According to Kelsey, Sakimoto from Harvard, they feel very ashamed that open long ago the property of microorganisms have so far not been claimed. We are talking about the ability of bacteria to convert heavy metals into their sulfides, which are semiconductors. And those unable to participate in the process of photosynthesis, effectively removing the energy from the sunlight for human needs.
To grow a living “farm of photosynthesis” was incredibly simple. It’s enough to add in a nutrient broth culture bacteria solution of cadmium. As a result of biological processes it is converted into cadmium sulfide, which covers the body of bacteria “spikes”. These growths catch the rays of sunlight – just need to add water and carbon dioxide to run photosynthesis.
The bacterium is thorny shell of cadmium sulfide without much discomfort, it is part of its natural mechanism of protection against exposure to toxic heavy metals. Photosynthesis occurs passively, the farmer only need to set the trays with the bacteria to light, add water, CO2, and pump out an acetic acid – the end product of this process. Complex chemical compound can be used as fuel and as raw material in the production of plastic.
Cyborgs such bacteria are called due to a combination of living flesh and dead shell, but scientists do not believe that this is the optimal version. Estimated efficiency of similar farms is 6 times higher than that of plants with their natural photosynthesis, and 4 times better than existing solar panels. But in practice, photosynthesis may be implemented by hundreds ways to pick the perfect architecture of “power” extremely difficult. The project bacteria-a cyborg is only the beginning.