5 ms·

It's interesting how much we can learn from the way natural selection has designed things. This reminds me of the kid who built a solar tree which produced muc

by Moral_ 13y ago

It's interesting how much we can learn from the way natural selection has designed things. This reminds me of the kid who built a solar tree which produced much more energy than normal 'linear' solar panels[0]. [0] http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/boy-genius-13-year-olds-solar-tree-produces-50-more-power/ http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/08/boy-genius-13-year-ol...

jopof 13y ago
That was debunked in the pages of this very website: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2906538 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2906538 Please don't site Wired as a reliab;e source.
nether 13y ago
Which was thoroughly debunked: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/blog-debunks-13-year-old-scientists-solar-power-breakthrough/41520/ http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/blog-debun... We also rarely never see 360 degree rotating objects in animals, which is why hearts pump instead of containing rotating impellers, like newer artificial heart designs: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/artificial-heart-produces-no-pulse-keeps-alive-183823901.html http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/artificial-heart...
- Moral_ 13y ago
  Interesting, I didn't realize it was debunked. Thanks!
- DougWebb 13y ago
  I hadn't read about that artificial heart design before. I'm guessing it's going to turn out badly though. There's probably some unrecognized dependency on the pumping behavior in some part of the circulatory system. Like, maybe arteries will harden much more quickly if they aren't regularly stretched, or cells won't dump their waste as efficiently without the changes in pressure in the capillaries around them.
podperson 13y ago
Aside from the fact that the solar tree was debunked (as someone else pointed out), Stanford students doing something with a high speed camera is somehow less heartwarming than a 13 y.o. kid doing it for a science project.

by Moral_ 13y ago

jopof 13y ago

That was debunked in the pages of this very website: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2906538 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=2906538 Please don't site Wired as a reliab;e source.

nether 13y ago

Which was thoroughly debunked: http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/blog-debunks-13-year-old-scientists-solar-power-breakthrough/41520/ http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/blog-debun... We also rarely never see 360 degree rotating objects in animals, which is why hearts pump instead of containing rotating impellers, like newer artificial heart designs: http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/artificial-heart-produces-no-pulse-keeps-alive-183823901.html http://news.yahoo.com/blogs/technology-blog/artificial-heart...

Moral_ 13y ago
Interesting, I didn't realize it was debunked. Thanks!
DougWebb 13y ago
I hadn't read about that artificial heart design before. I'm guessing it's going to turn out badly though. There's probably some unrecognized dependency on the pumping behavior in some part of the circulatory system. Like, maybe arteries will harden much more quickly if they aren't regularly stretched, or cells won't dump their waste as efficiently without the changes in pressure in the capillaries around them.

podperson 13y ago

Aside from the fact that the solar tree was debunked (as someone else pointed out), Stanford students doing something with a high speed camera is somehow less heartwarming than a 13 y.o. kid doing it for a science project.