Computer technology leaped from clunky vacuum tubes to sleek chips in the last century, and the coming years could bring another sea change of equal magnitude. That's the goal of Columbia University researcher Young Duck Kim, and his new graphene "light bulb" could light the way.

Kim has developed a nanoscale light-emitting device that can be put on a chip. It could help usher in a new generation of ultra fast, small, lightweight photonic computers, which use light instead of an electric current.

When that does happen, Lego can take part of the credit. Working with the tiny blocks as a child made Kim aware that he enjoyed making things with his hands. It also got him accustomed to the idea that anything can happen when the same elements come together in different configurations.

"My dream was to become a scientist, especially a physicist," Kim says. His academic career did begin with physics, but along the way he found that the allure of working with his hands was irresistible.

"As it turned out, theory does not fit me," he chuckles. "I liked assembling Legos and creating something new. The process was fascinating."