News: Harvard Scientists Identify Microbe that “Eats” Electricity

[clsage]

I have yet to fully digest this article, and have not accessed the source paper. Those disclaimers aside, I saw this and could not help but think of how the Xenomorphs biology was described in an Aliens gaming supplement I once read (probably incomplete, based solely on my memory version of the concept: as a 'handwave' to explain the whole acid for blood thing they used the idea of having the species metabolize electrical energy - ie: acid and tissues forming some sort of battery, etc). Because of that tie-in I decided to share this here, though there are obviously other uses in other genres (Monster Hunter International and Champions both spring immediately to mind)

 

http://scitechdaily.com/harvard-scientists-identify-microbe-eats-electricity/

 

-Carl-

[Zeropoint]

Hmm, interesting. If I've understood the article correctly, they've found bacteria that run in both directions, as it were. I see two possible applications for this: the first is a biological fuel cell; put in sugar water and oxygen, get electricity. The second is the reverse; put in carbon dioxide and electricity, get oxygen (and sugar).

 

Oh, and some kind of biological rust removal system?

[Cancer]

It is interesting as something to have in one of the bio reaction tanks in a space colony.

[Zeropoint]

The excellent webcomic Freefall had a mention of "electrosynthetic algae" as part of a ship's life support system once.

[Badger]

It might be my mother.  Amazaing, everytime when listening to the radio, if she gets near it.  It goes all static-like.  (actually, I have that to a lesser extent).  When I was in high school I used to cut on the radio when I woke up, so I can gradually wake up.  Even when she was quiet, I could always tell she was at a certain spot in the hall. 

 

*badger listening to Beastie Boys* (as an example)

 

Beastie Boys:  you gotta fight....for your right...*brrrrrrrrr* -party