Pulsejet-powered bicycle
More crazy jet-powered action, this one a pulse-jet strapped to the side of a 1950s cruiser bike. Jet bike,75 MPH
Energy & Sustainability
If you’re a maker just starting out your journey in sustainability, it can be overwhelming to figure out how to get started. From understanding the types of materials to utilize, learning what steps will help reduce waste and emissions, and finding inspiring new ways to explore creativity that don’t have a negative environmental impact. The good news is there are plenty of resources available for DIYers looking for ways to make their projects more sustainable – from simple switches you can make today, big-picture ideas for longterm change, or exciting new ways makers are helping push sustainability into the future. In these blog posts we’ll look at tips tricks and ideas specifically tailored towards diyers and makers on the road to creating projects with greater eco consciousness so that not only will you create something beautiful but also respect its impact on our planet!
Chia Pet meets the solar cell
Researchers at the University of California, San Diego have come up with a way of making solar photovoltaic cells more efficient by making them fuzzy with nanowires. Boosting solar cell efficiency The idea is [to] use nanowires to more efficiently conduct electrons from the collection surface of the solar cell to an electrode. Contemporary thin-film […]
The power of poo
Brothers Kevin and Daryl Maas of Washington State are producing electricity from cow manure. We use a proven, commercialized technology called a manure digester to harvest methane gas from manure. We burn the methane to create electricity, while sending the processed manure back to the farmers as an organic fertilizer now free of pathogens and […]
Backyard beekeeping – splitting a hive
This is my second year as an amateur beekeeper, and this last weekend we split our first hive, creating a second colony which will be relocated to a new home in the suburbs. In nature, bees will swarm to start a new hive. Half the colony wakes up one morning and decides it’s too crowded, […]
Is Gilligan the next Jules Verne?
Tired of steampunk, you say? Maybe it’s time to ditch combustion altogether, kick it really old school, like with pedal-power, home-spun rope, bamboo, and coconuts. Welcome to cocopunk. What ya say, little buddy? It all started with this post by Mark Frauenfelder on D+R: In Praise of the Coconut Shell Although coconut shells do have […]
Jet powered Porsche 928
This certainly is a unique car. The ebay listing describes it as “Only one on my block”. It can run on gas, diesel, jet-A, JP-4, JP-8 and old drain oil. The ebay auction ended with a final sale price of $7,151. Not too bad for a jet powered Porsche 928. Read more about the Jet […]
Village bio-diesel in Sierra Leone
It became clear that in our poor country the chief hurdles were getting the chemicals and the right equipment. The search was on for the chemicals and after quite a treasure hunt and more than a few bribes we managed to find 4 litres of Methanol and 5 kilos of Potassium Hydroxide (enough to make […]
