Giant clams have big blue and green living iridescent cells on their lips. Researchers always wondered why it was necessary for the clams to have living iridescent cells on their only opening. It turns out the cells magnify light so that algae can grow better inside the clams. Light that passes through the clam’s lips is magnified five times before it reaches the algae—an increase that could be used to make solar cells more efficient. Solar cells stop working when they get to hot, and the way the clams employ iridescent cells could be applied to a cooling mechanism so solar cells stay cool.
Giant clams could make solar cells more efficient
More of Today's Solutions
Vision board ideas for adults: how to create one that inspires real change
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM A vision board might look like a crafty throwback to childhood afternoons spent collaging. But don’t write it ...
Read MoreIndia’s social experiment: how paying women directly reshapes welfare, autono...
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Across India, millions of women now receive a modest but unwavering deposit each month into their bank accounts. ...
Read MoreNew Zealand’s groundbreaking shift to renewables promises massive emiss...
New Zealand launched its most ambitious emissions reduction initiative to date in an incredible undertaking. The government announced a historic switch from coal to ...
Read MoreGoing for the goal: the impact of team sports on boosting young girls’ ...
In a pioneering study, the Here for Every Goal report demonstrates that team sports, particularly elite women's soccer (referenced from here on in this ...
Read More
