How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck was making itself an iPod docking station? Answer: An entire tree, if KMKG Studio has anything to say about it. We spotted the Portugal-based design studio’s massive iTree speaker system, which is made of a whole tree trunk, at ICFF yesterday, and found it hard to ignore considering its larger than life design and equally bold sound.

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Really, Lady Gaga? While we’re not surprised about Gaga’s second meat dress, which she proudly tweeted a photo of herself wearing while playing a show in Tokyo, we are disappointed. Hopefully she can think of another outrageous fashion statement to make with less of an ick factor next time, although we can’t be sure if this one is faux or not.  Click ahead to read more about the sirloin frock and let us know what you think of the ensemble.

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The FDA announced on May 11 that they’ll be delaying implementation of pending sunscreen regulations that were supposed to mandate how sunscreens are labeled and marketed.  These changes that would have make it easier for consumers to choose safe and effective sunscreens have been put off, apparently due to pressure from cosmetic industry groups.  This means that unfortunately, we’ll have to spend another summer with inadequately labeled sunscreen. Click ahead to learn more about the regulations and why they’ve been delayed.

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3D-printing design studio Nervous System just unveiled a stunning series of digitally printed lamps at this year's International Contemporary Furniture Fair that are inspired by the beautiful branching patterns of veins in leaves. Befitting the biomimetic design, the lamps are dubbed Hyphae. The delicately formed lamps perfectly balance high-tech manufacturing techniques with natural forms, and their green credentials go beyond biomimicry and zero-waste manufacturing - each lamp is fitted with an energy-efficient 3 watt LED bulb, for ambient illumination with very little energy use.

 

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Photo by Shutterstock

It turns out that fish pedicures aren’t just a bizarre beauty ritual — they’re also potentially dangerous. This week, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published a new report that examined the types of bacteria associated with Garra rufa, an inch-long toothless carp that nibbles away at dead skin. Citing the risk of dangerous skin and soft-tissue infections for people with open sores, skin cuts, underlying medical conditions such as diabetes, the CDC warned against the practice. Our advice? Stick with the pumice stone and leave the fish alone.

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Design Brigade is the team behind this beautiful ‘Low Table’ – a gorgeous piece of furniture handcrafted from reclaimed sections of the Coney Island Boardwalk. The creative duo – Lila Baghzouz and Patrick Delorey – constructed the item to highlight the weathered planks of ipe wood, and they employed an assortment of wood lengths to create a unique and dynamic form. Design Brigade is one of 12 contemporary designers who were chosen to create pieces made entirely from reclaimed NYC lumber for the 12×12 Competition. The designers were selected by a panel of judges — including Inhabitat founder Jill Fehrenbacher — to fashion a series of fab designs from the beautifully weathered material.

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Author Angela Youngman has released a guidebook that will immerse you in world of green roofs through case studies, imagery, and must-know terminology related to design, build, and installation of these vegetated scapes. Green Roofs is not a self-help manual, but rather a light read that takes a broad stroke look at many of the variables and considerations surrounding what should really be called “living buildings.”

Co-sleeping — when babies and young children share a bed with one or both of their parents — has now been linked to reduced obesity. According to a new Danish study, children who regularly co-sleep with their parents are 70-percent less likely to be overweight when compared to kids who never sleep with their parents. So what’s behind the correlation? Although researchers aren’t clear on why the co-sleepers were slimmer, they have some theories, such as kids who co-sleep may have a greater sense of emotional support, whereas children who are not allowed to sleep with their parents may feel rejected, and in turn, negative feelings may increase the risk of obesity.

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We’re counting down the minutes until we can yell out “Summer!” and dive straight into a pool of bright blue water. Just in time to beat the heat, we’re giving away an Eco Swim by Aqua Green swimsuit of your choice to help you make the most of your sunny days. So whether you’re all about hanging poolside in a barely-there bikini, or prefer a more conservative look when taking a dip in coastal waters, Eco Swim has options aplenty for the bathing beauty.

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Adrián Villar Rojas is a master at creating massive sculptures of clay, wood and cement that remind us about the uncomfortable relationship humans have with nature. My Family Dead, a representation of a life-sized blue whale in the forest outside of his native Ushuaia, Argentina is one such example. When you are not moved by the suffering the magnificent creature appears to have endured, the tree stumps protruding around and out of the whale’s body spark curiosity over what was there first – the whale or the trees.

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Tidal farms, which use underwater turbines to harness the power of the planet’s oceans and convert it into electricity, are something that we frequently mention here at Inhabitat. While there are plans to build them all over the world, Scotland achieved a major milestone this week by successfully installing a 10MW tidal power array in the Sound of Islay, off the coast of Orkney.

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