4. Jack Ma is a fan, but not necessarily backing the project.

Jack Ma has offered to be a mentor for Engineer Mijeno, but a few people have been conflating this with Jack Ma actually backing the project. Like, financially.

Unlike Obama, as seen here.

Like we said, it’s not going to be that simple. There will be challenges ahead, and managing expectations is key.

3. This is not new technology.

It’s hard to really use the word “invention” on the SALt Lamp when you consider that the Galvanic Cell principle behind it has been in existence since the 1780’s. Furthermore, Japan did it first:

Japan invented a lot of things, half of them requiring pixelation.

You know what? It’s even available on Jack Ma’s Alibaba, too!

Engineer Mijeno did not deny that Japan invented a lamp powered by salt water first. She did clarify, though, that the anode for the Japanese model requires replacement far more frequently than her version. That’s well and good, but hold on a moment here.

Assuming the principle of charity, the only innovation of the SALt Lamp is not that it uses salt water, but whatever this new, longer-lasting anode happens to be, which means anyone saying “we’ve invented a lamp powered only by salt water” is categorically mistaken, not just because the lamp is not actually powered by salt water itself but it’s also been done by the Japanese before. And in that regard, it leads us to the most awkward and uncomfortable of questions…

2. Why is Engineer Mijeno not actively correcting the misinformation?

I think it behooves any scientist worth their salt (Boooooooo!!! – Editor) to make sure people don’t get the wrong idea when talking about something you’re trying to do. Calling SALt an “invention” and one that is “powered by salt water” is clearly misleading and doesn’t address the hurdles mass-producing the lamp would have with its true innovation: the new anode, which is non-renewable and produces sludge when reacting with salt water.  Obviously, none of these bits of misinformation came from Engineer Mijeno herself; she has been very clear that she didn’t “invent” this, nor did she outright claim that you need only sea water to make the lamp work. This misinformation came from overzealous reporters who only heard what they wanted to hear.

So why is Engineer Mijeno so mum about these misconceptions? And why does this rather brusque manner of responding not inspire me with any confidence whatsoever?

I’m not trying to make LIGHT of this, but… *dodges tomatoes*

I totally get that it makes for a more exciting story to pretend that salt water and salt water alone will make the lamp work. I totally get that saying it’s “a Filipino invention” would also be patriotic as f*ck.

Unfortunately, I also totally get that calling it these things is a baldfaced lie.

Wouldn’t people who end up investing in producing or purchasing this product be setting themselves up for disappointment if this is what they are led to believe? True, explaining all of this in detail would just confound a person such as myself, an avid purveyor of dick jokes with no background in electrochemical engineering. Then again, if we are to look at her credentials as a computer engineer, neither does she.

Spurred by shoddy reportage and blind #PinoyPride, this campaign of misinformation is only setting people up for inevitable disappointment. It is a campaign that is in her best interests to curb and to arrest. So why isn’t she doing that?

1. Engineer Mijeno isn’t the only one trying to build a better mousetrap.

A rather overlooked story came out last year about a Filipino scientist who was feted by the German Federal Ministry for energy research. If you think Engineer Mijeno’s innovation is praiseworthy, rest assured she isn’t alone, and Dr. Joey Ocon, in his own separate endeavor to find more environment-friendly batteries, will continue to push the boundaries for new sources of energy on this planet.

Until our future robot overlords give us the best possible option, that is.

Dr. Ocon’s achievements and credentials (yes, he has a background in chemical engineering) are staggering to read about, and the best thing about what he’s done so far is that his stuff is actually, wait for it, PEER REVIEWED.

I realize that none of this is as sexy-sounding as “salt water powered lamp invented by a Pinoy,” but it certainly deserves being taken notice of.

Got something? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

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