If I understand correctly, what happens is something like this.. The article says: "The durability and environmental stability have made thermoelectrics a favorite for NASA's deep space explorers among other applications." Somehow this makes me think of the book Stalker, which I read in my teenage years. In the book it is mentioned that scavenged pieces of alien technology are sold for consumers to use (in cases where people have managed to figure out what this or that piece of alien technology does or is good for.) So, apparently, here I'm having a piece of deep space technology, rotating a fan on top of my wood-burning stove =)