Fueling the Future (yeah, I know that's so generic, but we're going for it)

There's a new enzyme that breaks down everything living more quickly. This might let us use enery sources other than the practice of using food plants for fuel production. Some Norwegian scientists reported it recently. It's simple in theory, but...

Ethanol and methane are alternative energy sources that are made by the decomposition of biomass. We could use shellfish or wood. Finding a quick, efficient means of converting biomass has been without results so far. This means that usually, biofuel is derived from food plants, which we really need to feed people.


We need to design new enzymes to break down possible energy sources into ethanol. The way we currently do it is too expensive and complicated. Oxidohydrolases could make it cheaper and easier to produce biofuel.

They could also help reduce the use of edible plants to produce that biofuel. Large-scale biofuel production will require materials that are readily available. Oxidohydrolases can break down these more sutible materials. What we really need to do is choose what to use and then make it CHEAP.

I like algae and tabacco personally.

I found all this really cool because my dad used to help the government solve this exact problem. Sadly, we still haven't made the production of the needed enzymes fast and cheap, or a way to efficiently implement them. Since I'm thinking of becoming an chemical engineer, this migh be something I will one day have to solve. I'm going to have to put some time into this one.

Congratulations

The 2010 Nobel Prize in chemistry was awarded to three professors, one from the University of Delaware, one from Purdue University, and one from Hokkaido University. They have made a tool to make carbon to carbon bonds in organic chemistry. They call it palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling.

It would let scientists be able to make compounds as complex as those made in nature, something we were previously unable to do. The tool could be used in a wide range of fields, from agriculture and pharmaceuticals to coatings for electronic components.

I thought this was interesting because we are finishing up an organic chemistry unit in biology right now, and because of all its uses. I mean, isn't it ironic that there would be big news in the same field I'm looking at right now? I think it's funny personally. We were just talking about carbon bonds, and here is just what I wanted to do- learn something I didn't know about chemistry.

I really liked this for its uses because of how much this is good for. You can now make your own materials with ease for any number of things, and as complicated as nessacary. You could make the best possible medicines, a perfect building material, even microscopic cutting tools that could disintigrate after being used and not just be stuck in there. All sorts of health problems could be cured, especially with blood. You can make things to break down cholesterol, prevent strokes, and get rid of blood clots that would otherwise require surgery. By being able to make anything, you can do anything. Anything is possible.

And Here We Go Again...

Well, I'm back to blogging! First post for AT and I think it's pretty good. I'll actually find an issue for next time to talk about. Promise. Just had to say hi first. Check out everything here. I have astronomy up and running.

Thanks. Ciao.