Article

2006-12-07 Science & Technology

Science discovery could replace light bulb

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Posted by .com 2006-12-07 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11127 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Half of the world's electricity goes to produce light? I would have thought to run factories or refrigerators, but then I never did grasp applied economics. Still, I'd be willing to trade out my remaining incandescent lights for something better than compact fluorescents... when someday finally arrives.

Posted by trailing wife 2006-12-07 00:35|| 2006-12-07 00:35|| Front Page Top

#2 I hope they're dimmable is all I have to say.

Posted by gorb 2006-12-07 00:38|| 2006-12-07 00:38|| Front Page Top

#3 "But I think good accidents happen in science a lot more often than scientists want to admit."

This is one of the great myths of the non-science public's view of how science is done, and this guy is doing good science no favor by perpetuating the myth here.

Yes, there are a few notable exceptions, but science is almost never (read, less than 1/1000th of 1% of the time) a guy with a bad haircut shrieking "eureka" in a messy room full of bunsen burners and test tubes. Science is a long, laborious, painstaking process that requires patience, diligence, deiscipline, and a high tolerance for failure and going back to the proverbial drawing board.

Any time a "scientist" promotes any other idea about the field he is doing all good scientists a disservice, and furthers an incorrect sterotype to the public. The public would have an entirely different view of science if they understood what it is really like when done properly.

Posted by no mo uro 2006-12-07 06:13|| 2006-12-07 06:13|| Front Page Top

#4 True, no mo euro, and then that one experiment goes cockeyed, and something unexpected appears. The steady progress of science has resulted from careful execution of experimental design -- I watched my father do that all my life. And the use of the matrix array has resulted in more quickly determining boundary conditions and robust areas where efforts ought to be concentrated. However, the great leaps happen when there is a decidedly queer result that needs decidedly creative thinking to understand. I once sat in a seminar next to the research scientist who, while searching for improved methods to prevent chemical depositions on fabric from hard water used in washing machines, came upon the technique to provide bio-available calcium in citrus juice.

The seduction of science has always been that eureka moment. The joy of science is the successful execution of a well-designed experimental sequence leading to greater understanding, but only those who have been seduced will ever get to enjoy it. Most people are not willing even to be seduced when it looks easy; why would their attitude change if it looked like hard work?

Posted by trailing wife 2006-12-07 07:21|| 2006-12-07 07:21|| Front Page Top

#5 Legends of native Americans all speak of a heavenly light source which fires up (after suitable prayers and offerings are made) in the morning, stays on for up to 15 hours a day, requires no electricity, indeed, no source of fossil fuels to operate.

In addition to providing light to see by, this source also promotes plant growth and development. Leading authorities sniff that this is merely a legend, and if it did exist, besides not being available for hours at a time every day, would contribute to global warming.

Posted by Anguper Hupomosing9418 2006-12-07 07:22|| 2006-12-07 07:22|| Front Page Top

#6 The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' (I found it!) but 'That's funny ...'
Issac Asimov

Posted by Bright Pebbles in Blairistan 2006-12-07 07:47|| 2006-12-07 07:47|| Front Page Top

#7 And so you take my carefully thought out two full paragraphs of dependent clauses, and reduce to single memorable sentence. Darn you, Bright Pebbles! ;-)

Posted by trailing wife 2006-12-07 08:29|| 2006-12-07 08:29|| Front Page Top

#8 Vanderbilt should worry more about replacing their defense!

Posted by badanov 2006-12-07 08:50|| http://www.freefirezone.org]">[http://www.freefirezone.org] 2006-12-07 08:50|| Front Page Top

#9 The acid test for LED light is whether the bands of light it produces are pleasing. This is why most people prefer incandescent to florescent lighting.

The best lighting is a bit expensive. It is an Ott light, named after the Walt Disney stop action photographer who invented it. He did a lot of research to find a natural light that was very conducive to plants and animals. Unfortunately, he put it in a light bulb that needs a special socket.

However, if you get the winter blues, it is well worth it to spend an hour a day reading a book under an Ott light.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-12-07 09:42|| 2006-12-07 09:42|| Front Page Top

#10 How many scientists does it take to replace a lightbulb?

Posted by john">john 2006-12-07 11:43|| http://john-smokegetsinmyeyes.blogspot.com/]">[http://john-smokegetsinmyeyes.blogspot.com/] 2006-12-07 11:43|| Front Page Top

#11 Legends of native Americans all speak of a heavenly light source which fires up (after suitable prayers and offerings are made) in the morning, stays on for up to 15 hours a day, requires no electricity, indeed, no source of fossil fuels to operate.

Yes, but there's a related avenue of research that maintains those "suitable prayers and offerings" must consist of human hearts ripped from living "offerings." And they have LOTS of empirical data to back this up.

Posted by xbalanke 2006-12-07 12:13|| 2006-12-07 12:13|| Front Page Top

#12 Vanderbilt should worry more about replacing their defense!

But they have a reputation to uphold: they don't call them the Commode Doors for nothing.

Posted by xbalanke 2006-12-07 12:15|| 2006-12-07 12:15|| Front Page Top

#13 No blood for cadmium selenide

Posted by kelly 2006-12-07 17:40|| 2006-12-07 17:40|| Front Page Top

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