Inhabitat's Week in Green: fly like a bird, bend batteries in half

This week saw several marvelous feats of aeronautics as we showcased the world's first incessant flight of a human-powered ornithopter and the sun-powered Solar Impulse plane embarked upon an incredible voyage across Switzerland. We also watched transportation take off as BMW unveiled a zippy new electric scooter, Sanitov launched a GPS enabled cargo tricycle in London, and this week's Green Overdrive show took us off-roading on a souped-up e-bike!
Renewable energy tech also energized the globe as several countries in Central America launched plans to tap volcanoes for power and China developed the world's first directly solar-powered air conditioning unit. Energy storage also got a big boost as Stanford researchers unveiled a new type of bendable battery made out of paper - just the thing to power the flexible e-readers of the future.
In other news, this week we brought you exclusive coverage of the greatest green designs from this year's London Design Festival and we showcased the latest in wearable tech - instant spray-on clothing in a can! Finally, we tackled an issue that has plagued tech junkies forever - those impossible-to-open clamshell plastic packages.

To get ready for the flight, Reichert lost eight kilograms, went on a special diet and trained daily particularly his leg muscles. Before the main flight in Tottenham, Ontario, he took 65 test runs and said of the night before, I didn’t sleep. My mind was just racing.
It was such a neat feeling . You kept pushing and it kept maintaining altitude, Reichert said. All of a sudden, it clicked and we were able to stay up there.”
During the flight, a spokesperson from the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale, the world body governing aeronautical records, was present to witness the event. Due to its milestone achievement, there is talk of the Snowbird being donated to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa.
Read more: First Continuous Flight of a Human-Powered Ornithopter! | Inhabitat - Green Design Will Save the World
Inhabitat's Week in Green: fly like a bird, bend batteries in half