Spend a (pretty) penny
A block of council toilets on a scenic stretch of Co Clare coast is expected to fetch around €300,000 when it goes on the market.
"The toilet block is on a superb site with unrivalled views of Lahinch Bay," said Cllr Martin Conway. Local auctioneer Nicola Leyden said the sale could even exceed that because of its proximity to one of the country's most popular surfing spots.
Intelligent fruit
A University of Arizona professor has invented a sticker that can tell consumers if a fruit or vegetable is ripe. The stickers will be available to growers next year , said Mark Riley, assistant professor of agricultural engineering.
A marker on Riley's RediRipe stickers detects a chemical called ethylene gas, which is released by fruit or vegetables as they ripen. As that happens, the sticker turns from white to blue.