The announcement of an engineered tropical hardwood has spawned all kinds of feedback from Woodworking Network readers - ranging from doubt, to excitement, to curiosity, to disbelief.

An engineered tropical hardwood said to have the same strength as a 100-year-old tree has been developed by an Australian firm, which says it could reduce the pressure to log native forests, according to its developers.

Westech will be teaming up with German-owned Resysta to unveil a new wood-like product made primarily from rice husks to North America at the International Builder’s Show in Las Vegas, Feb. 4–6, 2014.