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Solar Energy Inspiration From ButterfliesBy SINDYA N. BHANOO
In the image: The structure of butterflies’ wing scales helps them harvest light to stay warm.
Butterfly wings are not just beautiful. They are also sophisticated collectors of solar energy that help butterflies stay warm, and researchers say that their shinglelike structure could provide valuable clues into developing better solar technology.
“Light manipulation and light-harvesting abilities are important for the performance of solar energy devices,” said Tongxiang Fan, a materials scientist at Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China who is leading the effort. He and his colleagues reported their findings last week at the American Chemical Society’s annual meeting in San Diego.
The scientists used an electron microscope to study the wing structure of two species of black butterflies. (They picked black wings because they absorb the maximum amount of sunlight.)
They found that the wings are composed of elongated rectangular scales, arranged a bit like overlapping shingles on a roof. The scales on each type of butterfly also had steep ridges, with small holes on either side leading to a second layer.
These features direct light to the second layer, helping the butterfly to capture a lot of heat.
The researchers also built a model to harness solar power the same way the butterflies’ wings do.
“The prototype is very, very effective,” Dr. Fan said. He and his team are now working to create a commercial product that uses the wings as inspiration. “This is only the first step,” he said.
Bio-mimicry is the shit!
(via loveyourchaos)
What do I want it to feel like?
I want my day to feel like summer camp, with so many different adventures all tied together by a common feeling.
I want kissing to feel like being naked in satin sheets.
I want my next success to feel like genuine gratitude from someone who learned something from me.
I want my body to feel like mountain lion and a sunrise
I want my friendships to feel like coming home and going to the moon at the same time.
I want my nervous system to feel like a mycelial web, incredibly connected and transmitting energy.
I want my performances to feel like touching fire and letting it purify you.
I want my neighborhood to feel like a tribe in the forest.
I want my integrity to feel like the solid earth.
I want my money-making to feel like teaching a man to fish, to feed him for a life time, while singing with a smile on my face.
I want my word to feel like a smooth, round stone.
I want the end of the day to feel like an old woman playing with her grandkids.
I want being of service to feel like being the spyglass that a sailor sees land through after being lost at sea.
I want my challenges to feel like tearing down a prison to grow a garden.
I want my ideas to feel like a seed soaking up moisture and new life exploding through
This is seriously brilliant.
Rather than spending thousands of dollars in fixing the pool or having it filled with fill dirt we decided to design an inexpensive & self-sufficient urban greenhouse. Initially, we had anticipated self-sufficiency by 2012 but we achieved our goal by mid-2010. Our family gets about 8 fresh eggs a day, unlimited tilapia fish, organic fruit, veggies, and herbs 365 days a year.
(Source: gardenpool.org, via emergentseas)
exactly.
The patterns of our cities are the patterns of neurons in our brains, the shape of the internet, mycelial networks, and the distant suns around us. Seeing it from above really breaks away the imaginary boundaries of our worldview.
15 Words That Don’t Exist In The English Language
Cafuné (Portuguese) ~ the act of tenderly running one’s fingers through someone’s hair.
Toska (Russian) ~ a dull ache of the soul, a longing with nothing to long for.
Mamihlapinatapai (Yagan)~ the wordless yet meaningful look shared by two people who both desire to initiate something but are both reluctant.
Litost (Czech) ~ a state of agony and torment created by the sudden sight of ones own misery.
Botellón (Spanish) ~ a gathering in which youths meet in a street or public area in order to consume alcohol.
Schadenfreude (German) ~ the feeling of pleasure derived by seeing another’s misfortune.
Wabi-Sabi (Japanese) ~ a way of living that focuses on finding beauty within the imperfections of life and accepting peacefully the natural cycle of growth and decay.
Ya’aburnee (Arabic) ~ a declaration of ones hope that they’ll die before another person because of how difficult it would be to live without them.
Torschlusspanik (German) ~ the fear of diminishing opportunities as one ages .
Ilunga (Tshiluba) ~ a person who is ready to forgive and forget any first offense, tolerate it the second time but never forgive on the third time.
Shemomedjamo (Georgian) ~ to continue eating food even though you are already full, just because it tastes so good .
Saudade (Portuguese) ~ refers to the feeling of longing for something or someone that you love and which is lost.
Waldeinsamkeit (German) ~ the feeling of being alone in the woods.
Forelsket (Norwegian) ~ the euphoria you experience when you are first falling in love.
Naz (Urdu) ~ the pride and assurance that arises from knowing you are loved.From knowing that no matter what you do, you will always be loved.
When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe.
John Muir
