Living News

Bolivians are dreaming big and hoping investments in miniature models of houses, tiny dollar bills and even pocket-sized roosters will help bring them luck for the year ahead.

Since 1947, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists has been warning the public about how close humankind is to irreversible destruction. The nonprofit does this via its iconic indicator, the Doomsday Clock. Recently, the Doomsday Clock advanced one-third of a minute to now be within 100 seconds to midnight, with the midnight hour symbolizing our planet’s apocalyptic demise and humanity’s possible extinction. “Humanity continues to face two simultaneous existential dangers — nuclear war and climate change — that are compounded by a threat multiplier, cyber-enabled information warfare, that undercuts society’s ability to respond,” the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists said in a statement.

Australian design studio Talina Edwards Architecture recently completed the Owl Woods Passive House — the first certified Passivhaus project designed by a woman architect in Australia. Located in the Victorian town of Trentham, the sustainable home not only follows Passivhaus standards for an extremely energy-efficient build, but it also adheres to biophilic principles with its pitched roofs in the shape of unique “bird beaks” for solar shading.

While it may not be located in the Shire, this hobbit home in Slovenia is just as magical as a Middle Earth abode. Located in an ancient Chalcolithic settlement that dates back more than 5,000 years, the quaint hobbit home was reconstructed using the building principles of the era, including natural materials such as wood, loam, straw and a lush layer of native grass that completely covers the handmade structure. Years ago, archaeologists discovered the ruins of a settlement from the Chalcolithic era in the village of Razkrižje, just a few kilometers from the Slovene-Croatian border.

Community leader wins awardSunbeam Family Services has named Robert J. Ross, chairman and CEO of Inasmuch Foundation, as its 2020 Aspire Award recipient.

Amidst the growing awareness about our planet’s climate crisis, there is now a burgeoning need for more sustainable food resources. In recent years, seaweed has been quite a catch for health-conscious consumers, in turn, making kelp, a brown macroalgae, one of the more in-demand types of seaweed offerings. As such, startup business AKUA is set to enhance the sustainability of the snack industry with its product line of kelp-based jerky and pasta. “I started the company when I was an adviser to GreenWave, a nonprofit that trains ocean farmers.

Louis Vuitton made a splash as it showcased its latest purchase on Tuesday: the world's second-biggest rough diamond.

Radiohead has launched the Radiohead Public Library. This is a free online repository covering all aspects of Radiohead’s output, including music, videos, artwork, and merchandise. And Radiohead has even thrown in some rarities to please the biggest fans. For the uninitiated, Radiohead is a British rock band which specializes in alt rock and experimental music.

Tucked into the rolling wheat fields of the Italian region of Le Marche, the Border Crossing House is a private residence that pays homage to the area’s rich agricultural history. Designed by Italian firm Simone Subissati Architects, the project manages to skillfully blend a traditional barn volume with several contemporary features, creating a light-filled family home that fits respectfully into its idyllic setting. Located in Polverigi, just outside of Ancona, the Border Crossing House is set on a ridge looking out over expansive fields of wheat.

In 2018 when Lombok was struck by several earthquakes, some measuring up to magnitude 7, local communities around the seismic region were greatly affected. After the series of earthquakes settled, there were over 500 people dead, 445,000 people homeless and 129,000 homes damaged. Concerned that the quality of the area’s buildings was partially to blame, Els Houttave, founder of the Lombok-based charity Grenzeloos Milieu, knew that something had to be done to ensure this type of devastation never happened again.

In Malmö, Sweden, the recently completed Marine Education Center is giving visitors a closer look at the effects of climate change and sustainable technology. Copenhagen-based practice NORD Architects designed the building, which not only provides an indoor-outdoor learning landscape but also visually blurs the boundaries between the built environment and its surroundings.

Sure, there are the sober-curious trends, the Dryuary resolutions, the “new year new you” mantras and many, many other marketing ploys at the start of every January. But for one new Denver bar owner, the reason to include healthful, non-alcoholic, maybe even healing beverages so prominently on her menu goes much deeper. In 2017, longtime bartender and restaurant industry worker Jocasta Hanson was applying to graduate schools to study clinical therapy while at the same time helping her best friend, Boulder chef Matt Lackey, open his first restaurant. That spring, while the friends were on a weekend camping trip, Lackey died in a climbing accident. Nearly three years later, and after connecting with Lackey’s business investor, Hanson has been given a rare opportunity.

With 70 miles of coastline and average high temperatures ranging from 66 degrees in January to 77 in August, San Diego is a city where people like to spend time outside. This city of over 1.42 million between Los Angeles and Mexico has endless beaches, parks and cultural opportunities to explore.

What can we expect from Denver restaurants opening in 2020? More one-stop shops, out-of-town transplants and neighborhood staples. By now, we all know that In-N-out is coming, but enough about that (for a little while). Did you know that we’re about to get three new places specializing in mezcal and tequila?

Danish architecture studios Open Platform and JAJA Architects have won an open competition to design Denmark’s first all-timber parking garage in the coastal city of Aarhus. Designed with a reduced environmental footprint, the new multilevel parking garage will be built from cross-laminated timber and partly enveloped in greenery to help contribute to the country’s goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050.