Tech Universe: Thurs June 10

COTTON FILTERS: Take oil mixed with water. Pour through cotton cloth. Separated, thanks to a special polymer coating. It worked in the lab. So, can BP just filter the Gulf? Slick.
Video: youtube

LIFESAVING STINK: Tiny capsules of pungent oil embedded in future bike helmets will break if the helmet's damaged. The stink should stop you using the now worthless protection. Whew.

A TOUCHING SCREEN: Tap, pinch, drag and flick the screen to navigate. No, not the handheld iPad, but the new Sony VAIO J Series desktop computers with HD touch-screen. Shiny.

KICK AROUND THE CUP: One for the armchair refs. Check out the South African World Cup football fields. Google Earth now has 3D views of the stadiums. Whee.

DUMP THE DIRECTORY: Unless a table's totally out of whack, or you have shares in forestry, what use is a phone directory in these Internet days? Urban Canadians abandon their phone books. Urbane.