The online universe is brimming with dozens of virtual worlds vying to build sustainable life in the "avatar age."

An outbreak of a deadly disease in a virtual world can offer insights into real life epidemics, scientists suggest.

Second Life, the popular online virtual world, has announced its plans to open-source access to its backend as a way of meeting increasing demand.

Users of online worlds such as Second Life and World of Warcraft transact millions of dollars worth of virtual goods and services every day, and these virtual economies are beginning to draw the attention of real-world authorities.

Entropia, an online computer games is taking an ambitious step to meld their in-game economy with the real global financial system by allowing players to withdraw virtual funds into real-world currency using an ATM.

The author looks at the potential 'worldchanging' implications of three virtual reality technologies: Augmented Reality, Virtual Worlds, and Simulations.

The U.S. military is studying the way realistic combat video games (ex. "Halo" and "Doom") have transformed the way the United States military fights wars, as well as soldiers' ways of killing.

The New York Times reports that well over 100,000 Chinese are working as 'gold farmers' -- playing online role playing games and selling the virtual currency, items, and experience they generate for real world money.

Fed up with what it sees as the corrupting influence of computer games on youth, the Chinese government plans to introduce to the online world a new cast of characters based on old-fashioned Communist
values.

The Pentagon marshals thousands of computer-generated soldiers, tanks, ships and networked flight simulators to make large-scale training exercises more realistic than ever before.