December 8, 2005

A Hot Idea

If you're an inventor or scientist looking for a good idea to pursue, I had one while driving to work this morning on a highway coated with salt brine in an effort to prevent the coming sleet and snow from turning I-65 into a skating rink. I thought:

That's right. We need some way to make road surfaces remain well above freezing, no matter how cold it gets, so that falling snow or sleet simply melts on contact with the road. Added bonus: Roads that don't freeze don't develop potholes as readily, and last longer. So... there ya' go, inventors and scientists. Get started on developing photo-reactive asphalt. Or perhaps a system for using solar power to send electric current through the rebar under the road, so it acts as a heating element. I expect to be driving a solar-powered Prius on such roads within a decade...