The human race is doomed, and it's all our own fault. With the quantity of carbon in our atmosphere now well beyond the safe limit, it's almost certain the planet's temperature will continue to rise. Climate change is causing natural disasters of biblical proportions; a situation that's only going to get worse as time progresses. We all need to work harder to improve this situation by using less energy and behaving more responsibly. But since some people will never be convinced the Earth's rapidly approaching the end of its humanity-hospitable era, we're now in dire need of alternative options to save us from ourselves. To help get the word out, we've compiled a list of some of the most exciting scientific projects we've seen of late that could, if successful, undo some or all of the damage we've caused.
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UC Berkeley’s Artificial Photosynthesis
The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the warmer the planet gets and the closer we get to our inevitable destruction. That’s why researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California, Berkeley, came up with a way to suck that CO2 out of the air and turn it into something useful. With a combination of nanowires and genetically engineered bacteria, the team was able to turn carbon into a variety of chemicals that can be used today. For instance, the process can create biofuels for cars, the base component for anti-malaria drugs and, even better, large quantities of biodegradable plastic.
Project leader professor Peidong Yang is optimistic about the approach’s potential, and while the system currently boasts a solar energy-conversion rate of only 0.4 percent, about as efficient as the photosynthesis in a leaf, he’s got a plan to push that figure as high as 10 percent. When that happens, don’t be surprised if we suddenly see artificial photosynthesis plants popping up across the globe.
[Image Credit: Berkeley]
[Image: Lisa Werner / Alamy]
![<p class="p1"><span class="s1">The more carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere, the warmer the planet gets and the closer we get to our inevitable destruction. That’s why researchers at the <a href="http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/04/16/major-advance-in-artificial-photosynthesis/">Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory</a> and University of California, Berkeley, came up with a way to suck that CO2 out of the air and <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2015/04/24/berkeley-artificial-photosynthesis-breakthrough/">turn it into something useful</a>. With a combination of nanowires and genetically engineered bacteria, the team was able to turn carbon into a variety of chemicals that can be used today. For instance, the process can create biofuels for cars, the base component for anti-malaria drugs and, even better, large quantities of biodegradable plastic. </span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Project leader professor Peidong Yang is optimistic about the approach’s potential, and while the system currently boasts a solar energy-conversion rate of only 0.4 percent, about as efficient as the photosynthesis in a leaf, he’s got a plan to push that figure as high as 10 percent. When that happens, don’t be surprised if we suddenly see artificial photosynthesis plants popping up across the globe. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">[Image Credit: <a href="http://newscenter.lbl.gov/2015/04/16/major-advance-in-artificial-photosynthesis/">Berkeley</a>] </span></p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/VwE2nM3HP3TI_xqsgv8mXA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTEzNDc-/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/3TQ0Xk_feBKrY03dl1eXpg--~B/aD0xMDI0O3c9NzMwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/349/312/1/S3493121/slug/l/peidong-yang-figure-2-1.jpg)
![<p class="p1"><span class="s1">To everyone who says that switching to a low-carbon economy is too expensive, here are two handy responses:</span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">a) <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/04/14/un-ipcc-says-climate-change-fix-is-affordable/">The UN disagrees</a>.<br />
b) <a href="http://www.engadget.com/2014/06/27/german-renewable-energy-glut/">Take a look at Germany's "glut of [renewable] energy."</a></span></p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s1"></span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">Last year, Germany generated so much power from renewable sources that it had to <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-06-26/germany-s-new-coal-plants-push-power-glut-to-4-year-high">shut down</a> some brand-new coal-fired power plants it had commissioned. Even better is that power prices have dropped every year and a recent report from <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-04-12/germany-proves-life-with-less-fossil-fuel-getting-easier"><em>Bloomberg</em></a> reveals that Germany is even dealing with those cloudy, wind-free days better than the rest of Europe, too. By giving renewables priority to the power grid, the country’s fossil-fuel infrastructure is being gradually mothballed and replaced with greener alternatives. Hell, if Germany can reach its target of getting 45 percent of its national energy from renewables by 2025, then the rest of the world can, too. </span></p>
<p class="p1"><span class="s1">[Image Credit: Getty]</span></p>](https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/BYh0bqUUmODjbMhHySrDiA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTQ3Mg--/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/PJv7IzxBIIe4pj3liXwJaA--~B/aD0xMjMwO3c9MjUwMDthcHBpZD15dGFjaHlvbg--/https://www.blogcdn.com/slideshows/images/slides/349/313/6/S3493136/slug/l/power-plant-photovoltaic-wind-energy-1.jpg)
