How hungry snails help to protect ecosystems from climate change

You may not notice their good work, but small snail-like creatures known as limpets are doing an invaluable service to the ecosystems in which they live by eating and eating and eating. The herbivores' consumption strengthens the resilience of an ecosystem in part by making space for other creatures, resulting in a more diverse ecosystem that is more resistant to the pressures of rising temperatures. “At first it might seem like an ecosystem untouched by consumers [herbivores and predators] is...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/how-hungry-snails-help-to-protect-ecosystems-from-climate-change
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Five bridges topped with urban farms could revitalize war-torn Mosul

Related: + Via

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/five-bridges-topped-with-urban-farms-could-revitalize-war-torn-mosul
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Elon Musk shows first glimpse of the Boring Company tunnel beneath LA

Elon Musk just gave us a peek into the future: with a new picture of The Boring Company's tunnel under Los Angeles. He shared the picture snapped recently on social media, and it seems the project started less than a year ago is well underway. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/elon-musk-shows-first-glimpse-of-the-boring-company-tunnel-beneath-la
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Rural Italian home clad in lush greenery blends into its idyllic surroundings

“From the outside, the glass volume reflects the surrounding landscape and becomes part of it,” the architects said. “From the inside the windows become invisible giving the impression of being outdoor: the living room becomes one with the countryside.” Related: Stunning home in India blends into the earth with segmented green roofs + Zanon Architetti Associati Via Freshome Zanon Architetti Associati, green-covered homes, italian home design, Treviso, Italy,

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/rural-italian-home-clad-in-lush-greenery-blends-into-its-idyllic-surroundings
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New smart grid solution heals itself amid central grid outages

Renewable energy may offer clean power sources, but it isn't always easy for electrical grids to handle. Dutch energy company Alfen is launching an answer: their Cellular Smart Grid Platform. The platform allows a central grid to be divided in smaller grids that can operate apart from the central grid if necessary and even self-heal. Related:

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/new-smart-grid-solution-heals-itself-amid-central-grid-outages
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Stunning home fuses modern Scandinavian design with the Minnesotan outdoors

Nature takes center stage in the Northern Lake Home, a gorgeous luxury home hidden away in the Minnesotan woods. Designed by Strand Design, this 4,800-square-foot vacation retreat frames views of the forest in every room through large windows that let in natural light and blur the line between indoors and out. Natural materials, including oak and cedar, strengthen the connection with the outdoors, and are complemented with a clean and minimal Scandinavian-inspired interior design. Built...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/stunning-home-fuses-modern-scandinavian-design-with-the-minnesotan-outdoors
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This pop-up prefab cocoon can immerse you in the heart of nature

Immersing yourself in nature without leaving the comfort of the hotel room may sound too good to be true, but that’s exactly what French architect and civil engineer Christophe Benichou sets out to achieve in LUMISHELL. Created in the shape of a cocoon, this prefabricated curved dwelling blurs the distinction between indoor and outdoor space with LUMICENEs, a patented reversible window concept. The LUMISHELL is designed for placement in a variety of exotic environments—even in Salar de Uyuni,...

from Inhabitat - Green Design, Innovation, Architecture, Green Building https://inhabitat.com/this-pop-up-prefab-cocoon-can-immerse-you-in-the-heart-of-nature
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