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Summary: Clean-energy technology is expensive and the United States is spending far too little on developing it. The U.S. government must do more to promote cross-border innovation and protect intellectual property rights.

This article arises from Future Tense, a collaboration among Arizona State University, the New America Foundation, and Slate. Future Tense explores the ways emerging technologies affect society, policy, and culture.

Thanks to technological advances, in the past few years, vast amounts of natural gas -- particularly shale gas -- have become economically viable. This development is an unmitigated boon for consumers interested in affordable energy and for governments hoping to reduce their countries' dependency on foreign oil.

This is a new periodical from Scientific American that is ideal for a 7 Revs class. It deals primarily with issues of our future planet including well-written articles on water, energy, green-technology, biodiversity, population and even conflict. The graphics, images and charts are easy to understand. Articles present scientific interpretations of problems, many with a future focus. Excellent for use in all course topics.

* Aired: January 2009 * Running time: 5:27 * Description: Provides information about energy prices and ethanol. * Rating: Good. Used during a lecture on biofuels. * 7-Revolutions Section: Resources, Technology

* Filmed: February 2008 * Running time: 15:54 * Description: Craig Venter discusses creating new organisms with bioengineering. Altered and new organisms, like bacteria, may serve an important role in the future of medicine and energy. * Rating: Excellent * 7-Revolutions: Technology

Coal combustion is the largest source of carbon dioxide emissions on the planet. But the fuel isn't going away anytime soon, since demand for it is ballooning in the developing world. So instead of indulging in quixotic visions of a coal-free world, policymakers should focus on supporting new technologies that can reduce how much carbon coal emits.