Story here. Talk about your alternative energy! British scientists have found a way to charge cellphones using human urine, generating enough electricity to send a text message and surf the Web, not to mention make a call.
Of course, they’re not just pissing on the phones … although being British, I don’t doubt they tried that. They put the urine through “a cascade of microbial fuel cells.”
Should eventually have applications for areas without electricity.
I haven’t read the new articles, but the old ones were about a “generator” that actually produced less energy than was put into it one way or another. as I wrote at the time:
this article does seemn to be using a different method, so maybe it is getting a net gain. But i wouldn’t hold my breath. Or maybe I should.