Colorful project maps the U.S. through phone calls rather than state lines (Yahoo! News)

We live in a world separated by virtual borders, but a new project aims to show us just how permeable some of them can be. A joint endeavor between research labs at MIT and AT&T visualizes the U.S. through anonymized calling data, painting an organic picture of how people connect to one another across the country. The undertaking, called The Connected States of America, seeks to depict an alternate portrait of the nation, one defined by social interaction rather than state boundaries.

Watch the video above for a glimpse into the mapping project, or play around with a full interactive U.S. map on the Connected States website. In the interactive map, you can select individual counties to see which geographic hotspots most outgoing calls and text messages are reaching, and which locales appear to have a close mobile rapport.

Visualize the U.S. in a new light with The Connected States of America project

MIT via Geekosystem

More from Tecca:

• Understanding your rural internet options
• FCC considers letting you call 911 with texts and video
• Google Map Maker adds a personal touch to your favorite locations

Artist turns old motherboards into colorful works of art (Yahoo! News)

We've seen people do some pretty remarkable things with their old computer hardware, but artist Joe Dragt's motherboard paintings are definitely the most worthy of hanging on your living room wall. When Dragt, who works out of his home in Arizona, saw a stack of old, unwanted computers, inspiration struck. "The complexity and patterns of all the circuits could make for stunning backgrounds. I asked if I could take one computer home for a trial run, and it just blossomed from there," he says.

Dragt has been selling his art for over 15 years, but only recently began using discarded computer components in his work. He notes that while old motherboards make for interesting canvases, there is an added benefit: they're free. Compared to a traditional, high-quality painting canvas, working on a piece of donated computer equipment is a huge money saver, not to mention some inventive recycling.

In addition to being cool to look at, each piece carries a subtle reference to computer lingo; his paintings titled "Memory" and "RAM" are pictured above. Dragt artist sells his works on his website, and offers both prints of the art as well as original pieces.

Tomorrow and Beyond via Geekosystem

More from Tecca:

• This chair made from computers puts your recycling efforts to shame
• Recycled Island concept turns trash into terrain
• Where to recycle your aging electronics