It sounds like an April Fool's joke, but from what we can tell, the Chinese government is completely serious about their latest high speed rail project. According to multiple news outlets, China plans to build an 12870 kilometers railroad (sounds plausible) connecting China, Russia, Canada, and the U.S. that includes a 200 kilometers undersea tunnel spanning the Bering Strait! The plan was announced in China's state-run newspaper, the Beijing Times, and apparently Russia is already on-board with the plan. While it would be nice to travel from China to America in two days without setting foot in a single airport, engineers around the globe are skeptical. According to the report, which cites a single expert at the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Chinese officials "are considering a route that would start in the country's northeast, thread through eastern Siberia and cross the Bering Strait via a 200-kilometers long underwater tunnel into Alaska." This sounds fine, until you realize the proposed undersea route is longer than the Chunnel and the Seikan Tunnel in Japan (currently the world's longest and deepest) combined. Both were amazing feats of engineering in their own right, and that was without four major world governments (two of which don't play very nicely together) in the mix. Unsurprisingly, "no other Chinese railway experts have come out in support of the proposed project. Whether the government has consulted Russia, the US or Canada is also unclear," reports the Guardian. It's worth pointing out that Russia did green light a similar project in 2011. While we're inclined to file this one under 'strange and unusual news' for the time being, it's interesting to note that if anyone could create something as preposterous as an undersea railway around the world, it's China. "In the last half decade or so, China has embarked on an astonishing rail construction spree, laying down tens of thousands of miles tracks and launching myriad high-speed lines," explains the Washington Post.

Plans for a very luxurious yacht named "The Streets of Monaco" by UK-based ship designers at Yacht Island Design have been revived, promising to create a floating replica of the actual location. The ambitious project is estimated to cost a whopping US$ 402 million and will mimic important landmarks of the city-state, such as the Prince's Palace, Port Hercule, Hotel de Paris, Loews Hotel and the famous La Rascasse. It will also have a go kart replica of the actual legendary Formula 1 circuit, along with a helipad, jacuzzis, jet skis, a mini submarine and swimming pools. "The Streets of Monaco" super yacht will be 155 meters long and will be able to accommodate 16 guests and 70 members of the crew which will all be travelling at a top speed of 15 knots. Plans for the yacht were originally disclosed in January 2011 but so far developers weren't able to find potential clients willing to pay the exorbitant price tag. Rob McPherson, one of the project's founders, told Daily Mail they are "looking for clients either private or commercial with the vision to realize this new and interesting design direction." He also said a lot of people have expressed their desire to take a cruise with the yacht and they also received "a number of enquiries for potential commercial applications."

UNStudio just officially unveiled Georgia's new Kutsai International Airport after two years of design and construction. The airport has actually been open and in operation since September 2012, but it reached full completion this month. The radically innovative and modern building features a daylight-filled transparent canopy, a pulsing LED tower that reacts to wind conditions, and a wide variety of green building strategies. Kutaisi is projected to become the gateway to Georgia in the near future, with up to a million travelers passing through in 2014-2015. The architecture of the terminal emulates the large open spaces and high ceilings of the great railways stations of the past, according to lead designer, Ben van Berkel. A clear, undulating structure provides a transparent and protective umbrella over the terminal. Passengers flow in and out of this transparent terminal while enjoying stunning views of the surrounding landscape. The terminal includes a cafe and a gallery that will showcase the country's best and brightest artists and innovators. Kutaisi Airport also features a 55-meter "pulsing tower" that serves as a beacon and focal point for the airport. The exterior of the tower is clad with a perforated skin over a concrete core. LED lights in-between the skin and the concrete core create the tower's beacon effect at dusk and dawn. The lights change color when there is fluctuation in wind speed, creating constant visual interest during the dark hours. The airport uses several innovative green building strategies. A large on-site underground water source is used for sprinkler basins, and pipes carry water through the floors of the terminal and the traffic control tower to maintain a comfortable temperature in the two buildings through radiative heating and cooling. Large cantilevered roofs on the south and southwest sides provide shade and reduce the heat load on the building. A hybrid low pressure ventilation system keeps energy consumption low, and there is a gray-water collection system in the floor underneath the terminal building. The terminal's next step is to establish a recycling system as part of its daily operations.

The Saudi Arabian government awarded US$ 22.5 billion in contracts to three foreign-led consortia on Sunday for the design and construction of a metro rail system in the capital Riyadh. The project, which will involve six rail lines extending 176 kilometers and carrying electric, driverless trains, is the world's largest public transport system currently under development, Saudi officials said. U.S. construction giant "Bechtel Corp" heads a group which won a US$ 9.45 billion contract to build two lines, the government announced. A consortium led by Spain's "FCC" won a US$ 7.82 billion contract for three lines, while Italy's "Ansaldo STS" heads a group that won a US$ 5.21 billion order. Design work will start immediately and construction will begin in the first quarter of 2014, the government said. The project would be completed in 2019. Designs for the Riyadh Metro call for 35.2 kilometers of twin-tube bored running tunnels and a further 13.7 kilometers of cut-and-cover work for a total subsurface length of nearly 49 km. Preliminary designs of the 176 kilometer metro system have been carried out by consultants Dar Al-Hanasah of Lebanon and Egis Rail of France. The Riyadh Metro or the so-called "Miracle of the Desert" consists of six main lines running a total length of 176 km with 94 stations, including 85 main stations, four transfer stations, and five park-and-ride stations. The proposed metro passes through areas near government buildings, commercial and health centers, educational centers and major universities in Riyadh and its suburbs. The metro will also connect the King Khaled International Airport (KKIA) through the city center and densely populated areas of Riyadh. Trains on the six lines will run at 40 km/h. All stations and carriages will be air-conditioned. The driverless electric trains will also be divided into first class, family class and single class carriages. Designs for the major stations were unveiled by the authority in May, with UK-based architect Zaha Hadid's design chosen for a station at King Abdullah Financial District, Norway's Snohetta chosen for a Downtown (Qasr Al-Hokm) station and Gerber Architekten of Germany's designs picked for a new hub station at Olaya.

In order to serve its rapidly expanding population of more than five million, the ArRiyadh Development Authority has commissioned Zaha Hadid Architects to construct the new King Abdullah Financial District (KAFD) Metro Station in its capital city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Best known in Britain for her design of the Olympics Aquatic Centre, Hadid has again envisaged a curved structure, with the station's undulating form supposedly referencing Saudi Arabia's desert sand dunes. Measuring 20,434 square meters in size, the huge space will feature four public floors as well as two levels of underground parking and is intended to function as a gathering place as well as an interchange. A number of gangways and route within the structure will be incorporated to alleviate congestion and the station will also be connected to the Riyadh monorail via a skybridge. Looking more like the inside of five-star hotel, the proposed network, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, will boast a space age design featuring marbled walkways, gold-plated walls and, naturally in one of the hottest places on earth, air conditioning. The facade will apparently be designed to let in light while keeping out the harsh desert sun, while the overall shape is meant to recall the country's wind-blown sand dunes. King Abdullah has instructed the new Riyadh Metro be completed in four years. Prince Khaled bin Bander, the governor of Riyadh, said the project is progressing to plan and the ArRiyadh Development Authority has released details of the city's public transport plan including the six metro lines that will serve as the backbone for public transport in the city.