chupo99 t1_iv7docm wrote
Reply to comment by einarfridgeirs in Researchers designed a transparent window coating that could lower the temperature inside buildings, without expending a single watt of energy. This cooler may lead to an annual energy saving of up to 86.3 MJ/m² or 24 kWh/m² in hot climates by mossadnik
Because most of these "successful" scientific results never see the light of day in actual products. They're just novel lab discoveries. Great that they're being done. But doesn't mean anything in terms of changing the future.
15pH t1_iv7qn5o wrote
Every new tech that will radically change the future starts as a "novel lab discovery." Sure, most of the discoveries don't lead to much, but that doesn't mean we should see the glass as entirely empty and shrug our shoulders at everything. It is healthy and useful to be excited by new science and new possibilities.
Also, I think it is important to separate the impact of discoveries in physical sciences vs medical science. Medical "discoveries" are often in controlled petri dishes, and turn out to not be effective in a whole human where many complex complex systems interfere. It is usually appropriate to be pessimistic toward these over-hyped in vitro medical "discoveries."
On the other hand, a physical discovery or product like this one is fully REAL. The hurdles to making it "useful" are usually manufacturing and cost, which are only limited by current technology. We can innovate such things into existence in ways we cannot do with medicine. Thus, I think it is appropriate to be excited by physical discoveries and have them inspire wonder and innovation.
iama_bad_person t1_iv7lzen wrote
99% of all posts in this sub
gawake t1_iv8jqdu wrote
Not every inch of progress will revolutionize our world. It’s your expectations you should re-evaluate.
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