So it is winter in Virginia, and my family and I are shocking the hell out of ourselves as we walk around the house. Last night I had a thought and actually tested it out. I built up a nice charge and walked over to a lamp with a CFL light bulb. I hovered my hand near the lightbulb and it faintly glowed. This was just from being in proximity to my hand. I then touched the actual tube of the light bulb and it lit up briefly. Anyone but a blind man could see (
) that there is plenty of energy at work. So my mad scientist mind started to work...
Is there a way to harness that static electricity in order to say power some rechargeable batteries? It would save me from some shocks and actually put that energy to good use at the same time.
