You may have seen recent news articles about jatropha curcas, a tree which grows in several countries, including The Gambia, India and Indonesia. The seeds produced by the jatropha curcas tree contain up to 40% oil which some scientists think shows great potential as bio-fuel. It’s not just cars that could be potentially fueled with jatropha oil, which is actually poisonous to humans. According to a June 8 report by the Los Angeles Times, jatropha fuel will be tested in New Zealand this summer as jet fuel in an Air New Zealand 747 jumbo jet. Some believe jatropha fuel is a better bio-fuel alternative than bio-diesel, as it can be produced without the negative impact on the environment that bio-diesel is often criticized for. The seeds of the jatropha tree are pressed to obtain the oil, which can be done by machine or even by hand, similar to the pressing of olive oil. For more information about jatropha fuel, visit Jatropha World , an India-based organization dedicated to the promotion of jatropha as bio-fuel.