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Infinium:  University of MichiganIn the shadow of the state’s struggling automakers, the University of Michigan solar engineering team—one of the most advanced in the country--unveiled its newest solar-powered race car, Infinium.

Solar Impulse: The Solar Impulse is the prototype of a fuel-free aircraft that is designed to circle the globe on sunlight alone.   Solar Impulse/Stephane Gros

Mobile Phone Matryoshka Dolls:  Kyle Bean via CRWhile not exactly to scale, I love this expression of the evolution of cellphones via Russian Matryoshka dolls. It's a concept toy by designer Kyle Bean.

The UK firm Quantasol has devised a way of allowing solar cells to be fine-tuned according to their positional latitude, providing a substantial bump in efficiency. Because solar intensity increases as you get closer to the equator, the same solar cell normally can't be equally effective in any given location.

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The Department of Energy just gave $100,000 to upstart company Solar Roadways, to develop 12-by-12-foot solar panels, dubbed "Solar Roads," that can be embedded into roads, pumping power into the grid. The panels may also feature LED road warnings and built-in heating elements that could prevent roads from freezing.

General Electric has teamed with an Israeli battery developer to make thin organic LED panels that require no external power source

OLED-Lit Tent :  GEOrganig LEDs hold large promise for efficient, thin and flexible lighting elements (as well as

Palm Pre:  HIDEWe've been waiting almost five months for the Palm Pre smartphone to hit stores. Now Sprint has finally announced the details: In two and a half weeks, you'll be able to get the Pre for $200 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) in stores around the country. If you don't have a Sprint retail outlet in your town, not to worry.

Palm Pre: Here it is.  John MahoneySo we got our Palm Pre review phone today.

Solar power is an exciting source of renewable energy, but has so far mostly been used to power little things like homes, cars and small villages. But what if solar energy was used on a scale that would power the majority of Europe?