Bacteria Used To Make Radioactive Metals Inert 237
Serenissima writes "Researcher Judy Wall is experimenting with bacteria that can cleanse the radioactivity from toxic areas by rendering the heavy metals into non-toxic, inert versions. The technology is not without its flaws (the bacteria can't exist in an oxygenated environment yet), but it does have the potential to cleanse some of the world's hazardous sites. From the article: 'The bacteria Wall is studying are bio-corrosives and can change the solubility of heavy metals. They can take uranium and convert it to uraninite, a nearly insoluble substance.'"
Change the solubility of heavy metals (Score:5, Funny)
So... they can convert heavy metal into liquid metal? How long until we can buy that on iTunes?
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
I think the thousands of mites already crawling around in there probably do that job. Unfortunately, you wind up with mite poop.
Brett
radioactive bacteria (Score:5, Funny)
real estate (Score:4, Funny)
Oh, and I for one welcome our uranium-eating overlords.
Re:Look out, Radioactive Man! (Score:1, Funny)
Bacteria...is there anything it can't do.....
Re:radioactive bacteria (Score:4, Funny)
What happens when the radiation mutates the bacteria? Single-celled organisms mutate very easily, and we could easily have a serious problem on our hands if the bacteria turn into something that is dangerous to us and then multiply out of control.
Scientists already know that whenever this happens, Godzilla awakens from his slumber, tussles with the creature, eventually righting mankind's wrongs through violence, and then torches part of Tokyo before returning peacefully to the sea for another year. I don't know what you're so worried about.
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
I think the Chinese Needle Snakes can take care of that problem for you.
Re:Change the solubility of heavy metals (Score:5, Funny)
Forget iTunes! How long before this stuff is walking around killing people and looking like Robert Patrick?!
Re:Interesting (Score:5, Funny)
And the gorillas will take care of the snakes...
The best part: when wintertime rolls around, the gorillas simply freeze to death.
Obligatory... (Score:5, Funny)
I, for one, welcome our radioactive bacteria overlords!
Re:Look out, Radioactive Man! (Score:5, Funny)
White? Please... before long your gonna have real options. White? I mean...why be white when you can be blue? or green? or red? Or.... you could have mood skin! Maybe a little glow in the dark anyone? Sure there may be a few side effects, maybe it wil destroy your liver in 3 years and make your thyroid go hypractive if you survive beyond that but.... the possibilities for matching with your ipod will never be greater.
-Steve
Re:radioactive bacteria (Score:3, Funny)
I don't know what you're so worried about.
The Keith Emerson soundtrack [godzillamonstermusic.com].
Re:Non-Toxic inert? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Bad article title (Score:3, Funny)
Or, as 'Ert' is a nickname my sister gave me, 'inert' generally refers to hamburgers and beer.
Evil scientist picture (Score:3, Funny)
Second, this article is REALLY short on facts. The least it could have done is explain exactly what the difference was between the dangerous and the safe uranium. A simple molecular formula comparison would have been very helpfull. Plus they should have told us WHY it was safe. Something along the lines of 'this molecule tastes horrible to other bacteria', as opposed to just leaving us hanging.
Re:Change the solubility of heavy metals (Score:3, Funny)
Actually what happens is they put heavy metal through Microsoft SongSmith thus changing it to something else entirely different.
Another application (Score:3, Funny)
If you can get these bacteria to selectively convert U-235 over U-238 (or vice-versa), then you've got an interesting bug.
Is this the Japanese miracle? (Score:1, Funny)
Section 9 should be informed...
Re:Look out, Radioactive Man! (Score:4, Funny)
Who's white?
I'm an albino, you insensitive clod!
Re:Look out, Radioactive Man! (Score:4, Funny)
After three weeks in the sun, perhaps. The natural colour of the species Brittanicus Atlanticus Gingerus is somewhere between blue and transparent.