One way to embrace the future is to allow your employees the freedom to pursue big, hairy audacious—and sometimes crazy—ideas. 3M has been doing this for years and, more recently, Google has taken up the mantle. More specifically, the two companies allows many of its engineers and employees to spend anywhere between 20-50% of their [...]

Carbon Dioxide, commonly known as CO2, is the devil molecule of our time. What would happen, however, if we could convert this greenhouse gas into a renewable energy as this article suggests?At a minimum, it would require a great many people to rethink their views on the "sustainability" of fossil fuels and they may have to [...]

In my book, Jump the Curve, one of the 50 strategies I suggest for “jumping the curve” and embracing the future is to award prizes—in an attempt to spur creativity. In honor of its 10th anniversary this is exactly what Google is doing. One of the finalists for the $10 million prizes is the “jelly [...]

Researchers at Duke University continue to make improvements to their “invisibility cloak.” If this sounds like something straight out of Harry Potter, well, it kind of is. Nevertheless, the technology could have some real world applications in the field of solar energy and biological imaging.

Researchers at Duke University continue to make improvements to their "invisibility cloak." If this sounds like something straight out of Harry Potter, well, it kind of is. Nevertheless, the technology could have some real world applications in the field of solar energy and biological imaging.

From solar-powered refrigerators to magnetically levitated wind turbines, we could soon be powering our homes and appliances in fundamentally different ways. For this first idea, I recommend this article about a young woman who has developed a solar-power refrigerator and for the second idea, I invite you to watch this Jay Leno video:

Is it possible that a wind turbine half the size of a conventional wind turbine could generate a comparable amount of electricity? According to this article  the answer is yes. To better understand how this new turbine can also use less land; operate at higher wind speeds; and reduce transportation costs, I invite you to [...]

Late last week, it was announced that NASA had, pardon the pun, pissed away $154 million by creating a urinal/water fountain system that didn’t work. To witness how a more simple technology can have huge implications down here on this planet, watch this amazing video (Note: it is a little graphic, but one must remember [...]

Last month, I traveled to Dallas to give a keynote presentation to Lockheed Martin on environmental issues. At the time, I encouraged company officials to begin exploring opportunities in the “clean tech” area in an effort to diversify its business away from the defense/aerospace business. Although I’m sure my recommendation had nothing to do with [...]

What’s impossible? The question sounds rather quixotic doesn’t it? It isn’t. It’s a question every business, political and community leader needs to ask themselves if they are truly serious about successfully leading their organization into the future. We now live in an era of accelerating change. Every day new advances in nanotechnology, robotics, biotechnology, and [...]