Slashdot Mirror
Methane-Eating Bacteria Could Combat Global Warming
realwx writes "New Zealand scientists have found a bacterium, named 'Methylokorus infernorum,' that eats a key global warming chemical. Found in a hot spring, the bug lives off of methane emissions from geothermically active areas. A scientist quoted in the article stated that a cubic meter of liquid containing the bacterium would consume about 11kg of methane each year. 'But Dr Stott cautioned that such an application was probably some years into the future. He said it was unlikely the micro-organism, which prefers acidic conditions of about 60C, could ever be added to sheep or cows' food to stop the animals releasing methane.'"
my wife would appreciate some methane reducing lifeforms to combat my post-Thanksgiving gas venting. I've literally been a musical instrument all day long.
From TFS: "He said it was unlikely the micro-organism, which prefers acidic conditions of about 60C, could ever be added to sheep or cows' food to stop the animals releasing methane."
No, that's what this is for!
If this substance found its way into the food supply, it could be the end of ancient tradition of fart-lighting. The cultural loss would be incalculable.
I don't think it should be written off as "vaporware" but this is obviously still very much in it's infancy.
I pretty sure that even if this technology is sufficiently developed it should still be classified as vaporware.
The laws of probability forbid it!
How many liters would have to be put into Capitol Hill each year to offset the methane there.... the mind boggles!
---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
Great idea - just change human behavior and it'll work great! Hey, it worked for the communists.
Ooooor, you could try to use technology to improve the situation. But don't let me interrupt your Quixotian quest to change people by admonishing them. Get them to stop eating beef while you are at it.
W..w..W - Willy Waterloo washes Warren Wiggins who is washing Waldo Woo.
In other news, scientists also discover a way of combatting another major greenhouse gas - carbon dioxide. This newly discovered group of organisms, tentatively called "plants", not only absorbs the carbon dioxide gas, but also produces oxygen AND SOME can be quite tasty in a stir-fry. Further research is continuing, with the hopes these so-called "plants" becoming commercially viable by 2010.
I don't know. I think building all those country acreages helps combat global warming. After all, it doesn't take many city drivers who are unused to the country running over stray cows to make a measurable difference in methane output.
If god wanted us to cut back on cow consumption, they wouldn't be made of tasty meat. Who are you to argue with god's intelligent design?
-karmaburn
You never realize how much manually made unmanaged "linked" lists suck, till you have src.link.link.link.link...
Really? A friend had that once. Penicillin did the trick.
When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
We can't all afford to be vegan. After all, we need all those crops for biodiesel.
Don't be apathetic. Procrastinate!
Quixotian? LOL
There's nothing wrong with this neologism, as it conveys perfectly accurately the message that the author intended to emit, by making a reference to something that everyone knows about...
You just got troll'd!
Did my comment turn you on to the point you had to perform that sort of intellectual masturbation that was strictly irrelevant to the topic at hand anyways?
You just got troll'd!