Light bulbs will cease to exist

[scaryice]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/space/20051021/sc_space/accidentalinventionpointstoendoflightbulbs

[Chicago1871]

Damn, you put it up first. A fascinating article.

Michael Bowers, a graduate student at Vanderbilt University, was just trying to make really small quantum dots, which are crystals generally only a few nanometers big. That's less than 1/1000th the width of a human hair.

Quantum dots contain anywhere from 100 to 1,000 electrons. They're easily excited bundles of energy, and the smaller they are, the more excited they get. Each dot in Bower's particular batch was exceptionally small, containing only 33 or 34 pairs of atoms.

When you shine a light on quantum dots or apply electricity to them, they react by producing their own light, normally a bright, vibrant color. But when Bowers shined a laser on his batch of dots, something unexpected happened.

"I was surprised when a white glow covered the table," Bowers said. "The quantum dots were supposed to emit blue light, but instead they were giving off a beautiful white glow."

Then Bowers and another student got the idea to stir the dots into polyurethane and coat a blue LED light bulb with the mix. The lumpy bulb wasn't pretty, but it produced white light similar to a regular light bulb.

[MoRado]

Damn, you put it up first. A fascinating article.

wow...that's really interesting...

[devilman]

wow...that's really interesting...
i stopped using traditional bulbs about a year ago in place of those flouresant bulbs and have reduced my energy consumption by at least 20%, of course individual results may vary...........

[bungadiri]

i stopped using traditional bulbs about a year ago in place of those flouresant bulbs and have reduced my energy consumption by at least 20%, of course individual results may vary...........
I listened to a guy talk about the energy use reduction we'd get if people switched to these nationwide. It was mind boggling.

But that quantum dot stuff is totally cool.

[Sachin]

I'm changing over to the energy efficient bulbs as our traditional ones burn out.

However, in a few key areas where light is important, I'm using natural specturm bulbs. I really want to put one where we have a stained glass piece.

Sachin

[royalstilton]

I'm steadily replacing candles with light bulbs. We're down to 21 candles (and 7 light bulbs).

[prk166]

I'm changing over to the energy efficient bulbs as our traditional ones burn out.

However, in a few key areas where light is important, I'm using natural specturm bulbs. I really want to put one where we have a stained glass piece.

Sachin


I hear ya. The new fancy energy effecient ones are better than they used to be. But they're still a bit off for use here and there. The bulbs in my bedroom finally burnt out and I put in some new energy effecient bubs. Overall they work great but there is still that second pause from when I turn the switch on and the light comes on.

[HiJazzey]

I've got mostly Halogen lights at home. Not as easy to replace with fluorescent bulbs (which I hate anyway, particularly when they start to flicker). I think they're starting to make LEDs that fit in halogen light sockets. Once they become mature I'll switch to those.

[Pibe#10]

LED flashlights are so much brighter than regular flashlights, and the battery lasts longer, can't wait till they put them in headlights too.

[striker]

I notice that some traffic lights are much brighter than others. Am I mistaken in thinking that the brighter ones are made of LED?

[VON9905]

I notice that some traffic lights are much brighter than others. Am I mistaken in thinking that the brighter ones are made of LED?


As long as any of these new lights aren't annoying blue like all the stupid people on the highway that have them and think they are cool, but forget that the other drivers have to look at them or just don't care.


-Von

[Sachin]

Those are xenon bulbs. Great if you have 'em, bad if you don't.

Sachin

[striker]

Those are xenon bulbs. Great if you have 'em, bad if you don't.

Sachin

Are you referring to the bright traffic lights or the annoying blue lights?

[Sachin]

Annoying blue lights.

Sachin

[Maczebus]

i stopped using traditional bulbs about a year ago in place of those flouresant bulbs and have reduced my energy consumption by at least 20%, of course individual results may vary...........

I would say at the very least 20%. Should actually be significantly higher than that if everything else is staying the same.
If you hav enormal 100w bulbs around the place they get changed for the 20w CFLs and for a more normal glow, one goes for the 11w CFLs which are the equivalent of a 60w bulb. You can also get some little 7w ones that are the equivalent of a 35w bulb but then who has those around the house?

At that rate a 20% saving should be the least of your expectations.

[Foosinho]

I notice that some traffic lights are much brighter than others. Am I mistaken in thinking that the brighter ones are made of LED?
They are indeed LED. Lots of benefits - brighter, use less energy, cannot be broken by vandals (rock/bullet to break the bulb)...

I especially like them because they are far less susceptible to being washed out by early/lateday sunlight. Safer.

[royalstilton]

why do i like saying "halogen"?

just asking...

[striker]

I would say at the very least 20%. Should actually be significantly higher than that if everything else is staying the same.
If you hav enormal 100w bulbs around the place they get changed for the 20w CFLs and for a more normal glow, one goes for the 11w CFLs which are the equivalent of a 60w bulb. You can also get some little 7w ones that are the equivalent of a 35w bulb but then who has those around the house?

At that rate a 20% saving should be the least of your expectations.

For my reading lamp at home, it has a label warning me that I should not use a light bulb that is stronger than 60W. But a normal 60W light bulb is not bright enough for me. So I put in a 20W CFL (i.e., something equivalent to a 100W normal light bulb). Do I run the risk of overloading the system?

[royalstilton]

For my reading lamp at home, it has a label warning me that I should not use a light bulb that is stronger than 60W. But a normal 60W light bulb is not bright enough for me. So I put in a 20W CFL (i.e., something equivalent to a 100W normal light bulb). Do I run the risk of overloading the system?
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i'm sorry but you've already overload the system by asking this question... ;)

the system was not designed to accomodate questions with yes/no answers.

try again...