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Biochemist Creates CO2-Eating Light That Runs On Algae

geek.com -- Our atmosphere is filling up with CO2 and we seem to be the major cause of that. The generally accepted solution seems to be cutting back on emissions as quickly as possible, but implementing such cuts is problematic because everyone has to agree to do more, which essentially ends up costing a lot of time and money.

Calleja has developed a lighting system that requires no electricity for power. Instead it draws CO2 from the atmosphere and uses it to produce light as well as oxygen as a byproduct. The key ingredient to this eco-friendly light? Algae.

However, the good news is algae can also act as a biofuel once separated from the water, so even if the lights need a water change out every so often, the waste algae just forms another type of fuel where as the water can be recycled.

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Submitted May 06, 2012 By: NOTSOGRN

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anascom Champion Author Hamilton Posts:1,593 Points:553,115 Joined:Feb 2011	Message Posted: May 8, 2012 12:08:50 AM Ignore anascom Report Abuse Amazing! they must be nominated to a Nobel Prize !
USAv8tor Veteran Author Long Island Posts:348 Points:138,665 Joined:Mar 2012	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 1:54:30 AM Ignore USAv8tor Report Abuse Amazing, very innovative. They'll probably be awarded a Nobel Prize for this scientific breakthrough. Woo Hoo!
tessnlu Champion Author Missouri Posts:24,238 Points:1,106,265 Joined:Aug 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 1:30:10 AM Ignore tessnlu Report Abuse awesome
NOTSOGRN Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,056 Points:1,510,390 Joined:Dec 2007	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 1:20:34 AM Ignore NOTSOGRN Report Abuse . . orphancarguyPE...Good reply.
Nicoalbum Champion Author Ottawa Posts:6,013 Points:1,187,260 Joined:Jan 2010	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 12:31:03 AM Ignore Nicoalbum Report Abuse Use it in lighthouses
graceman Champion Author Baltimore Posts:4,968 Points:1,158,725 Joined:Jun 2008	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 12:21:08 AM Ignore graceman Report Abuse Great news.
lesndave Champion Author Texas Posts:3,032 Points:699,430 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 12:13:27 AM Ignore lesndave Report Abuse Interesting
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,176 Points:517,505 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 12:12:09 AM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse April first was a while ago!
JamesCalvin Champion Author Lancaster Posts:3,176 Points:517,505 Joined:Nov 2011	Message Posted: May 7, 2012 12:10:41 AM Ignore JamesCalvin Report Abuse There is a bridge in London with a real estate agent willing to sign a contract!
WildmanMick Veteran Author North Carolina Posts:426 Points:316,540 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 11:43:20 PM Ignore WildmanMick Report Abuse You can believe this type of system would cost a fortune.....
davenles Champion Author Texas Posts:3,191 Points:716,935 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 11:14:17 PM Ignore davenles Report Abuse Bio illumination is a very dim light source, so don't think this will work for more than a night light.
BlueberryFocus All-Star Author Rochester Posts:553 Points:128,760 Joined:Feb 2012	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 11:11:02 PM Ignore BlueberryFocus Report Abuse That's pretty awesome.
jakessoccermom Sophomore Author Wisconsin Posts:199 Points:617,170 Joined:May 2010	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 10:46:39 PM Ignore jakessoccermom Report Abuse This new technology sounds great, but at what kind of cost and is it really a viabile CO@ scrubber AND biofuel?
PDQBlues Champion Author San Diego Posts:7,064 Points:1,446,375 Joined:Jan 2009	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 9:29:15 PM Ignore PDQBlues Report Abuse Interesting technology.
SammyAdams Champion Author Tallahassee Posts:3,049 Points:791,770 Joined:Nov 2010	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 9:15:56 PM Ignore SammyAdams Report Abuse If he is successful with this, then BO and the EPA will need to look elsewhere for a problem to create in order to regulate, tax, and otherwise run the American economy into the ground.
tatker Champion Author Asheville Posts:1,955 Points:557,880 Joined:Dec 2010	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 8:51:28 PM Ignore tatker Report Abuse Yipee bring it
Cakes77 Champion Author Harrisburg Posts:5,151 Points:1,650,695 Joined:Aug 2006	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 8:44:33 PM Ignore Cakes77 Report Abuse ok
orphancarguyPE Champion Author PEI Posts:3,838 Points:733,040 Joined:Jan 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 8:33:30 PM Ignore orphancarguyPE Report Abuse I like this: "In the future energy sources will be much more than dinosaurs and ferns that died millions of years ago." Yes, it might be algae that died quite recently.
MidNJ Champion Author New Jersey Posts:7,546 Points:1,171,835 Joined:Sep 2009	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 8:12:18 PM Ignore MidNJ Report Abuse In the future energy sources will be much more than dinosaurs and ferns that died millions of years ago. This is the kind of research that will help get us off fossil fuels in the future.
deputydog082 Champion Author Detroit Posts:1,775 Points:658,390 Joined:Apr 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 8:05:10 PM Ignore deputydog082 Report Abuse if commercially viable, it would solve multiple problems!
Rockyguitar Champion Author Tampa Posts:2,557 Points:1,200,820 Joined:Sep 2008	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 7:03:19 PM Ignore Rockyguitar Report Abuse RNDII, you nailed it.
northeast2 Champion Author New York Posts:3,849 Points:1,007,200 Joined:Mar 2008	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:57:16 PM Ignore northeast2 Report Abuse So Newt will not have to put algae in the gas tank in his car but in his light fixture at home.
RNCII Champion Author Michigan Posts:2,478 Points:642,175 Joined:Jun 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:48:01 PM Ignore RNCII Report Abuse Our atmosphere is filling with CO2 and we seem to be the major cause of that. Bull crap one volcano eruption accounts for way more that man kind puts out in decade. But that aside it would be interesting to see if you could produce enough algae to heat your home during the winter if lighted your home year round with lamps. [Edited by: RNCII at 5/6/2012 6:48:52 PM EST]
Night Owl Champion Author Toronto Posts:7,545 Points:1,785,625 Joined:Jul 2004	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:31:02 PM Ignore Night Owl Report Abuse Interesting.
pscamp Champion Author Ottawa Posts:3,263 Points:473,085 Joined:May 2011	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:28:14 PM Ignore pscamp Report Abuse hope that it is true
Yankee829 Champion Author Dallas Posts:2,196 Points:557,640 Joined:Sep 2010	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:20:41 PM Ignore Yankee829 Report Abuse Ok
humblepie Champion Author Toledo Posts:34,147 Points:2,369,420 Joined:Mar 2006	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 6:10:54 PM Ignore humblepie Report Abuse tree killer................
Goatroper Champion Author Dallas Posts:6,589 Points:1,292,510 Joined:Apr 2004	Message Posted: May 6, 2012 5:39:17 PM Ignore Goatroper Report Abuse Our atmosphere is not "filling up with co2". The "huge" increase of the past year was 2 ppm after water vapor was extracted. 2 PARTS PER MILLION. So co2 constitutes over 385 ppm while water vapor constitutes over 900 ppm. Since 1900, gloom and doom sayers have told us, co2 has increased 35 percent. So from around 200 ppm to the current 385 ppm. This is a miniscule amount...think about it. For every 1,000,000 molecules of atmosphere there are only 385 molecules of carbon dioxide.