A team of Chinese physicists has developed a new variety of light-based propulsion system with the ability to harness much greater forces than a conventional solar sail. The key, according to the Nankai University-based group, is in swapping out the mirrored sail—which captures photonic energy as radiation pressure in much the same way a regular air-sail captures wind energy—for a pure-black graphene sponge. Rather than reflect off of the sail, light is absorbed by the sponge, which converts that energy into propulsion. The group’s work is published this week in Nature Photonics. Using light and lasers to move stuff around isn’t exactly new. Scientists have trapped, moved, levitated, and pulled all manner of micro and nanoscale objects, including graphene, but also cells, viruses, single molecules, and atoms. Really small stuff.

Read More at  www.motherboard.vice.com