Inventors Create Pill-Sized Bulb That's Brighter Than a Street Lamp
Alternative lighting solutions are all the rage right now. People are finally realizing that a big, clunky incandescent light bulb, which gets so hot it burns your hand, is not a particularly efficient way to illuminate a room. But despite the quick rush to change over to compact fluorescent (CFL), concerns over the potential health impacts and mercury content in CFLs are driving folks to look for other alternatives, and a little bulb the size of a Tic Tac may be the solution.
The bulb, filled with argon gas, pumps out an impressive 140 lumens (the standard way of measuring the efficiency of a bulb) of light per watt. More lumens per watt means that more of the electricity that is pulled in to the bulb is turned into light instead of being wasted as heat.
The current champion in the lighting world, the LED, can pump out 70 lumens per watt. Compact fluorescent blubs clock in at around 50 per watt, while the standard incandescent bulb offers a measly 15. On top of that, one tiny little argon bulb can crank out 35,000 lumens, plenty enough to act as a street lamp.
Is this the future of lighting? That, of course, depends on cost and lifespan.
From CrunchGear
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
robert lipton @ Mar 25th 2008 1:21PM
wether or
not succesful depends on scientificaly stupid congress ...not to mention corrupt see ethanol
Bill @ Mar 25th 2008 3:08PM
Slightly off topic but relevant: What we really need is fewer streetlights. The number of places streetlights are in use is excessive. Light pollution and energy waste due to streetlights is mindnumbing.
Suburban communities that have no streetlights dramatically improve home values. I'd also like to see statistics on if crime is more or less than streetlighted communities.
Even if we can't get rid of them all, turning off every 2nd streetlight would result in huge savings and more reasonable illumination of suburbs. Some municipalities do allow neighborhoods to petition to turn off individual streetlights.
paul howes @ Mar 26th 2008 12:22AM
most streetlights are excessive and produce an ugly garish presence in neighborhoods. I would choose to keep only those which help with auto and bike and pedestrian safety
tigerseyeagain @ Mar 26th 2008 12:28AM
Bill,
I have to agree with you about using less street lights. Everyone seems to use outside lighting at night to feel more secure so street lights are not necessary for that reason. Traveling through Germany allowed me to experience highway (or autobahn) driving without street lights like we have here. It was interesting but imagine the amount of money a country can save that way.