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Bacteria Can Build Nanowires

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the everyone's-favorite-buzzword dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "Researchers at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) have discovered that under certain conditions, some very common bacteria can form nanowires. These bacteria were able to produce nanowires as small as 10 nanometers in diameter, but which can reach hundreds of microns in length. What is interesting here is that these nanowires are electrically conductive ones. This means that bacteria could be used to build microbial fuel cells or bacteria-powered batteries. As one researcher said, 'Earth appears to be hard-wired.'"

4 of 94 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Bacteria powered pacemakers? by nitro2k01 · · Score: 2, Informative

    But energy can't be created. No matter what you need an energy source. Pace makers use well isolated, acid-free silver batteries as of today.

  2. Re:Bacteria powered pacemakers? by Zyprexia · · Score: 2, Informative

    The text litery says: This means that bacteria could be used to build bacteria-powered batteries.

  3. This is not a power technology by smartalix · · Score: 3, Informative

    Let's be careful when talking about this tech, as it is a wire-building tech, not a power generation tech. This technology will be able to create the conductive structures needed in those next-gen fuel cells and batteries, but this is not microbial fuel cell technology.

    --
    Read a preview of my novel CYBERCHILD at www.smartalix.com/cyberchild
  4. Re:What would you clean the wires with? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    Why?

    You surely want the bacteria dead once you have built your circuit anyway. If you keep them alive, they could carry on making more wire which may then cause a short circuit and then screw up your circuit completely.

    Ok, I know it was supposed to be a joke, but it was based on a stupid assumption.