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"Discovery Files" Features from the National Science Foundation
"Bac-tery Powered"
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BATTERIES--GOING FROM BUNNIES TO BACTERIA... THE "DISCOVERY FILES": NEW ADVANCES IN SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. THE IDEA THAT MAYBE WE COULD MAKE BATTERIES WORK USING MICROBES HAS BEEN KICKED AROUND FOR ABOUT A HUNDRED YEARS. BUT, NOBODY COULD FIND A BACTERIAL SPECIES THAT DOES THE JOB WELL. DISCOVERY OF "GEO-BACTER" IN THE '80'S REALLY FURTHERED THE CAUSE; THESE GUYS PRODUCE AN ELECTRIC CURRENT, WHEN ATTACHED TO A GRAPHITE ELECTRODE OR OTHER CONDUCTIVE SURFACE. NOW, RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA-TWIN CITIES THINK THAT THEY'VE FOUND A WAY TO HARNESS THESE BACTERIA FOR USE IN BATTERIES, BIO-SENSORS, AND OTHER APPLICATIONS. ELECTRONS IN A BATTERY ARE LIKE CARS GOING TO WORK: THEY MUST BE ABLE TO COMMUTE FREELY TO THEIR DESTINATION--THE ELECTRODE; WHEN OTHER BACTERIA WERE USED TO PRODUCE THE ELECTRONS, THEY KIND OF BLOCKED THE ROAD. "GEO-BACTER" KEEPS TRAFFIC MOVING, BECAUSE ELECTRONS PASS RIGHT THROUGH ITS CELL-WALLS. TO GET THINGS GOING IN A MICROBIAL BATTERY, THE MICROBES HAVE GOT TO "EAT"; AND, TO "GEO-BACTER", GOOD-OLD, INEXPENSIVE GRAPHITE IS A BACTERIAL SMORGASBORD. AS THE BACTERIA GOBBLE THE GRAPHITE, INSTEAD OF GETTING FAT, THEY JUST SPLIT OFF INTO MORE "GEO-BACTER". NOT ONLY WOULD ENERGY PRODUCED THIS WAY BE CHEAP, BUT THE PROCESS IS ALSO INCREDIBLY SIMPLE. THE TEAM HAS DEMONSTRATED THE CONCEPT--AND IS NOW TRYING TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE BUG ACTUALLY DOES WHAT IT DOES. THE "DISCOVERY FILES" COVERS PROJECTS FUNDED BY THE GOVERNMENT'S NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION: FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH BROUGHT TO YOU BY YOU! LEARN MORE AT "N-S-F"-DOT-GOV--OR ON THEIR PODCAST.
For additional "Discovery Files" features from the National Science Foundation, click here.
