Sea Creatures to Provide Basis for New Electronics?

hakaii writes to tell us that the shells of tiny sea creatures may help to lay the foundation for new electronic devices including an improved pollution detector. "Using a chemical process that converts the shells' original silica (silicon dioxide, SiO2) into the semiconductor material silicon, researchers have created a new class of gas sensors based on the unique and intricate three-dimensional (3-D) shells produced by microscopic creatures known as diatoms. The converted shells, which retain the 3-D shape and nanoscale detail of the originals, could also be useful as battery electrodes, chemical purifiers - and in other applications requiring complex shapes that nature can produce better than humans."

wow...

[Anonymous Coward]

Imagine a beowolf cluster of these!

Free The Scallops!

[Wandering Wombat]

For far too long, the oceans crustaceans have been forced to live in servitude, with the knowledge of impending death looming over their tiny spineless brains. Aquatic mollusks existing purely to create better speakers, gas sensors, and the mighty Kraken slain and now used to broadcast XM Radio to Illinois. You've gone too far!

Seriously, though, this is sort of cool. When can we see shell bikinis with embedded iPods?

Re:wow...

[Sneakernets]

Imagine a Beowulf school of these!

Obligatory Futurama

[Loadmaster]

Zoidberg: Hooray, I'm useful! I'm having a wonderful time.

Swi

Is there anything they can't do?

[L. VeGas]

Appetizers. Cartoon characters. And now, electronics!

Oh please oh please oh please

[mgabrys_sf]

Please use sea monkeys. The marketing potential is enormous!

lasers

[owlnation]

laser beams, gimme fricking laser beams on them...

Re:New electronics?

[Harmonious Botch]

You must be new here. Gamers will shell out whatever it takes to get the fastest processor.

Re:New electronics?

[geekoid]

Whether is a fin, or 2000 clams, only the best to show off are muscles!

Wrong joke

[LordEd]

You see, its very apparent to slashdot taggers that certain sea creatures [slashdot.org] are very useful in the mounting or operation of lasers.

OMG!

[telchine]

OMG! If I'd known my SeaMonkeys had a use, I'd never have put them in the microwave!

Re:so, who will patent this-Utility Model

[Whiney Mac Fanboy]

From the article you linked to:

It is very similar to the patent, but usually has a shorter term (often 6 or 10 years) and less stringent patentability requirements.

We're talking about patents, not trademarks, utility models, copyright, trade secrets or kittens.

Squid

[Profane MuthaFucka]

It's a proxy server. This is not news.

Re:Free The Scallops!

[fireboy1919]

Personally, I'm a lot more concerned for the scallop's smaller cousin. Sure, everybody's all about freeing the scallops, but what about the mallocs?

They get totally ignored and end up leaking toxic stuff all over the place.

So everyone, free the mallocs to stop the leaks!