The Future Is Now, Vol. LXVI

MONTEREY (AFP) - A scientist who mapped his genome and the genetic diversity of the oceans said Thursday he is creating a life form that feeds on climate-ruining carbon dioxide to produce fuel.

Geneticist Craig Venter disclosed his potentially world-changing "fourth-generation fuel" project at an elite Technology, Entertainment and Design conference in Monterey, California.

"We have modest goals of replacing the whole petrochemical industry and becoming a major source of energy," Venter told an audience that included global warming fighter Al Gore and Google co-founder Larry Page.

"We think we will have fourth-generation fuels in about 18 months, with CO2 as the fuel stock."

18 months to revolutionize the energy industry. At least he's not thinking small.

How Scott King would Sink American Vogue

After Anna Wintour leaves, guest editor, artist Scott King gives away Vogue for free and includes articles such as: Angry Scarlett Johanssen, 635 Poor People Upside Down, Karl Lagerfeld Discussing Various Cancers, and a budgie, "chillingly declaring that 'I am God'".

Hilarious.(via Creative Review via Kottke.org)

Beneath the Icy Floes

Lake Michigan in its pre-spring incarnation.

This looks like a picture taken from a thousand feet up, but was in fact taken from an altitude of about 6'0".

Osteo-Odonto-Keratoprosthesis

If this were April 1st, I wouldn't believe this:

DUBLIN (AFP) - An Irishman blinded by an explosion two years ago has had his sight restored after doctors inserted his son's tooth in his eye, he said on Wednesday.

Burial

Warren Ellis put me on to the new Burial album, Untrue.

Great interview with Burial in Wire:

Wire: Your music is very visual. I suppose that’s partly the influence of films? You’ve talked about that sound from ‘Alien’ being one of your favourite sounds.

Burial: The motion tracker, yeah, and the dropship, the sentry guns. My big brother would play that sound to me when I was little, and tell me the stories from the film. He recorded it on a tape. He would tell me about that motion tracker sound, and ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens’ are some of the scariest films. But he would only show me the bit where they were loading up the weapons, but he’d say, ‘you’re too young, I won’t show you the rest, but I’ll tell you about it’. I love the sound of the motion tracker, you can feel the fear of the empty spaces ahead, it's like sonar. I like Blade Runner but I’m only obsessed with one scene in it, the bit where he’s sitting at those cafes in the rain. I love rain, like being out in it. Sometimes you just go out in the cold, there’s a light in the rain, and you’ve got this little haven, and you’re hanging round like a moth – I love moths too and that’s why I love that scene.

Freakangels

Warren Ellis's new weekly webcomic is up and running deliciously.

Yes We Can

Will.i.am and company's ultracool video for Barack: