Bob Kalk

The World’s First Commercial High-speed Maglev System

by

Shanghai took the first leap towards the future of ground transport by constructing the world’s first magnetic levitation (Maglev) train. Reaching speeds of up to 430 kilometers per hour (260 mph), the Maglev is the world’s fastest form of public ground transport. The futuristic train rushes commuters between the airport and downtown Shanghai. The 20-mile … Read more

MIT’s Folding, Stackable Concept Car

by

Part sporty convertible, part shopping cart–the Concept Car, proposed by the MIT Smart Cities Project, is creating a new view vision for the future of personal urban transport.As part of the Smart Cities Project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), researchers propose a stackable, foldable Concept Car designed to revolutionize urban transportation networks and … Read more

Modified Toyota Prius

by

For many motorists, 75 cents and 100 miles per gallon of gasoline would be a dream. For Oakwood resident Alan Shedd, it’s a reality. For nearly six months, Shedd, an engineer with Jackson Electric Membership Corp., has been testing his company’s plug-in hybrid electric Toyota Prius, one of the first of its kind. As part … Read more

GSA Adds Saturn Hybrids To Fleet

by

The U.S. General Services Administration has purchased 55 Saturn Aura Green Line hybrid sedans to bolster its inventory of fuel-efficient vehicles. In addition to purchasing the Saturns, GSA also purchased more than 24,000 alternative fuel vehicles for federal customers this year. AEVIA Reveals the Source

Spray on Photovoltaics?

by

Discoveries in nanotechnology have led to what many consider the next generation of solar technology: ultra-thin amorphous silicon, organic and inorganic solar cells derived from nanocrystals that convert sunlight into electricity at a fraction of the cost of silicon-based solar cells. They are also more flexible, less brittle, and can even be painted onto structures, … Read more

Magnetic levitation promises huge efficiency gains in wind power generation

by

The common windmill design used to capitalize on air currents, while centuries old, operates at around 1% efficiency in terms of the power it harvests from the wind, due to the deflective blade design and friction losses. But a new technology unveiled last year in China seeks to dramatically boost the output of wind-driven generators … Read more

Strawboard

by

Leonard Opel, the founder and one of the owners of Meadowood Industries, has discovered a way to make a beautiful, durable panel out of rye grass straw without using any formaldehyde or other toxic chemicals to bind the straw. In 1976, Leonard and a partner, Dale Rose, began doing some preliminary research and test-ing to … Read more

Tracing the evolution of organic/sustainable agriculture

by

Historical evidence traces an ebb and flow of concern for stewardship and long-term food production over the years. As social, economic and environmental conditions evolved, so did the issues impacting sustainable use of resources. It is not surprising that particularly difficult times and places spawned the most dramatic “learning curves” in terms of both successful … Read more

Mega-trends in Agriculture

by

Agricultural exports of Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) are on the rise. The Americas are the world’s leading net exporter of agricultural products, although the hemisphere’s share of world agricultural trade has been declining since 2000 due to a slowdown in its agricultural exports (which grew by 7.1% per year between 2000 and 2005). … Read more