TIME's Best Inventions of 2008
From a genetic testing service to an invisibility cloak to an ingenious public bike system to the world's first moving skyscraper — here are TIME's picks for the top innovations of 2008
45. The Short Refinance
This new term describes a rare but growing option for homeowners struggling to make payments on a house now worth less than when they bought it: another new lender agrees to rewrite the loan tied to a fresh appraisal. The tricky part is getting the current mortgage company to take less than what it's owed — but given banks' woes, it's more likely than it once was.
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