The world’s first tunnel dug by an autonomous robot swarm was just completed in the UK
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Today digging tunnels is slow – as slow as a snail – but this new method makes it exponentially faster and cheaper opening up all manner of possibilities. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read...
China is using autonomous 3D printers and robots to print a giant hydroelectric dam
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF China has huge ambitions to be able to print buildings, and this is its biggest project so far. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, ...
Algae help researchers create the world’s first carbon negative concrete
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Carbon negative concrete could not only eliminate 10% of all global greenhouse gas emissions but also reverse them. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, ...
Researchers have replaced concrete aggregate with rubber in world first
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Rubber is a natural companion to concrete that can help extent its longevity, but until now the two haven’t been able to be used together. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential...
Self assembling tiles that make any kind of space structures ace first orbital tests
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF These re-configurable self-assembling space tiles make it possible to assemble almost any kind of structure in space autonomously. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, ...
Residents say goodbye to loud street noise with noise cancelling windows
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Constant noise affects mental health, and street noise is often the worst culprit, so now there’s a way to eliminate it from your life. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University,...
Alquist unveils plans for the world’s largest 3D printed community
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF 3D printed homes are faster and cheaper to build than traditional homes, and this tech’s starting to go mainstream. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, subscribe to the podcast, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and...
This new inverted skyscraper concept builds itself and harnesses the power of the deep oceans
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Crazy designs sometimes have a way of becoming real, and while this concept combines various different technologies together this is one that might never be built … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about...
The UAE is in new talks with Pantheon to 3D print an 11 storey skyscraper
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF In the future all buildings will be 3D printed, but it’s a marathon not a sprint … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. A while...
Architects unveil plans for Dubai’s Mars Science City and colonies on Mars
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The first Martians are going to need somewhere to live that can protect them from Mars’ environment and the designs are pouring in. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, ...
Liquid window uses heat and light to cut buildings energy use by up to 45 percent
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Heating and cooling buildings is energy intensive and is a primary contributor to climate change … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Almost 30% of...
These inflatable houses could be home to future Martians
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Space agencies are eyeing up colonies on Mars – and they’re going to need awesome habitats. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. So far I’ve...
Tecla’s amazing WASP inspired eco-friendly house 3D printed using local clay
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF 3D printing and printers let us change the materials we use to build buildings – which has huge implications for sustainable construction. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, read about exponential tech and trends, connect, watch...
BIG and Icon 3D print Martian Vanacular habitat as NASA eyes Mars ambitions
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF The technologies we will use on other planets to construct buildings are also disrupting the traditional Earth bound construction industry. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Hot on the heels of designing 3D...
DOE creates Digital Twins of every building in America to reduce CO2 emissions
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Digital twins of buildings, cities, and even the Earth let people analyse problems and find solutions faster. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Digital twins, which are basically just intricate and detailed...
Gravity energy storage finds a new way to solve renewable energy’s achilles heel
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Today solar panels only generate electricity when there’s sunlight, wind farms when there’s wind, so energy needs to be stored so it can be released later. Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Renewable...
The Maldives Government announces plans to build the world’s first ocean city
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Climate change and rising sea levels will displace billions of people, and the Maldives government is preparing itself … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. As sea levels rise thanks to climate...
This 3D printed house is on sale on Zillow for half the price of its neighbours
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF 3D printing houses for a fraction of the cost of building a traditional house will have consequences for the value of neighbouring properties … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. The 3D...
Transparent wood makes a splash in the car world
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF We are inventing new materials all the time, and we’re also re-inventing old ones … Love the Exponential Future? Join our XPotential Community, future proof yourself with courses from XPotential University, connect, watch a keynote, or browse my blog. Recently a team of scientists from MIT managed to grow wood...
MIT’s lab grown wood and plants take aim at traditional farming and forestry
WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF Agriculture and forestry account for over 20 percent of all greenhouse gas emissions, but what if you could grow only the parts of the plant you want in a lab like lab made meats using no chemicals and without any of the waste? Love...
