The sinuous and diffusing rills of the Linux boot sequence, as visualized by Perry Hung at MIT. Each function is a node, with every edge representing a function call, direct branch or indirect branch. It looks like a fluff of parakeet down, or a bit of crystalized algae in the blackness of subaqueous depths.

Visualization of Linux Boot Sequence [Flickr via MAKE]

GM showcased a "green" Hummer run by algae at last year's Los Angeles Auto show: it was really just a concept by someone with neat Photoshop skills.

This year at the 2008 Detroit Auto show GM introduced a physical version of an "environmentally friendly" Hummer concept car, the HX. The HX has some elements of a sports car: it's convertible and has only two doors. It's lighter than previous Hummer models, with a V-6 engine that can run on E85 ethanol. Because news about the environment can get so dreary, the HX comes without a radio. Instead, it has a USB-dock for MP3 players. Though the HX is just a concept design, it does signal GMs intention of equipping future Hummers with E85 FlexFuel engines.

Meanwhile, this year's 2008 H3 uses old fashioned gasoline and gets 14 mpg on a good day.

Experts say that algae could generate 30 times more energy per acre of land than corn and other biofuels, and grow at a much faster rate. read more »