This is an interesting read if you like stretching your brain around bleeding-edge computing technology. IBM researchers explain the reasons behind and method of creating an optical bus, which replaces the electrical signals your computer uses to communicate with photons. The take-away is that this technology isn’t actually sci-fi; it’s easy enough to manufacture and similar enough in certain ways to existing tech that it could be switched out next year with a little work, to huge benefit.

Of course, the supercomputer guys will get first crack at it, as the synchronization of thousands of computing modules requires a precision no longer providable by copper. Anyway, it’s worth 15 minutes of your time to read the article.