Moth eyes are incredibly efficient—reflecting almost no light, so they don’t draw attention from predators. Researchers from Switzerland are taking the absorption properties found in moth eyes and applying them to solar panel design. The new solar design covers the panels in a thin layer of tungsten oxide with iron oxide particles, mimicking the way moth eyes gather light. And while most solar panels convert light to energy, the new Swiss design uses the energy from the sun to split water molecules to make hydrogen fuel, which addresses the notorious problem of solar energy storage.
Revolutionary solar panels mimic moth eyes
More of Today's Solutions
Kenya unlocks $160 million to protect the Maasai Mara and Tsavo ecosystems
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Kenya committed $160 million over ten years to protect 173,000 square kilometers (roughly 67,000 square miles, or 17.3 ...
Read MoreWill vinegar actually keep bugs out this fall? Pest experts explain what works
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM As temperatures drop, bugs start looking for the same thing you do: somewhere warmer. If you've been reaching ...
Read MoreStronger concrete, cleaner landfills—how scrap carpet fibers are reinventing ...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Concrete is the foundation of modern civilization, but its notorious tendency to crack isn’t just a construction headache—it’s ...
Read MoreHow sheep are powering the solar boom in a win for sustainability and agricul...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM On a sprawling solar farm in rural Texas, thousands of sheep are hard at work. Beneath rows of ...
Read More
