Scientists engineer extreme bacteria to make fuel from carbon dioxide

Pyrococcus
P. furiosus bacterium. Credit: Missouri University of Science and Technology

The following is an edited excerpt.

University of Georgia researchers recently used the mighty Pyrococcus furiosus, which usually eats carbohydrates and lives in super-heated waters or volcanic marine mud. By toying with the genome-sequenced microorganism’s genetic material, they were able to make it eat carbon dioxide. After that, using hydrogen gas to form a chemical reaction in the microorganism, the researchers got the microorganism to produce 3-hydroxypropionic acid, a common chemical used in household products. Now the researchers are looking into turning the process into one that could eventually produce fuel.

Read the full article here: Scientists Engineer Extreme Microorganisms To Make Fuel From Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

 

Related Articles

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Infographic: Global regulatory and health research agencies on whether glyphosate causes cancer

Does glyphosate—the world's most heavily-used herbicide—pose serious harm to humans? Is it carcinogenic? Those issues are of both legal and ...

Most Popular

Picture1
Hiroshima at 81: America’s new nuclear bomb, a buried Iranian target, and a question no one wants to ask
png livestock cow cattle a
Consumer skepticism about gene-edited milk is neither fixed nor particularly high—and falls even more if it’s priced lower
ChatGPT-Image-Mar-10-2026-01_39_01-PM
Viewpoint—“Miracle molecule” debunked: Why acemannan supplements don’t work
ChatGPT-Image-Jul-31-2026-07_35_35-AM
Wikipedia has assembled an informative list of fake news websites from across the ideological spectrum
Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-2.25.49-PM
As measles vaccination rates collapse, scientists push for treatments long considered unnecessary
Screenshot-2026-07-31-at-10.52.03-AM
Love sweets and fatty foods? You can blame your genes, but there are ways to quell the obsessions
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 09_08_15 AM 2
The retreat of environmental extremism: Why activist NGOs are losing favor
Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-2.15.16-PM
Viewpoint: Trump’s relaxed controls on supplying China with microchips could undermine U.S. AI dominance
ChatGPT-Image-Aug-4-2026-10_15_14-AM
Viewpoint—A hard look at the Fauci diaries: Do they change what we know about COVID’s origins?
Screenshot-2026-07-17-at-1.34.59-PM
Poll: Vaccine hesitancy soars when patients distrust health providers and turn to social media
ChatGPT Image Jul 29, 2026, 10_17_59 AM
Viewpoint: What does it mean when critics of conventional agriculture say many fruits and vegetables are “linked” to pesticide poisoning?
Screenshot-2026-08-03-at-2.06.39-PM
Viewpoint: Green energy supporters ‘fight back’ against conservative foundations backing  fossil fuel industry
glp menu logo outlined

Get news on human & agricultural genetics and biotechnology delivered to your inbox.