The quasiturbine engine has fewer intricate parts than traditional combustion engines, uses less fuel and provides more power, and almost completely combusts its fuel, leaving near zero emissions.

Japanese researchers have announced a new breed of semiconductor laser technology that can produce beams ten times thinner than the regular flavour. And if you can make your lasers ten times thinner, that means that you can squeeze ten times the data storage out of your digital optical media, among other things.

The Tau Zero Foundation has been established to promote technology, science and education, to further the goal of getting the human race off-planet and into space. Spokesperson Mark Millis lays out the agenda at the Centauri Dreams blog.