Scientists in Germany have flipped the switch on what is being described as "the world's largest artificial sun," a device they hope will help shed light on new ways of making climate-friendly fuels. The giant honeycomb-like setup of 149 spotlights — officially known as "Synlight" — in Juelich, about 30 kilometres west of Cologne, uses xenon short-arc lamps normally found in cinemas to simulate natural sunlight that's often in short supply in Germany at this time of year. By focusing the entire array on a single 20-by-20 centimetre spot, scientists from the German Aerospace Centre, or DLR, will be able...