Some time ago I said (jokingly) that we could replace all the light bulbs in the world by taking light from one side of the world to the other by using fiber optic cable. I really did not think that it could be done because the glass fiber absorbs too much light. If my information is correct, it is not even practical to put a fiber optic communication cable across the Atlantic because of the light absorption problem. I admit that I have not kept track of the latest developments in that field. For all I know there could be dozens of fiber optic cables across the Atlantic by now.
Anyhoo:
Now I find that NASA is experimenting with "ZBLAN" glass that might make the 'lightbulbless' society possible some time (may be far) in the future. With this type of development, perhaps the 'invisible airplane' and 'optical computer' will also be possible to construct.

Http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2003/14apr_zeroglass.htm?list157044

Johannes