To meet the ambitious goal of net-zero emissions by 2050, the US must generate renewable energy. We can duplicate long-established technologies like wind, geothermal, and solar energy, but they’re not perfect.
For example, solar panel manufacturing has a large carbon footprint and requires hazardous chemicals. To find a more sustainable source of solar energy, scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne (EPFL) started small.
Well, more like microscopic: Researchers are tricking bacteria to produce solar electricity, which they hope to scale up for mass production.
What’s new – The team inserted tiny fluorescent tubes made of carbon atoms into the bacteria and observed how the tubes distributed as the bacteria divided.
The two types of cyanobacteria they studied, Synechocystis and Nostoc, getting their energy through photosynthesis (like plants). Adding nanomaterials like carbon tubes can help bacteria produce more electricity when exposed to light, according to a new study published in Nature Nanotechnology.
Now, the EPFL lab is working on using engineered bacteria to create a “living photovoltaic” that mimics the materials found in solar panels.
Living solar energy – Now, study author Ardemis Boghossian, a chemical engineer at EPFL, is looking to lower the cost and environmental impact of placing nanotubes in bacteria.
He noted that, unlike current solar energy technologies, bacteria have a negative carbon footprint: After all, they absorb carbon dioxide through photosynthesis. In the future, Boghossian hopes to program the bacteria’s DNA to allow it to produce energy autonomously — without the need for nanoparticles.
“You don’t need a factory to build each individual bacterial cell; these bacteria replicate themselves,” Boghossian said in a press release. “They automatically remove CO2 to produce more of themselves. It’s a material scientist’s dream.”
Read more about the study.
On the horizon…
When you see a cockroach, you may be tempted to swat it away. That’s understandable, but you don’t want to kill this new breed of bionic bug – in fact, it could save your life in the future.
An international team of engineers has developed a thin, flexible solar-powered device that turns cockroaches into cyborgs. It’s part of a decade-long effort by scientists to create robotic insects that can spot victims during rescue missions (and even spy on our conversations).
The researchers created a small “backpack” that sends electrical signals to the cerci, or the natural sensory structures at the back of the stomach. This allows them to control the movements of small creatures. It’s powered by solar energy, so the bugs charge up any time they wander into a ray of sunlight.
They hope to add different sensors to the cockroach, such as cameras, thermometers, or carbon monoxide detectors, and see what works best for different operations.
Read the full story to learn more.
Here’s what else we read…
- After 2025, Tokyo plans to require solar panels on new homes. Time in Japan there’s a scoop.
- The US Navy says all government UFO videos are classified. Their release would “harm national security,” according to Vice.
- China is planning three missions to the moon after discovering a lunar mineral that could be a future energy source. Business Insider breaks it down.
- The first fully hydrogen-powered passenger train is now running in Germany. It emits only steam and boiling water, Engadget reports.
- Florida has a secret surveillance system on toll roads that tracks you and your vehicle. Fort Myers News-Press watching.
It was done HORIZONS, a newsletter that examines the innovations of today that are shaping the world of tomorrow. Subscribe for free.