Joule Biotechnologies, a startup in—you guessed it—Cambridge, Massachusetts, unveiled the details of its recently-discovered biofuel manufacturing process yesterday. The group claims that it is possible to engineer microorganisms in a photobioreactor that can convert water and carbon dioxide into usable fuel by harnessing the sun’s energy. What sets this plan apart from other fuel alternatives, such as ethanol, is the relatively small space, energy input, and time it requires. Read the full story

As more teeth-grindingly bad news about climate change is published every day, decision-makers around the world are tapping into their collective adrenalin: do we Earth-dwelling humans choose “fight” or “flight” as a response to our current situation? Namely, should we try to devote all of our time and energy to solving the energy crisis, reducing our carbon emissions, and setting up measures to prevent another, similar disaster in the future? Or should we cut our losses now, scope out real estate near another star, and stack up on freeze-dried ice cream for the centuries-long journey to Plan(et) B? Read the full story