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While Intel, AMD and VIA continue to play around with molten sand, researchers at Leeds University have discovered a way to manipulate liquid crystals to form wiring on a molecular scale.

This could mark the beginning of some very complex and fast microprocessors, with multiple chips stacked upon each other and joined by the ultra-fine wiring.

The problem faced by traditional manufacturers is that the wires inside a processor must remain relatively short if they are to work efficiently, which is why computer chips are small and flat. The new wiring technology would join multiple processors together, allowing cube-shaped chips that pack a real performance punch.

Don't ditch your Pentium III just yet, though. The launch is not expected for another ten years. You heard it here first.

Simon Edwards