Scores of professional musicians have known it for years. So have its devotees. Pop music kicks up a lot of pure energy that can raise its dedicated enthusiasts to their feet to dance the night away with an almost reckless abandon. And now there may be some scientific evidence that Pop music can not only stimulate its listeners, it can also provide electricity that can be used to power your household appliances, fire up all your lights, and even power and recharge your computers, tablets and cell phones.
In an article first published on November 6, 2013 in a scientific journal called Wiley Online Library, four researchers claim they have found that acoustic vibrations may actually improve the output of certain kinds of solar panels by up to a whopping 45 percent because by exposing the cells to some energetic Pop or Rock music, they can form nanoscale rods that generate electricity from vibrations coming from nearby.
According to researchers Safa Shoaee, Joe Briscoe, James R. Durrant and Steve Dunn, who all hail from the Imperial College London in Londinium, UK, say that they have observed that acoustic vibrations can intensify the efficiency of an experimental zinc oxide solar panel, which also creates a three fold increase in the charge carrier lifetime.
Though these special solar panels are not yet on the market due to their currently abnormally low efficiency, they are said to be a substantially cheaper and more flexible variant of traditional silicon-based solar cells. If the researchers' claims are proven true, and when the efficiency deficiency gets taken care of, they're sure to become fairly hot items when they do finally go on sale everywhere. No doubt our lives will become filled with endless loops of Pop and Rock music when zinc oxide cell owners mount speakers on their roofs alongside the panels.
In truth, the researchers found that it is not only Pop or Rock music that can stimulate the cells, but almost any kind of music that utilizes a wide spectrum of sound frequencies has the potential to rev up the solar cells to previously unforeseen output levels. However, there is apparently something special about Pop and Rock music that has an exceptionally energetic effect on the zinc oxide panels.
So let's get busy, people. Dig deep into your CD or vinyl record rack, or load up your MP3 player, crank up that dusty Michael Jackson album, and put your solar cells to work!