This week, the MS Tûranor
PlanetSolar -- the world's largest
solar-powered boat -- docked in
downtown Manhattan, and
Inhabitat was on the scene to

tour the 115-foot Swiss
catamaran and learn about its
latest trans-Atlantic voyage. The
PlanetSolar team isn't the only
one pioneering new technologies,
though. Google announced plans
to deploy fleets of solar-powered
balloons to bring the internet to
remote locations around the
world. A pair of British men
debuted the world's first flying
bicycle , which combines a bike
with a fan-powered paraglider.
A 16-year-old developed a
cleaner, more efficient way to
create biofuel from algae , and
Coca-Cola produced a classic
Coke bottle that's made entirely
from ice that melts away when
you're finished with it.
It seems like every week Tesla
has a new announcement or
unveiling, and this week was no
exception, as Tesla
demonstrated a system that can
swap a depleted Model S
battery for a fully charged one
in 90 seconds . In other green
transportation news, Nissan
unveiled the world's fastest
electric racing car and Moto
Electra set a new record by
driving an electric motorcycle
across the US in just three days.
French EV car-sharing service
Autolib announced that it would
expand to the US with a 500-
vehicle program in Indianapolis.
And Bosch teamed up with
Evatran to launch a wireless
electric vehicle-charging system
that could become the first
commercially available wireless
EV charger in the US.
In a move that's sure to shake
up the 3D-printing landscape,
MakerBot was acquired by
Stratasys in a $400 million deal.
Scientists at MIT figured out a
way to produce 3D-printed

artificial bone that is just as
lightweight and durable as the
real thing. A pair of architects
will unveil the world's first full-
size 3D-printed room next
month, scientists from Harvard
and the University of Illinois
managed to 3D print a lithium-
ion battery that's about the size
of a grain of sand and
Biomimicry 3.8 co-founder
Janine Benyus explained why
she believes biomimicry is the
key to a green 3d-printing
revolution .
In other green design news,
Inhabitat profiled SkinVision, a
mobile app that uses your
smartphone's camera to detect
skin cancer . The EU approved
the use of laser tattoos on fruits
as a replacement for those
annoying little sticky labels. A
UC Davis scientist developed a
new type of waterproof fabric
that drains away sweat, while
researchers discovered the
secret behind super-durable
ancient Roman concrete by
studying a 2,000-year-old
breakwater in the
Mediterranean. Inhabitat
profiled Budapest-based
company Vinylize, which uses a
laser cutter to craft old vinyl
records into stylish glasses
frames . And to keep your
battery from running out while
you're away from home, AT&T
and Goal Zero rolled out a solar-
powered cellphone-charging
station pilot program at Fort
Greene Park in Brooklyn.