 200 million yen ($2.1 million). It could be used for various purposes like rescuing people from ruins, looking for criminals and even serving as a probe vehicle on the red planet. "First, we need to learn about effective mechanism from natural life forms, but we want to develop something to go beyond nature eventually," said the scientist.

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A sand artist from India is the author of 100 Santa Clause figures made from sand and recently presented on an exhibition in Puri, a tourist town in eastern Orissa state, India. The idea was to inform people about the global warming issue.

The artist also sculpted a number of Christmas trees that feature the message: "Save the Earth from Global Warming". The exclusive exhibition has been visited by a large number of tourists. It is worth mentioning that to create his sculptures the artist used 1,000 tons of sand and spent 36 hours on the sculpture.

But the Indian artist was not alone, being helped by 20 students from the Golden Institute of Sand Art. It would be interesting to note that the town of Puri represents the place where sand art found its origin back in the 14th century, reports BBC News. Mr. Patnaik has chosen this time of the year due to the fact that Puri attracts a lot of people during winter holidays, thus it's the most suitable period to draw their attention on climate change.

The Indian artist is famous not only in his native country. He managed to win a competition in Germany and was listed in the Limca Book of Records after creating the tallest Santa Claus in 2008, the sculpture being 25 feet tall. He has always picked social themes for his creations, including HIV-Aids, the bird flu epidemic in India and the tsunami disaster.

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Researchers from Stanford managed to discover that the light that enters our eyes and helps us see can be also used to generate power for electronics implanted into eyes and electronic contact lenses. They found that near infrared light can serve as a source of energy and data signal for devices.

Their latest invention is an implant that is 3mm wide and 30 micrometers thick and which can be used to power electronic contact lenses and other eye implants.

According to IEEE Spectrum the implant developed by Stanford researchers is developed as a series of tiny solar cells. It is implanted behind the retina and is a component part of a system that features a video camera, a pocket PC, used to process the images captured by the camera, and a bright near-infrared LCD display incorporated into video spectacles. "The pulsed 900-nanometer-wavelength image that shines into the eyes is enough to produce electricity in the chip," the IEEE wrote.

The technical part of the new invention is rather sophisticated, but the idea is simple - solar-powered eyes for people who have progressive loss of photoreceptor cells on retina. It is worth mentioning that the latest invention will not provide a completely clear vision - people will be able to recognize faces and read large fonts at best. However, such improvement is better than nothing. Currently there is no information on when the device will be available

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Scientists from NASA recently unveiled their idea of building a robotic-rocket plane, the mission of which would be the exploration of the red planet from the air. In order to build it, NASA has advertised its project.

The new project is called The Aerial Regional-scale Environmental Surveyor (Ares).

The spacecraft has the size of a small plane and it will be folded into a rocket to be able to reach Mars. It is worth mentioning that Ares will be world's first aircraft to fly over another planet.

The aircraft will enter the atmosphere of Mars within a capsule; then it will deploy parachutes and open up its wings and tail. The final stage would be firing the rocket motor and traveling around the red planet about a mile above its surface, reports The Daily Telegraph. The journey would take about an hour and a quarter.

Researchers say that Ares is different from the rovers used to explore Mars nowadays due to the fact that it is able to explore a larger territory and in more detail. NASA hopes to cooperate with other companies and designers to be able to bring the project to life, which is why it has issued a "team opportunity."

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Almost everyday we hear about emissions of carbon dioxide and the amount of those emissions is measured in metric tons. One metric ton represents the monthly dose of CO2 emitted into the atmosphere by an average person living in an industrialized nation. But a lot of people are not aware of exactly how much is a metric ton of CO2.

The United Nations decided to fix the problem and launch a new project called CO2 Cube. Having the goal of making people aware about the amount of gas emitted into the Earth's atmosphere, the UN looks forward to launch its CO2 Cube on December 1.

The CO2 Cube represents a three-story structure, measuring 8.2m x 8.2m x 8.2m (27ft x 27ft x 27ft) that includes precisely 1 ton of carbon dioxide, estimated and stored at normal atmospheric pressure, reports Artdaily. The cube will honor the historic UN Climate Change Conference.

It is worth mentioning that Alfio Bonanno is the author of the CO2 Cube, which will flow on the waters of St. Jorgens Lake in Copenhagen.

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Researchers Rambam Medical Center in Haifa, Israel, carried out a number of experiments that suggest that shockwaves applied at penises could help cure erectile dysfunction.

The new method allows patients to function properly without having to take medication, said researcher Yoram Vardi, head of the Center's neuro-urology department.

Together with his team, Vardi considers that shockwave therapy can prove to be effective and help men who have their erectile dysfunction problem linked with reduced blood flow to their penises.

The researcher mentioned that about 80 percent of patients with erectile dysfunction also have problems linked with cardiovascular system.

In their experiments, scientists treated 20 volunteers. The average age of all research participants was 56 and all of them had either mild or moderate erectile dysfunction over a period of about 3 years. Volunteers passed a number of sessions and in each session researchers used a device that looks like a computer mouse, reports LiveScience. The device applied shockwaves at 5 different regions on the patients' penises. Each region received about 300 shockwaves during a three-minute period.

The process lasted 3 weeks and there were 2 sessions each week. Then there was a three week rest and then the therapy repeated. Researchers noticed considerable improvements in 15 out of 20 patients, but they warn that such treatment may not be suitable for everyone since they selected patients who had problems linked with blood flow.

The team continues testing their new therapy and the next step will involve studying placebo groups. The results of the research were revealed on November 17 at the European Society for Sexual Medicine meeting that took place in Lyon, France.

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Finally, engineers have completed the design of the vehicle that is expected to break the world landspeed record. It is expected that the vehicle will reach a speed of 1,000 miles per hour for the first time in history.

The project, entitled Bloodhound Supersonic, has the goal of breaking the record of 763mph that was established 12 years ago. The car will be constructed in Bristol, UK, before it performs its first test drive at a dried-out lake in South Africa in 2011.

It is worth mentioning that the 1000kg Rolls Royce EJ100 jet engine is used on the Eurofighter Typhoon, a next-gen European combat aircraft. The jet engine is going to be supported by a 400kg hybrid rocket, which, combined with the two engines, will be able to generate more power than 180 Formula One cars.

The vehicle that is part of a 10 million pounds project will be driven by Andy Green, who is the present record holder and RAF pilot Wing Commander.

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Buenos Aires could be enriched with a new wonder called Costanera Sur, which is a design project of a vertical zoo. The project aims at turning the ruins, left from the construction of old highways in the city, into an area with a towering construction that would replicate a waterfall.

The design was developed by architects at Visiondivision that decided to create an entirely self-sufficient construction that could provide water and energy to nearby buildings. To be able to produce a waterfall the Costanera Sur has a central pipe mechanism that collects water from a river that flows next to the building. The system filters the water and then pumps it through the construction. The waterfall starts functioning after the water overflows the rooftop pool.

The waterfall runs over the structure's facade and at the basement level of Costanera Sur the energy generated from the waterfall is transformed into electricity by the turbines and a central generator.

The architects decided to make a building in which animals would walk freely and which would include food storage, veterinary facility, observation decks and a cafe. Different floors are arranged for particular representatives of the animal world. The rooftop will be the home of the dolphins. The project still has to be analyzed in detail, taking into consideration certain issues that might occur.

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By mixing salt and fresh water it would be possible to obtain carbon-neutral energy. It is worth mentioning that such process is known as osmotic power. Recently a company named Statkraft opened in Norway world's first plant that makes use of osmotic power.

Due to the fact that the new factory has a somewhat limited production capacity, engineers look forward to use it for carrying out tests and building up the technology for commercial use, informs CleanTechnica. Statkraft considers that osmotic power has a great future, with its global potential being equivalent to about 50 percent of the today's energy production within the European Union.

In addition to mixing fresh water with seawater, the osmotic power could also tap the latent power in a number of other resources of water like the desalination plants and wastewater treatment facilities.

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Recently Toshiba presented its limited amount of 3,000 units of methanol fuel cell charger. The company called its new invention Dynario. The device makes use of a single 14ml refill of methanol that can initiate the process of recharging device in just 20 seconds.

It would be interesting to note that one shot of methanol is enough to fully charge two mobile phones.

Toshiba's new invention runs on a fusion of methanol and atmospheric oxygen. The electricity is generated as a result of a chemical reaction between the two. Currently the 3,000 units of the methanol fuel cell charger are available only at Shop1048 in Japan. One unit can be acquired for around $330. One replacement methanol fuel pack costs around $6, informs EnviroGadget.

At the moment the company is very cautions with launching the device in other countries. However, its test run is expected to become successful.

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Scientists from France managed to discover a new method of creating a new skin, which could be used to help people who suffered serious burns. To recreate the skin, researchers make use of human embryonic stem cells.

The experiments made on mice showed that the stem cells developed into fully formed human skin in just 12 weeks. The details of the study were published in the Lancet journal, in which researchers wrote that the new skin could solve some of the problems that currently occur in the field. It is worth mentioning that the major issue today is the rejection of the new skin.

In the new study scientists replicated the biological steps that lead to the creation of skin during embryonic development. The cells formed a layer of skin after being placed on a synthetic net. The layer of skin was then grafted on to 5 mice. The team of researchers, led by Dr Christine Baldeschi, from the Institute for Stem Cell Therapy and Exploration of Monogenic Diseases in Evry, France, found that after 12 weeks the skin had a structure compatible with the human skin. According to the team, the experiment showed promising results.

Dr Baldeschi says that the new method allows creating "an unlimited resource for temporary skin replacement in patients with large burns awaiting grafts of their own skin." Currently scientists are getting ready to test the new technique on humans.

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On October 31 the Sabiha Gokcen International Airport in Istanbul witnessed the opening of a new terminal which made it the largest earthquake-proof construction on the planet. The name of the airport comes from the first woman combat pilot in the world.

The building occupies an area of 2 million square feet and can resist a magnitude 8.0 earthquake. Besides, the construction can not only resist such a powerful earthquake, it can also continue working as a fully functional building afterwards.

Such advances became possible as a result of a new seismic building technology along with complex computer simulations applied. Computer simulations can predict the reactions of the structure during an earthquake and thus be able to keep it safe.

It is worth mentioning that Istanbul stands on the confluence of three tectonic plates, which means that there are big chances that another major earthquake will take place in the near future. The new building will be able to save lives and significantly cut the costs of damage. The new terminal was designed by Arup, one of the leading companies focusing on sustainable design and engineering.

The new building technology used to create the terminal is dubbed "triple friction pendulum isolators." These seismic isolation devices were developed by Earthquake Protection System and are meant to absorb the energy produced by the shock waves, being able to resist powerful earthquakes. The technology lifts the entire structure off the ground and reduces the motions of the construction during an earthquake. There are 300 of these devices used in the new terminal, which makes it the biggest earthquake-safe construction in the world.

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The Symbiotic Green Wall is the project of two designers: Kooho Jung and Hayeon Kelly Choi. The concept represents a double-layered wall system that gathers, filters and then allocates rainwater and wastewater.

Two layers of the wall serve as heat and noise absorbers. At the same time they also help store water, which is used to decrease the amount of construction dust and grow grass in pods attached to the wall.

Due to the fact that the grass grows almost on the wall, the eco-friendly construction also acts as air cleaner system that makes use of fully natural processes.

In addition, the Symbiotic Green Wall provides relaxation areas that are used by construction workers.

The structure also has spaces for birds, plus it features indicators that show the level of noise, vibration and air pollution at and near the construction site. Taking advantage of a number of natural systems, the wall has the goal of making construction sites sustainable and dirt free.

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It is true that batteries have become extremely popular over the last decade, especially during the era of portable devices. However, after being discharged, batteries are thrown away, littering the environment. Rechargeable batteries have become one of the alternatives, but the new invention of the industrial designer Jon West of Indakind Designs can make a rechargeable battery even more environmentally-friendly.

West decided to create something that would lower the carbon footprint of rechargeable batteries, which is why he created a Solar Sticker that transforms a rechargeable battery into one that harnesses solar energy, informs EcoFriend.

Currently his creation is a patent-pending design. It is worth mentioning that the new invention is based on flexible solar panels that one can easily wrap around virtually any rechargeable battery, thus making it collect energy from the sun. In order to make the new invention easier to use, the Solar Sticker features both anode and the cathode.

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