16 Reasons Why Holland Holds the Keys to the Future

4 years ago

Not only is The Netherlands the country of tulips and picturesque canals, but it’s also the territory of top-tier technology and innovative engineering.

Bright Side admires this small country and invites you to check out some of Holland’s achievements that make it an ideal place to live.

The world’s first road made of solar batteries

In 2014, Holland became the first country to build a bicycle road made of solar batteries. The energy gained within one day is used for sustaining the work of traffic lights, street lamps, and other street utilities.

A gadget for controlling dreams

Neuroscientists from The Netherlands created a device that helps people control their dreams and choose what kinds of dreams they have. However, using it requires some skill. Nevertheless, it looks like an alternate reality — just think about it!

A tower that turns smog into decoration

The Smog Free Tower is a tower that presses pollution from the air into small cubes.These cubes are later used for creating rings people can wear, reminding its wearer that it contains pollution from thousands of cubic meters of air.

Greenhouses with climate control

Innovative technologies in agriculture are a main feature of the Netherlands. These greenhouses equipped with climate control settings let crops grow all year round in any weather.

The Moses Bridge

This bridge in Halsteren City is unique because it doesn’t hang above the river but rather, splits it in two. The name, “Moses Bridge” was derived from the Biblical story about the prophet Moses who made the Red Sea part during the Jews’ exodus from Egypt.

A car made of sugar beets and flax sheets

Dutch students invented this biodegradable car made of flax sheets and sugar beets. Only the wheels, engine and suspension system are made of usual materials. The engine is electric, of course.

An air-cleaning backpack

Again, this is an invention by Dutch students! A backpack with plants inside grabs outside air with the help of a fan and gives water to the roots of the plants. Isn’t that a great alternative to wearing masks to protect yourself from the polluted air?

A suspended bridge for cyclists

There are many cyclists in the Netherlands. That’s why recently, a new bridge was specially designed for this means of transportation — it helps to make traffic in this crowded area less dangerous.

Futuristic houses

It’s hard to believe that this extra-terrestrial block of houses was built in 1984.

A road with lines that glow in the dark

A Dutch designer named Daan Roosegaarde created “a highway of the future” that can glow in the dark. It pretty much looks like a runway for planes. By the way, the energy that the highway requires is accumulated during the light day and doesn’t require any additional sources of energy.

Self-driving boats

These robot-boats were made to shift people and cargo to and from temporary bridges using several boats.

A bridge for animals

Ecoducts are bridges that help animals cross roads safely and avoid getting hit by vehicles.

Traffic lights for fans of smartphones

A set of unique traffic lights has been installed in Bodegraven, a city in the Netherlands. They have been created especially for those who like to keep looking down at their smartphones. The only option to make these people notice the signal of a traffic light is to place it beneath the smartphone. Therefore, the new traffic light looks like an LED strip installed in the curb.

Floating trees

Holland is famous for its special attitude toward nature. These trees, for example, were supposed to be cut down for the construction of urban buildings. To prevent the trees from dying, they were replanted using a unique method.

Driver-less cars

A Dutch startup called Amber promises that by the middle of 2018, a number of driver-less cars will appear on the streets of this country. In the daytime, these cars will be “taught” by real people driving them, while in the evening, they will move by themselves without drivers.