With Google Labs getting all the attention in the media these days, I thought it might be nice to take a peek behind the doors of Yahoo's research outfit. Current projects on their website include:

• Open Source Web Search: Based off of the Nutch open source search engine design, this little experiment is designed to help Yahoo in the development of better search technologies.

• Cluster Graphing: This explores the relationship (or lack thereof) of diverse terms. In the example provided "slime mold", skunk odor removal" and "luxury bathroom" are contrasted and compared.

• Concept Discovery: A daily and weekly analysis of search phrases people are inputting based upon "seasonal queries, topics which are of greatly increased salience on this day, and completely new concepts."

The projects, while not as entertaining for average users as what Google has cooking, still provide valuable insights into the direction Yahoo sees itself going in the coming months.