Scientists Engineer Bacteria to Poop Diesel Fuel

For centuries, humans have used bacteria to make beer, ethanol and a host of other substances, but now scientists have figured out how to engineer bacteria that excretes a substance that is essentially diesel fuel.

A biotech company called LS9 has successfully engineered bacteria to produce the fuel on a small scale, and the products fed to the bacteria can be anything from wood chips to plant waste, so the process avoids the worst complications of corn-based ethanol.

Don't get too excited, though. It will be years, possibly decades before you’ll be able to fill up your car with bacteria waste. The problem is one of scale: Manufacturing a few molecules here and there is simple; creating a widespread system to grow and distribute fuel to cars will require a much larger undertaking than anyone has suggested so far. But don’t you feel better for having read about it anyway?

Lab Makes Renewable Diesel Fuel from E. Coli Poop (CNN)

Comments

[GR]

The word poop always makes me giggle.

[Dave T.]

us too GR. We had to use it.

[Capeplates]

What a load od s***

[Jack Moye]

If bacteria can generate oil from carbohydrates, then why nhot feed them human remains. Let's quit this burying and creamation nonsense and recycle human remains into petroleum products. There should be a vast supply worldwide of this potential resource.