CHICAGO, Nov. 25 (UPI) -- In terms of movie-watching, Blu-rays have become largely obsolete (or at least undesired) -- rendered so by the ascent of Netflix and other streaming services. But that doesn't mean the blue-bottomed discs are useless. It turns out they're great for enhancing the sun-absorbing abilities of solar panels.
The minuscule patterns etched into the bottom of the discs are perfect for capturing and scattering light onto the energy absorption technologies of modern solar panels. The discs themselves, of course, block most light. But the discs themselves aren't applied -- their pattern is simply borrowed and replicated on the panel.