Mountain

You don't need to have caught sight of these four stunning mountains that line the Pacific Northwest to know what a unique cup set this is – but if you have, you'll appreciate what a well-crafted tribute they are to such a beautiful corner of the US.

While hydroelectric dams are capable of generating a lot of electricity, they drastically disrupt the environment. Scientists have now proposed a simpler but still effective alternative, in which electric trucks replace such dams.

Scientists have concluded that the great mountain ranges of the world produced by the collision of Earth's tectonic plates reached their great heights thanks to lubricating graphite, which resulted from an abundance of ancient ocean life.

Situated at 3,040 m (9,973 ft) on the summit of Gaislachkogl Mountain in Austria, the new James Bond-themed 007 Elements museum must be among the highest in the world. It has a striking concrete design and, interestingly, doesn't feature any heating at all, despite the extreme environment.

​Is it possible for a mountain retreat to both jut out of its hilltop home and blend in with the landscape at the same time? The recently completed Kumaon Hotel in the Indian Himalayas makes a pretty good fist of it.

The modular rooms making up Switzerland's Revier Mountain Lodge are designed to mimic the camper van experience. But the sum of these prefab wooden parts make for much more of a mountain chalet-style aesthetic.

NOA recently completed an unusual hotel in South Tyrol, Italy. Named Tofana, it's shaped like a mountaintop and has some novel touches like a ski gondola-shaped reception and a layout that's meant to bring to mind ascending to the summit.

During a hotel renovation in South Tyrol, Italy, the firm NOA installed a swimming pool that cantilevers 12 m (40 ft) above the ground. Definitely not suitable for those afraid of heights, it has a glass bottom section that's supposed to make the swimmer feel like they're floating in mid-air.

Some 2,118 m (6,948 ft) high up in the Triglav National Park in Slovenia's Julian Alps, an aging mountain shelter built in 1936 was recently decommissioned. Its replacement adds some important modern upgrades, including a tough aluminum shell and solar power.

Already home to some of the world's most ambitious construction and engineering projects, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is reportedly exploring the possibility of building an entire manmade mountain, as part of an attempt to boost rainfall in the area.

High in northern Italy's rugged Dolomite mountain range, mountain lodge Rifugio Col Gallina has installed a novel tiny cabin. Dubbed Starlight Room, it boasts few amenities, but this is mitigated by the promise of an unbeatable Alpine view.

​NASA's Dawn spacecraft has succeeded in capturing the most detailed views to date of the solitary mountain nicknamed Ahuna Mons, discovered on the dwarf planet Ceres.