Molecules/Matter & Energy

A new class of materials could boost wireless power transmission, plus more in this week’s news

Metamaterial power
A power relay system made of metamaterials — substances engineered to interact with electromagnetic energy in unusual ways — could give a big boost to technologies that transmit power wirelessly through the air. Cell phone docks and other devices that charge cordless electronics are currently limited by laws of physics; the efficiency of this power transfer drops off steeply over longer distances.