From architecture to batteries to solar tech, regular ol’ paper is being used in some of the most mind-blowing tech around. Here’s a look at some of the coolest things being constructed with the humble material.
This printable solar cell
It’s made of, yes, paper. Clip a few wires to it, shine a light on it, and the thing puts out enough energy to power an LCD clock display. You may thank the geniuses at MIT, natch.
This room that performs
Swiss artist Zimoun creates acoustic art installations using little more than DC motors, cotton balls and cardboard boxes. When a visitor walks into one of Zimoun’s creations, sensors engage the motors, which cause the balls to bounce, wiggle or vibrate. Here, Ana Matronic stands inside one such installation, which has 186 motors.
This “snow queen” holiday dress
Yep, it was made almost entirely of paper, created by Michele Ward and Marcia McGowan at the Taken for Granite boutique in Stony Creek, Conn.
This huge paper airplane
Back in 1995, some brave souls in Tokorozawa, Japan, gathered to launch this 50-pound-plus paper airplane inside of a gym. Its 45-foot wingspan took it almost 40 meters before it landed.
This cardboard church
Shigeru Ban designed this temporary cathedral in Christchurch, New Zealand after an earthquake devastated the original, basalt-hewn building in 2011. Number of tubes made from cardboard tubes, timber and steel: 86. Cost of Ban’s design: Free.
This adorably massive pinata
It’s not just a 46-foot tall pinata. It’s a 46-foot-tall pinata shaped like an orange M&M that also is spilling thousands of M&Ms above Cee-Lo Green, who is dressed like an orange M&M. Also, when it debuted in 2011, this American treasure broke a new Guinness World Record for…world’s largest pinata.
This amazing temporary bridge
Also by architect Shigeru Ban, this time in France. To complement the nearby Pont du Gard, he created a 7.5-ton structure comprising 281 of his 4-inch-diameter cardboard tubes. Incredibly, the thing could hold a load of up to 20 people.
This ridiculously cool bar
Designed by Dream Time Design in Australia, this temporary night spot was created for a one-time industry event in 2009. The focal point: Its more-than-10-foot “outer shell,” with a support structure made of cardboard tubes.