We're talking real 'green' energy
MIT researchers join in project to harness photosynthetic power of spinach in field of electronics (Boston Globe)
Scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
have proved what Popeye already knew -- spinach is an excellent energy
source. It's so good that in 10 years, our cellphones and portable
computers may be coated in a spinach-based material that provides their
electrical power.
"The phone is no longer red or blue; it becomes green. So what?" said Shuguang Zhang, associate director of MIT's Center for Biomedical Engineering. In exchange for the color makeover, users would have electrical devices that would recharge themselves from sunlight, using a process similar to the photosynthesis that keeps all green plants alive.
Zhang, assistant computer science professor Marc Baldo, and recent MIT graduate Patrick Kiley helped develop the technology, dubbed Photosystem 1. The MIT team joined forces with scientists at the University of Tennessee and the US Naval Research Laboratory. They isolated a set of spinach proteins that produce energy when exposed to light. The proteins form clusters no more than 20 nanometers in size, meaning that 100,000 would fit on the head of a pin. More here
MIT Works to Power Computers With Spinach (Associated Press)
NanoBot Backgrounder
Buying Power
From Wilkes-Barre to Wolfe
Converging on clean energy
No comments:
Post a Comment