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Researchers Generate Electricity From Viruses

First time accepted submitter toomuchtogrok writes "Imagine charging your phone as you walk, thanks to a paper-thin generator embedded in the sole of your shoe. This futuristic scenario is now a little closer to reality. Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) have developed a way to generate power using harmless viruses that convert mechanical energy into electricity. The scientists tested their approach by creating a generator that produces enough current to operate a small liquid-crystal display. It works by tapping a finger on a postage stamp-sized electrode coated with specially engineered viruses. The viruses convert the force of the tap into an electric charge."

5 of 85 comments (clear)

  1. Er by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    I for one welcome our new specially engineered virus overlords.

  2. It's a good thing .... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    it's a good thing viruses don't mutate.

  3. Re:Midichlorians by dkleinsc · · Score: 4, Funny

    No, only 3. Similarly, it's sad they never made a third Godfather movie, or a sequel to the Matrix.

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  4. Re:Midichlorians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Not in any fictional universes? That's a pretty bold statement.
    I just thought up a universe where Midichlorians are 3ft tall bacteriophage that juggle their time between their successful techno-synth-pop garage band and their secret superhero team that fights 50ft space amoeba.

  5. Downfall: anti-virus software by dcsmith · · Score: 1, Funny

    As if [insert your favorite antivirus software here] didn't cause enough inadvertent trouble already by sucking up resources. Now it will be able to just flat-out stop your [portable electronic device] from working at all. Scan, disinfect -> battery dies.

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