Can Reflective Buildings That Produce 'Death Rays' Be Prevented?

Imagine parking your car downtown for an hour and coming back to find parts of it melted. That's what happened to London motorist Martin Lindsay, who told the BBC that the wing mirror and badge portions of his Jaguar had melted due to intense sun rays reflecting off the Walkie Talkie tower. The 37-story skyscraper, due for completion in 2014, has a mildly curved facade, which results in a convergence of sunlight and extremely strong beams.

The building's developers, Land Securities Group PLC and Canary Wharf Group PLC, were quick to respond, releasing a statement blaming the car-melting rays on a particular elevation of the sun in the sky that day. Based on preliminary computer modeling, they say the phenomenon happens two hours per day and expect it to go on for two or three more weeks.