A 13 year old boy has figured out how to draw 20-50% more power out of solar cells.  It's amazing that no one else has come up with this idea.  Perhaps there is hope for America's future generations after all. 

http://gizmodo.com/5832557/genius-13+year+old-has-a-solar-power-breakthrough

Kudos to the lad for using good logic! He applied the "What if...."" principle to the situation and then tested it to see if it works! We need many more of him in this World!

Kudos to the lad for using good logic! He applied the "What if...."" principle to the situation and then tested it to see if it works! We need many more of him in this World!

Yes, agreed. But, even if this gets him much reproductive success, how do we reduce the reproductive success rate of moronity?

: Obtuser  August 22, 2011, 07:20:48 AM

Kudos to the lad for using good logic! He applied the "What if...."" principle to the situation and then tested it to see if it works! We need many more of him in this World!

Yes, agreed. But, even if this gets him much reproductive success, how do we reduce the reproductive success rate of moronity?

It will take a massive change in both our political thinking and our education system, both of which are for ever frought with ERRORS IN THINKING, ala Drs. Yochelson and Bernstien !!!![The Criminal Personality]

You cant teach a politician HOW to think, you can only tell him WHAT he should think.

You cant teach a politician HOW to think, you can only tell him WHAT he should think.

I completely disagree.  Politicians think, "How can I get he/she to contribute to my re-election campaign"! It is the ultimate DOLE PLAN!

: ECA  August 24, 2011, 10:03:05 PM

You cant teach a politician HOW to think, you can only tell him WHAT he should think.

I completely disagree.  Politicians think, "How can I get he/she to contribute to my re-election campaign"! It is the ultimate DOLE PLAN!

But,
that is after they sign up for the PLAN, with one of the groups..

Wow.  13 yo.  Pure observation?  Or is his dad an engineer/biologist?  Dads often have an influence on their kiddies==but I'm not suggesting this, just my first reaction.  Even now, and I suspect the next time I go out and look at my local trees, I don't think anything is going to occur to me.

I think "something? must be left out.  "Modern" solar includes tracking devices.  Surely these focused panels collect more energy than this fractal model?

I had a good idea once.  It didn't work out.

Ha, ha.

Bobbo,

You mean to tell me that Fibonacci numbers didn't pop into your mind every time you saw tree branches when you were 13 years old?  Me either.  Maybe the kid really is a genius or like you speculated, maybe he got a little help from his dad.

I even used to have a fractal generator I used to play with but I keep losing programs each time I upgrade the OS.  Pretty Colors.  Need some fractal music to go along with it.  I'm sure the kid is smarter now than I am now==much more so than when I was his age.  Simple formulas can make complex structures.  Infinite regression.  I think I understand the concept but I don't "see" it in the structure of tree branches or mountains.  Mountain texture was one of the first fractal applications.  I guess there is a simple formula somewhere so they call it a fractal?

Ah well, most important things are over my head.  Thats why I like/hate politics.

Hmmm, that didn't turn out right.  Ah well, most complicated things are over my head.  Now it fits.