Here's How NASA Is Testing A New Biofuel Made From Flowers

One way to deal with the high cost of jet fuel and its impact on the atmosphere is to use biofuels.

Dutch carrier KLM is now running flights between New York and Amsterdam using biofuel made from used cooking oil, and NASA is testing its own mix.

To see how a 50-50 blend of conventional JP-8 jet fuel and an alternative fuel made from parts of camelina flowers impacts engine performance and emissions into the atmosphere, NASA used it to fill up a DC-8 jet.

This photo was taken by a HU-25 Falcon, which flies behind the DC-8, outfitted with more than a dozen instruments to analyze the soot and gases the jet leaves behind.