Remember learning about America’s "amber waves of grain?" Well, it turns out that the United States’ bread basket—a.k.a., the Corn Belt—is even more productive than previously thought. In fact, during its growing season, it’s the most productive land on Earth, according to new NASA data.
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Plants grown and sustain themselves through photosynthesis—a seemingly invisible process that converts sunlight into energy. Now, NASA scientists have developed a way to measure photosynthesis from satellites with unprecedented detail.
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There’s a more efficient way to harvest energy from the backyard than by wiring up hapless critters. Researchers at the University of Georgia have proof: they’ve discovered a way to generate electricity from plants through hijacking the photosynthesis process. By altering the proteins inside a plant cell’s thylakoids, which store solar energy, scientists can intercept electrons through a carbon nanotube backing that draws them away before they’re used to make sugar. While the resulting power isn’t phenomenal, it’s still two orders of magnitude better than previous methods, according to the university. The protein modification method may have a rosier future, as well: the team believes that it could eventually compete with solar cells, producing green energy in a very literal sense.
Via: Gizmag
Source: RSC Publishing, University of Georgia
Who would have thought that science could mimic nature to such an exact point? The video above depicts an artificial photosynthesis system that is said to share a similar efficiency level as that of plants when it comes to reducing the amount of CO2 levels. This is made possible thanks to a group of boffins over at Panasonic, whose Artificial Photosynthesis System produces organic materials with a world-leading efficiency of 0.2%, which is on par with that found in real plants used in biomass energy.
Just what does artificial photosynthesis do? This technology will rely on natural sunlight to produce oxygen and organic substances from water and carbon dioxide, in the same way that plants do, except that you need not water or put fertilizer for your plants, and I don’t think you will suffer from issues like your cat or dog chewing on the plants or digging them out. This could very well be a future forward technology that could solve global warming and energy issues, but let us not get too far ahead of ourselves first, no? [Press Release]
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA-Class Is Most Aerodynamic Production Vehicle, 2014 Cadillac ELR Unveiled, 
Greenery may fulfill a superficial need to improve the landscape aesthetic, but plants play a much more critical role in regular life function, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Panasonic is among the companies attempting to replicate this natural procedure through artificial means, and it looks like the Japanese electronics maker is well on its way towards a viable solution. Presenting at the International Conference on the Conversion and Storage of Solar Energy this week, Panasonic announced the development of an Artificial Photosynthesis System, which uses a nitride semiconductor to convert water and carbon dioxide — a byproduct of factories and power plants — into an organic material called formic acid, which is used in the manufacturing of dyes and fragrances. Covering the planet in formic acid wouldn’t necessarily represent progress, but assuming demand isn’t exceeded, it certainly beats CO2. Best yet, Panasonic claims that the system converts the substances at plant-like efficiency rates, or 0.2 percent. Hit up the PR after the break for a more granular look at the company’s creation.
Filed under: Science
Panasonic Photosynthesis System converts carbon dioxide to organic material with plant-like efficiency originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 06:41:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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