Even in the 21st century, there are still new things to be found under the sun. And one does not even have to travel into the thicket of the rainforest to find them. Sometimes a probing look to the ground can reveal a trove of endless possibilities – and all it takes is the right technology and materials to pave the way for new visions to become reality.

As was the case in the small French town of Tourouvre, whose roughly 1,600 inhabitants are now taking the high road in a government-subsidised project that has seen the creation of the world’s first solar highway. As part of “Wattway”, almost 2,800 m² of road have been paved with plastic-coated solar panels, delivering enough energy to power the town’s street lights. The project could be the dawn of a new era – after all, it was on the first day that God created light…