Tech universe: Friday, 10 September

Paranal Observatory in Chile uses a laser beam to create an artificial star 90 km high in the mesosphere. Photo / Supplied

A round-up of the latest technology news from around the globe.

STAR MAKER: Paranal Observatory in Chile uses a laser beam to create an artificial star 90 km high in the mesosphere. The Laser Guide Star provides known reference values for correcting blurring in images and allows astronomers to make sharper observations. Twinkle, twinkle tiny star, now we now just what you are. More at the European Southern Observatory webiste.

LIGHT PUSH: The Australian National University used hollow laser beams to move tiny glass particles more than a metre. The dark centre of the laser beam stays cool, while the rest heats up. The heat differential nudges the particles into position. How about crowd control? Details at Physorg.com.

DON'T TOUCH: eyeSight Mobile Technologies provide a Touch Free Interface for camera-enabled devices like cellphones. Users move their hands above the device to control MP3 playback, games or other apps.
Don't wave your hands around while talking! More details here and video evidence at YouTube.

CLEAN GREEN: The Swiss EMPA institute found that even if electric vehicles are powered by 'dirty' energy sources they are still better for the environment than petrol driven cars. The vehicles are even 'greener' though if fuelled by renewable energy. Is smoke-filled wind clean energy or not? More on
Discovery.com.

LEAF POWER: MIT created solar energy molecules that repair themselves the way leaves do. In the right conditions the molecules break apart and spontaneously reassemble into a light-harvesting structure that produces an electric current. After repeated cycles a prototype cell showed no loss of efficiency. Hey, perpetual energy.
More at MIT.

- Miraz Jordan knowit.co.nz