22nd February 2012
Bacteria from space provides electricity

Scientists at a university in Britain have been working on new and exciting forms of energy.  This particular kind of electricity generation is called microbial energy because it uses microrganisms such as bacteria that cannot be seen with the naked eye.

To develop this energy source scientists experimented with using different species of bacteria and discovered a winning combination that boosted the bacteria battery's power.  In this winning mix was a surprise from space!  The bacteria, Bacillus stratosphericus, is usually found floating 30km above earth with the satelites.  Through various weather and atmosphere systems this microscopic creature has found its way to the UK river where the bacteria was collected.

Bacteria can be found almost everywhere on earth including in water, under the earth's crust and even on our skin and inside our bodies.  In fact, bacteria is extremely helpful to us, although sometimes bacteria can also cause diseases.  Bacteria are great at breaking things down - bacteria in soil help process dead material such as dead leaves and bugs into rich compost.  When they break down these substances they create energy - a bit like the energy a glowworm creates to make its tail glow!

Making electricity with bacteria isn't a new idea.  It first began in 1911 when a British professor successfully produced electricity from E.coli bacteria.  Now as we race to develop renewable sources of energy this process has had a lot more attention.  The powerful combination of bacteria managed to double the electricity output of the 'Microbial Fuel Cell' from 105 to 200 watts, producing enough energy to power several lightbulbs.  All these cells need is to be immersed in water or buried in soil to kick-start the breaking down process and produce energy.  

If further experiments and trials are successful, this new energy source could become very useful in parts where electricity is scarce, or for powering small appliances such as roadside signs.

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