So, what happens when you put together biologists, physicists, and chemical engineers (of course, they’ll be part of the mix)? Well, if this group from Columbia University is any indication, you get a new kind of engine that may be the answer to our future power needs.
Tag Archives: spores
Bug Power
Now, this is thinking outside the box. Dr. Adam Driks (Loyola, Illinois) is a microbiologist who has been studying spores for a while. A spore is a protective shell (actually, concentric shells) that some microbes form to keep themselves preserved during periods of environmental stress. It was originally thought to be like a walnut shell protecting the valuable components within. But, Driks has been studying Bacillus spores and found that when the relative humidity changes, so does the spore itself.