As humanity spreads far and wide across the globe, we're running out of real estate. Why not just build a private island like visionary engineer and developer Riley Nordell is planning? Just offshore, south of Cancun, Mexico, he'll construct the luxurious pyramid-shaped Maya Hotel that will cost around $209 million by the time it's completed in 2009.

This is not just any boat, however futuristic. It's constructed of a secret ultra-strong type of plastic composite material that's reportedly 10 times more durable than steel, and at the same time it's six times lighter and requires 30 to 40% less maintenance.

Nordell has high hopes for the technology, planning to use the high-tech plastic to build more luxury hotels and casinos, as well as movable vacation villages and even larger island cities. Wonder how all that fancy plastic would hold up in a category 5 hurricane? — Charlie White

CNN, via Born Rich