Compiled by JOHN COLLINS

Dramatic images of Grímsvötn erupting

By the time you read this the Icelandic volcano Grímsvötn will hopefully have blown itself out and air travel around Europe will have been restored to normal.

If you are curious about the source of Michael O’Leary’s ire (besides of course the various civil aviation bodies) check out these beautifully shot videos of the eruption, complete with strobe-effect lightning. They were shot by Jon Gustafsson from a helicopter which was five miles away from the volcano and were taken just before a no-fly zone of 20 miles around it was imposed.

http://gizmo.do/jI446H a

Internet filter bubbles

Facebook, Google and other big internet companies are filtering your view of the web to deliver things that they think match your interests.

In this TED talk Eli Pariser, president of MoveOn.org, discusses how the web giants are ensuring we don’t get exposed to information that could challenge or broaden our worldview, by trapping us in a “filter bubble”.

Pariser argues that if not watched carefully these filters will prove to be bad for us and bad for democracy.

is.gd/KeBadI

Sonar to discover mutual friends

It’s not often we get as excited about the potential for a new app as we have with Sonar. To paraphrase its founder Sonar is a mobile application that unlocks the hidden connections that you share with people that are physically near you.

Sign in with your Foursquare account, add your Twitter and Facebook accounts and Sonar will tell you what other users are nearby and how you are connected to them. At the moment the app is of limited use in Ireland due to a small user base but we expect Sonar to surge in popularity as it makes social networking local again.

www.sonar.me