Startup company Virgin Hyperloop One is developing a fast and sustainable transportation system that could be available to the public by 2030. Imagine being able to travel at the speed of airplanes in driverless levitating pods? 

Scientists discovered a way to enable human cells to go into an active camouflage state, morphing into transparent forms. How did they do it? They got the idea from a squid protein. This could be a new key to understanding genetics.

In Camémbaro, Mexico, the Nopal plant has a lot of potential as a biofuel source—it doesn’t need much water or additional land space, and it’s already used to power industrial buildings. In the near future, it could also power cars.

SpinLaunch is developing a 100+ yard-wide centrifuge that could propel rockets into orbit by rapidly spinning and launching them into the air. If all goes well, the technique could change the nature of space travel. 

Apple is developing technology that will be able to generate group selfies, a lost pastime in the age of social distancing, by combining individual selfies into one photo.

The Harvard University Graduate School of Design awarded Daniel Fernández Pascual the prestigious 2020 Wheelwright Prize to further his research proposal Being Shellfish: The Architecture of Intertidal Cohabitation. With the $100,000 travel grant, Fernández Pascual plans to examine the use of seaweed and discarded marine shells as sustainable binding agents for buildings. 

A pasta producer near Naples, Italy, is testing a mix of hydrogen and natural gas as fuel in an effort to reduce carbon emissions, making use of boilers that also provide heat to dry and sterilize noodles. 

Design firm LPA created a California office space that consumes an estimated 70 percent less energy than one of comparable size, type, and location. How? A mix of smart lighting and space planning for starters. 

A Swiss research team has found a way to create iridescent chocolate with shimmering rainbow hues. 

A new book by Julia Watson, Lo—TEK. Design by Radical Indigenism, sheds light on a design movement based on indigenous philosophy and vernacular architecture to build a more sustainable future. Think aqueducts and bridges made of living tree roots. 

Researchers at the University of California San Diego are developing a  “thermal camouflage” material that enables wearers to hide from heat-detecting sensors, including infrared cameras and night-vision goggles. Can your jacket do that? 

Though wind turbines are challenging to recycle, one Danish startup has found a way to transform old blades into an ultra-resistant mix of fiberglass and industrial glue, creating noise-reducing barriers for highways and factories. 

LEDs have become the gold standard of energy efficient lighting, but lighting researchers estimate that manufacturing them actually releases more than double the amount of carbon dioxide than manufacturing more conventional lighting. 

Lizards may offer leads on evolution, a new study shows, drawing on data in countries struck by hurricanes that suggests cataclysmic weather can reshape entire species.

Japanese designer Rie Sakamoto saw potential in an often overlooked household staple: rubber bands. The designer knit them together to create her Rubber Band collection as part of her thesis project for Tama Art University in Tokyo, Japan. 

Container ships transporting goods from one corner of the world to another emit large amounts of carbon and greenhouse gases as they glide through the sea, but now the industry is working to change that with cleaner fuel. 

As the coronavirus outbreak unfolds throughout the world, people are staying in and looking to their phones for medical diagnoses.  

With innovations in smart cities, self-driving cars, remote collaboration, and online mental health support, how will digital connectivity be transformed in the post-coronavirus era? 

Finnish design brand Marimekko, known for maximalist prints, partnered with a fabric innovation startup to develop wood pulp-based fabric, which requires 99% less water than cotton production. Plus, each garment can be recycled or composted at the end of its lifecycle. 

We're entering the era of explosive-sensing grasshoppers. Researchers at Washington University in Missouri have tapped into the olfactory senses of the American grasshopper, which naturally detects chemical odors in the air, to create small and discreet biological bomb sniffers. 

As the tech scene booms in Manhattan, The Company Building at 335 Madison, designed by SHoP Architects, is hoping to reap the benefits by appealing to creative workers with its coffee shop vibe. 

As technology hints at the future of space travel, which will likely include space tourism, a group of researchers currently is working on answering a key question: What will we eat en route to Mars?  

Forget chasing after your neighborhood ice cream truck. Now one drone startup is partnering with Unilever, parent company of Ben & Jerry's, to test a drone delivery system, bringing pints of Cherry Garcia and Half Baked directly to your door. 

Researchers are in the midst of developing a solar panel that does the impossible—it works at night. The so-called "anti-solar panel" functions in reverse by harnessing the heat from Earth, rather than the sun, to generate electricity. 

Researchers at Northwestern University are collaborating with the United States Army to develop a cotton fabric that rapidly neutralizes deadly nerve agents. 

Now it's possible to harness the mythical powers of Spider-Man without his iconic suit. Researchers in China created a novel vacuum suction unit that allows humans or robots to scale walls, even those with rough, uneven surfaces. 

A team of researchers is using photosynthetic microbes to create a living concrete, which can reproduce while absorbing carbon dioxide. Did we mention it changes color, too? The new construction material morphs from shades of green into more muted tones as it dries. 

As we settle into 2020, a look back at the last decade shows it was a transformative one for building developments. Take a look at how the tech industry, and other factors, led to the creation entirely new neighborhoods as seen from 400 miles above.