I have one bachelor's and two master's degrees -- none is anywhere near science and technology. But converting solar energy to mechanical movement without any aid but a plastic motor sounds really awesome to me.
Nanowerk LLC of Honolulu, Hawaii, described the significance of the plastic motor in a June 20 release: for the first time, researchers have succeeded in amplifying the minuscule change in structure at a molecular level caused by an external stimulus (light) to a macroscopic change through a cooperative effect of liquid crystals. The polymer used to make the photomechanical device is liquid-crystalline elastomer, combing both properties of liquid crystals and elastomers.