Solar power without solar cells: A hidden magnetic effect of

[Influx]

ANN ARBOR, Mich.—A dramatic and surprising magnetic effect of light discovered by University of Michigan researchers could lead to solar power without traditional semiconductor-based solar cells.

The researchers found a way to make an “optical battery,” said Stephen Rand, a professor in the departments of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Physics and Applied Physics.

In the process, they overturned a century-old tenet of physics.

“You could stare at the equations of motion all day and you will not see this possibility. We’ve all been taught that this doesn’t happen,” said Rand, an author of a paper on the work published in the Journal of Applied Physics. “It’s a very odd interaction. That’s why it’s been overlooked for more than 100 years.”

http://ns.umich.edu/htdocs/releases/story.php?id=8368

Makes you wonder what else have they overlooked? On the other hand, is this a real world example of abstract conceptual mathematics unable to predict and elucidate real world physics?

[mharratsc]

It would be very interesting to me to find out if they could determine this 'photo-capacitive' effect occurs in ohhh say, a very cold dusty plasma or atomic hydrogen cloud...