Unprinting

Technology news today. Research scientists at Cambridge University have announced a fascinating development in the use of laser technology - creating a laser unprinter.

Using very short pulses of green laser light, printed ink is selectively vaporised (OK, 'ablated' technically), leaving the paper undamaged and ready to reuse.

Manufacturing and recycling paper is a very inefficient, carbon-footprint-heavy process. Cambridge University calculates that worst-case, 'unprinting' uses half the carbon emissions of recycling - best-case, it is 20 times more efficient. If the technology can be fed into commercial devices, this could be an astonishing development.

More here.