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7th-Grader Designs Three Dimensional Solar Cell

Hugh Pickens writes "12-year-old William Yuan's invention of a highly-efficient, three-dimensional nanotube solar cell for visible and ultraviolet light has won him an award and a $25,000 scholarship from the Davidson Institute for Talent Development. 'Current solar cells are flat and can only absorb visible light'" Yuan said. 'I came up with an innovative solar cell that absorbs both visible and UV light. My project focused on finding the optimum solar cell to further increase the light absorption and efficiency and design a nanotube for light-electricity conversion efficiency.' Solar panels with his 3D cells would provide 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells and nine times more than cutting-edge 3D solar cells. 'My next step is to talk to manufacturers to see if they will build a working prototype,' Yuan said. "If the design works in a real test stage, I want to find a company to manufacture and market it.""

71 of 719 comments (clear)

  1. Re:How? by Mordok-DestroyerOfWo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is anybody else feeling really inadequate right now?

    --
    "Never let your sense of morals prevent you from doing what is right" - Salvor Hardin
  2. Profit! by RabidMoose · · Score: 5, Funny

    1) Write down kid's name 2) Buy stock in whoever picks him up 3) Profit! Hang on, I've got too many filled out steps...

    1. Re:Profit! by Sentry21 · · Score: 2, Funny

      I think your error comes from not watching the news this week. Your points should read:

      1) Write down kid's name
      2) Buy stock in whoever picks him up.
      3) ???

  3. You can always tell by jitterman · · Score: 3, Funny

    when a kid's parents have helped them with their science fair projects.

    --
    For conscience is the wound, and there's naught to staunch it
  4. Re:Yes... by Free+the+Cowards · · Score: 3, Funny

    He can take $20 out of that $25,000 and buy them from the ninth grader down the street.

    --
    If you mod me Overrated, you are admitting that you have no penis.
  5. Yuan cleared his throat, and continued: by circletimessquare · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Furthermore...

    OMG! Zerg Rush! KEKEKEKEKEKEKE"

    apologies, i had to bring the discussion down to my iq level at his age

    --
    intellectual property law is philosophically incoherent. it is your moral duty to ignore it or sabotage it
  6. Re:How? by Gat0r30y · · Score: 5, Funny

    I take solace in the fact that I could give him a wedgie. That would show him. Darn smart kids.

    In all seriousness, I hope this somehow makes it to production, what a bad ass.

    --
    Prediction: The real iPhone killer is going to be sex robots from Japan. Think about it.
  7. Re:How? by morgan_greywolf · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is anybody else feeling really inadequate right now?

    I don't believe the size of the boy's penis was mentioned at all...

  8. Re:How? by idontgno · · Score: 5, Funny

    Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    --
    Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
  9. Re:Yes... by Kingrames · · Score: 5, Funny

    Use of "fixed that for you" shall be considered proof that the user is a completely awesome badass.

    fixed that for you.

    --
    If you can read this, I forgot to post anonymously.
  10. Re:How? by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.

    The NEA called. They want to fund your performance art.

  11. Re:How? by TheBig1 · · Score: 3, Funny

    You owe me a new screen!

  12. Amazing! by Geoffrey.landis · · Score: 3, Funny
    From TOA:

    Solar panels with his 3D cells would provide 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells and nine times more than cutting-edge 3D solar cells.

    Since commercially-available solar cells in fact absorb more than 90% of the light in the usable bands-- and about fifty percent over the whole solar spectrum, including the non-usable wavelenghts-- that's pretty darn amazing.

    --
    http://www.geoffreylandis.com
  13. Re:How? by LibertineR · · Score: 5, Funny
    Christ, my 9y/old niece split her head open skipping rope once. How does one trip forward over a jump rope?

    Her family has decided to pray she one day grows big boobs, or she may never leave home. That our bloodline shares this DNA is soooooo depressing.

  14. Re:How? by zegota · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sure, he designed a 3D Solar cell. But does he have a complete collection of Pokemon cards, both holo and nonholo? I think not.

  15. Re:How? by Capt+James+McCarthy · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is anybody else feeling really inadequate right now?

    Not at all. I'll go home, have a beer while watching pr0n and wait for my new 3D nano solar cell to arrive.

    His fear will be that he's peaked at 12. Aim low, and you'll always be moving up.

    And yes, I do realize this could be construed as passive aggressive.

    --
    There are no loopholes. It's either legal or it's not.
  16. Re:How? by Gat0r30y · · Score: 3, Funny

    Foiled again! At least they can't take swirlies away..... yet.

    --
    Prediction: The real iPhone killer is going to be sex robots from Japan. Think about it.
  17. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Don't feel badly. I spent last week in the doghouse for "rocking the kitty" with someone other than my SO.

  18. Re:Really? by Lisandro · · Score: 2, Funny

    Oh, come on. He's an expiert in this field.

  19. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    The key is large rocks and properly accelerating the cats.

  20. Re:Really? by wcrowe · · Score: 3, Funny

    ...jelious...

    Does that mean they're opaque and wobbly?

    --
    Proverbs 21:19
  21. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The boy is 12 years old. Don't you think he's a little old for Pokemon?

  22. Re:How? by g0bshiTe · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.

    The NEA called. They want to fund your performance art.

    PETA called they have a cease and desist order to stop the performance art.

    --
    I am Bennett Haselton! I am Bennett Haselton!
  23. Re:How? by snoyberg · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm 23 and play Pokemon you insensitive clod.

    --
    Thank God for evolution.
  24. Re:How? by dietdew7 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Wouldn't he be too young?

  25. Re:How? by Anonymous+Psychopath · · Score: 2, Funny

    Mitch: "And from now on, Kent, stop playing with yourself."

    Kent: "It really is God!"

    --

    Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

  26. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    OTOH, starting this young means he'll amass even more geekiness in his lifetime which, though it will garner him continued 7334, it will only further reduce his chances for getting laid.

    He invented a solar cell. If he keeps that up, he'll have every non-man-hating touchy-feel environmentalist woman to choose from. Sure, that first criteria knocks out a bunch, but still there's enough left for him. Some of them probably don't even have much body hair.

  27. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Yes, but would you have learned as much biology the other way? There are many people who owe their careers in medicine to their sociopathic tendencies in their youths.

  28. Re:How? by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Funny

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    You may want to try throwing birds at stones instead.
    It helps you build character.

    - Chuck Norris.

  29. Re:How? by snoyberg · · Score: 5, Funny

    Is the point of the big boobs to work sort of like air bags in case she trips again?

    --
    Thank God for evolution.
  30. Re:How? by arbitraryaardvark · · Score: 4, Funny

    I think the kid has a promising future as a chessboxer.

  31. Re:How? by Yvan256 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Gooder is not a word. I think you meant betterer.

  32. Re:How? by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 3, Funny

    I think the kid has a promising future as a chessboxer.

    Chessdome!! Two kings enter, one king leaves!

  33. 500*10% = 5000%!!! by Baldrson · · Score: 3, Funny
    his 3D cells would provide 500 times more light absorption than commercially-available solar cells

    Since commercially-available solar cells convert around 10% of the incident light to electricity, we can safely say that they are "absorbing" at least 10%.

    So, if they absorb 500 times that amount we have a solar cell with 500*10% = 5000% conversion efficiency!

    YOWZAH!!!

    Now the skeptics out there will claim that this violates conservation of energy, but did they stop to consider that his may be a new form of low temperature solid state nuclear fusion merely catalyzed by solar radiation???

    HMMMMM?????

  34. Re:How? by Pervaricator+General · · Score: 5, Funny

    >> Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.
    The FBI called. Their future-serial-killer profiling software identified you as a potential threat. Tom Cruise will be breaking through the sun-roof in a minute or two.

  35. Re:expand that mind by Yvan256 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Screw your worm spices.

    The kid needs Brawndo. It's got electrolytes!

  36. Re:Yes... by Bearpaw · · Score: 5, Funny

    How does it qualify as "well played" to make the same blindingly obvious "joke" that I didn't think of?

    Fixed that for you.

  37. Early draft of his plan looks something like... by Ingolfke · · Score: 4, Funny

    1) Develop 3d nanotube solar cell
    2) Win science contest
    3) Complete manufacturing tests
    4) Manufacture
    5) Become billionaire...
    6) Jill Smith will like me! x0x0x

  38. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Way to catch 'em all!

  39. Re:How? by Mysticalfruit · · Score: 3, Funny

    Brings a new meaning to "Checkmate, Bitch!"

    --
    Yes Francis, the world has gone crazy.
  40. Re:How? by dfjunior · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mod parent up

    mod that kid's parents up

  41. Re:How? by LibertineR · · Score: 2, Funny

    I suppose that works too, but not having looks in her favor, and brains already ruled out, only boobs will keep this girl off government assistance.

  42. Re:How? by zuzulo · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sounds passive depressive to me ... ;-)

    --
    "They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
  43. Re:How? by DashwoodThimbleshank · · Score: 2, Funny

    >> Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats. The NEA called. They want to fund your performance art.

    PETA called they have a cease and desist order to stop the performance art.

    GWB called. If you don't leave his cat alone, remember you're not too big to fail.

  44. Re:Overactive superego by flosofl · · Score: 4, Funny

    Drop the superego

    But... the superego is the only thing between acting civilized and being a slave to my id. What you propose would lead to a world of people living only to sate the basest of desires. Kind of like Los Angeles.

    --
    "This calls for a very special blend of psychology and extreme violence" - Vyvyan "The Young Ones"
  45. Calculations by divisionbyzero · · Score: 3, Funny

    "At first, he couldn't believe his calculations.

    "This solar cell can't be generating this much electricity, it can't be absorbing this much extra light," he recalled thinking."

    And then he realized he should have divided instead of multiplied.

  46. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  47. Re:Overactive superego by BigZaphod · · Score: 4, Funny

    Genius usually doesn't have the patience to see it through.

    I knew I was a genius! I have virtually no patience and hardly ever finish... ooh.. shiny objects in the big blue room!

  48. Re:How? by matrim99 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Aah, little did young William know how much success he would have later in life with a career that started with a magnifying glass and an ant hill...

    --
    Right. No, your other right. No, the other other right.
  49. Re:Yes... by againjj · · Score: 5, Funny

    Uh huh. Whether I thought of it or not is irrelevant. Fact of the matter is that this is far from the first time a person with a sense of humor has decided that my signature needs this particular treatment.

    Fixed that for you.

  50. Re:How? by Aphoxema · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is Slashdot, or less specifically, the Internet. Brains are penises. That means I can compare too!

    Ow... I think I just offended myself...

    --
    "Most people, I think, don't even know what a rootkit is, so why should they care about it?"
  51. Re:How? by SevenDigitUID · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm sorry, but I think the phrase you are looking for is "More Cromulent".

  52. Re:How? by Blakey+Rat · · Score: 5, Funny

    The phone company called, they want to upsell you on international long distance.

    Or... something?

  53. Re:How? by xouumalperxe · · Score: 5, Funny

    It's when you hit two stones with one bird you know you've achieved mastery though.

  54. Re:How? by Starteck81 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Makes me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing rocks at cats.

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    There's more than one way to stone a cat!

    --
    "There are four boxes to be used in defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, and ammo. Please use in that order." -Ed H
  55. Re:How? by rootofevil · · Score: 2, Funny

    cats love hotboxing!

    and really thats the only way i can think of. can you imagine trying to train a cat how to use a pipe with a carb, let alone a bong?

    --
    turn up the jukebox and tell me a lie
  56. Re:How? by MisterSquirrel · · Score: 3, Funny

    And all those people who say that cats always land on their feet... they just aren't throwing them right.

  57. Really Inapproptiate Sig by Pervaricator+General · · Score: 1, Funny

    Wow, your sig and comment are diametrically opposed to one another. Have you been taking your meds?

  58. Re:How? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Scientology called, they feel you must be unsure of yourself, and are an excellent candidate for auditing.

  59. Re:How? by AndersOSU · · Score: 5, Funny

    Yea for submarine patents.

    If you really did dig up the papers, and could date them, and this kid actually is using the same design as you, and it actually works in the real world, you can patent the idea and make a ton of money.

    It'd be like taking candy from a baby...

  60. Re:How? by nilbog · · Score: 3, Funny

    I haven't peaked. I haven't even begun to peak. And when I do peak, you're going to know it because I'm going to peak all over everybody.

    --
    or else!
  61. When I was in 7th grade I invented by theverylastperson · · Score: 3, Funny

    a bong from a McDonald's cup.

    I was front page news on High Times, all the international attention was very stressful, I think. I'm not really sure. What was I talking about?

    --
    ed duval the very last person
  62. Re:How? by slashgrim · · Score: 4, Funny

    only boobs will keep this girl off government assistance.

    so, what now only boobs vote for small government?

  63. Re:How? by OrangeTide · · Score: 2, Funny

    I feel stupid for not realizing you could throw rocks or cats at each other.

    --
    “Common sense is not so common.” — Voltaire
  64. Re:There is a downside to peaking early by Xtravar · · Score: 5, Funny

    naturally curious

    Check!

    and socially well-adjusted

    Fail. :(

    --
    Buckle your ROFL belt, we're in for some LOLs.
  65. Re:How? by mcneely.mike · · Score: 2, Funny

    KFC called... PETA's order is ready.

    --
    soylentnews.org Go there to enjoy the people!
  66. Re:How? by syousef · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    Do you really expect us to believe you invented the catapult? I say there was lots of prior art even if you do hold the patent!

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  67. Re:Slashdotted and no comments.... by syousef · · Score: 3, Funny

    In brief, the claim that the technology referred to in the article can achieve a 500x efficiency improvement over existing solar cells is flagrantly incompatible with the first law of thermodynamics.

    News just at hand! 7th grader loses science scholarship, gains marketing and sales scholarships.

    --
    These posts express my own personal views, not those of my employer
  68. Re:How? by SlowMovingTarget · · Score: 2, Funny

    You've just invented the Large Cat Accelerator. William Yuan, is that you?

  69. Re:He would be a lot more interesting by Pvt_Ryan · · Score: 4, Funny

    if he could hammer an 8" spike through a board. Then he would have GF galore.

    Not sure what that means, but I guarantee you that won't get you the kind of quantity and quality of cootch that millions of dollars of play money can. If that kid plays his cards right he could have said millions and will be drowning in top shelf snatch.

    Well he is 12, so that would be illegal. I feel compelled to stand in on his behalf. This one time I will "take one for the team".

  70. Re:How? by thePowerOfGrayskull · · Score: 2, Funny

    Don't feel bad; you make me feel stupid for spending my childhood throwing cats at rocks. Your way works a lot better.

    You may want to try throwing birds at stones instead. It helps you build character.

    - Chuck Norris.

    If you're not staring at the birds until they throw themselves at the stones, you're doing something wrong.

    - J. Bauer