Scientists Develop New Earth-Friendlier LEDs

Researchers from China and Taiwan recently developed a new type of LED that is cheaper and more environmentally friendly than currently used LEDs. Their report in the journal ACS Nano provides details regarding the problems inherent to original white LEDs and the development of a new lightbulb that solves those problems. A main detractor of LEDs is their reliance on rare-earth elements. Apart from being a non-renewable resource, environmentalists warn of toxic byproducts resulting from the mining of the materials.