This just in from a lab in New Orleans: A team of scientists have discovered a bacterial strain that reduces old newspapers to a viable substance whose applications include car fuel. The hero of this particular breakthrough is TU-103. The magic part is when it comes into contact with cellulose derived material, e.g. paper, it produces butanol.

Butanol? To think it was first discovered by the scientists involved in this particular breakthrough in samples of animal feces. Turns out butanol and cellulose, which is found in all plant life on Earth, are a fine mix when alternative fuels are needed. What makes butanol superior to the much more popular ethanol is it’s an instant substitute to gasoline, requiring no changes in car engineering.

 The newspaper discovery came in as the scientists–David Mullin, Harshad Valenkar, and Hailee Rask–were experimenting wit ... Read more »

Some of our readers are probably not old enough to remember the giant cellphones from the 80s, if you have seen the new Wall Street movie then  you will know what they look like as Gordon Gekko has one.

Now you can turn your iPhone into a retro looking mobile phone with this fun 80s iPhone case, and as you can see from the photo below it isn’t exactly one of the most streamline cases for the iPhone.

The 80s iPhone case will be available shortly for about $20, you can find out more details over at the companies Facebook page.

Not to cast the Central American country in a bad light, but given the drugs and cartels situation over there, security has deteriorated to an unbearable level for many of the common citizens. One company now aspires to make a difference by selling RFID tracking devices enabled by a GPS unit. The capsule shaped RFID implant is inserted in the fleshy folds of a client’s shoulder, allowing them to be tracked when kidnapped. But does it work?

What must be pointed out is that the most high-profile RFID user in Mexico was abducted a couple of years ago and still held by his kidnappers several months after. The interesting part is when they stormed his house on the fateful night of the abduction, the kidnappers surgically removed the RFID implant from their target. Naturally, this incident reeks of an inside job.

Such grisly events hasn’t daunted Xega’s great business. Not to b ... Read more »

Google offers some insight behind the infamously unknown inner workings of Search.

It’s extremely rare that Google gives us a look at what’s behind the curtain over at Search. Given its secure grip over the platform, it’s entirely justified why there’s so much skepticism regarding its tactics. With nearly no explanation and sometimes little justification, Google can entirely revolutionize the way Internet search retrieves your results. It’s a major frustration for Web properties and eyebrow-lifting concern for consumers.

Its Panda update (versions one and two) were downright destructive and to a degree ineffective. Google’s been continuing to crank out adjustments (500 in the last year) and is (relatively) happy to keep us updated of this progress – but algorithm insights are far and few between. Obviously Google can’t reveal all of these secrets: SEO experts and spammers would b ... Read more »