BATTERY DRAG: The Turanor PlanetSolar is a 95-tonne carbon fibre catamaran that is about to complete a circumnavigation of the globe.
The 31-metre yacht has more than 530 square metres of photovoltaic panels and 10 tonnes of lithium batteries to store the electricity generated by the panels. After around 18 months at sea only 3 panels have been lost and only 5 of more than 1200 electrical connectors have failed. It's a shame the batteries account for around 10 per cent of the total weight. New Scientist.
INVISIBLE WRITING: The Penveu is a relatively inexpensive chunky pen that contains gyroscopes and accelerometers. Plug the Veu component into your computer and then use the device like a mouse with a range of around 12 metres. Or use it in pen mode to apparently write or draw on any screen in various colours and thicknesses. The device can also store up to 32GB of files. The gadget's intended to replace expensive electronic whiteboards. An interesting product with terrible marketing. Watch video here. Penveu.
MONEY SINK: To some the abandoned quarry at the base of Tianmashan Mountain in China is just a giant 100 metre deep hole in the ground. To others it's a ready-made site for a luxury hotel and theme park.
Construction on the Intercontinental Shimao Shanghai Wonderland has begun and the hotel should open in a year or two. Three of the hotel's 19 floors will be above ground. The building will also feature an underwater restaurant and 10 metre deep aquarium. A hotel with theme park sounds much better than a hole in the ground. Shanghaiist.
