The advantage of such a novel waveguide over more conventional ones is that it can bend light around sharp corners.

ECONOMIST: New-age crystals

They are devising ways to send optical signals vast distances without the need for expensive electronic goosing, tinkering with mirrors to switch and bend light in new ways and trimming costs to open up entirely new parts of the telecom infrastructure.

FORBES: Hooked on photonics

If an object floating through space passes near the line of sight between the earth and a distant star, its gravity should, according to the theory of relativity, bend and focus the light from that star.

ECONOMIST: The dark side of cosmology

Sometimes a yellowish light laminated a bend in the tunnel wall, and the Minotaur was sure the new girl was hiding just around the corner.

NEWYORKER: Ziggurat

Only one problem: Precious few engineers can bend 40-gigabit beams of light around corners.

FORBES: Photon Valley

Just one problem: Precious few engineers can bend 40-gigabit beams of light around corners.

FORBES: Photon Valley

Having a series of layers also helps to "bend" the flow of sunlight which assists in capturing light that would otherwise be reflected off.

CNN: New nano coating boosts solar efficiency

The slim devices are arranged in rows across a support structure made of silicon carbide, a very light and very stiff material that will not bend or warp when it experiences the temperature extremes of space.

BBC: A billion pixels for a billion stars