Genius 13-Year-Old Has A Solar Power Breakthrough

[Foo]

Seventh grader Aidan Dwyer was walking in the woods during the winter, and looking up, he noticed something about the bare branches above him. They didn’t appear to be growing randomly. So he took some measurements of the angles of the branches, crunched some numbers, and wouldn’t you know it, he found that the ubiquitous Fibonacci Sequence was behind it all. He suspected there was a reason behind this. That trees were using this pattern to gather more light.

....

More here

[Gunter]

he found that the ubiquitous Fibonacci Sequence was behind it all.

It can't be behind it, as in the sequence exists first and then gives rise to the pattern, the sequence is a symbolic ratio of the pattern.

He suspected there was a reason behind this.

Leave it to the primates to think that reason exists outside of mental function. Purpose itself is a symbol, no less and no more.

That trees were using this pattern to gather more light.

Using?

That requires choice, something trees and evolution lack.

It is nice the kid was smart enough to realize that if you want to maximize light gathering efficiency you can use

(by choice) aspects of light gathering that nature has perfected. There are many tree patterns that would be of use here in this regard.

I think that rather than indicate that the kid is a genius the indication is that most of us talking apes are actually pretty ignorant of our surroundings.

[CβL]

Turns out that the kid didn't discover anything. So, to summarize: nyaa nyaa na nyaa nyaa, I tolja so, I tolja so... (in the other thread).

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/technology/2011/08/blog-debunks-13-year-old-scientists-solar-power-breakthrough/41520/

Part one: "Broken Experiment."

Most importantly, by mistake he did not measure power outputs from the solar cells. Instead he measured voltage, without a load attached ("open circuit"). They are barely related -- in solar cells, voltage is actually almost a constant, independent of power.

Demonstrating the difference with a series of equations and graphs, it comes to this conclusion: "End result: measuring the solar cells' [open-circuit voltage] over time, and adding them up, is garbage data, and has nothing to do with energy production."

Part two: "Unreasonably Theory."

The blog also indicates that the theory behind the discovery itself is problematic: "I'm not sure I understand the confusion by which people think there could be some advantage, to orienting panels at sub-optimal angles. That somehow combining sub-optimal panels, together, makes them generate more energy in the net." It then goes to demonstrate via equations that "if the individual angles in the 'tree' are worse then the 45°-tilted south-facing panels in the flat array (they obviously are), so is their combination."

Finger-pointing: It's not the seventh grader's fault, it's the media's fault.

The blog does not blame the seventh grader for imperfect science, but actually the news media for blowing up this story and putting a 13-year-old into the spotlight for an impressively ambitious but unfortunately incorrect claim. It ends with this open question: "How did this confused science project became international news?"

Secondly, Archaea, I feel some strong angst in your post. I think you have lost sight of the reason we have these abstractions of language in the first place. If every single text that was ever written was qualified with disclaimers and limits of validity - we'd get nowhere. The whole point is to save time so that our lives are not wasted re-iterating the fundamentals (which are far from trivial, but generally bear small consequence if they are ignored).

Finally, even if the correct verb was used, there is no way to know that the intended meaning was interpreted by the readers exactly in the way intended by the writer.

[Foo]

It can't be behind it, as in the sequence exists first and then gives rise to the pattern, the sequence is a symbolic ratio of the pattern.

Leave it to the primates to think that reason exists outside of mental function. Purpose itself is a symbol, no less and no more.

Using?

That requires choice, something trees and evolution lack.

It is nice the kid was smart enough to realize that if you want to maximize light gathering efficiency you can use

(by choice) aspects of light gathering that nature has perfected. There are many tree patterns that would be of use here in this regard.

I think that rather than indicate that the kid is a genius the indication is that most of us talking apes are actually pretty ignorant of our surroundings.

 

Thanks for the neg

[Evil Genius]

Whats going on with the negging in this thread? Another one of Archaea´s Posts in the Cactus Forum was negged too. Cut the crap please.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Evil Genius

[CβL]

I did not do any negative-ing.

[Evil Genius]

I know. Lets not make a big deal out of it. Just stop it whoever it was.

Edited August 23, 2011 by Evil Genius

[etherealdrifter]

i think anon status in neg or pos is cowardice

[Evil Genius]

I dont care if they neg one post of each other. Just dont take it elsewhere.

[tipz]

sorry, off topic, i know!

How can i check another members 'rep' and how can i check my own 'rep' ? I read through the various posts in site'n'forum matters but could not work it out ?

[solomon]

I believe only mods/admin can see it now, Tipz.. I think this happened after a spate of negatizing between some members here

[Evil Genius]

Repcount-System just couldnt cope with all the negatizing and destroyed itself.

Edited August 24, 2011 by Evil Genius