best bulb yet?

Sure CFLs save loads of energy, but you have to admit, the light they cast is seriously drab, giving everyone and everything in their path a death-like pallor. LEDs are constantly improving, but they're not really affordable. Thankfully, there's a new light bulb that's ultra-efficient, cost-effective, and warmly glowing on the horizon.

Electron-stimulated Luminescence
(ESL, not to be confused with English as a second language)
It looks like an old incandescent bulb, but you won't find a filament inside it. The ESL, brand name Vu1, works by stimulating phosphor to make the surface of the bulb glow. And unlike CFLs, these bulbs don't need mercury to work. The Vu1 is also made utilizing glass from existing materials, i.e., glass from regular light bulb manufacturers.

ESLs are as energy efficient as CFLs, but they provide superior light quality. The price will be comparable to dimmable CFLs at about $12 and they might be available as early as September. Check out the differences between light technologies, at right. [Source: Vu1 Corporation]

[Vu1 via CleanTechnica]