Biological Viruses Might Actually Give Us Better Solar Power
Boffins at MIT have discovered that a genetically modified version of the M13 virus can actually increase the efficiency of solar cells, to as much as a third greater efficiency. This means converting sunlight to electricity wouldn't take so darn long, and perhaps even more electricity out of mother nature's rays, as well.
Fooling around with viruses at the microscopic level is only a tiny process, but has extraordinary benefits. In fact, MIT's researchers have only added 0.1 per cent extra weight to the finished solar cells, but as Professor Belcher says, "a little biology goes a long way."
What about the viability of the virii after prolonged exposure to UV light? I doubt it would still be usable is the capsids have lysed... (guess who works in biotech)
15 comments:
a good virus? yey!
Very cool post!
i wonder how that works...
see? Viruses arent all bad. lol.
Thats mental!
Oh wow, that's very cool. I wonder how they discovered that!
What about the viability of the virii after prolonged exposure to UV light? I doubt it would still be usable is the capsids have lysed... (guess who works in biotech)
Solar Power FTW
It's amazing how the things that can kill us are usually some of the most highly controversial technological advances.
Very good post
its only a matter of time before this goes wrong and unleashes terror on us.
MIT ftw. Let's hope that our government can learn a thing called "innovation" and put it to work though!
this is how zombie movies start off.
lol XD
very interesting, often nature has ways of doing things much better than science can!
i love microbio and i love env sci so i love it!!!!11
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