No, it’s neither…or both. The Dutch are developing a project called the SuperBus which, World’s Fair-esque hyperbole aside, looks like an interesting approach to sustainable public transport solutions. Able to switch between running on normal roads and special tracks, the bus is aerodynamic and hence needs only a ‘modest electric motor’ to reach cruise speeds of 250kph. Add one door for every passenger, and you have an attractive sounding package. The demo version is slated to see the light of day at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 – if it doesn’t sink through lack of funding.

The internet is pretty good, but wouldn’t it be nice if it were faster, more secure and more suitable for mobile devices? The Chinese certainly think so, and are working hard to roll out their CNGI ‘China Next Generation Internet’ project in time for the Beijing Olympics in 2008. The core of the idea is a new version of the internet protocols, which among other improvements will allow a much larger range of addresses to be assigned.

The Cassini probe had a lucky break recently, taking advantage of an occultation of the Sun by Saturn to take some detailed pictures of the giant planet’s rings. Here’s one that shows the little icy moon of Enceladus inside the E ring that it gives rise to, and here’s another that shows what Cassini sees when it takes a look back home.

Computer scientists at the University of Arkansas are creating accurate 3D models of cities by combining data from satellites, aircraft, city records and street-level photography. With an accurate 3D model, they can visualize the impact of future growth.

Well-designed sailboats and well-designed alternative energy living spaces share a kind of minimalist but fussily technical aesthetic that I appreciate. The Transatlantic21 is a solar-powered catamaran under construction that combines the best of both worlds.