Swarm intelligence, artificial trees, guilt-free stem cells

They’ve figured out to create pluripotent, stem cells from cheap, ordinary, blood cells. This is a breakthrough because these types of cells previously have only been found in fetal tissue, which is controversial, or bone marrow, which is difficult to collect from.
Just saw this on Slash, an interview with scientist who describes how swarm intelligence can optimize computer networks, military logistics and factory supply chains.
A bright spark over at Columbia University invented an artificial tree for the purpose of drawing excess carbon dioxide out of the air. Another researcher proposes, with some reservations, isolating the genes that make certain plants highly efficient carbon sinks and inserting those genes in other plants.