Elissaveta M. Brandon

This off-grid toilet uses sand and a conveyor belt to ‘flush’ your business

Developed by a recent graduate, the toilet doesn’t require water or electricity, and was designed to be used in rural areas.

This off-grid toilet uses sand and a conveyor belt to ‘flush’ your business

Forget olive oil. This new cooking oil is made using fermentation and requires 99% less water to produce

Conventional vegetable oils lead to devastating deforestation. Zero Acre’s first cooking oil is made by fermentation instead.

Forget olive oil. This new cooking oil is made using fermentation and requires 99% less water to produce

These brilliant maps helps you see—and hear—noise pollution in your city

Noise pollution is a major health concern in cities worldwide. These audible maps show you just how bad it is.

These brilliant maps helps you see—and hear—noise pollution in your city

This phenomenal puzzle captures the ‘cosmic cliffs’ from the James Webb Space Telescope

The 264-piece puzzle was designed by MIT scientists and can be assembled in thousands of ways.

This phenomenal puzzle captures the ‘cosmic cliffs’ from the James Webb Space Telescope

Squarespace radically revamps its web design tools for the first time in 10 years

Fluid Engine is a massive overhaul of the company’s platform, with full-bleed content, overlapping images, and more control over your mobile website.

Squarespace radically revamps its web design tools for the first time in 10 years

5 tangible tips for hosting a pop-up playground in your neighborhood

Decades of research show the benefits of unstructured play—so two nonprofits have created a comprehensive tool kit to help you get started.

5 tangible tips for hosting a pop-up playground in your neighborhood

How one company has pigeon-proofed all of New York City

Good design often goes unnoticed. That’s the case for Birdmaster, which has used netting to deter pigeons everywhere from the New York Public Library to the Statue of Liberty.

How one company has pigeon-proofed all of New York City

8 must-read design books this summer

From fashion wisdom to a fiery analysis of the plastics industry, there’s something in here for anyone interested in design.

8 must-read design books this summer

Why a Portuguese company is investing $10 million a year on a 3,000-year-old material

Cork has long been key to the wine industry, but Amorim is pushing this highly versatile material in surprising directions.

Why a Portuguese company is investing $10 million a year on a 3,000-year-old material

This machine looks like a robot from ‘Wall-E,’ but it can turn air into drinking water

Tunisian startup Kumulus developed a device that mimics the natural condensation process to convert humid air into safe drinking water.

This machine looks like a robot from ‘Wall-E,’ but it can turn air into drinking water

40 tangible ways designers can advocate for peace

A new exhibition at New York’s Cooper Hewitt Museum highlights how design can help resolve conflicts, promote justice, and pave the way for peace.

40 tangible ways designers can advocate for peace

This revolutionary moss filter could capture microplastics before you drink them

A winner of the annual Biodesign Challenge Summit, the moss filter draws inspiration from one of the most unique ecosystems in the world.

This revolutionary moss filter could capture microplastics before you drink them

‘You’re on top of the world’: Inside 4 artists’ studios on the 28th floor of the World Trade Center

New York City is unaffordable for many artists, but Silver Art has been providing a select few with free studio space in the heart of Manhattan.

‘You’re on top of the world’: Inside 4 artists’ studios on the 28th floor of the World Trade Center

I tried a $40 water bottle that flavors tap water using nothing but scent

PepsiCo-backed Air Up taps into the science of smell to fool your brain into thinking you’re tasting cucumber-infused water.

I tried a $40 water bottle that flavors tap water using nothing but scent

A 250 million-year-old insect could inspire an ultrathin wallpaper that absorbs sound

The furry, sound-absorbent wings of deaf moths could be key to acoustic materials of the future.

A 250 million-year-old insect could inspire an ultrathin wallpaper that absorbs sound

From water squares to tidal parks: Meet the Dutch architects redesigning cities for water

De Urbanisten’s work is particularly important in Rotterdam, but its nature-based approach to water management offers a replicable model for cities across the globe.

From water squares to tidal parks: Meet the Dutch architects redesigning cities for water

This $18 million playground doubles as an unusual barrier against rising sea levels

Perched at the southern tip of Manhattan, the Battery Playscape proves that resilient landscapes can work hard but can look fun, too.

This $18 million playground doubles as an unusual barrier against rising sea levels

Why celebrated designer Bruce Mau is betting on a new kind of Renaissance

Science, art, and technology converged in the first Renaissance. A new book argues that today’s complex problems can be solved by ‘Renaissance teams.’

Why celebrated designer Bruce Mau is betting on a new kind of Renaissance

Mussel shells are clogging London’s water pipes, but one designer found a surprising solution

Together with architectural studio Bureau de Change, a student at London’s Central Saint Martins has developed bio-glass tiles made of ground-up quagga mussel shells.

Mussel shells are clogging London’s water pipes, but one designer found a surprising solution

These 7 Catholic churches in Europe are unlike anything you’ve seen before

A new book by photographer Jamie McGregor Smith highlights the important role that architecture played in the Catholic Church’s mission to bring people back after WWII.

These 7 Catholic churches in Europe are unlike anything you’ve seen before

Tech

Amazon and Apple stocks rise, helping Big Tech’s mixed earnings week close on a positive note

How to revive your old computer

Relativity CEO Tim Ellis explains why his company has a shot at launching a lander to Mars before the end of the decade

News

After vaccine delays, Monkeypox is spreading—and at risk of becoming endemic, doctors warn

Is my job recession proof? Low unemployment is a saving grace, but some industries are safer bets

Abortion-related ballot measures are the new normal in post-‘Roe’ America. Here’s a partial list

Co.Design

This startup began designing wedding tuxes for women–and its revenues sextupled

You wouldn’t believe how many different things in this grocery store are reused

Remember all the disposable stuff you used when COVID-19 hit? It made the plastic crisis much, much worse

Work Life

Become a better listener by doing this 3 simple things

4 ways to turn setbacks and failures into career-enhancing opportunities

Yes, you can fail smarter. Here’s how to do it according to science