Usually, lists of interesting pictures do little more than stoke the imagination. That's great, but it's so much better when you can see some interesting ideas that could actually solve real issues. An article on Discovery.com provides a dozen ideas for dealing with rising ocean levels and also creating energy (I assume because land-based energy sources will use too much important above-water property).

The most interesting and possibly most important for today is the idea of a floating, solar-powered school for Nigeria. An area where yearly flooding impacts the continuity of slums too impoverished to engineer structures able to withstand the elements this concept would provide children with an education center capable providing consistent education even when the area is severely impacted by adverse weather.

Last year, Kyocera launched a 70-megawatt solar plant that floats off the island of Kyushu. The Kagoshima Nanatsujima Mega Solar Power Plant covers over 300 acres (no explanation of how much of that is on land vs floating on the ocean) and can power 22,000 homes. I'm not certain how this plant's shadow might damage the bay's ecology, but as research increasingly agrees that coral reefs are bleached by solar radiation, and how fragile coral reefs are as an ecosystem, might we develop these both to generate energy and also create moveable floats that could provide temporaty cover for coral groups?

A multipurpose partially submerged farm designed to grow phytoplankton to remove CO2 from the atmosphere and could also filter salt water and monitor ocean activity such as sea levels and  provide tsunami warnings. I can imagine a few other uses as well, such as monitoring sea life via sonar and video feeds and also providing safe berths to damaged boats or even individuals who fall overboard. Permanent structures set outside rivers could also provide data on pollutants.

And my personal favorite, an ark concept large enough to collect wind energy, collect rainwater and grow crops. Underwater towers could be used to provide stability and the underwater surfaces covered in artificial coral. It's a very interesting idea and would be one way to provide extra living spaces near major urban areas reaching maximum land use. The biggest limit might be timely and affordable access via water taxi or even short air travel, but I'm sure it would be costly and attract more affluent customers.

Would you live on a floating ark in an underwater tower? It certainly is an interesting and attractive idea in some ways, but I think I would need to see it work for awhile before I would entrust my family to living underwater for any extended time.