A Solar Breakthrough

Speaking of science, here's an important piece of news: researchers at the University of Minnesota, on government funding, have found a way to double the efficiency of solar cells. Hallelujah! And, note, one of the big benefits of using solar cells instead of other solar technologies is that they don't require water (I brought the Glennon piece to the magazine). It's obvious that if the government poured additional funding, say, several tens of billions of dollars, into further alternative energy research — instead of, for example, raping Afghanistan — it would pay off in spades. Oh, and by the way, that newly discovered 'mineral wealth' of Afghanistan that's got everybody so excited? It's arguably a non-story...