Reporters crowd the waterfront to see the 59-foot tall rubber duck at Beijing Garden Expo Park on September 6, 2013 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Feng Li/Getty Images) Beijing's International Garden Expo had a super-sized draw this week: a 59-foot rubber duck. The duck is the latest creation from Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman, the same designer who created a . The new duck featured at Beijing's International Garden Expo this week was actually to the organizer of Beijing Design Week,...

Since the beginning of time, mankind has searched for ways to escape the brutal summertime heat. From cavemen to modern times, we've used the latest tools and technology to make it comfortable in our homes. But until this century, and the invention of the air conditioner, there wasn't a foolproof way of cooling down in scorching temps. Here's what life was like before the air conditioner. Cave Dwelling, Pit Houses and Dugout Homes The first version of "air conditioning" was...

The leaf design helps deflect the sun in this hot, humid climate. (Image: Mareines + Patalano Arquitetura) The shores of Angra dos Reis, Brazil, about an hour south of Rio de Janeiro, are a tropical paradise lined by gorgeous beaches and warm waters of the southern Atlantic. (MORE: ) Here in this sultry paradise you'll find the . Mareines + Patalano say the design was inspired by weather conditions, as well as a desire to "enhance the interaction between man...