The Double Bubble Passenger Jet

According to the designers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who took advantage of a multi-million dollar NASA grant, this is what you may be flying in 2035:

That's a mere 20 years from now, and the "Double Bubble," as it's been labeled, is expected to use 70% less fuel than a Boeing 737. Plus, it will emit much less nitrogen-oxide, the culprit that causes acid rain. Good thing too, because air travel is expected to double over the next two decades.

The Double Bubble will carry 180 passengers at an airspeed of 433 mph, about 10% slower than a 737. Slower, yes, but not by much. And ooooh, the fuel savings!

Double Bubble ... It ain't no chewing gum.

I read this in Popular Science in the doctor's office waiting room. Sometimes it pays to have a long wait to see the doc.