Smart Intersections and the Death of Traffic Lights

Researchers from MIT, the Swiss Institute of Technology and the Italian National Research Council have collaborated to design a smart intersection that would drastically reduce traffic. Called “Light Traffic,” the concept would allow autonomous cars to smoothly flow through an intersection by automatically adjusting speeds and distances of approaching vehicles, so that none would need to completely stop. In doing so, congestion, wait times, and …

A Library Filled With the World’s Rarest Pigments

Over 2,500 of the world’s rarest colors are housed inside The Straus Center for Conservation and Technical Studies at the Harvard Art Museums. Many of them date back to prehistoric times, when pigments obviously weren’t readily available—they needed to be harvested from natural minerals and materials and further mixed to create just the right color. Fast Company recently visited The Straus Center to take a …

An Elegant, Inverted Treehouse for Adults

Kazakh architect Aibek Almassov has designed a treehouse unlike any other—and it may soon become a reality. Called the “Tree in the House,” the cylindrical glass structure encircles a soaring fir rather than building within its branches, giving its residents unparalleled views of the forest surrounding it. Guests can climb their way to the top on a long, winding staircase which passes through each of …