ibtimes.com

a small Japanese company by the name of Cosmopower has developed a bright yellow floating pod that can protect up to four adults in the case of a tsunami or an earthquake.  water-resistant and sturdy, this shelter is named Noah – drawing a comparison to Noah’s Ark during the biblical flood.  the capsule is yellow so that rescue workers can easily spot it and is equipped with a window and air vents. here is the company’s president, Shoji Tanaka, demonstrating:

image © itsuo inouye (AP)

this mini-noah’s arc was designed in reaction to the devastation caused by the earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan earlier this year.  one of these bad boys will set you back about $4000, a small price to pay if it actually is life saving.  so far, the company has received over 600 orders and are looking to produce a capsule that will comfortable fit 24 adults.

image © itsuo inouye (AP)

interesting idea, but i am getting terribly claustrophobic just looking at this thing! and i wonder about safety belts, are people just sitting inside this capsule with nothing to hold them down?

– smiley