MIT Researchers Harness Viruses To Split Water 347
ByronScott writes "A team of researchers at MIT has just announced that they have successfully modified a virus to split apart molecules of water, paving the way for an efficient and non-energy-intensive method of producing hydrogen fuel. 'The team, led by Angela Belcher, the Germeshausen Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Biological Engineering, engineered a common, harmless bacterial virus called M13 so that it would attract and bind with molecules of a catalyst (the team used iridium oxide) and a biological pigment (zinc porphyrins). The viruses became wire-like devices that could very efficiently split the oxygen from water molecules. Over time, however, the virus-wires would clump together and lose their effectiveness, so the researchers added an extra step: encapsulating them in a microgel matrix, so they maintained their uniform arrangement and kept their stability and efficiency.'"
Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:5, Funny)
I can just see it now. Some of these get dropped into an ocean, multiply, and eventually deconstruct the majority of the world's water into oxygen and hydrogen. It's the end of the world!!
End of the world? (Score:1, Funny)
Let's hope these don't spread into the ocean turning it into a toxic gas that will wipe out most life on earth...
Hollywood, are you listening? (Score:5, Funny)
Despite the self-limiting nature of the technique they describe, whether it ends up working in production or not, I guarantee you that, in a matter of days, someone is going to be flogging a script around Hollywood studios about a runaway virus destroying all the water on earth and the team of hot, young scientists who save the day at the last possible minute by using something compounded from randomly selected Greek and Latin roots.
Re:Bacterial virus? (Score:3, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:5, Funny)
Just don't get any on your skin.
"Gas bag science researchers exploding with good news. Film at eleven!"
Parting water molecules (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:5, Funny)
Even if viruses could reproduce without a host (they can't), when oxygen mixes with hydrogen, the hydrogen oxidizes (burns) instantly. The exhaust from burning hydrogen is water.
Sheesh, I knew that in the 7th grade. [slashdot.org] I almost got expelled from school for knowing it...
Re:Hmm... (Score:3, Funny)
Actually the water in the zombies will all get broken down into hydrogen and oxygen so we're good.
My new car runs on zombies!
Re:What could ... (Score:4, Funny)
Since the viruses use sunlight to convert water, all we would need to do is to stay in a dark room.
A large tin foil hat can also be used.
What's in a name.... (Score:1, Funny)
A GAS evolving VIRUS is created by the GERMeshausen Professor of Materials Science who's last name is BELCHER! Shouldn't this be an April 1 post?
Re:No, they harness catalysts to split water (Score:5, Funny)
Hey, this is Slashdot. Stop depressing us with your world's-not-going-to-end attitude.
Re:Hollywood, are you listening? (Score:3, Funny)
*gasp* they resort to polyamory??? FIENDS!
Re:What could possibly go wrong? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:5, Funny)
No, I think you are approximately 90% FUD and 10% skin.
M13? (Score:3, Funny)
I didn't know that was a bacterial virus, I thought it was a plant. Who knew? Wow!
Re:Desalination (Score:1, Funny)
Recombining Hydrogen and Oxygen is usually an explosive process though.
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:5, Funny)
Didn't it take a VERY LONG TIME for repopulation to happen... ?
Well it couldn't have taken that long.. after all, the earth is only 6000 years old!
/me ducks
Re:Perpetual Motion ... (Score:2, Funny)
Re:What could possibly go wrong? (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps they could use light as the energy source required. You could even make sugar with it! But you'd need to collect the sunlight - since red and blue are the highest-energy colors, it would need to be a green pigment.
If only such a thing existed...
Re:End of the world? (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:1, Funny)
You had me worried for a minute, glad you got sensible in that last sentence.
Congradulations (Score:5, Funny)
So congrats, you owe yourself a beer. Now get back to work.
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:3, Funny)
True. But Pandas are cute and Spotted Owls are not. So fuck those Owls I say! They need to be furry and cute for me to give a hoot.
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:1, Funny)
Darwinism at work, my friend.
Re:Hopefully they aren't too effective.. (Score:4, Funny)
I was thinking more along the lines of "Ugly bags of mostly water".
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_Soil)
Re:End of the world? (Score:3, Funny)
A) Tell that to an anaerobic organism.
OR
B) philosophical question: Is the global firestorm, caused by a spark igniting the H and O mixture, toxic?