It’s nice to get some good news on the environmental front every once in a while – so I was pleased to see Worldchanging mention a report that says renewable energy sources are becoming cost-competitive with fossil fuels in the United States. As with all changes though, there are consequences to consider. Futurismic’s columnist Jamais Cascio is also pleased to see renewables taking up the strain, but warns that we should consider the potential consequences of a reduced demand for oil in the politically unstable OPEC nations.

The optical fibres of the internet carry huge amounts of data at great speed, but the computers we attach to it have to work with comparatively crude electrical signals to route data around inside of themselves. Chip-making giant Intel is working towards a solution to this problem, by embedding lasers into special silicon chips to achieve cheaper faster switching. If and when this technology becomes readily available, the data transfer landscape may be irrevocably altered in favour of speed, utility and low cost.

The power of computer games not to merely entertain but to educate their players is a growing phenomenon. Two upcoming releases address the nature of the recent Israel-Palestine conflict, and from very different angles. Global Conflict: Palestine puts you in the role of an embedded journalist walking the wrecked streets of Palestine, talking to soldiers, terrorists and civilians and trying to get to the bottom of the story while developing your own views of the situation. Peacemakers, on the other hand, allows you to assume the leadership of either of the two states, and work through the conflict as if it were a turn-based strategy game. I wonder if players will take the opportunity to look at the other side of the equation, or act on the assumptions they already hold?

How do you raise the profit margins of the traditional convenience store? Simple – get rid of the need for employees. Get & Go Express has done exactly that, by placing all their products in vending machines, which has the knock-on effect of reducing the amount of floorspace the outlet needs – the reduced overheads counteract the inability to stock products that would require age verification by staff. Market forces being what they are, we’re sure to see a rise in automated retail, but what effect will that have on unemployment figures?