Traffic jams are a pain, especially in the mornings when all of humanity joins together for a mutual cause – cursing the congested roads. Travelling by car is usually deemed more effective. But given the right circumstances a bus can hold the high ground and allow passengers to not only move at “lightning speed” compared to frustrated drivers, but also become more ecological means of transportation.

Autonomous and semi-autonomous cars are rapidly entering the mainstream, but safety concerns make many people reluctant to adopt. CMU researchers have done the math, and the results are making a strong point in the favor of partially automated vehicle technologies, arguing to save money and lives.

We have been inspired by nature for centuries in a thousand different ways, but one area that benefits from looking at nature more than most others is engineering and structural design. Form-finding – a more structured approach to bio-inspired construction – is now breeding the new generation of indestructible bridges.