Recently, a team of biologists demonstrated that some algae, named Chlamydomonas reinhardtii can produce hydrogen in a specific environment. Normally, these bacterias produce oxygen, but the scientists modified their genes, added copper to block the oxygen production, so the cells’ photosynthesis begins to synthesize hydrogenase and produces hydrogen. The algae also need light in order to produce the H2.
Past methods used sulphur, but the cells died within a few days, because of its depletion.
We can call this method in somewhat related to biogas production, but there the gas being produced is methane, this is hydrogen. Much more powerful. The scientists dream at making large hydrogen production facilities and charge the hydrogen fuel tanks cheaper. You could also have a bunch of bacterias in your garage and fuel your car with their hydrogen! If you ever upset them, they make a strike and you don’t go to work anymore!
Let’s not talk about breaking the bacteria tube! I don’t know about that, but the ecosystem was presumably built in millions of years, and the god-like play with their genes that we’re doing to ourselves and other living organisms won’t do any good to the environment in the long term. Why not discover a peaceful method of producing fuel? Why do we always have to modify something our almighty good God has given us? We’re not allowed to hack into genes, and we’re not allowed to use their lives for creating us fuel. If it’s not human, it doesn’t mean it’s not alive. It is. Humanity, just think about what you’re doing when you’re modifying something! The world we’re living is based on dinosaur’s bones and flesh, and other animals’ bone and flesh. The fossil fuels were gathered into the Earth during millions of years, and suddenly we’re releasing them into the atmosphere! Does it seem natural to you? Not to me.
The only thing we’re allowed to produce for the Earth to live and keep us alive forever, is what we produce individually. I’m not absurd, but there are many ways of compensating the use of fossils or the genetic modifications of bacterias, and carefully choosing our fuel and its technology, so we do not offend any tree, leaf or ant. Not even Chlamydomona.
Let’s suppose aliens would come to Earth and treat us like some kind of bacteria. How would it be if you’re to be transformed genetically into a battery, and used every day for somebody to light their bathroom?
