Updates to this story
Since its discovery by stickytape-toting Manchester University researchers in 2004, graphene has been heralded as a wonder material.
As well as some staggering properties the material can be easily sourced, or so researchers claim.
Now a team at Rice University has uncovered what might be the most abundant source of the highly sought after material yet - Girl Scout cookies.
In fact, they reckon that just one box of the biscuits could have a street value of $15 billion.
According to a report released by the univeristy, any carbon source can be used to yield the raw materials needed for graphene production.
Having discovered that table sugar could produce graphene, the team at Rice University turned to the Houston Girl Scouts to find one of the richest sources yet.
One box of cookies is able to provide enough sugar to cover three football fields. So with graphene currently retailing at around $250 for a two inch square piece, the value of the cookies ran into the billions of dollars.
"That's a lot of cash!" said one of the scout troop members, according to a statement.
Despite the draw of big bucks, it certainly opens up some ethical questions.
In the short term graphene could be a good way for scouts to make some extra pocket money. But a ‘sweatshop’ style situation with Girl Scouts churning out box after box to meet global graphene demand should be avoided at all costs.
Along with child labour concerns, there's an element of discrimination. TechEye contacted Boy Scout groups in the UK and US to hear from Akela about whether it's unfair that it's just the girls cashing in on the graphene gold-rush.
“We have no plans to undertake the production of Graphene in the UK,” the Scout Association told us.
We suspect it's hyperflyschemic.
Oi deary me! Where ever shall we find enough certified sustainable football fields? At three fields per GSC box, the demand for graphene is bound to encroach on potential palm oil plantations in Indonesia and Malaysia, with an area the size of 300 soccer fields every hour, becoming woefully insufficient. hecktares and hecktares.
Frankly, I don't see why everyone is so fracking mad about palm oil. It does allow cities like New York to lower their Trans-Fats in foods; Mayor Bloomberg's love of GSCs more than makes up for any self-righteous orangutangs who get choked and sickle with the 'haze' from the slash and burn season. The third world should follow Mayor Bloomberg's crusade against smoking by outlawing it inside and outside. Orangutangs should develop more of mankind's hubris; then they would see the folly of clinging to the trees.
Once the rest of the world embraces the humanitarianism of Michael Bloomberg and his behavioural agendas, they would see that rain forests are really a palimpsest, praying to become palm oil fields or GSC graphene fields.
And the sooner this agenda is accomplished, the sooner that the world can benefit from the graphrenic reaping of Girl Scout's Cookies.
The whole climate of thought will be different. In fact, there will be no thought, as we understand it now. I did not know that...
So it comes down to: It's a few 'reasonably intelligent apes' oppositionally intoed versus billions for Girl Scouts Cookies in tow with industries' secret chefs, technology and military power, drooling: COOKIES!!! UMM-NUM-NUM-NUM-NUM!!! and a lot of poo-flinging,,, if you can't stand the sheat, stay out of the scuncheon.
History will be remembered by what the readers digest. That one withal the sages is three withal suffrages and a penny more for you sir.
Are we having a nice day, or what?
It isn't the source of material that is valuable, but the process.