Tornado Updraft gives balsa-wood model planes an electric RC makeover

Many readers may fondly recall building rubber-band-powered balsa wood model airplanes. While the things were kinda cool, they didn’t fly for long, nor could they be remotely controlled. Such is not the case, however, with the new Tornado Updraft 12.Co… Continue reading Tornado Updraft gives balsa-wood model planes an electric RC makeover

Lab-grown plant matter marks a step towards 3D-printable wood

Chopping down trees and processing the wood isn’t the most efficient or environmentally friendly way to make furniture or building materials. Scientists at MIT have now made breakthroughs in a process that could one day let us 3D print and grow wood di… Continue reading Lab-grown plant matter marks a step towards 3D-printable wood

Wood-based foam passively cools buildings to cut energy bills

A huge chunk of energy usage goes towards heating and cooling homes and buildings, so it’s important to find new ways to regulate temperature passively. Engineers in China and Germany have developed a new wood-based foam that can drastically cool build… Continue reading Wood-based foam passively cools buildings to cut energy bills

Sugar and citric acid used to create nontoxic plywood glue

While we may think of wood as being earthy and natural, wooden materials such as plywood and particleboard typically contain formaldehyde-based adhesives that give off toxic fumes. Such is not the case with a new adhesive, however, which is made from g… Continue reading Sugar and citric acid used to create nontoxic plywood glue