Science is Awesome

[KILL KILL]

Some scientists in China have added a one atom thick layer of graphene to solar panels, which enables them to generate electricity from raindrops.

http://sciencenewsjournal.com/future-solar-panels-will-generate-energy-raindrops/

Solar panel technology has changed the way many people bring energy into their homes, but this type of technology has always posed one concern: panels cannot output optimal power without ideal weather conditions. When you have rainy days or a lot of cloud cover, there is only so much energy that panels can store for later use. While engineers and material scientists have been able to make their efficiency far better over the years, with solar panels that store decent amounts of energy to be used when sun is not readily available, there has never quite been a development like the one discovered this year.

Chinese scientists are now able to create electricity with the assistance of raindrops. This is thanks to a thin layer of graphene they use to coat their solar cells during testing. Graphene is known for its conductivity, among many other benefits. All it takes is a mere one-atom thick graphene layer for an excessive amount of electrons to move as they wish across the surface. In situations where water is present, graphene binds its electrons with positively charged ions. Some of you may know this process to be called as the Lewis acid-base interaction.

How cool is this? Screw that fossil fuel nonsense. We need ideas for clean, renewable energy sources like this.

 

[AnGrYcRoW]

The story of graphene is an interesting one , they've discovered this seemingly amazing stuff that is about 100 times stronger than the strongest steel , thin as an atom and conducts heat and electricity efficiently and is nearly transparent but don't know what to do with it.

Its cool to see practical applications

 

[IDL]

Question is how much additional power can it generate and is it worth the increased cost of the panel. If they can introduce this technology cheaply then it could be worth it.

Cool technology either way though.

 

[ehtheist]

Science is awesome. You know what's not awesome? Assholes who likely have no scientific background who see something interesting that someone has done and leap in and start politicizing the issue by saying things like "Screw that fossil fuel nonsense" when commenting on science that is likely decades away from having any hope of actually accomplishing this end.

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go full renewables for your energy? Then if you ever manage to use a computer again you can come back and say "Science is awesome! But we need fossil fuels until we can reasonably transition to technologies which just aren't ready yet..."

 

[uncommon]

i wonder how much coal needs to be burned to make graphene.

probably an extreme amount considering you are operating on the atomic level.

plus you have to factor the practicality. how much energy is really contained in a falling raindrop?

you have to start somewhere though, it is pretty cool. im sure it will end up on a drone in the next 15 years or so

 

[KILL KILL]

Science is awesome. You know what's not awesome? Assholes who likely have no scientific background who see something interesting that someone has done and leap in and start politicizing the issue by saying things like "Screw that fossil fuel nonsense" when commenting on science that is likely decades away from having any hope of actually accomplishing this end.

Why don't you put your money where your mouth is and go full renewables for your energy? Then if you ever manage to use a computer again you can come back and say "Science is awesome! But we need fossil fuels until we can reasonably transition to technologies which just aren't ready yet..."

Oh my god. quit complaining Nancy boy. It was a joke. Are you trying to compete with Skip as the worst War Room poster or are you just extra cranky today?

Spoiler

 

[Metusalemi]

But did the scientists have shirts that had naked women on them?

 

[KILL KILL]

But did the scientists have shirts that had naked women on them?

If not, hopefully someone sends them some.

 

[MadSquabbles500]

Since this graphene is so strong and lightweight, will they make invincible body armor out of it or some kind of super weapon? Better yet how about graphing it to someone's skeleton like Logan?

That shet be awesome.

 

[Devout Pessimist]

I only care to know how graphene can be used to kill our enemies.

 

[Luger]

I only care to know how graphene can be used to kill our enemies.

Pretty much this.
Every leap in technology is used to bring on a bit more misery in this world.

 

[Skip Reming]

Screw that fossil fuel nonsense.

I really hope you don't drive an automobile right now then.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Some scientists in China have added a one atom thick layer of graphene to solar panels, which enables them to generate electricity from raindrops.

http://sciencenewsjournal.com/future-solar-panels-will-generate-energy-raindrops/



How cool is this? Screw that fossil fuel nonsense. We need ideas for clean, renewable energy sources like this.

Sweet.
I foresee solar power becoming important. If we could efficiently generate solar power from the huge outlet at the center of our Solar System, humanity would have nowhere to go but forward.
It's still pie in the sky but it might become feasible.

 

[ehtheist]

Oh my god. quit complaining Nancy boy. It was a joke. Are you trying to compete with Skip as the worst War Room poster or are you just extra cranky today?

Spoiler

Please go solar. If you do, I doubt I'll come across your shitty excuses for jokes online any more.

 

[AnGrYcRoW]

Please go solar. If you do, I doubt I'll come across your shitty excuses for jokes online any more.

I don't understand the your vitriol directed at renewable energy, how can it be a bad thing?

 

[gspieler]

Well it took about three posts for right-wing blowhards to hijack the thread with their mindless hate. About par for the course.

 

[Fatchops]

I don't understand the your vitriol directed at renewable energy, how can it be a bad thing?

Because it sounds like edgy war room material.

 

[gspieler]

I don't understand the your vitriol directed at renewable energy, how can it be a bad thing?

It's a bad thing in, as it potentially jeopardizes, or at least acts as a detriment, to already well-established, well-funded, industries, who have strong lobbies. Both parties cater to lobbies, but GOP'ers in particular, protect the interest of the wealthy/big business. Hence, they're quick to dismiss perceived threats to big business, eg renewable energy, even if it is clearly the path that we will collectively take eventually. Essentially, they hate progress, and do everything they can to protect the status quo, which doesn't include embracing new ideas.

 

[ehtheist]

I don't understand the your vitriol directed at renewable energy, how can it be a bad thing?

Mistake on your part. I'm extremely excited about the prospects of renewable energy in the future and I believe it should be a focus of extensive, well funded research and should be slowly and increasingly supplementing our use on non-renewables. I'm strongly in favour of government subsidy on renewable energy technology.

My vitriol is directed at the very large, uninformed crowd of politically active people who take the view of "fuck fossil fuels - let's go solar now!" and their lack of consideration for the current reliance we have on more widely used energy structures. It's like a snotty teenaged kid who lives in their parents home, on their parents dime, relies on their parents, couldn't make it without said parents, but constantly badmouths said parents. It's all good and fine to say "fuck fossil fuels" and go on about solar, but solar is not a viable alternative - yet. It may be part of one in the future and we should aggressively pursue it, phasing it in now as much as possible to supplement, but getting away from fossil fuels now is as practical as powering our civilization with unicorn farts. Fuck fossil fuels? Fossil fuels are necessary and rash leaps towards inadequate technologies could be economically and socially devastating - and yet, if you ask many people, that's precisely what they want. It's harmful politically, economically, and socially to not look at this as a slow - emphasis on slow - wide-scale spectrum shift with careful attention to economic impacts. The attitude of "Fuck fossil fuels" is right up there with "We can keep using fossil fuels forever" for stupid.

It's a bad thing in, as it potentially jeopardizes, or at least acts as a detriment, to already well-established, well-funded, industries, who have strong lobbies. Both parties cater to lobbies, but GOP'ers in particular, protect the interest of the wealthy/big business. Hence, they're quick to dismiss perceived threats to big business, eg renewable energy, even if it is clearly the path that we will collectively take eventually. Essentially, they hate progress, and do everything they can to protect the status quo, which doesn't include embracing new ideas.

And watch the political schill in its natural habitat, encountering something it doesn't like and immediately attacking it with a party sponsored message. "Oh, they don't have a good reason for what they're saying - they just hate progress." One might observe that, in a twist of notable irony, in attempting to spell the other guy as droning political mouthpiece, that's precisely what he is himself... The grand irony of this idiot calling a fervent Bernie supporter a "right wing blowhard" can't escape you people.

 

[OverCoronavirus Pressure]

Pretty much this.
Every leap in technology is used to bring on a bit more misery in this world.

And yet the leap in technology associated with the space race was largely driven by the military.

I think you broadly overstate the case.