US researchers have successfully tested the rather whacky idea of producing electricity from a mushroom covered in bacteria. The scientists used 3D printing to attach clusters of energy-producing bugs to the cap of a button mushroom. The fungus provided the ideal environment to allow the cyanobacteria to generate a small amount of power. The authors say their fossil-free "bionic mushroom" could have great potential.
The author of this piece has clearly decided that snarkasm is the order of the day, but then again, it's a glowing mushroom, so fair enough I suppose.
Using a special bio-ink, the team printed the bacteria on the cap of the mushroom in a spiral pattern. They had previously used an electronic ink to embed graphene nano-ribbons on to the surface of the fungus to collect the current. When they shone a light on this magical mushroom, it caused the cyanobacteria to generate a small amount of electricity. Not quite a lightbulb moment but proof that the idea works. The researchers say that several mushrooms wired up together could light a small lamp.
Kinda hard to see this one taking off in a big way though.
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46127318
I dunno. This could really get big surprisingly quickly. You know, as mushrooms do.
ReplyDeleteAh, Protoculture has been invented
ReplyDelete