One day we were driving to Niagara Falls. We looked at all the power lines overhead and started thinking about how they actually have power lines that go across the province (Ontario) just to carry electricity as it is generated to the homes that need it and whatever is not used is wasted. It occurred to me that it is such a primitive system. After all these years, couldn't we store the electricity? To make a long story short, I looked over at a greenhouse and said: "We should just figure out how to store our energy like nature does - in plants." Well, that got a laugh, a few guffaws and lots of ribbing, but I stand vindicated - and only a few weeks later: scientists have actually done it!
Scientists Create First Practical Artificial Leaf, Producing Power Through Photosynthesis
My question is - how did I pick up on that? I feel like the 99th monkey once again. This happens to me quite often - I think of something or invent something and then I hear of it a short while later. It reminds me of the story I heard about people on two sides of the ocean both inventing something and rushing to get to the patent office first (was it a bomb or something?) That is a little more understandable due to the fact that they are working in the same field and are aware of the same advances in their field - but me? I know very little about science on a daily basis, so how did I pick up on that? Needless to say I went straight to the corner store and purchased a lottery ticket.
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