Researchers at MIT are working on technology to allow you to get rid of the power cords for your electrical devices. A phenomenon called "evanescent coupling" would allow electricity to fly through empty space, allowing you to power up your laptop computer, cell phone, or any other electrical gadget at a distance of up to several meters, without the use of power cords. Previous technologies for wireless charging were either hugely wasteful -- radiating electricity in all directions -- or required close contact. But researchers at MIT are working on technology that would couple a charger with an individual device, so that the charger only sends power to that device. Putting one charger in each room of a home or office could power gadgets throughout the building. _(Via Boing Boing.)