Electrically Conductive Cement

zero_offset writes "The Tokyo Institute of Technology has announced a process for creating an inexpensive, nearly transparent, electrically conductive alumina cement. The conductivity is comparable to metal, and the transparency should be adequate for use in display panels. The process relies upon commonplace and inexpensive metals compared to the rare metals such as iridium currently used in display panels."

Comments

Does anybody else remember conductive LEGOs?

[Short Circuit]

Does anybody else remember the conductive LEGOs introduced with the 9V system? It just seems to me that this, if cheap enough, might be useful in construction environments where wire is difficult or impractical to route.

Depending on its conductivity, it might even be useful for home and industrial high-current applications.

Granted, electrical wiring is a pretty mature field, but I'm sure that something like this opens up possibilities.

Re:Does anybody else remember conductive LEGOs?

[daeg]

One step further: combined with recent advances toward nearly transparent, thin solar cells for covering, well, everything. Windows and sides of buildings would be first, and given enough durability, sidewalks, cars, roofs, and the Chines could all become miniature power plants.

Re:It's about time!

[InsertCleverUsername]

Nothing brings people together like a common enemy, so for us to have no more wars here on Earth, the most likely catalyst would be war with an alien species.
True, but it would have to be a really good hoax. Otherwise it's not likely we'd have a prayer against aggressive aliens. As Sagan and many others would point out, a space-faring civilization is going to be much older and more technologically advanced than us. Reminds me of that old saying, "don't bring a knife to an phaser fight."