Now that we’re doing a lot more data-intensive work out in space, we are starting to run into a need for a communications protocol that can handle the huge distances involved. Hence a NASA data-standards manager is looking into the practicalities of taking internet protocols interplanetary.

Many times, people claiming to have made advances in nanotechnology are really just talking about a cloth that wicks away water or some other such hype. It’s heartening, then, to learn that there are some people actually trying to apply nanotech to a purpose worthy of the name. In this case, scientists have used nanoparticles to restore sight to blind test animals.

Here’s a nice little how to on collecting and imaging micrometeorites (that is, tiny particles of extraplanetary metals that rain almost continuously on the surface of the Earth).

KeepVid is pretty much a middle finger in the air to all those media dinosaurs who thought streaming was the way to maintain control over their video properties. Basic concept: give KeepVid a URL to a video and it’ll give you a download button. Let’s see how long this lasts.

The US Geological Survey has released a “virtual helicopter tour” of the Hayward fault. When the Hayward goes it’ll be bad news for my beloved Bay Area, as the scripted Google Earth tour amply demonstrates.