Image via Unplggd

While back we showed you an iPhone app that lets you customize nature sounds to chill out to.

Photo by Anne Toal

You're likely familiar with the way a caterpillar works its way up a stem or across a leaf -- that move-the-front-then-move-the-back process is one of their charms. But what you might not know is that a caterpillar actually moves its internal organs forward before moving its legs.

Image via New Scientist

Japan's IKAROS spacecraft is a pioneering technology for solar sailing. The ship launched in May and is the first one to be propelled entirely by sunlight. It manages to steer itself by using just the pressure of sunlight on "smart glass." Check out a video of the sail in movement.

Photo by Mark Craemer

Tucked into the financial reform bill that passed this week is a provision many sustainable electronics advocates will be happy about. Publicly-traded companies and electronics corporations will now be required to reveal whether or not they use "conflict-free" minerals.

Image via Microsoft Hohm

We're seeing a boost in partnerships between software and hardware companies when it comes to monitoring energy consumption at home.

The graphene organic photovoltaic manufacturing process.

Photo by Horia Varlan

According to Amazon, e-books are outpacing hardcover books by around 50%, with about 143 e-books sold for every 100 hardcovers on average over the past three months, and 180 e-books sold for every 100 hardcovers last month.

Photo via PhysOrg

A top mining company in China, the Zijin Mining Group, allowed a toxic waste water to spill into the Ting river, polluting the major water way, killing nearly 1,900 tons of fish, and threatening the fishing industry in the area. The toxic spill wasn't so much a spill, as a result of gross negligence -- worn equipment and some shady activity.

Image via The Leak In Your Hometown

App developers are always quick to hop on a new trend, especially one as big as the Gulf Oil Disaster. But that also means a plethora of tools and apps for all of us, from the serious news to snarky political elbowing.

Image via Make

A clever designer has come up with great ways to get us to conserve energy. They built switches that keep us from wanting to, or being able to turn the electricity on in the first place.