Very cool mirror coating technology

[clive milne]

(pun intended)

http://engineering.stanford.edu/news...uildings-space

[jenchris (Jennifer)]

As a telescope mirror coating, it would be great for modified cameras in AP

[el_draco (Rom)]

I have a feeling the uses could be much more diverse. A telescope that reflects all wavelengths equally? How about a thermal smelting unit? Wow!

[MrB (Simon)]

This would make very efficient refrigerators and even long lasting esky's for camping, I wonder if you would even need ice?

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by MrB

This would make very efficient refrigerators and even long lasting esky's for camping,

Esky's, yes.
Fridges, no (point).

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by clive milne

Fridges, no (point).

Did I miss something?

[clive milne]

Originally Posted by MrB

Did I miss something?

.
It relies on re-radiating thermal energy at the very specific colour (in the infrared) where the atmosphere is transparent. The mirror thus has a very low temperature to radiate to (the cosmic background). Thusly treated, an esky (outdoors) could dump it's heat into space, a fridge indoors would collect heat radiating from your ceiling.

It's the greenhouse effect in reverse.

very clever.

[sharpiel]

Originally Posted by clive milne

.
It relies on re-radiating thermal energy at the very specific colour (in the infrared) where the atmosphere is transparent. The mirror thus has a very low temperature to radiate to (the cosmic background). Thusly treated, an esky (outdoors) could dump it's heat into space, a fridge indoors would collect heat radiating from your ceiling.

It's the greenhouse effect in reverse.

very clever.

Radiating all our heat into space....a runaway cosmic background warming result. Better do it from Australia. Our government wont believe it exists

[MrB (Simon)]

Originally Posted by clive milne

.
It relies on re-radiating thermal energy at the very specific colour (in the infrared) where the atmosphere is transparent. The mirror thus has a very low temperature to radiate to (the cosmic background). Thusly treated, an esky (outdoors) could dump it's heat into space, a fridge indoors would collect heat radiating from your ceiling.

It's the greenhouse effect in reverse.

very clever.

Ah ok, I though the IR radiated from the fridge coating would heat the ceiling which, in a building suitably coated, would then re-radiate to space?

[gaa_ian (Ian)]

Very impressive technology. I wonder what the production cost is going to be, how durable the material will be etc .....
It shows why we need fundamental science research.

[el_draco (Rom)]

Originally Posted by clive milne

.
It's the greenhouse effect in reverse.

very clever.

There's a hell of a possibility there..... If its cheap and lasts a long time, coat our cities..... This could be bigger than we can imagine..