IN ORDER to reduce mankind’s dependence on fossil
fuels, scientists are eager to improve the light-harvesting efficiency
of solar collectors. “The solution to this problem,” said a scientist,
“may have been . . . fluttering right in front of our eyes.”
Consider: To keep themselves warm
during cold weather, butterflies spread their wings in the sun. The
wings of some species of swallowtail are remarkably efficient at
trapping and absorbing sunlight. The insects’ secret lies not just in
their dark pigment but also in the structure of microscopic, overlapping
scales coating their wings. The scales, in turn, contain rows of
honeycomblike holes separated by inverse V-shaped ridges that funnel
light into the holes. This ingenious structure traps incoming sunlight,
making the wings extremely black and warming the butterfly with amazing
efficiency.
“Butterfly wings may rank among the most delicate structures in nature,” says Science Daily, “but they have given researchers powerful inspiration for new technology that doubles the production of hydrogen gas
