Japanese scientist, Professor Shuji Nakamura, has been awarded this year’s Millenium Technology Prize for inventing environmentally friendly sources of light. This is the world’s largest technology award; the equivalent to the Nobel Prize in the world of science. Professor Nakamura was awarded 1 million euros (£680,000/$1.3m) at a ceremony in Helsinki, Finland. The award was in recognition of his blue LEDs used in flat-screen displays, and blue lasers being used in future generation DVD players. Nakamura has also provided aid to developing countires by inventing the white LED, which provides a low-cost alternative to light bulbs. In his acceptance speech he said he’d be donating part of the prize money to organisations that promote the use of LED lighting in developing countries.

Source: BBC World

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