Babita Sajnani:
Oil prices control the world markets, inflation and all the activities that are either directly or indirectly controlled by this fuel item for consumption. ‘Black gold’ as it is rightfully called is not only precious but is fast getting depleted as the reserves are not renewable and cannot be replenished soon enough. Scientists around the world are on the look out for new sources of renewable energy. There is great effort in the direction of procuring eco-friendly sources of energy that could also reduce our carbon footprint.
Several scientists are working in the field of bio-fuels. A team of researchers – led by Professor Joe Chappell from the University of Kentucky, College of Agriculture – have worked to find a relationship between the ancient past and the present with the conclusion that millions of years ago, algae were and still are capable of self-producing bio-fuels. This unique trait in such algae can possibly lead to the genetic engineering of the same for creating coal shale and oil deposits that would be renewable. Various professors, scientists and researchers from institutions around the world have established the fact that various organisms that were present on Earth more than 500 million years ago are actually the source of the coal shale and oil deposits that we have today. One of such organisms – an algae, which is known as Botryococcus braunii – was amongst the ancient organisms that turned into coal shale and oil deposits over a wide expanse of time.
The B. braunii algae grow very slowly and therefore would not prove to be a good source of bio-fuel. However, scientists are keen to genetically engineer this particular algae and transfer the biochemical traits into yeast that has also been genetically engineered under lab conditions and has resulted in the creation of oil. This breakthrough would prove to be a boon for the world as this renewable supply of bio-fuel would solve all the problems that are expected to arise because of its scarcity!
Via: ScienceDaily
