Back to the Barges: London’s River Relived

In previous times the River Thames was the main cargo artery of an empire. But today waterborne deliveries have shrunk to almost nothing. But with green constraints becoming ever more important, the eco-friendly barges are back – delivering goods to riverside Londoners. By Jeremy Torr.

Sponge City Design: Yu Kongjian

As the climate warms, some regions suffer crippling drought, while others are hit by deadly floods. Often worst hit are urban areas which suffer catastrophic water damage and loss of life when engineered drainage is breached - but one pioneering Chinese architect thinks he has the solution to urban flooding: sponge cities.

Sweet Street Solution: Lithium-Sulphur batteries

Electric cars are often limited by their range. This is partly due to the limits of energy density of the ubiquitous lithium-ion battery. But researchers in Australia have come up with a sweet solution – add sulphur, then sprinkle on a shake or two of sugar.

Warm Seas: Migrating Fish

There is plenty of hoohah about warming oceans and melting ice caps threatening our shoreline towns and cities. But what about the folks that live in the sea? How is the increase in sea temperature affecting them? It seems that, like humans, many species are moving away from threatened zones. It’s true - fish are emigrating.