Wood

Wind turbine blades can be truly enormous, reaching lengths of up to 107 m (351 ft). They often incorporate lightweight balsa wood, which may soon be easier than ever to reclaim for recycling when the blades' time is done.

Production of cement is a big source of CO2 emissions, so the more we can recycle existing concrete, the better. That's where a new study comes in, which indicates that discarded concrete becomes stronger than it was before, when wood waste is added.

While lumber has many desirable qualities, it has to be pressure-treated with eco-unfriendly chemicals to keep from rotting. With that problem in mind, US scientists are working on a greener alternative – giving the wood a shot of metal oxide.

Although it's unlikely that many people would think of wood-fired hot tubs as being "green" products overall, some of the things are certainly more eco-friendly than others. Such is the case with a new tub, that's already on sale in Europe.

Looking to take down a playtime target with a few rubber band bullets but can’t quite get them away quickly enough? Weaponized T-Rex is out to offer some rapid-fire capabilities with a motorized rubber band toy gun based on the Gatling machine gun.

Steampunk is an impressive-looking pavilion that has been painstakingly created by steam-bending lengths of hardwood. The build process was helped along by a Microsoft HoloLens-based system called Fologram.

A new substance is claimed to combine strength and toughness, by mixing wood fibers with spider silk.

Microfluidic chips are typically made out of plastic, but scientists are now taking a more eco-friendly approach, using wood.

Concealed from view to passersby, The Skyscape uses wooden materials and clean, straight lines to create a “borderless” box.

​Regular readers will be familiar with the retro wooden wonders of Love Hultén. Over the years, the Swedish designer has created wood-encased games consoles, computer replicas and music makers. His latest project is called the Evoboxx, a synthesizer based on the zero-player Game of Life from 1970.​

Several years ago, we heard how scientists from Sweden's Chalmers University had created a 3D-printing medium made from wood fiber. Now, they've developed a new method of printing with it, producing solid material with the structure and qualities of natural wood.

​Wood is an established and versatile construction material, used to build everything from high-rises and airports to apartment buildings. It also, however, is not immune to catching fire. A new coating could help keep that from happening, and it's actually made from wood.