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In 2024, Arizona used foam made from 100% recycled glass at 19 sites while widening 23 miles of I-17; the lightweight fill helped culverts built for two lanes support added lanes

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In 2024, Arizona used foam made from 100% recycled glass at 19 sites while widening 23 miles of I-17; the lightweight fill helped culverts built for two lanes support added lanes

I-17 Improvement Project using foam glass aggregate as a new innovative construction material Engineers in Arizona have used an unusual material to expand a major interstate: tens of thousands of tonnes of crushed recycled glass. During the expansion of Interstate 17 north of Phoenix, construction crews used ultra-lightweight foam glass aggregate at 19 locations along … Read more

In 2021, a landslide cut Denali National Park’s only road in two; five years later a $230 million, 475-foot bridge has been built directly above the still-moving slope

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In 2021, a landslide cut Denali National Park’s only road in two; five years later a $230 million, 475-foot bridge has been built directly above the still-moving slope

Pretty Rocks bridge (Image Credit: National Park Service) In August 2021, a massive landslide in Denali National Park and Preserve tore apart a section of the park’s only road, cutting off vehicle access to destinations deep inside the Alaska wilderness. Five years later, a new bridge now spans the unstable ground where the road once … Read more

Built in 1897, Santa Monica’s last intact shotgun house was nearly demolished in 1997; after multiple moves and restoration, it now serves as a preservation centre

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Built in 1897, Santa Monica's last intact shotgun house was nearly demolished in 1997; after multiple moves and restoration, it now serves as a preservation centre

Santa Monica’s historic 1897 Shotgun House found new life as a Preservation Resource Center (Image Credit: Stephen Schafer via Santa Monica Conservancy) ​​ A small wooden house in Santa Monica has survived something few historic buildings ever face: demolition threats, years in storage and several moves from one location to another. Built in 1897, the … Read more

Meet Harvey Uyeyama, the 16-year-old from Davis, California who learned coffee roasting from his father and built a subscription business after his death

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Meet Harvey Uyeyama, the 16-year-old from Davis, California who learned coffee roasting from his father and built a subscription business after his death

Today, Uyeyama operates Harvey’s Coffee with his girlfriend, Abby Merchant, an 18-year-old student at UC San Diego. At 16, Harvey Uyeyama already has a business, a loyal customer base and a highly specialized craft that most adults never attempt to master. From his home in Davis, California, the soon-to-be high school senior hand-roasts coffee, customizes … Read more

In 2011, Illinois businessman Jim Bolin built a record-breaking wind chime to draw travelers into Casey; 15 years later, his project had grown to 21 giant objects and 12 Guinness records

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In 2011, Illinois businessman Jim Bolin built a record-breaking wind chime to draw travelers into Casey; 15 years later, his project had grown to 21 giant objects and 12 Guinness records

Bolin, the creator of “Big Things in a Small Town”, died in January 2026 (Guinness world records photos) A small Illinois town found a new way to attract visitors when businessman Jim Bolin built a giant wind chime. Over the years, businessman Bolin turned that idea into a collection of oversized everyday objects that made … Read more

Pine martens vanished from England for a century; locals built den boxes and set up cameras to track their return, now four kits have been spotted

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Pine martens vanished from England for a century; locals built den boxes and set up cameras to track their return, now four kits have been spotted

Pine martens are making a remarkable return to south-west England after disappearing from Exmoor for more than a century, with conservationists capturing the first confirmed evidence that the reintroduced animals are breeding in the wild. A remote trail camera recorded a female pine marten with four kits on Exmoor, signalling that an ambitious effort to … Read more

A retired North Carolina repairman built giant wind-powered sculptures from scrap; after 30 were moved downtown, the park drew 194,300 visitors and generated $5.3 million in regional sales

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A retired North Carolina repairman built giant wind-powered sculptures from scrap; after 30 were moved downtown, the park drew 194,300 visitors and generated $5.3 million in regional sales

Simpson used salvaged road signs, bicycle parts and scrap metal to create towering structures that moved with the wind. Vollis Simpson spent much of his life repairing farm machinery in Wilson County, North Carolina. After retiring, he began building huge wind-powered sculptures on his farm using discarded materials. What started as a hobby soon grew … Read more

In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

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In 1964, a couple bought 535 acres in North Carolina and built a summer home there; decades later, they donated the entire property to Great Smoky Mountains National Park in its largest land gift since the park was created

The Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center A high-altitude property first bought as a private family retreat in the mid-1960s now serves as an important centre for environmental research in North America. The 535-acre property in Haywood County, North Carolina, historically known as “The Purchase”, was officially transferred to the National Park Service around the turn … Read more

A West Virginia high school built in 1923 has reopened 103 years later as a 40-room hotel, with its old classrooms turned into guest rooms and gathering spaces

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A West Virginia high school built in 1923 has reopened 103 years later as a 40-room hotel, with its old classrooms turned into guest rooms and gathering spaces

Exterior facade of Hill Hall Hotel in Fayetteville, West Virginia. A historic West Virginia high school built in 1923 by Italian stonemasons has reopened its doors 103 years later as a 40-room boutique hotel. Former classrooms have been turned into guest rooms, lounges and shared spaces for visitors. The Hill Hall Hotel, located in downtown … Read more

Bette Midler started cleaning a neglected New York park in 1995; 30 years later, her group has planted 200,000 trees and built an artificial oyster reef

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Bette Midler started cleaning a neglected New York park in 1995; 30 years later, her group has planted 200,000 trees and built an artificial oyster reef

Bette Midler once spent her mornings clearing parks in Northern Manhattan that the city had all but abandoned. Thirty years later, that early effort has grown into the New York Restoration Project, a charity credited with reshaping green space across all five boroughs. The organisation has planted more than 200,000 trees since 1995, alongside removing … Read more