If we covered all the roads
in the world with solar
panels we could generate
enough power for ever yone.Silicon is made
from sand!6,000 BC
FOCUS ON THE SUN
People have been using the power of the
sun for thousands of years, building their
homes in clever ways to make use of that
big furnace in the sky.
Archaeologists know that people in
China around 8,000 years ago used to
build their houses with the door (the only
opening) facing south, so that in the winter,
when the sun is low in the sky, the light
and warmth would enter their homes. They
also used to build overhanging thatched
roofs to keep the sun of f their houses in the
summer so that they would stay cool.
As far back as 400 BC, the ancient
Greeks also used mirrors to concentrate
the sun’s energy to light fires and torches.
By 20 AD, there is evidence that the
practice had been adopted in China.Enough sunlight falls on
the Ear th ever y hour to
power all of humanity’s
needs for a whole year!FUN FACTS
While solar power is definitely
greener than power from fossil
fuels, actually making the solar
panels produces some really
nasty and harmful gasses and
waste products. Huge solar
plants can also be dangerous
for migrating birds, as they
reflect huge amounts of heat
and light into the sky that can
kill birds flying overhead.
LIMITATIONS
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03/2015