With the growing Chinese middle class enamored of all things western, domestic makers of baiju, a traditional Chinese high-proof spirit, are concerned that their customers have begun abandoning the drink in favor of gin, vodka or whiskey-- and in an unexpected twist, they're pushing to expand their market overseas.
Japanese summers can be brutal, especially in the city-- so count on a Japanese company to push the envelope for high-tech cooling footwear. Hydro-Tech recently launched a pair of air-conditioned dress shoes, called Cool Breeze, that feature ventilated soles and a proprietary filter system that help to circulate air and keep your toes dry while maintaining a formal appearance.
Though it doesn't get a lot of attention these days, we all know acid rain is still an issue. Part of the problem is that it's difficult to know with any certainty how acidic the rain you're walking through actually is. One fashion designer has a way to change that. Dahea Sun, a Korean-born, London-based designer, has created a collection of Rain Palette garments that act as pH indicators.
Selfridge’s No Noise project centres around the re-launch of its Silence Room, an innovation first created by founder Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909, to allow customers to ‘take a moment to pause and switch off’ and where they will be asked to leave shoes, phones and ’21st century distractions’ at the door.
Can’t see your text messages with that big crack on your screen blocking your view? Well here’s some good news for you--
If caffeinated liqueur just isn't cutting it anymore, maybe it's time to look for something with a little more... edge. Coca Blue is a new premium liqueur made from 100% Bolivian coca leaf. Once harvested, the leaves undergo a decocanisation process in Amsterdam to remove the cocaine alkaloids before distillation - so you shouldn't get too much of a jolt with your cocktail.
In the first of our videos from this year's Maker Faire, we talk with Angelo Vermeulen, creator of Biomodd. Currently installed at the New York Hall of Science, the project explores symbiotic relationships between computers and organic material - in this case, plants and algae - and in the process suggests some fascinating opportunities for new green technology strategies and fresh ways of thinking about our computers. Check out the video to learn more!
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