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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.""

37 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...

  3. 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
  4. 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.
  5. 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...

  6. 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.
  7. 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.
  8. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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.
  12. 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.

  13. 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?

  14. 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!
  15. Re:How? by snoyberg · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm 23 and play Pokemon you insensitive clod.

    --
    Thank God for evolution.
  16. 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.

  17. 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.

  18. 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.
  19. Re:How? by arbitraryaardvark · · Score: 4, Funny

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

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

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

  21. 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.

  22. 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.

  23. 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

  24. Re:How? by dfjunior · · Score: 5, Funny

    Mod parent up

    mod that kid's parents up

  25. 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."
  26. 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"
  27. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 4, Funny

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  28. 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!

  29. 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.
  30. 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.

  31. Re:How? by SevenDigitUID · · Score: 5, Funny

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

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

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

    Or... something?

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

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

  34. 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...

  35. 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?

  36. 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.
  37. 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".