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Sunday, May 10, 2015

Fungi fuel factories are taking off

Aspergillis on Tomato  (Photo by Multimotyl) 
Fungi has often been the butt of some pretty bad jokes.  However, having “a fungus among us” might finally morph from a sore- to a soaring-subject.

Danny Gallagher of CNET reports that scientists are turning to the common soil fungus, Aspergillis, in the hopes of  “making a new jet biofuel.”  Aspergillis is that yucky looking mold that grows on decaying fruit.

Researchers suspect that Aspergillis naturally produces hydrocarbons in order to defend itself against invading bacteria.  Genetically-modified aspergillis can be made to produce even “larger quantities of hydrocarbons.”

With Aspergillis doing “the work of a biofuel refinery,” jet fuel might become easier and cheaper to obtain.  Hopefully, these savings (rather than the Aspergillis itself) will then be passed on to airline passengers.

Resources
http://www.cnet.com/news/scientists-may-have-found-a-formula-for-turning-fungus-to-fuel/#ftag=YHF65cbda0

Copyright May 10, 2015 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved

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