well, that begs the question (this is one of my favorites by the way-)
What comes first- electricity or light? (Chicken or the Egg)
You have obviously given this some thought. I like that!
So- since carbon nanotubes are a by-product of lightning, would it not be reasonable to theorize that (in a lightning discharge)
electricity moves through the air using carbon atoms as "wire", fusing them, while the secondary reaction by-product is light?
This would mean that to continue this sequence, electricity would need to out pace light or the light output would cease.
As long as electricity has ample conduction through air, along with 2 differential planes,
then light would be sustained.
Also that would mean that something as fast as light and vice-versa would theoretically have similar properties, thusly-
From electricity, light - from light, electricity.
Perhaps electricity is light with out the burden of being converted to light or light by product,
and for that reason can travel faster under conductive circumstances.
If the atmospheric reaction that creates light, and/or light per say could be "cooled" would
light revert into an electrical charge with no qualities of illumination?
Is it a question of wavelength for efficient conversion...?
Is carbon the key, and silicon not-so-much?
Do more lighting strikes occur when the atmosphere has a higher proportion of CO2 for ionization to occur producing ozone
perhaps by dislodging and fusing the carbon atoms?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fullerene#History
http://social.microsoft.com/Forums/...s/thread/aa6666ca-27a5-4ca7-8c6c-94b61609c12d
At what speed does electricity travel?
and creates visible light, but it is short lived because you cannot sustain the flow. The sun creates light through intense gravity.
