Indian scientists have discovered naturally occurring microbes that convert carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, into calcium carbonate. The discovery is being seen as a major breakthrough that can go a long way in fighting global warming.
Allahabad, Uttar Pradesh: In a major breakthrough that could help in the fight against global warming a team of five Indian scientists from four institutes of the country have discovered a naturally occurring bacteria, which converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into a compound found in limestone and chalk.
When used as an enzyme – biomolecules that speed up a chemical reaction – the bacteria has been found to transform CO2 into calcium carbonate (CaCO3), which can fetch minerals of economic value, said Dr Anjana Sharma from the biosciences department of RD University, Jabalpur, who was part of the Rs 98.6 lakh project sponsored by the department of biotechnology (DBT) under the Union science and technology ministry.... Read the rest of the article
Comment by: PT (David Alexander) (Feb-16-2009) Web site
This is early research. OK, there is potential, but we don't know if this process can be practically commercialized or scaled up adequately for the massive CO2 currently output. Coal is also inherently dirty, and extracting it is more and more involved with exploding mountain tops, leaving arsenic and heavy metals in the local streams and ponds and air. Yes, do the research and have a short-term bridge for energy production if necessary, but pour the greatest effort into clean, limitless energy sources: wind, water movement, sunlight, and geothermal. In the end, they are the only clean and renewable sources.
The volunteers of PlanetThoughts.org are happy to give you their best selection of news, opinion, reviews, stories, quotes, tips, and more. We hope you enjoy the reading... and thinking. Thanks!