Green Options » moth

Moth’s Eyes May Hold Key to Solar Efficiency

Jeff Kart — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 20:07:14 +0000

Biomimicry is about emulating nature. Scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory in South Carolina are using the concept to increase the efficiency of solar cells, peering into how a moth’s eye absorbs light.

Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy lab are working with the University of Florida’s Peng Jiang to study how special coatings that mimic structures found in nature can make solar cells more productive for commercial applications, homes and even space satellites.

Yearn Worthy Yarn: Peace Silk

Kelly Rand — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:30:27 +0000

Ah silk. It is such a luxurious fiber; cool and soft to the touch. It has an unmistakable feel that you always know when something is made of silk.

To become the silk that we know and love, this fiber has a very interesting story.

Silk comes from the cocoon of the Bombyx moth. Before turning into a moth the Bombyx caterpillar spins itself a cocoon of 1000 yards of silky fiber to house itself during the transformation. The caterpillar secretes a substance that is a thin but strong strand of fiber, which is what we know as silk.