Perdue to become the next Intel?

July 8, 2002 7:44 AM

Perdue to become the next Intel? According to today's Washington Post, researches at the University of Delaware have filed a patent to improve microchip performance by replacing silicon with a compound made from chicken feathers. Test show that chicken feather chips are twice as fast as silicon chips. If this works, be on the lookout for chicken farm IPOs.
posted by monkey-mind (13 comments total)

This has to be a joke right ? Electrical signals move fastest in air which provides no resistance.. wtf ?!
posted by zeoslap at 7:49 AM on July 8, 2002

Galium Arsinic chips are twice as fast as silicon, too.

But no one uses 'em.
posted by delmoi at 8:03 AM on July 8, 2002

"Right wing, left wing, chicken wing
It's built on findin’ the easier ways through" --modest mouse
posted by kliuless at 8:06 AM on July 8, 2002

My old school. Hilarious. Fitting development from a school that's called The Fighting Blue Hens...
posted by hummus at 8:14 AM on July 8, 2002

But will they Taste Like Chicken?
posted by NortonDC at 8:22 AM on July 8, 2002

Being that they say these results are "prelimenary and a long way off", it is doubtful that there is any forseeable and practical application.

If you think these results will hold up or are in any way intriuging in light of how unsubstatiated the claims are, then by all means track this story and report back when something real becomes of it. Until then forward all your junk science no-really-it-could-happen tabloid news to the New Scientist and keep MetaFilter free of such newsflashes of the weird.
posted by yonderboy at 8:28 AM on July 8, 2002

So if you overclock it, you get...

(I'm sorry)

Fried Chicken?
posted by ODiV at 8:36 AM on July 8, 2002

I can't wait for my laptop with a Hentium V processor!

(but seriously...I like their approach to looking at how to make existing products out of new materials rather than trying to design new products around new materials)
posted by briank at 9:01 AM on July 8, 2002

I wonder what fark.com has to say about it...
posted by yonderboy at 9:02 AM on July 8, 2002

I just hope they keep testing it and don't chicken out
posted by matteo at 9:41 AM on July 8, 2002

Foul idea. Shows a lot of pluck, though.

Gah...I'm losing the will to pun...
posted by dong_resin at 10:02 AM on July 8, 2002

When the idea is proven, computers will be going down all over the world.
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:33 AM on July 8, 2002

I guess these guys are screwed.
posted by lilboo at 10:51 AM on July 8, 2002