Scientific researchers at Valcent Products, Inc. have now created a closed-system using algae to make fuel. Unlike corn which can produce 18 gallons of oil per acre per year, this algae system can create 20,000 gallons per acre per year.

Google Pack is a set of free software for your PC which includes the following applications: Google Earth, Google Desktop, Google Photos Screensaver, Skype, StarOffice, Google Toolbar for IE, Firefox (with Google Toolbar), Google Talk, Real Player, Norton Security Scan, Picasa, Spyware Doctor, and Adobe Reader. The really nice thing about this pack is that it allows you to decide which applications you want to install. I highly recommend Picassa for photo editing and if you don't have a virus scanner, then download this free one.

Tata Motors , an Indian car company, introduced their new 4-door Nano car which sells for 100,000 rupees or about US$2,500 (which is the cost of adding a DVD player to a Lexus). The two cylinder car gets 50 mpg and can reach speeds up to 65 mph. They hope to make cars affordable to the millions of people in India who currently can't afford a vehicle.

Rinspeed will unveil their new sQuba concept car at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The sQuba is designed to autonomously turn into an amphibious vehicle at the push of a button and can submerge up to 33ft under water.

Sony has a new prototype laptop that looks pretty cool. It's screen is completely see through until you turn it on.

This is a strange, but cool invention that will toast handwritten messages into bread. My kids would love this.

I would love to go to the Expo Zaragoza in Spain next year where they will display a Digital Water Pavilion which can write messages in a sheet of falling water using computer controlled nozzles. Pretty neat concept!

A company has created a stand-alone machine which can print a 300-page novel with a color cover on demand in about 3 minutes at a cost of about $3. This is a cool invention that would be really nice to have at say, an airport where you could print any book you wanted on demand. It could revolutionize many book/convenience stores.

A 77 year old racing designer has discovered a way to increase gas mileage by 40% by injecting water into regular gasoline powered cylinders to harness the power of heat through steam.

College students at an anti-war rally in New York report seeing small flying robotic insects flying around the gathering. Since at least 1970, the CIA and other government agencies have been working on tiny flying robots for spying and intelligence gathering.

Blue Coat Systems is a company which provides web filtering to medium and large businesses. However, they also offer a free Internet Content Filter for families at www.getk9.com. I've been using this filter at home now for over a year and am very happy with it. I'm also impressed with the response time of their support group, they have been very quick and very helpful. I highly recommend a filter for everyone with Internet access.

A new electric car from Tesla Motors can go from 0 to 60 in about 4 seconds (faster than a Ferrari!), has a top speed of over 130 MPH, and goes 250 miles on a single charge. I could live with that! No oil to change, no pollution, and no engine roar.