This post is part of Mashable’s Spark of Genius series, which highlights a unique feature of startups. The series is made possible by Microsoft BizSpark. . If you would like to have your startup considered for inclusion, please see the details here... 

Do you ever stare off into the cosmos, wondering about all the matter and particles swirling about in the universe? Or gaze into the spiraling petals of a rose and contemplate the Golden Ratio and all it connotes? No? Well, take some time out from your... 

Geoff Livingston co-founded Zoetica to focus on cause-related work, and released an award-winning book on new media Now is Gone in 2007. Augmented reality promises a new level of interaction between people and data. Now, even the newest for-profit applications... 

Google has acquired Ångströ, a service for delivering intelligent search results about a person’s professional network. It has also hired its founder, likely in an effort to build a legitimate competitor to Facebook . “With the help of... 

London-based fashion company CuteCircuit has just upped the ante in the Little Black Dress category. The company recently released images and a few details about its forthcoming M-Dress , a dark, richly textured, form-fitting silk jersey dress that also... 

A class action lawsuit has been filed against Facebook in a Los Angeles County Superior Court alleging that the company commercially misappropriated the names and likenesses of minors without parental consent. The plaintiffs are seeking financial restitution... 

Over the last few weeks, we’ve seen several web companies switch to freemium business models, offering free versions of their services but providing additional features and functionality at tiered prices. Hootsuite and Slideshare are just two companies... 

Google has acquired visual search and price comparison engine Like.com, according to an open letter posted on Like.com’s website. “Since 2006, Like.com has been moving the frontiers of eCommerce forward one step at a time,” said Munjal... 

The venture capital arm of Verizon, Verizon Ventures, has invested $400,000 in CardStar . The Boston-based CardStar makes a mobile app for iPhone, Android and Blackberry that lets users store all of their membership cards in one digital repository. The... 

Soon, some New Yorkers will be able pay for their purchases with their smartphones rather than their credit cards. Bank of America and Visa are working together to launch a new test program that will bring digital wallet capabilities to smartphones....