What's new

Welcome to Offtopix 👋, Visitor

Off Topix is a well-established general discussion forum that originally opened to the public in 2009! We provide a laid-back atmosphere, and our members are down to earth. We have a ton of content, and fresh stuff is constantly being added. We cover all sorts of topics, so there's bound to be something inside to pique your interest. We welcome anyone and everyone to register and become a member of our awesome community.

Join Our Facebook Page Today!

Join the conversation and help spread the word about offtopix on Facebook! Your voice matters—let’s make an impact together!

Join Our X.com Page Today!

Join the conversation and become a champion for Offtopix on X.com! Your voice is powerful, and together, we can create meaningful change!

Join offtopix Discord Server Today!

Join the conversation and become a champion for Offtopix on Discord! Your voice holds incredible power, and together, we can create impactful change!

Pee power: Urine-loving bug churns out space fuel

Jazzy

Waiting....
Valued Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2010
Posts
71,573
Reaction score
1,221
Points
2,125
Location
State Of Confusion
Website
wober.net
Scientists on Sunday said they had gained insights into a remarkable bacterium that lives without oxygen and transforms ammonium, the ingredient of urine, into hydrazine, a rocket fuel.



So-called anammox -- for anaerobic ammonium oxidation -- germs caused a sensation when they were first identified in the 1990s, but uncovering their secrets is taking time.



In a letter published by the British science journal Nature, researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands reported they had identified the molecular mechanism by which the bugs do their fuel-trick.

Proving this was quite a feat, said Mike Jetten, professor of microbiology at the university's Institute for Water and Wetland Research.

We had to deploy a range of new experimental methods. In the end, we managed to isolate the protein complex responsible for hydrazine production, a beautifully red mixture.



The team's work initially piqued NASA's interest, but this faded when the US space agency learned that only small quantities of precious hydrazine are produced, nothing like enough to get a rocket to Mars, said Jetten.



Now we are accurately determining the crystal structure of the protein complex. Perhaps we can improve the production process if we have a better understanding of how the protein complex fits together.



Full article: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/pee-power-urine-loving-bug-churns-space-fuel-172447754.html
 

Create an account or login to post a reply

You must be a member in order to post a reply

Create an account

Create an account here on Off Topix. It's quick & easy!

Log in

Already have an account? Log in here.

Welcome to Offtopix 👋, Visitor

Off Topix is a well-established general discussion forum that originally opened to the public in 2009! We provide a laid-back atmosphere, and our members are down to earth. We have a ton of content, and fresh stuff is constantly being added. We cover all sorts of topics, so there's bound to be something inside to pique your interest. We welcome anyone and everyone to register and become a member of our awesome community.

Theme customization system

You can customize some areas of the forum theme from this menu.

  • Theme customizations unavailable!

    Theme customization fields are not available to you, please contact the administrator for more information.

  • Choose the color combination that reflects your taste
    Background images
    Color gradient backgrounds
Back