Bournemouth, a seacoast town in southern England, craved the wave; it’s a surfing destination and tourist draw. To improve wave quality, prevent beach erosion and increase marine habitat, Bournemouth’s beachfront revitalization plan included Europe’s first artificial reef, completed in October by Amalgamate Solutions and Research (ASR) Ltd., Venice Beach, Calif., and Raglan, New Zealand, a [...]

In desert heat, on rugged mountain trails, or through sweltering jungles, soldiers depend on drinking water—and many have to carry it on their backs. CamelBak®, Petaluma, Calif., invented a hands-free hydration pack that allows users to drink while in motion or with their hands occupied. Everyone from mountain climbers to motorcycle riders to the military [...]

Athletes step out in cutting-edge sports apparel, but mountaineer and motivational speaker Jamie Clarke plans to step up in his high-tech gear. He will wear cold-weather Champion and Duofold athletic wear on a spring 2010 attempt to scale Mount Everest, at 29,035 feet the highest peak in the world. “Expedition Hanesbrands: Climb with Us” is [...]

Car crashes affect more than six million Americans each year, but seat belts and airbags increase a passenger’s odds of survival. Schreiner ProTech North America Inc., Southfield, Mich., developed a laser-based manufacturing process for side inflatable curtain airbag wraps that eliminates time-consuming manual sewing or costly plastic injection molding. The company has now applied the [...]