Posted on Leave a comment

Umm, yummy electrons – scientists discover bacteria that eat pure electrons

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria

Scientists at the University Of Southern California (USC) have discovered bacteria that survive on nothing but electricity. Rather than eat food, they eat (and excrete) pure electrons. This is a, ahem, shocking discovery as almost all life on earth survives by consuming sugar to live.

Everything you eat is first digested and then converted into glucose sugars. The sugars that result carry excess electrons (using a molecule called ATP) which are ferried from the sugar to the oxygen you breathe creating a flow of electrons – or energy. Your body uses this energy to do everything from moving around a room to picking your nose. The bizarre bacteria discovered by the USC geeks, however, do not need to process sugars to start up the flow of electron energy. They feed directly on electrons, cutting out the middleman altogether.

The USC biologists began by gathering bacteria obtained from sediment gathered on the ocean floor. They took the bacteria back to the lab and stuck them back in water. Then they (cruelly we might add) stuck electrodes to the water. They found that when higher voltages were pumped into the water, the bacteria “ate” electrons from the electrodes. When a lower voltage was applied, the bacteria breathed a sigh of relief and “exhaled” electrons onto the electrode. Pick yourself up off the floor. Yes, the bacteria were getting their energy from its purest form – electrons – the equivalent of a person sticking their finger in an electrical socket (don’t try this by the way, electricity is not only dangerous, but also expensive).

All told, various researchers around the world have now discovered upwards of 10 different kinds of bacteria that feed on electricity, many of which they hope may someday be used to power molecular-sized motors or nanomachines. For now, scientists are unsure how these amazing bacteria work.

Image Credits

In-Article Image Credits

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria via CDC with usage type - Public Domain. 2001

Featured Image Credit

Staphylococcus aureus bacteria via CDC with usage type - Public Domain. 2001

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *