Lunar Colony Planned – NASA announced plans on Monday for the development of a lunar colony on the south pole of the Moon. The colony, to begin construction around 2020, would be a base of operations for future space exploration and a permanent base for research. As part of a Global Exploration Strategy, NASA will work with countries worldwide to address issues of space exploration.

Musical Wood – People have long wondered what makes a Stradivari or Guarneri violin so special. In a paper recently published in Nature, researchers use modern methods to determine if Italian violin-makers Stradivari and Guarneri del Gesu chemically-treated the wood used in their instruments. Presumably the chemical treatment enhanced sound and helped preserve the wood. This could have implications for modern day instrument making.

Sustaining fuels – The EPOBIO project was designed to identify new ways in which plants can be used as a sustainable fuel source. The international initiative hopes to bring bio-based products to the market within 10-15 years.