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Spinach driven laptops

WASHINGTON: Popeye might swear by spinach for giving him his power, but if scientists are to be believed this green vegetable could soon be the driving force behind your laptop. According to Nature, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have created biologically-based solar cells, which convert light into electrical energy. According to co-creator Marc Baldo, these should be efficient and cheap to manufacture and could even be used to coat and power laptops, providing a portable source of green energy. Mr. Baldo's team isolated a variety of photosynthetic proteins from spinach and sandwiched them between two layers of conducting material. An electrical current was generated when the cell was exposed to light. The proteins are extracted from the chloroplasts of spinach leaves, which help plants convert light into energy. As the reaction proceeds, electrons move around and create electrical currents. The prototype cells can generate current for up to 21 days and convert only about 12 per cent of the absorbed light energy into electricity.

ANI

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