Last Saturday I somehow came to thinking about solar cells – probably a combination of the science fiction book I was reading and the recurring nature of that topic at work (atomic force microscopes are used for solar cell R&D).  Then I thought, hmm, wouldn’t it be cool to have transparent solar cells so that we could make solar collectors at the beach under which we could enjoy the sun without the sunburn?

Turns out the idea’s at least six years old, but I still don’t see my sunbrellas on any beaches…