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Japan scientist awarded Nobel for LED lamp dies at 92

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We had groundbreaking technology when we got PCs and Macs back in the '80s, but none of this became world-changing until we had gigantic breakthroughs in power storage, data storage and displays. Full color LED (and OLED) display that eliminates CRT and backlit LCD means we can have tiny full-resolution, full color display anywhere, any time. And oh yeah - blue LED made DVDs possible, which is what moved us past videotape for home replay of pre-recorded material.

Forty years ago, trying to make a blue LED might have seemed really esoteric. But creating it changed the world.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

School kids should study this hero.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The light at the end of the tunnel has officially now gone out, RIP Sir.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Fantastic inventions.

Incandescent 75 watt bulb, 7.5 watts to make the light, and 67.5 watts wasted making heat.

75 watt equivalent Compact fluorescent lightbulb (CFL), 7.5 watts to make the light, and about 26.5 watts wasted making heat.

75 watt equivalent LED bulb, 7.5 watts to make the light, and about 2 watts wasted making heat.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

"Let there be Light..."

School kids should study this hero.

Naw. They study other 'heroes', those that dance in the light of public display doing inane and basically useless behavior to the cheers and delight of many. But, for those who actually build the stage, light the lights, generate the very foundations of Human civilization such as Mr. Akasaki, there is only the recognition of his peers and his name just another useless fact to our 'well educated' mass. People who perform mindless but entertaining behaviors will always be 'heroes' rather than the people who make it possible for those 'heroes' to do anything at all. The only fair thing here would be to call every white LED chip an "Akasaki" but I doubt that will happen...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

RIP. My impression is that Nakamura got the majority of the press, not least for his battles with NichiA, and therefore most of the glory for the blue LED. It is extremely rare for any individual scientist to be the only one working on something, and children should not be encouraged to think that's how inventions are created.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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