Batteries need to be pack maximum power into minimum space – a tall order for many manufacturing methods. So why not leave the work to someone used to working at a small scale? MIT scientists have been tinkering with virus genes to make them collect the correct molecules and form them into tiny nanoscale wires on a polymer surface, which can then be sandwiched with other materials to produce a battery.

The New York Times is running an article about NASA’s ‘Centennial Challenges’, and other sponsored competitions which offer prizes to all-comers who can come up with new and innovative designs and ideas, from space elevators to solar sails. These offer the average man of science an unprecedented opportunity to work with ‘the big boys’, and contribute towards the cutting edge of technology.

The National Geographic Genographic Project proposes to build a historical atlas of the human diaspora using a massive collection of DNA samples. For $100 you can contribute and trace back your lineage.

The California Infill Parcel Locator is another neat example of what you can do with digital mapping. Basically, the site helps you find places where the structures on a site aren’t as valuable as the land itself, marking the site as a good candidate for infill development. Check out the WorldChanging site where I found the parcel locator for a good discussion about why infill is a good thing.

The RIAA’s official stats show CD sales dropping through the floor in 2005, but according to Chris Anderson it ain’t as bad as all that. Specifically, digital music sales are making up at least some of the difference, at a higher profit margin.