Lab-made complexes are 'sun sponges'
Wednesday, August 21, 2013 - 17:30
in Physics & Chemistry
Scientists have described a testbed for light-harvesting antennae, the structures that capture the sun's light in plants and bacteria. Prototype designs built on the testbed soak up more of the sun's spectrum and are far easier to assemble than synthetic antennas made entirely from scratch. They offer the best of both worlds, combining human synthetic ingenuity with the repertoire of robust chemical machinery selected by evolution.