Thanks to nanostructures that scatter and channel light, University of California, San Diego electrical engineers are working toward thin-film “single junction” solar cells with the potential for nearly 45 percent sunlight-to-electricity conversion efficiencies. This effort to break the theoretical limit of 31 percent efficiency ...

The quantum revolution could turn many ideas of science fiction into science fact - from metamaterials with mind-boggling properties like invisibility through limitless quantum energy and room temperature superconductors to Arthur C Clarke's space elevator. Some scientists even forecast that in the latter half of the century everybody will ...

Nanosolar was started in 2002 and is headquartered in Palo Alto, California. The company has received financing from a number of technology investors including Benchmark Capital, MDV, and Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the founders of Google. Nanosolar received the largest amount in a round of Venture Capital technology funding, amongst United ...

Naomi Halas says nanotechnology could cure cancer; Gerhard Knies explains how the sun could give us all clean energy.

Already a science and technology mecca, Boston's population of scientists is about to swell by 15,000 for the 234th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, the world's largest scientific society. They will present more than 9,000 reports on new discoveries in medicine, health, environment, energy, food science, nanotechnology and ...

Yi Cui discusses how new nanomaterials will impact the critical applications in faster transistors, smaller nonvolatile memory devices, efficient solar energy conversion, high-energy batteries, and nanobiotechnology.

A new type of solar cell could drastically change the role of solar power in the future. Infrared light accounts for 50% of all solar energy, and is available even on cloudy days.

Georgia Institute of Technology researchers have demonstrated a new nanometer-scale generator that they claim can produce a continuous flow of electricity by harvesting energy from things like ultrasonic waves, mechanical vibrations, and even blood f...