Bacteria taught to spin microscopic gears right round, could make for better solar panels

With a name like Bacillus subtilis and a size of five microns you probably wouldn't expect much in the way of heavy lifting, but don't let first impressions fool you. This tiny organism has been taught by scientists at Argonne National Laboratory to spin little gears that weigh one million times more than the bacteria themselves -- that'd be like you lifting both an original Xbox and a PS3 at the same time! Applications are, apparently, endless, but the one that caught our eye involves photovoltaics able to "snag lots of photons from the sun." You know what that means: more juice for your Prius so you can crank that Dead or Alive CD guilt-free.

[NHAnimator Posted Dec 21st 2009 9:54AM]

Thanks for the Youthquake ref. I'll be singing that to myself for hours.

[ilh Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:01AM]

I wonder what they'll be paying the bacteria for working.

[t2af Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:34AM]

@ilh

they'll be fine , they have a union.

[Tiptup300 Posted Dec 21st 2009 1:07PM]

@ilh

I just wonder how long till PETA finds this inhuman.

[dec Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:14PM]

@ilh probably more than most of us in this job market : (

[FreshLeo Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:06AM]

That's simply great. Maybe we could teach them to build houses themselves? xD
How about nuclear fusion? They'd be able of doing that.
And you could use these perfectly for turning the wheels of a car much faster heh

But seriously, I wonder how much energy these could give on solar panels. The highest degree of efficiency of photovoltaics is about 40%. I think the physically highest possible efficiency level of photovoltaics is about 95%... Way to go

[r3loaded Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:08AM]

Lol at the Dead or Alive reference. Was planning to post my own but I've already been beaten!

[Revenant Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:09AM]

What's the life expectancy for most bacteria?

[shadowj0 Posted Dec 21st 2009 9:29PM]

@Revenant

I work in a lab that specializes in B. subtilus, and with all bacteria, you would be surprised. Under the right conditions, and in this particular case with the specific growth surroundings, the bacteria can divide in a way that the growth and development of new bacteria can be used in a way to produce the energy and output needed for this experiment to be successful. This division process can be continued for a long time, until the nutrition source runs out.

Specifically, our experiments were done in a way to induce division in an unnatural, synthetic way, but to produce spores for various uses. The way to induce sporulation can be tweaked to create conditions of poor nutrition to divide continually for the process to continue.

[Narfmaster Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:11AM]

You spin me right round baby right round...

[bri1232001 Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:24AM]

@Narfmaster damn you beat me to it

[gerrrg Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:29AM]

@Narfmaster

Like a record baby, right around, round round...

[Old fogie late bloomer Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:45AM]

"... in a manner depriving me of an inertial reference frame. Baby."

http://xkcd.com/123/

[Eternal Density Posted Dec 21st 2009 5:02PM]

@Old fogie late bloomer
Thanks for the obligatory dose of xkcd :D

[bonaqo Posted Dec 21st 2009 6:37PM]

@Narfmaster
I'm spinning around
Move out of my way
I know you're feelin' me 'cuz you like
it like this

[g8t0r Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:50AM]

I imagine they will outsource to bacteria that live in India for a fraction of what they pay bacteria in the states. Soon, businesses have to pay bacteria unemployment!

[streetsmart Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:57AM]

In the future there will be "Bacteria rights activists" fighting for the over worked and tired Bacteria ;-)

[NAME Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:00AM]

END SLAVERY.. BACTERIA ARE PEOPLE TOO!!

[psych2l Posted Dec 21st 2009 1:44PM]

Bacillus subtilis, don't call me by my slave name!!!

[roger27 Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:29AM]

I hate to be the rain on the parade, but this stupid sh*t never leads to anything ever. how many times have they taught bacteria to spin a gear, or form a star and rotate to the left (quite a few if you keep up with this stuff)? I'm afirad this is just some university students trying to make an interesting thesis.

[mynando Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:35AM]

LMAO @ all references!

[Pangs Posted Dec 21st 2009 11:59AM]

Your Prius has a photovoltaic array? Now that's news!

[bigcow05 Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:13PM]

Intelligent design?

/sarcasm

[TC Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:51PM]

You guys see better solar panels and clever science - I just see pissed-off bacteria who are evidently already armed with giant ninja death stars, and the imminent end of mankind as we know it.

[xkaosu9x Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:55PM]

This reminds me of the hamster that's spinning the wheels inside your head. I suppose then that this is what will spin the wheels in the hamsters head...? This could be bad as it could cause the hamsters to become sentient and then go on strike. Robot Apocalypse be damned; the hamsters are coming!

[Karate Tortoise Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:55PM]

If you listen close enough, you can hear them singing freedom songs at night.

[Funke Tobias Dr Posted Dec 21st 2009 5:19PM]

@Karate Tortoise
All's well as long as we keep them from learning how to read.

[RandomGuy Posted Dec 21st 2009 12:57PM]

Screw the solar power application, I want bacteria powered HotWheels!

[mtkupp Posted Dec 21st 2009 1:13PM]

Hmm, less than 2 rpm. Must be union labor.

[7egend Posted Dec 21st 2009 2:11PM]

Technically, it isn't Bacillus subtilis, they are called Whos.

“A person's a person, no matter how small.”

[skeeterfood Posted Dec 21st 2009 2:15PM]

"Andrey Sokolov of Princeton University and Igor Aronson from Argonne, along with Bartosz A. Grzybowski and Mario M. Apodaca from Northwestern University, observed that the bacteria appeared to swim at random—but >>>occasionally

[skeeterfood Posted Dec 21st 2009 2:16PM]

occasionally

[skeeterfood Posted Dec 21st 2009 2:18PM]

"Andrey Sokolov of Princeton University and Igor Aronson from Argonne, along with Bartosz A. Grzybowski and Mario M. Apodaca from Northwestern University, observed that the bacteria appeared to swim at random—but occasionally the organisms collided with the spokes of the gear and began turning it in a definite direction."

So they didn't teach them anything, they just "occasionally" do it? How is this news?

Stupid comment system doesn't like 3 less than signs together...

[Accidental Posted Dec 21st 2009 3:10PM]

That's pretty sick! (no pun intended)

[someone Posted Dec 21st 2009 3:51PM]

What happens once they evolve? We may just create another overworked intelligent life form on our planet. Who will win?

[Melvin Posted Dec 21st 2009 4:15PM]

I had forgotten how heavy the original XBOX was.

[KHagin Posted Dec 21st 2009 8:06PM]

They didn't teach them crap. Did the person who wrote this even read the entire article?

The organisms randomly performed this feat, which is cool but is completely different from TEACHING a microorganism to do something...that would be amazing, this is just cool.

[AM321CAN Posted Dec 21st 2009 10:26PM]

Breaking News:
Bacteria were spinning because of mood changing music playing in the background: "you spin me right round baby right round like a record baby round round round round"